Lord of the Rings - English Icon

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

You know, I think that it maybe an icon to the English who recognize the strong ties to their country, but to the rest of us, it is a darn good read, even if we haven't a clue that there is a country/culture that vaguely resembles M-E (or perhaps the Shire). Thus having said that, it would be hard for me to say it is an English icon, because it doesn't feel particularly English to me since I don't know what Englishness feels like. And neither does it feel particularly exotic, though on reflection, that statement is a strange one, and yet there you have it. It has just enough attachment to the language and values of the recent past make it familiar, despite the sometimes strange landscapes or inhabitants.

The long shot of it is that if you mention LotR, England doesn't immediately come to mind, whereas if you say 'cricket' or 'Trafalger Square' it does.