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tarcolan
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Post Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 14, 2013 06:14
My idea of a good fairy story is quite different to Tolkien's, as set out in his lecture 'On Fairy Stories'. I know which chapter or two I feel is closest to my ideal, magical and wondrous with no plot or explanations, delightful, descriptive and, as he himself admits, superfluous to the story. Which part of LOTR do you think is most like a fairy story?
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~nólemë~
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Post Re: Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 14, 2013 03:05
I'm thinking the Barrow-downs. Tom's superquick appearance at Frodo's chant doesn't sit as well with me as the rest of the book, and does have that fairytaleish feel to it for me. I can't think of other fairy-tale-like parts at the moment.
---------- Image "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit
cirdaneth
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Post Re: Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 14, 2013 03:15
Yes. For me it's the whole sequence from entering the Old Forest to the point where Tom takes the brooch and rides off. The strongest sense of enchantment comes when they encounter the Withywindle, the flickering leaves, the heat, the weariness, Old Man Willow and the sudden appearance of Tom. And there's a definite feeling that this part is more about the forest than the ring.
starofdunedain
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Post Re: Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 14, 2013 10:09
The entire meeting with Gildor in Three is Company struck me as being very fairy tale like. The wanderer happens upon the fair folk traveling and feasting. But I also agree about the Old Forest.
Amaille_Valin_Idhren
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Post Re: Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 14, 2013 11:27
I'm agree with Cirdaneth. I love the part about Tom and Goldberry. They both are most likely charachters in fairy stories
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tarcolan
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Post Re: Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 23, 2013 05:33
One of the themes of the book is about the fading of magic from the world as the Third Age ends, and it seems to be parallelled in the story. There haven't been enough responses to say for sure, but so far the passages most like a fairy story are at the beginning. I would agree with cirdaneth. Narrowing it down, mostly because of the writing, I would say chapter 7 and some of chapter 8 of book 1. It tells of the simple joy of life, of unquestioning friendship, good food, and a day in front of the fire listening to entrancing stories. Tolkien admits that he doesn't really know who Tom is or why this passage is in the book, just that he knows it has to be. That alone commends it to me.

In letter 131 he says that Tom represents the unselfconscious awareness of the natural world, a gatherer of knowledge of zoology and biology for its own sake. I think even this explanation is a little forced and quite at odds with the deep and detailed reasoning he offers for all else in the story. What's most notable is how far it is from 'Leaf By Niggle', his ideal of a fairy story. Isn't that odd though?
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dwellerofthewest
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Post Re: Which part of LOTR is most like a fairy story?
on: February 23, 2013 09:46
probably for me, the elves
wolfbladequeen
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on: June 16, 2013 03:04
For me, when Frodo and Sam see the wood elves near the start
If anyone had happened to look out of a window on the east side of the palace, they might have noticed two figures in the darkness, dancing in a square bordered by living plants, out of time with the dancers inside but perfectly in time with each other.
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