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But to my mind, perfection is overrated. Indeed, aspects of the work that are flaws to some eyes are “by others specially approved” (Tolkien, ibid).
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We overlook their flaws – or in some cases love them all the more because of their quirks and idiosyncrasies – because their virtues far outweigh their shortcomings.
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Thanks,
Underhill! This is a point with which I agree heartily in all things (not just Tolkien's work)! The technically flawless can be boring, predictable, etc., and I personally relish little glimpses into the tears in the fabric of artifice that occur in works which are dense, well-considered, aesthetically appealing, etc., but not perfect. In a sense, this mirrors the second- and third-hand experience of history itself and is an element in Tolkien's work that delights me! It is one of the truths that I and others seek that life is a search for the ultimate perfection or the light unsullied, but we are ever fated to find fulfillment in the striving, and to touch true perfection would simply absorb us but not satisfy us. (Does that make sense?)
To that end, the subordination of clarity to aesthetic sensibility is forgivable and even desirable in my eyes and in many other eyes, I am sure! Carry on! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Cheers,
Lyta