I am growing tired of this. Shortly after the films started coming out it became fashionable in circles of self-styled intellectuals to fall out of love with Tolkien. Of course they are free to do that, but don't present it as an objective truth or a sign of excellent taste. It makes me somewhat nauseous.
I have long been planning a proper long post on this tendency, but I never seem to find the time. I am sure it will come one of these days. For now, though, this will have to do:
Piffle and poppycock.
Edit: I realise that I appear to confirm precisely what the man said in the blog, but I think you know me well enough to realise it is simply time constraint.
I have long been planning a proper long post on this tendency, but I never seem to find the time. I am sure it will come one of these days. For now, though, this will have to do:
Piffle and poppycock.
Edit: I realise that I appear to confirm precisely what the man said in the blog, but I think you know me well enough to realise it is simply time constraint.
I still think there are some valid points that are raised, both in the essay and elsewhere. No fiction should be sacred, but instead tested. As long as such works pass their tests, they endure. There are certainly elements in Tolkien's fiction that I think should be scrutinized more closely, but that process is not to necessarily validate or invalidate what he wrote, but to see how the Text still functions a half-century or more after its initial publication.
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie
Je suis méchant.
Je suis méchant.
Tolkien as a sacred cow of fantasy
- 28/07/2010 10:02:39 PM
1878 Views
Nonsense, at least in part
- 28/07/2010 10:19:19 PM
1460 Views
I know there is a polite difference of opinion here
- 28/07/2010 10:40:42 PM
1254 Views
Have to agree.
- 28/07/2010 11:38:37 PM
1361 Views
It seemed to be that way with Harry Potter just when after it had started to get big.
- 29/07/2010 09:44:53 AM
1153 Views
*cough* Twilight *cough*
- 29/07/2010 10:15:13 AM
1232 Views
I was gonna mention that one too.
- 29/07/2010 10:35:17 AM
1312 Views
Mmm. I read an interesting article actually...
- 29/07/2010 08:24:04 PM
1102 Views
That's a fair point, I guess...
- 29/07/2010 09:18:13 PM
1324 Views
mmm, except it's relevant to Bella too.
- 29/07/2010 10:43:03 PM
1196 Views
That's my point, it's pretty much only relevant to Bella - only there is it shown prominently. *NM*
- 29/07/2010 10:59:54 PM
562 Views
Of course, since she's the main character, it matters rather a lot, yes? *NM*
- 30/07/2010 09:39:07 AM
551 Views
How much do you have to read to form an opinion?
- 29/07/2010 12:23:28 PM
1253 Views
To the end
- 29/07/2010 12:59:25 PM
1153 Views
my reading time is too scarce to think that way
- 29/07/2010 01:21:26 PM
1315 Views
I agree, but HP is a good example of something you should keep reading
- 29/07/2010 08:27:20 PM
1310 Views
and I will
- 29/07/2010 09:13:03 PM
1035 Views
The books mature as Harry does. You should really give it another shot *NM*
- 29/07/2010 03:00:37 PM
632 Views
He doesn't want to, so why should he? It's not like you or he is losing anything now
- 29/07/2010 06:15:58 PM
1121 Views
It is a case of the "someone is wrong on the internet" thing, only much older
- 29/07/2010 06:27:07 PM
1083 Views
well you have not failed completely
- 29/07/2010 06:50:15 PM
1086 Views
Re: well you have not failed completely
- 29/07/2010 06:53:38 PM
1127 Views
one quick question
- 29/07/2010 07:38:00 PM
1157 Views
how many books do I have to read to get to the grown up books?
- 29/07/2010 06:42:37 PM
1087 Views
None of them are "geared towards grown ups" - it's still a YA series.
- 29/07/2010 07:03:24 PM
1102 Views
They're all "light reading" for adults, geared towards YA readers.
- 29/07/2010 08:29:01 PM
1100 Views
Re: It seemed to be that way with Harry Potter just when after it had started to get big.
- 29/07/2010 08:45:58 PM
1223 Views
it's not supposed to be on par with adult fantasy.
- 29/07/2010 08:49:16 PM
1200 Views
I'd argue it's better than Jordan and others from a literary standpoint.
- 29/07/2010 09:14:07 PM
1144 Views
I have always thought Jordan had some interesting themes but they were often ignored...
- 29/07/2010 09:27:12 PM
1315 Views
I agree Tolkien should not be a sacred cow or put on a pedestal overmuch.
- 28/07/2010 11:10:37 PM
1290 Views
I completely agree that there should be no sacred cows, and that applies to Tolkien.
- 28/07/2010 11:13:39 PM
1215 Views
all art forms have sacred cows
- 29/07/2010 01:38:26 AM
1287 Views
Yeah, it was the line about women waiting at home while their men went to war that made me laugh.
- 29/07/2010 06:44:34 PM
1162 Views
Disappointing.
- 29/07/2010 04:41:34 AM
1242 Views
I think you are ignoring the key fact that the Silmarillion was never published by Tolkien.
- 30/07/2010 01:48:14 PM
1471 Views
I find the Tolkien lovers to be obnoxious in their never ending masturbatory praise of his works.
- 30/07/2010 06:09:42 AM
1266 Views



