Canon: what ARE we babbling about?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Helen

So by your argument "THe Adventures of Tom Bombadil" isn't canon either. In order to be canon, the mood must be tragic? Then we throw out Sam's Oliphaunt, and his Troll Song-- it's absurd. Let's cut out "The Man In the Moon Stayed Up Too Late." Then we'll throw out Bombadil. And Pippin really must grow up and get serious. Boromir's sarcasm-- out. And Gandalf is not allowed any more fireworks-- they are beneath his dignity.

This tone thing has gone too far. Nobody in Middle-Earth is allowed to have fun. Including the Professor.

We're not talking (at least I'm not) about Hobbits (or the Hobbit poetry ot AoTB). We're talking about Elves (& Trolls) The (Rivendell) Elves in TH are not consistent with the rest of the Legendarium. Bombadil works because he is a 'unique' figure. Tolkien himself repeatedly stated he was uncomfortable with the 'tone' of TH. I'd suggest that this 'discomfort' was not due to TH as a story in its own right, but purely because it had been taken up into the Legendarium & it didn't fit. He only changed the Riddles in the Dark chapter to make it more consistent with LotR - not because the original version didn't work in the context of TH itself.

I can. "Those were happier days."

In the Council chapter her says he has lived through three Ages of the world & 'seen many defeats & many fruitless victories'. Given his history, including the 'loss' of his wife in terrible circumstances, I cannot imagine a 'Tra-la-la-laly' passing his lips.