Was Tolkien a Medievalist (an answer from Tom Shippey)
Robert B. Marks
I have received an answer about whether J.R.R. Tolkien considered himself a
Medievalist. From Tom Shippey (who worked with the man):
'Yes, I'm sure Prof T, if pressed, would have admitted to being a
medievalist. He might not have meant what some people mean by the term
nowadays (ie someone who studies "medievalism", the creation and reflection
of ideas of the Middle Ages in the modern day). He would have meant someone
on the right side of the split structurally built in to most UK English
departments, medieval vs. modern, language vs. literature, or in the case
of Leeds University (Tolkien tried to introduce the terminology to Oxford,
but failed), A vs B (us being B). However, if you'd asked him what he was
without suggesting a term, he'd have said he was a philologist - he often
did. Of course he meant something different from most people by that, but
it was a clear enough description to me, at any rate.'
Well...there it is. No doubt we'll be debating this one for a while...
Robert Marks
--
The future has not been written, / The past is set in stone,
And I am but a lonely wanderer, / With time my only home.
-- From Magus Draconum
Michael Martinez
>Greetings all, and happy new year!
>
>I have received an answer about whether J.R.R. Tolkien considered himself a
>Medievalist. From Tom Shippey (who worked with the man):
>
>'Yes, I'm sure Prof T, if pressed, would have admitted to being a
>medievalist. He might not have meant what some people mean by the term
>nowadays (ie someone who studies "medievalism", the creation and reflection
>of ideas of the Middle Ages in the modern day). He would have meant someone
>on the right side of the split structurally built in to most UK English
>departments, medieval vs. modern, language vs. literature, or in the case
>of Leeds University (Tolkien tried to introduce the terminology to Oxford,
>but failed), A vs B (us being B). However, if you'd asked him what he was
>without suggesting a term, he'd have said he was a philologist - he often
>did. Of course he meant something different from most people by that, but
>it was a clear enough description to me, at any rate.'
>
>Well...there it is. No doubt we'll be debating this one for a while...
I don't see anything to debate. I'll wait until someone rewrites Professor
Shippey's words, however, and we'll take the situation from there.
Thank you for posting that.
--
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Robert B. Marks
news:850jov$ig_...@news.usenetserver.com...
> In article <3873b...@flint.sentex.net>, "Robert B. Marks"
<Delric@Angelfire.*SPAMBLOCKER.HERE*.com> wrote:
> >Greetings all, and happy new year!
> >
> >I have received an answer about whether J.R.R. Tolkien considered himself
a
> >Medievalist. From Tom Shippey (who worked with the man):
> >
> >'Yes, I'm sure Prof T, if pressed, would have admitted to being a
> >medievalist. He might not have meant what some people mean by the term
> >nowadays (ie someone who studies "medievalism", the creation and
reflection
> >of ideas of the Middle Ages in the modern day). He would have meant
someone
> >on the right side of the split structurally built in to most UK English
> >departments, medieval vs. modern, language vs. literature, or in the case
> >of Leeds University (Tolkien tried to introduce the terminology to
Oxford,
> >but failed), A vs B (us being B). However, if you'd asked him what he was
> >without suggesting a term, he'd have said he was a philologist - he often
> >did. Of course he meant something different from most people by that, but
> >it was a clear enough description to me, at any rate.'
> >
> >Well...there it is. No doubt we'll be debating this one for a while...
>
> I don't see anything to debate. I'll wait until someone rewrites
Professor
> Shippey's words, however, and we'll take the situation from there.
It certainly is an interesting insight into Professor Tolkien. Somehow,
though, I'm not surprised that Tolkien doesn't quite fit into any
easy-to-work-with "category". It seems to me that most great writers/people
in general are that way.
I guess my take on the man was that he was one of those incredible people
who shaped the world around him. He wrote a fantasy novel and it changed
the face of fantasy. He lectured on Beowulf and Old English literature, and
he set the critical model on it for the rest of the century. I wonder if he
wasn't Bede reborn.
[Note for those who don't know: Bede was a 7-8th century monk at Jarrow who
among other things created the Anno Domini dating system, an educational
model that was used for the rest of the Middle Ages, and set the model for
historical writing which we still, in part, adhere to today. And this is
just the tip of the iceberg with the man...]
Robert Marks, remembering Harlan Ellison declaring in his writing that he is
not a Science Fiction author; he is a writer...
Edward W. Beattie
Robert B. Marks wrote in message <38753...@flint.sentex.net>...
I wonder if he (JRRT) wasn't Bede reborn.
>
>[Note for those who don't know: Bede was a 7-8th century monk at Jarrow who
>among other things created the Anno Domini dating system, an educational
>model that was used for the rest of the Middle Ages, and set the model for
>historical writing which we still, in part, adhere to today. And this is
>just the tip of the iceberg with the man...]
>
He also recorded the old Anglo-Saxon calendar which which is the basis of
the Shire Calendar which is in the Appendices to LOTR. He also wrote down
"Caedmon's Hymn" which is the oldest recorded English literature.
Definitely one of the over-achievers of the 8th century.
regards
EWB