Tolkien and Parody - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 09-02-2004, 01:19 PM

It's always good to ask questions! If no one else answers one, you start thinking about it yourself. So it is with my question on the difference between "parody" and "travesty". The more I reflect on the latter, the more it seems to me to be a negative kind of copy, a mockery of the original. Wouldn't the orcs and trolls be made as a travesty of Elves and Ents? Then I conclude that I would prefer to stick to the term "parody", denoting a type of play with words, friendly and fun-loving.

Still, the question remains - what would Tolkien think of the parodies on his works?

Fordim Hedgethistle · 09-02-2004, 01:24 PM

I don't know if this constitutes an answer to your question Esty but Tolkien wrote what could be considered a parody of LotR himself:

"The Lord of the Rings
Is a funny old thing;
If you like it, you do,
If you don't, you go 'boo'."

Not exactly a fully developed self-parody, but it does make light of his work in a playful manner.

09-02-2004, 01:19 PM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	It's always good to ask questions! If no one else answers one, you start thinking about it yourself. So it is with my question on the difference between "parody" and "travesty". The more I reflect on the latter, the more it seems to me to be a negative kind of copy, a mockery of the original. Wouldn't the orcs and trolls be made as a travesty of Elves and Ents? Then I conclude that I would prefer to stick to the term "parody", denoting a type of play with words, friendly and fun-loving. Still, the question remains - what would Tolkien think of the parodies on his works? __________________ '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...'

09-02-2004, 01:24 PM	#2
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	I don't know if this constitutes an answer to your question Esty but Tolkien wrote what could be considered a parody of LotR himself: "The Lord of the Rings Is a funny old thing; If you like it, you do, If you don't, you go 'boo'." Not exactly a fully developed self-parody, but it does make light of his work in a playful manner. __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.