Titus Turambar: Tragic Tales

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Hookbill the Goomba

But I'd like to hear other thoughts on what exactly is the nature of the tragedy of Turin. What, do you think, is the most striking element of his downfall?

Not much time now, but I've been wanting to reply here since Hooky first posted the thread.

Certainly Turin's pride--like his mother's--goes before his fall. Yet I think it is also interesting to compare CoH with Tolkien's thoughts about Beowulf.

Originally Posted by The Monsters and the Critics

It is the strength of the northern mythological imagination that it faced this problem, put the monsters in the centre, gave them victory but no honour, and found a potent but terrible solution in the naked will and courage.

There's other passages which would expand this, but I've no time now. But I think CoH and Turin belong with the Old English elegiac tradition. Maybe The Battle of Maldon might be even more apt a comparison.