Psychological depth in Tolkien's characters

[Lyta_Underhill]

Based on my late self-discovery in this matter, I would argue that the clarity with which Tolkien imagined his characters makes them psychologically inclusive.

Is what I'm describing another brand of depth?

Am I the only weirdo to have felt like this in this most interesting context?

Not at all, Lush! Somewhere back a bit in this very thread, on the first page, I recount an instance of my own becoming and thinking as Frodo for a moment as he is watching the host of Minas Morgul marching West. Perhaps this is another brand of depth and does not require exposition but triggers that open up the reader's psyche to "fall into Middle Earth" completely. I remember somewhere on a Bombadil thread, there was a link to an article that posited that Tolkien speaks directly to the reader when Bombadil is addressing the hobbits, as if the reader is Bombadil on some level, and the story steps out of its fictional context to become an internal reality, rather than an analysis of it. Wish I could remember more about it! Great point though! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Cheers,
Lyta