Odola
Well-Known Member
Actually, I think that's interesting speculation. I also think some of our more universal fantasies and myths come from our pre-verbal memories - the feelings we remember in our bodies of being carried and crying and magically having mother or other caretaker come and meet our needs, of not being able to control our movements, depending on others completely. The whole world was full of magic and was all there to be learned about.
Preverbial memory is a thing. Tolkien's elves are more like "real people" - he want them to real "persons" to be taken seriously - not just some "flower spirits" - but he doesn't seem to want to demythologize them completely either.