Timdalf
Active Member
I was alerted to this blog post.... and want to pass it on. I find myself in particular agreement with #10... i am still debating whether all the technicalities (so lacking in profundity) of "The Nature of Middle-earth" are worth reading. Trying to explain every aspect of a mythology is really ruinous of its effect. See the recent essay in Tolkien Studies XVII - 2020 "The Portrait of the Poet as a Young Man" about the benefits of leaving implied aspects implied and not explicit. Unfortunately Tolkien towards the end was convinced by his fandom into trying to rationalize his mythos in every detail. I am concluding that The Silmarillion is best viewed as cautionary thought experiments to mortal human attitudes rather than ideals to be longed for. In other words, be careful what you wish for: everlasting life under fallen conditions (Elvish or human) is not utopian.
Some things I learned from reading <I>The Nature of Middle-earth</I>
When I was updating the Mythopoeic Society's Inklings bibliography, I thought about placing this book, not among the works of Tolkien's fiction, but in the books about Tolkien, under
www.tolkiensociety.org