Fiction in Middle Earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 04-11-2003, 07:36 AM

Ok, Estelyn, Tolkien didn't mention everything that must have existed in ME, but as sub creation was of such importance to him, how come it doesn't exist in ME?

Annunfuiniel, Surely there's more to mythology than an attempt to 'explain' why things are the way they are, or how they came to be. 'Creating' a mythology is what its about - creating - its a creative act. KNOWING how things actually happened is psychologically quite limiting. It limits the freedom of the imagination. Besides, as a Christian, Tolkien would have said he 'knew' how the universe was created, but that still didn't stop him creating his own mythology. So, 'knowing' the truth about the creation doesn't deter one from inventing ones own account. Also, there seems, as Tolkien himself states, to be a need to 'sub create', which get from the source (God) which created us.
I still wonder why there's no example of sub creation in ME!

04-11-2003, 07:36 AM	#14
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	Ok, Estelyn, Tolkien didn't mention everything that must have existed in ME, but as sub creation was of such importance to him, how come it doesn't exist in ME? Annunfuiniel, Surely there's more to mythology than an attempt to 'explain' why things are the way they are, or how they came to be. 'Creating' a mythology is what its about - creating - its a creative act. KNOWING how things actually happened is psychologically quite limiting. It limits the freedom of the imagination. Besides, as a Christian, Tolkien would have said he 'knew' how the universe was created, but that still didn't stop him creating his own mythology. So, 'knowing' the truth about the creation doesn't deter one from inventing ones own account. Also, there seems, as Tolkien himself states, to be a need to 'sub create', which get from the source (God) which created us. I still wonder why there's no example of sub creation in ME! __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."