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Old 06-16-2004, 06:28 AM   #1
mark12_30
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Silmaril Tolkien fandom: 'high', purged of the gross?

In his letters, Tolkien spoke of Middle-Earth in elegant and lofty terms. Here's a quote from letter 131.

Quote:
Do not laugh! But once upon a time (my crest has long since fallen) I had a mind to make a body of more or less connected legend, ranging from the large and cosmogonic, to the level of romantic fairy-story-the larger founded on the lesser in contact with the earth, the lesser drawing splendour from the vast backcloths – which I could dedicate simply to: to England; to my country. It should possess the tone and quality that I desired, somewhat cool and clear, be redolent of our 'air' (the clime and soil of the North West, meaning Britain and the hither parts of Europe: not Italy or the Aegean, still less the East), and, while possessing (if I could achieve it) the fair elusive beauty that some call Celtic (though it is rarely found in genuine ancient Celtic things), it should be 'high', purged of the gross, and fit for the more adult mind of a land long now steeped in poetry. I would draw some of the great tales in fullness, and leave many only placed in the scheme, and sketched. The cycles should be linked to a majestic whole, and yet leave scope for other minds and hands, wielding paint and music and drama.
Now that we've become aquainted with TOlkien's legendarium (his whole tale of Middle-Earth, his mythology, the grand sweep of his storytelling) have we "bought into " his ideals? Do we prefer his ideals, as bolded above? Here's a list:

What did he mean by "high and purged of the gross?" Is that important?

Quote:
great, vast, fullness, clear, fair elusive beauty, steeped in poetry, majestic, splendour.
For instance, Does current Tolkien fandom reflect those ideals? Do the conversations on the Barrowdowns reflect those ideals?

(There is another thread for movie-related comments. Movie thread )
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Last edited by mark12_30; 06-18-2004 at 06:18 AM.
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