Not the analysis itself, which is sound (if overly familiar), but the fact that, yet again, someone starts talking about 'Tolkien' as an author but then only mentions THE LORD OF THE RINGS in isolation. If it was an essay about LORD OF THE RINGS by itself, that would be fine, but given the point of the article seems to be an assessment of why people think Tolkien is a 'sacred cow' of a writer and why that is not a good idea when the work is flawed (and indeed it is, as all works are), then his full oeuvre needs to be considered, with particular reference to THE SILMARILLION.
Of course, it is important that critics don't mention THE SILMARILLION, as then their usual standbys (Tolkien has inert female characters! Tolkien isn't dark enough!) go flying out the window. Naturally, that book shouldn't be a sacred cow either, and is certainly not flawless (its biggest flaw being that it is very hard to classify), but it would be nice if someone even tried to mention it in one of these things.
Baing hard to classify is a flaw?
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
Tolkien as a sacred cow of fantasy
28/07/2010 10:02:39 PM
- 1604 Views
Nonsense, at least in part
28/07/2010 10:19:19 PM
- 1172 Views
I know there is a polite difference of opinion here
28/07/2010 10:40:42 PM
- 982 Views
Have to agree.
28/07/2010 11:38:37 PM
- 1073 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
- 889 Views
*cough* Twilight *cough*
29/07/2010 10:15:13 AM
- 926 Views
I was gonna mention that one too.
29/07/2010 10:35:17 AM
- 1001 Views
Mmm. I read an interesting article actually...
29/07/2010 08:24:04 PM
- 820 Views
That's a fair point, I guess...
29/07/2010 09:18:13 PM
- 1032 Views
mmm, except it's relevant to Bella too.
29/07/2010 10:43:03 PM
- 910 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
- 460 Views
Of course, since she's the main character, it matters rather a lot, yes? *NM*
30/07/2010 09:39:07 AM
- 448 Views
How much do you have to read to form an opinion?
29/07/2010 12:23:28 PM
- 976 Views
To the end
29/07/2010 12:59:25 PM
- 851 Views
my reading time is too scarce to think that way
29/07/2010 01:21:26 PM
- 1058 Views
I agree, but HP is a good example of something you should keep reading
29/07/2010 08:27:20 PM
- 1020 Views
and I will
29/07/2010 09:13:03 PM
- 756 Views
The books mature as Harry does. You should really give it another shot *NM*
29/07/2010 03:00:37 PM
- 515 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
- 841 Views
It is a case of the "someone is wrong on the internet" thing, only much older
29/07/2010 06:27:07 PM
- 807 Views
well you have not failed completely
29/07/2010 06:50:15 PM
- 798 Views
Re: well you have not failed completely
29/07/2010 06:53:38 PM
- 841 Views
one quick question
29/07/2010 07:38:00 PM
- 888 Views
how many books do I have to read to get to the grown up books?
29/07/2010 06:42:37 PM
- 831 Views
None of them are "geared towards grown ups" - it's still a YA series.
29/07/2010 07:03:24 PM
- 815 Views
They're all "light reading" for adults, geared towards YA readers.
29/07/2010 08:29:01 PM
- 802 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
- 940 Views
it's not supposed to be on par with adult fantasy.
29/07/2010 08:49:16 PM
- 920 Views
I'd argue it's better than Jordan and others from a literary standpoint.
29/07/2010 09:14:07 PM
- 873 Views
I have always thought Jordan had some interesting themes but they were often ignored...
29/07/2010 09:27:12 PM
- 1015 Views
I agree Tolkien should not be a sacred cow or put on a pedestal overmuch.
28/07/2010 11:10:37 PM
- 996 Views
I completely agree that there should be no sacred cows, and that applies to Tolkien.
28/07/2010 11:13:39 PM
- 908 Views
all art forms have sacred cows
29/07/2010 01:38:26 AM
- 1009 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
- 899 Views
Disappointing.
29/07/2010 04:41:34 AM
- 962 Views
Re: Disappointing.
29/07/2010 09:19:25 AM
- 885 Views
I think you are ignoring the key fact that the Silmarillion was never published by Tolkien.
30/07/2010 01:48:14 PM
- 1206 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
- 961 Views