‘The Workhouse’ – Tolkien’s Purgatory - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 04-30-2007, 02:08 AM

How interesting - after I asked myself the above question, I came across a very brief comment by Shippey in Author of the Century:

Quote:

...Parish, whose time in the Workhouse has clearly been spent in making him less practical, not more so.

Other than that, I don't think I've read any other thoughts on this - and I have researched fairly extensively.

davem · 04-30-2007, 02:33 AM

And one assumes it would have been just as difficult for Parish to lose his 'practical', no-nonsense ways as it was for Niggle to learn some. Niggle had to learn to do the practical stuff, on which civilisation depends. Parish had to learn to appreciate the art & beauty for which civilisation exists.

Which brings us to Tolkien's attitude to the 'conflict' which he personifies in Niggle & Parish. He focusses on Niggle's struggles to become a 'practical' man, yet he also feels that the practical people like Parish are lacking something & that they also have a lesson to learn. 'Niggle's Parish' is both a place & the necessary next step for humanity. Its 'the best introduction to the Mountains', & the step humanity must take before they can 'move on' & transcend their 'fallen' state. The conflict between Thesis & Antithesis produce Synthesis - as in Jung's concept of the Transcendent Function....

04-30-2007, 02:33 AM	#2
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	And one assumes it would have been just as difficult for Parish to lose his 'practical', no-nonsense ways as it was for Niggle to learn some. Niggle had to learn to do the practical stuff, on which civilisation depends. Parish had to learn to appreciate the art & beauty for which civilisation exists. Which brings us to Tolkien's attitude to the 'conflict' which he personifies in Niggle & Parish. He focusses on Niggle's struggles to become a 'practical' man, yet he also feels that the practical people like Parish are lacking something & that they also have a lesson to learn. 'Niggle's Parish' is both a place & the necessary next step for humanity. Its 'the best introduction to the Mountains', & the step humanity must take before they can 'move on' & transcend their 'fallen' state. The conflict between Thesis & Antithesis produce Synthesis - as in Jung's concept of the Transcendent Function.... __________________ “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."