Does LotR have cross-cultural appeal?

[Novnarwen]

By Davem

I meant that to me the settings - particularly the parts set in the Shire, & the Hobbits themselves seem so English that I've always been surprised that non-English readers can relate to them so deeply. When I read a book or watch a movie set in another country/culture there's always for me a feeling of 'distance' - sometimes very small, but there nonetheless

Davem, settings or story? In your first post you said that you were surprised, and found it odd, that Non-English speakers ’even got the story’. Now, you’re saying that you meant the ‘settings.’

Surely, the settings of a story is not what determines whether a person will ‘understand’ (or ‘get’) a story. The setting is but a small part of a book, and to be quite frank I believe that to understand or ‘get’ a story/book the subject plays a far greater part than the settings. And even though, settings may play a great part, why should we underestimate everyone who hasn’t grown up in green surroundings and think it odd and surprising that they ‘get the story’? Do you honestly think these people can’t picture a ‘green field,’ ‘a river,’ ‘tall trees’ and ‘forests’? (Tolkien uses these words, among others, in his descriptions in LoTR.) How hard can it be? Thank God for imagination, I say, for with these words they ought not to understand, get the story, or setting…

When it comes to the ‘story,’ (as you referred to in your first post) I can’t see what brilliance in Tolkien no one outside of England aren't supposed to understand. Short, it’s a story about good vs. evil. I don’t think I’m exaggerating that all books, (at least those I’ve read ,) is about this, one way or another. Why should people have difficulties understanding, or ‘getting the story’, when probably the greatest fraction of the books they’ve read too, deals with this subject? (By this, I would also claim, again, that LoTR has a cross-cultural appeal, because I see it as VERY likely that everyone who reads has touched upon the subject of LoTR many a times when reading, and I dare say that the subject itself hasn't stopped the majority from reading similar books.)

By Davem

For instance, I've grown up in an area parts of which are still reminiscent of the Shire - ''woods, fields, little rivers' - so I've been able to wander in places which strongly reminded me of the books, & I've encountered people very like the Hobbits. So I have that connection with the books that people living in a different landscape wouldn't have.

A question I have to ask is why you think it odd that people can still relate to Tolkien’s books so deeply when the settings are so ‘very English’. Again, I emphasize the importance of the subject of the books, rather than the settings. Additionally, has it occurred to you that people that find themselves in other landscapes than the ones described in LoTR can perhaps relate to everything else in Tolkien’s books such as personalities etc.?

It’s not odd that everyone who reads LoTR can relate as deeply to the books as you do. Personal interpretations again, I say. You let the settings enchant you to grow so deeply fond of Tolkien, but there are still many other elements in LoTR that can enchant others just as well. To me, the setting plays no great part in any of it. If Tolkien had chosen the Shire to be a desert, or to be an underwater realm, I would still find myself relating to the story, characters, personalities and events etc. just as deeply as I do now.

(I’ve started repeating myself, so I’ll stop.)

By HereIstarion

PS I promised not to evaluate, but based on my memory of once made 'Map of the Barrowdowns', there were no members from Muslim countries. But I know, based on first hand experience, that there are Tolkien lovers in Azerbaijan.

From this, I draw the conclusion that you can find yourself enchanted by LoTR, enjoy the story and belong to a culture or a religion that differ from English/European/Scandinavia, but don't hang around at BD. BD could be representative; it should also be questioned. There are Muslims in Europe and America, too, (According to a site here, 2% of Europe total population are Muslims) and excluding them as a group (as well as Buddhists and Hindus etc.) due to 'cultural and religious differences' sounds too simple.