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Originally Posted by littlemanpoet
To summarize, Lobdell says that Tolkien has written an Edwardian adventure story.
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Characteristics of Edwardian adventure story: - a particular object associated with the adventure
- a fictional travelogue, or at least a travel story
- framed in familiarity
- odd and inexplicable things happen
- enchanted scenery & stock characters as in a dream
- characters are types
- nature itself is a character
- black-and-white morality
- a band of brothers/we happy few/a fellowship
- an eccentric, mysterious, and powerful leader
- story is told by one of the fellowship who has survived
- mysterious character indwelling the world itself
- nature is itself in a way supernatural
- past is alive in the present
- frankly aristocratic in its conventions
(11-19)
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Examples Lobdell provides of Edwardian adventure stories and their authors: - G.K. Chesterton, The Man who was Thursday (which I've read), The Everlasting Man, The Napoleon of Notting Hill
- H. Ryder Haggard, She, King Solomon's Mines
- Algernon Blackwood, The Willows, Strange Stories
- Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
- Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles
- Rudyard Kipling
- Masefield
- G. A. Henty
- Robert Louis Stevenson
- P. G. Wodehouse
- Farnol
(11-19)
I don't know a lot of these authors, but note them for the sake of completeness.
Lobdell admits great dissimilarities between the many books and authors listed, but finds this intriguing connection, which he reiterates a number of times:
Agree with Lobdell or not, he puts forward a clear and persuasive case.
So what?
Well, this:
Lobdell goes on to say:
Further:
Then Lobdell outlines what one finds in the adventure story written in the period, roughly 1950 to 1975:To his list I will make so bold as to add Han Solo and the hero and sherrif in Clint Eastwood's movie, "The Unforgiven".
I'm tempted to ask if we have here stumbled upon "the six-pence", but that is a question for those who wish to discuss it on that (albeit related) thread: "What does the six-pence =?"
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Now for the questions.
Do you agree that LotR fits all or most of Lobdell's characteristics of the Edwardian mode? (such as?)
Do you think that some of these Edwardian characteristics may perhaps reflect an issue that you have with LotR? (please relate)
I wrote a marginal note by way of summary of a certain section in Lobdell's book that he is basically saying that Tolkien was the J.S. Bach of the Ewardian adventure story. What do you think of such a characterization?
Feel free to discuss any other aspects of this introductory post, take issue with any assertions, et cetera. |
Okay, I will reply with more seriousness this time.
I have to wonder about Lobdell's terms of reference. Here at the end you say he uses 1950 to 1975 to pinpoint adventure stories, but these years are not the Edwardian years, which are the years between Victoria's death and the start of The War to End All Wars, named after the reign of Edward VII (1901-1910). (Spot of English history for the Yankee chap.
) Lobdell's list omits writers of the time such as Joseph Conrad, who explored European colonialism in Africa, and of course D.H. Lawrence, the lad who had a bit of a fixation on some things.
I suppose my thoughts about his list and how it pertains to
Tollers has to do with merely picking out events and features of narrative. Perhaps a bit more social and cultural and political context might help place Lobdell's ideas in perspective?
For instance, isn't the Titanic story the epitome of Edwardian conceits? All those rich upper deck types and the riff raff below and the end of the eras of privilege and majesty. Maybe his ideas might be brought out better, too, by thinking about the movie
Chariots of Fire. Yes, I know this was a 1981 movie, but it was about what makes men run, what it means to be establishment, what is means to be English and although set in the 1924 Olympics, so many of the establishing moments are flashbacks to 1919 Oxford, the lads being the first class after the war. Is this the sort of thing you and Lobdell find in Tolkien?
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Originally Posted by Eric Liddell
impertinence lies, sir, with those who seek to influence a man to deny his beliefs.
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