Tolkien's Writing Style

Deleted member 42 · May 7, 2011

Tolkien fell very much in love with Edith, his wife, when both were very young; hence the Luthien and Beren on their grave stones, at his request.

But he was very much a Victorian in his attitudes towards women. They were almost a separate species, in his mind, based on his letters.

ElizaFaith13 · May 7, 2011

MJNL said:
Ditto. Love the story, but if I have to read another descriptive passage about the hills of Rohan... Watch out.

that reminds me of the 'rolling red hills of Tara' in Gone With the Wind...UGH...I don't remember LOTR being anything that redundant.

Vomaxx · May 8, 2011

I have often wondered why Tolkien's editor did not make him take out 95% of the exclamation points. I have never seen an author overuse ! more than JRRT.

bearilou · May 8, 2011

Medievalist said:
For anyone who likes Tolkien's "saga style," check out the Mabinogi, preferably in the Patrick Ford or Sioned Davies translations.

Way cool.

[whines] Stoooop it. I will never read all my stuff sitting in this pile if this keeps up!

Deleted member 42 · May 8, 2011

bearilou said:
[whines] Stoooop it. I will never read all my stuff sitting in this pile if this keeps up!

The Mabinogi is even better in Welsh!

Anninyn · May 8, 2011

I enjoy his prose, though I wouldn't want to see a more modern book use it. I honestly couldn't say why, except that it being in thehands of someone less expert would make it clumsy and pretentious.

I've never had difficulties with 'heavy' and descriptive prose, being easily able to understand and enjoy most classics, even the ones people say are impossible for modern readers . Mind you, my father taught me to read using LoTR, so that might just explain it.

evilrooster · May 8, 2011

Medievalist said:
The Mabinogi is even better in Welsh!

Oh, right, so you're not just adding to the reading pile. We have to put stuff on the learning pile too?

Deleted member 42 · May 8, 2011

evilrooster said:
Oh, right, so you're not just adding to the reading pile. We have to put stuff on the learning pile too?

Everything you need to know is right here.

You can start out reading Pwyll Pendeuvic Dyfed on the very first day!

Tolkien actually taught Medieval Welsh a few times.

evilrooster · May 8, 2011

Omdat ik zo véél tijd heb om een nieuwe* taal te studeren...

----
* okee, niet écht nieuw. Jij weet wat ik bedoel.

evilrooster · May 8, 2011

But we digress.

I think the one stylistic quirk of Tolkien that I find tiring is Tom Bombadil's dialog. When, after years of somehow missing it, I realized that all of his speech is in the same meter as his songs, I started to find it increasingly difficult to read those scenes.

I'm still not really sure why. I guess it feels too cute.

ProtoMatic · May 9, 2011

I used to enjoy Tolkien before I'd read much of anything else. Now he just bores me.

Lillie · May 9, 2011

I've loved Tolkien for longer than I like to remember.

I love his style. I love the majestic grandeur of it. I love its mythic quality.
I love the way he can go from that to two hobbits sitting around having a smoke.

This has always been a book I could lose myself in and I love it for that.

However the Silmarillion is like ashes in my mouth.

Tolkien's Writing Style

Deleted member 42

ElizaFaith13

New kid, be gentle!

Vomaxx

bearilou

DenturePunk writer

Deleted member 42

Anninyn

Stealing your twiglets.

evilrooster

Wicked chicken

Deleted member 42

evilrooster

Wicked chicken

evilrooster

Wicked chicken

ProtoMatic

Lillie

practical experience, FTW