Hope and Hopelessness - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 11-09-2002, 09:27 PM

Guinevere: There is a balance to keep in mind, I think, regarding Tolkien's writings. Think of the balance scales: on one side there lies Tolkien's honest evocation of all those things that come out of his humanity: hope and despair, joy and sorrow, etc. On the other side is what I suppose I might call Tolkien's meta-purpose, to create a myth for England. This is was his meta-purpose for the Silmarillion. Every good meta-myth will have many kinds of story, including tragedies like Turin Turambar and the sad tale of Hurin. Being the great artist he was, Tolkien kept both sides of the balance in equilibrium. He did evoke deep human feeling and so we feel the despair of Turin and Hurin, and we can appreciate the artistry of his tragedy.

I bring this up because (1) it's worthwhile to keep the balance in mind as we think about Tolkien's writings; & (2) the analogy of the balance scales breaks down in that it's really impossible to tell where the evocative purpsoe stops and the meta-mythic purpose begins.

I hope this clarified instead of confused. I'm not sure....

11-09-2002, 09:27 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Guinevere: There is a balance to keep in mind, I think, regarding Tolkien's writings. Think of the balance scales: on one side there lies Tolkien's honest evocation of all those things that come out of his humanity: hope and despair, joy and sorrow, etc. On the other side is what I suppose I might call Tolkien's meta-purpose, to create a myth for England. This is was his meta-purpose for the Silmarillion. Every good meta-myth will have many kinds of story, including tragedies like Turin Turambar and the sad tale of Hurin. Being the great artist he was, Tolkien kept both sides of the balance in equilibrium. He did evoke deep human feeling and so we feel the despair of Turin and Hurin, and we can appreciate the artistry of his tragedy. I bring this up because (1) it's worthwhile to keep the balance in mind as we think about Tolkien's writings; & (2) the analogy of the balance scales breaks down in that it's really impossible to tell where the evocative purpsoe stops and the meta-mythic purpose begins. I hope this clarified instead of confused. I'm not sure....