All true, I think it’s important to bear in mind he was consciously writing mythology and fairy tales. I’m not a Catholic, but knowing his premise I’m quite happy to judge his work on its merits relative to his objectives.
I’m reminded of the fact some people disliked Battlestar Galactica because it was inspired by Mormonism. That’s another case where I don’t have to share the same beliefs as the authors to appreciate what they created on their own terms.
I think if we only accepted and appreciated work that already aligns with our personal beliefs or ideology, we’d be missing out.
> All true, I think it’s important to bear in mind he was consciously writing mythology and fairy tales. I’m not a Catholic, but knowing his premise I’m quite happy to judge his work on its merits relative to his objectives.
Myths and fairy tales don't necessary have morality like that. Fairly often, they just don't. The reiterations for little children are like that, because we intentionally write them to teach moral values. But the original collected versions fairly often end badly or the right act ends in disaster or million other things happen. Often times they are about smarter one winning foe comedic effect rather then anything else.
In his essay On Fairy Stories, Tolkien argued the point of fantasy was the “good catastrophe” or happy ending. Tolkien viewed fantasy as therapeutic as counter to the ugliness of modern industrial life. It assures that there is a cosmic justice.
True, but being Catholic I can't help thinking that even though I don't think he cited it as an inspiration, the bible was a template on which his mythology is built. It's a monotheistic world with hinted fall from grace back in Human origins, angelic beings, a Satan analog in Morgoth. So you're right though, I should qualify that my saying he was writing a mythology in the Biblical style but culturally North West European.
I don't think Bible follow that pattern all that much either. It is years since I read the actual Bible, but from what I remember it is not an epic nor a myth nor something like that.
The good vs evil simplification is solidly something rooted in Christianity and Catholic tradition I am agree with that. Just not that straigfordly from Bible.
The mythological background of Tolkien is that we’re looking at the Catholic world as we know it, interpreted through the lens of myth and Elves. Catholicism is literally true in LotR. Tolkien even has an essay where Finrod says that the only way for the world to be redeemed is for God to enter himself incarnate into it.
I’m reminded of the fact some people disliked Battlestar Galactica because it was inspired by Mormonism. That’s another case where I don’t have to share the same beliefs as the authors to appreciate what they created on their own terms.
I think if we only accepted and appreciated work that already aligns with our personal beliefs or ideology, we’d be missing out.