Tolkien's shifting style - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 07-26-2006, 09:31 AM

My impression on the change in narrative tone from the beginning to the end of the book is that it parallels the changes in the Hobbits. They start out provincial, insular, childlike, then as their horizon expands and they see more of the world, especially the "higher" levels of society, they gain vocabulary and acquire a more formal manner of speaking. It's almost like what we experience when visiting other areas of the country and putting on the accent spoken there, whether intentional or not.

Though the point of view is not at all times entirely hobbitish, we basically see Middle-earth through hobbit eyes. The change in style is the hobbits' change, not so much a change in point of view, in my opinion.

Fordim Hedgethistle · 07-26-2006, 09:33 AM

The hobbits' heroic journey = the development of a (more informed? better?) reader??

LOVE IT!!

davem · 07-26-2006, 01:11 PM

I don't see the early part of LotR as being 'childish' - certainly not in the style of the early parts of TH. Certainly the early drafts are, but not the finished version. Its a much more 'conversational', storytelling style. Its not that it becomes more 'adult' but rather that it becomes 'higher' in tone, reflecting the increasing seriousness of the situation. What's interesting to me (as I pointed out in the CBC thread) is that we begin with the narrator's voice reporting events & conversations but without any description of places, characters, costume etc. Its as though we are not 'seeing' anything, only 'hearing' a story. Gradually, we get description - as if our imaginative capacity is slowly growing as we enter the Secondary World.

I'm reminded of Olivier's Henry V - as the movie starts we are in the theatre, watching the players on stage, gradually we move to a series of stylised sets, designed along the lines of medieval manuscript illustrations, & finally, when we get to Agincourt, we move into live action. Then we move back through those stages till at the close of the movie we are back in the theatre watching the actors on stage. The same kind of thing happens with LotR, as we move from 'listening' in the dark, slowly beginning to 'see' the world of Middle-earth form. The world we see initially is also very 'stylised' in the way its presented, gradually becoming more & more vivid & powerful till we get to the destruction of the Ring. From then on we move back through the same stages, till we end up back with only the words of the Narrator in our heads. I think we see this clearly with the return of the Hobbits to the Shire where Frodo speaks of 'falling asleep again.'

07-26-2006, 09:31 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	My impression on the change in narrative tone from the beginning to the end of the book is that it parallels the changes in the Hobbits. They start out provincial, insular, childlike, then as their horizon expands and they see more of the world, especially the "higher" levels of society, they gain vocabulary and acquire a more formal manner of speaking. It's almost like what we experience when visiting other areas of the country and putting on the accent spoken there, whether intentional or not. Though the point of view is not at all times entirely hobbitish, we basically see Middle-earth through hobbit eyes. The change in style is the hobbits' change, not so much a change in point of view, in my opinion. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

07-26-2006, 01:11 PM	#3
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	I don't see the early part of LotR as being 'childish' - certainly not in the style of the early parts of TH. Certainly the early drafts are, but not the finished version. Its a much more 'conversational', storytelling style. Its not that it becomes more 'adult' but rather that it becomes 'higher' in tone, reflecting the increasing seriousness of the situation. What's interesting to me (as I pointed out in the CBC thread) is that we begin with the narrator's voice reporting events & conversations but without any description of places, characters, costume etc. Its as though we are not 'seeing' anything, only 'hearing' a story. Gradually, we get description - as if our imaginative capacity is slowly growing as we enter the Secondary World. I'm reminded of Olivier's Henry V - as the movie starts we are in the theatre, watching the players on stage, gradually we move to a series of stylised sets, designed along the lines of medieval manuscript illustrations, & finally, when we get to Agincourt, we move into live action. Then we move back through those stages till at the close of the movie we are back in the theatre watching the actors on stage. The same kind of thing happens with LotR, as we move from 'listening' in the dark, slowly beginning to 'see' the world of Middle-earth form. The world we see initially is also very 'stylised' in the way its presented, gradually becoming more & more vivid & powerful till we get to the destruction of the Ring. From then on we move back through the same stages, till we end up back with only the words of the Narrator in our heads. I think we see this clearly with the return of the Hobbits to the Shire where Frodo speaks of 'falling asleep again.' Last edited by davem; 07-27-2006 at 02:37 AM.

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07-26-2006, 09:33 AM	#2
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	The hobbits' heroic journey = the development of a (more informed? better?) reader?? LOVE IT!!