One aspect which Edwards is v.good on is Tolkien's teaching at Oxford, which Carpenter didn't go into as closely.
Does anyone have any stories about the Prof. that they're fond of?
Tolkien biography, and biographies of Tolkien
- Points: 109
Scholar of Gondor
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Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 9:26 pm
I miss the 'Tolkien: The Man' thread in the old forums. so I thought it might be a good idea to have a thread about Tolkien's life story, as well as books about Tolkien. There are the old favourites; the 'industry standard' by Carpenter for example, and John Garth's 'Tolkien and the Great War', but also there is a newer biography; 'Tolkien', by Raymond Edwards, which complements Carpenter's book well, and adds to it with research which has come along in the forty-plus years since Carpenter's book was published.
One aspect which Edwards is v.good on is Tolkien's teaching at Oxford, which Carpenter didn't go into as closely.
Does anyone have any stories about the Prof. that they're fond of?
One aspect which Edwards is v.good on is Tolkien's teaching at Oxford, which Carpenter didn't go into as closely.
Does anyone have any stories about the Prof. that they're fond of?
- Points: 56
Herald of Imladris
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun May 17, 2020 5:16 pm
People had contrasting views of Tolkien's lecturing style. He would enter the lecture room and suddenly shout "Hwaet!" (we gardena on aerdagum etc), and many people found him gripping. Alternatively, he himself acknowledged that in speaking, let alone lecturing, he 'talk[ed] in shorthand and then smudged it'. (Scull and Hammond Chronology 2nd ed. p.527).
- Points: 106
Councillor of Imladris
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 5:54 pm
My favorite story of Tolkien the man comes when he was asked if he was of "Aryan" origin for a Nazi publisher who wanted to publish a Hobbit translation. Tolkien wrote two letters, one polite, one less so, the one that survives is:
"25 July 1938 20 Northmoor Road, Oxford
Dear Sirs,
Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people. My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject — which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.
Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its sustainability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung.
I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and
remain yours faithfully,
J. R. R. Tolkien"
(https://www.good.is/articles/jrr-rolkien-nazi-lette , but you can find copies many places)
****
Most writers of that time period and before, who were not themselves Jewish held at least some anti-Semitic beliefs; Jews did not get full civil rights in the UK until the late 1800s. As you might know, the 1930s were a very very very bad time to be Jewish, or even to speak out in favor of them. Tokien could have easily just said that he was non-Jewish, of English and German descent, and been done with it, and pocketed the change. Many writers would have done so. But that he did not, and that he willingly called out racist policy, tells me a lot about who he was as a person.
"25 July 1938 20 Northmoor Road, Oxford
Dear Sirs,
Thank you for your letter. I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people. My great-great-grandfather came to England in the eighteenth century from Germany: the main part of my descent is therefore purely English, and I am an English subject — which should be sufficient. I have been accustomed, nonetheless, to regard my German name with pride, and continued to do so throughout the period of the late regrettable war, in which I served in the English army. I cannot, however, forbear to comment that if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride.
Your enquiry is doubtless made in order to comply with the laws of your own country, but that this should be held to apply to the subjects of another state would be improper, even if it had (as it has not) any bearing whatsoever on the merits of my work or its sustainability for publication, of which you appear to have satisfied yourselves without reference to my Abstammung.
I trust you will find this reply satisfactory, and
remain yours faithfully,
J. R. R. Tolkien"
(https://www.good.is/articles/jrr-rolkien-nazi-lette , but you can find copies many places)
****
Most writers of that time period and before, who were not themselves Jewish held at least some anti-Semitic beliefs; Jews did not get full civil rights in the UK until the late 1800s. As you might know, the 1930s were a very very very bad time to be Jewish, or even to speak out in favor of them. Tokien could have easily just said that he was non-Jewish, of English and German descent, and been done with it, and pocketed the change. Many writers would have done so. But that he did not, and that he willingly called out racist policy, tells me a lot about who he was as a person.
- Points: 109
Scholar of Gondor
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 9:26 pm
The author J.I.M. Stewart liked Tolkien's style. He once said that Tolkien could 'turn a lecture room into a mead hall and we were the feasting, listening guests'.Dorwiniondil wrote: ↑Tue May 19, 2020 9:18 pm People had contrasting views of Tolkien's lecturing style. He would enter the lecture room and suddenly shout "Hwaet!" (we gardena on aerdagum etc), and many people found him gripping. Alternatively, he himself acknowledged that in speaking, let alone lecturing, he 'talk[ed] in shorthand and then smudged it'. (Scull and Hammond Chronology 2nd ed. p.527).
- Points: 109
Scholar of Gondor
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 9:26 pm
Tolkien would often visit CS Lewis at Lewis's rooms in Magdalen College - mainly, but not exclusively for Inklings meetings. One of the features of the College is Addison's Walk, which is a circular path around a mile long, which encloses a deer park. On one occasion, Tolkien doffed his hat to one of the deers and said, ''Hail, fallow; well met''.
I wonder how that phrase would go in Quenya?
I wonder how that phrase would go in Quenya?
