Hammond & Scull's Cautionary Tale of Tolkien Studies

[Bêthberry]

A friend of mine via the Tolkien Society posted this very interesting article from the Plaza. Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull are the scholars who have produced the JRR Tolkien Companion and Reader's Guide, two dense volumes which are chock full of historical detail about chronology, biography, bibliography, and textual transmission in Tolkien's life and work.

This article examines some of the very well known stories about Tolkien to establish their credibility. It is an excellent example of how these two work to establish the legitimate facts of Tolkien's work rather than the myth, gossip, and legend that surrounds him.

Some of the stories they examine include the genesis of the Black Riders, the epidsode of Edith dancing in the woods inspiring Luthien and Beren's story, Tolkien's claim about a mythology for England, and the bizarre claim that Tolkien's mother had taught in a sultan's harem. (I had never heard that one before!) Hammond and Scull also admit to revising one of their previous decisions based on new evidence.

It's an interesting exploration, too, of how the internet disperses false information.

Anyhow, I thought folks might be interested in this as it touches on themes that we often accept here.

Truth or Consequences: A Cautionary Tale of Tolkien Studies