View Single Post
Old 02-11-2017, 11:44 AM   #77
Balfrog
Haunting Spirit
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 87
Balfrog has just left Hobbiton.
Morthoron


I promised a fuller response to your last post. Here goes:

"you haven't a clue what an "allegory" is"

Sigh! Sigh! And more sighs!

I expected better from you – this has been a fine discussion and debate so far. Shame to ruin it with a silly taunt. Especially as there is a lot more to be exposed about Tom. Just as interesting will be the unveiling of further allegory, symbolism* and many bewildering matters relating to the whole puzzling episode with Tom. Yes stuff that's been missed by us all!

*Yes, I am quite aware there's a difference between 'allegory' and 'symbolism' – and I am well aware that even Tolkien separated the two in Letter #203.



"And yet you assert Ms. Seth is correct on assumptions and conjecture, while you, yourself, devolve into "maybes" and "who knows". Laughable."


Sorry? What has this got to do with the price of bread?

Obviously you've missed Ms. Seth's disclaimer at the beginning of the essay:

“Please bear in mind that what follows is a hypothesis, and though sometimes a factual portrayal is presented – this is just literary style and for effect.”


Yep – if a writer puts forward a theory – it ought to have conviction behind it. Readers (including myself) needn't be so enthusiastic – even if we believe the fundamentals are correct.



Nerwen


"Balfrog, I at no time claimed that Tolkien always used inverted commas in one specific way (to express scepticism) and never in any other way (e.g. to single out or highlight text). Recall that the initial assumption, by yourself and Ms. Seth, was that he was, in the relevant passage, using them for emphasis. I'm simply arguing against that assumption".

Okay - then Ms. Seth's pronouncement of quote usage by Tolkien as an emphasis might not be far-fetched ! Could it not be a reasonable assumption for the 'relevant passage' ?
Balfrog is offline   Reply With Quote