‘Strains of Elvish Song and Voices', Bradford Lee Eden

[Bêthberry]

Thanks, Aiwendil. I've misplaced my copy of the Letters and so couldn't check them.

There are no references to Morris that I could find in a quick perusal of OFS. There are, however, three comments about MacDonald.

Originally Posted by Tolkien, OFS

None the less this detail is plainly only a secondary use of an ancient and very widespread folk-lore notion, which does occur in fairy-stories; the notion that the life or strength of a man or creature may reside in some other place or thing; or ins ome part of th ebody (especially the heart) that can be detached and hidden in a bag, or under a stone, or in an egg. At one end of recorded folk-lore history this idea was used by George MacDonald in his fairy story The Giant's Heart, which derives this central motive (as well as many other details) from well-known traditional tales.

Originally Posted by Tolkien, OFS

The Magical, the fairy-story, may be used as a Mirour de l'Omme; and it may (but not so easily) be made a vehicle of Mystery. This is what George MacDonald attempted, achieving stories of power and beauty when he succeded, as in The Golden Key (which he called a fairy-tale): and even when he partly failed, as in Lilith (which he called a romance).

Originally Posted by Tolkien, OFS

Death is the theme that most inspired George MacDonald.

In footnote 4, Eden remarks:

Originally Posted by Eden, p. 152

MacDonald's influence on Tolkien's writings can be specifically attributed to Tolkien's concept of children's literature, and especially the production of The Hobbit, but I can find no direct influence of MacDonald on Tolkien's early mythological writings.