Tolkien & the Great War - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Bêthberry · 11-10-2003, 06:49 AM

Thanks for posting a very significant link, davem.

Interestingly, I have just made a comparison between Tolkien's war experience and that of War poets such as Owen and Sassoon, on the Dumbing Down the Books thread, which has developed into a discussion of why Tolkien employed archaic language forms, particularly in RotK.

I suggested that Tolkien's experience in the war was one of the factors which made it difficult for him to create a contemporary heroic style. Like the War Poets, he too saw the vanity of the old heroic appeals, but that his love of the old warrior epics drove him to using an archaic style, setting the heroism off, distancing it. Squatter has posted a rebuttal, to which I hope to have time to reply later today. Perhaps you would have something to contribute to such a discussion?

Regards,
Bethberry

11-10-2003, 06:49 AM	#2
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 6,003	Thanks for posting a very significant link, davem. Interestingly, I have just made a comparison between Tolkien's war experience and that of War poets such as Owen and Sassoon, on the Dumbing Down the Books thread, which has developed into a discussion of why Tolkien employed archaic language forms, particularly in RotK. I suggested that Tolkien's experience in the war was one of the factors which made it difficult for him to create a contemporary heroic style. Like the War Poets, he too saw the vanity of the old heroic appeals, but that his love of the old warrior epics drove him to using an archaic style, setting the heroism off, distancing it. Squatter has posted a rebuttal, to which I hope to have time to reply later today. Perhaps you would have something to contribute to such a discussion? Regards, Bethberry __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.