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Old 01-22-2006, 03:07 PM   #13
Anguirel
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nogrod
Well.

As we all know, Tolkien was deeply christian and had quite a many underlying religious themes going on behind his writing. Although he was much subtler than his more fanatic friend, Mr. Lewis.

"Stories of Narnia" do carry the card of christianity in a degree, that make them almost repulsing. It has too obvious metaphors to be swallowed with the storyline. They stand up from within the lines and demand attention. Sadly, that is not a good thing, at least on my view. Tolkien, on the other hand, managed to filtrate his "message" through pagan stories so that pagans like me can take the story as such and let the christian levels just bubble under.

So ten points to Tolkien, minus hundred points for Lewis!

But surely: without his religiosity, Tolkien would have not written as he did. So one cheer for that too?

I find more intresting the question, how do people of other (than caucasian & christian) races & faiths take the stories of Tolkien. Basically they seem to be stories of white males - with some exceptions - running the world & being heroes and individuals. An the darkness comes from the east, as it so often comes in european mythology.
I really wouldn't describe poor old Clive Staples as a fanatic. Don't confuse him with the poor nutters scrambling over rival wardrobes who worship him as a quasi-saint-Lewis has always struck me as a (sadly increasingly rare) example of an emphatic Christian with a forgiving, accepting, even Dantean outlook. Pieces of pagan mythology that he was attracted by make it into Narnia-even the pagan god Bacchus. He mish-mashes traditions with gay abandon and whimsical flair that Tolkien aesthetically (not doctrinally) distrusted.

Appalling artistically though some parts of "the Last Battle" may be, and shocking though we may find the rejection of poor pretty Susan, there is also the episode of Emeth-a Calormene Tash-worshipper who has led a virtuous life and whom Aslan embraces. Not a fanatic's worldview.

As for Tolkien-I've never had a problem, though admittedly I'm in love with parts of the western legendary tradition, chivalry and all that sort of thing, so even though half-Eastern by blood I tend to identify with the west. I always feel the observation of the fallen Easterling by Sam (and other marginalia, like the eventual rehabilitation of the Blue Wizards) pretty much redeems any "anti-eastern" bias. As for Christianity, it is present only in principle, and I don't object to that principle at all, as it seems to me a decent guide to how to lead an examined and worthwhile life.
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