Hobbit Article by Michael Drout - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Estelyn Telcontar · 11-23-2012, 06:54 AM

A series called "75 reasons why you should read The Hobbit before watching the films" is currently being posted on "The Tolkienist"'s website. The newest article by Michael Drout compares the heroic world and the bourgeois world and has some very insightful thoughts on the misunderstandings that result from their cultural clash. I found it very well worth reading and highly recommend it to you!

Bêthberry · 11-23-2012, 12:10 PM

Well worth reading indeed! Fascinating to see the dwarves placed within the context of the heroic world.

I might quibble that not all the elements Drout mentions belong to the heroic world, as some of Faerie sneaks in as well, but he is better read in the Northern epics than I am so I'm willing to be quite amenable to his argument.

littlemanpoet · 11-24-2012, 09:10 AM

An enjoyable article, though the title is misleading or at least ambiguous. 75 reasons? At any rate, definitely worth the read.

Bêthberry · 11-24-2012, 09:17 AM

The "75 reasons", LMP, refers to the entire project The Tolkienist has developed, not just this one article by Drout.

The Tolkienist is posting articles by major Tolkien critics, scholars, and writers who are arguing for reading the book before seeing the movie. He plans on having 75 contributions, hence, 75 reasons.

littlemanpoet · 11-24-2012, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

The "75 reasons", LMP, refers to the entire project The Tolkienist has developed, not just this one article by Drout.

The Tolkienist is posting articles by major Tolkien critics, scholars, and writers who are arguing for reading the book before seeing the movie. He plans on having 75 contributions, hence, 75 reasons.

Ah! Thanks for the explanation.

Bêthberry · 11-24-2012, 09:31 AM

It helps that I know him, having finally met him at Return of the Ring last August.

He's quite an energetic Tolkien fan and very much involved in the online Tolkien community. It's worth following his blog.

11-23-2012, 06:54 AM	#1
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Hobbit Article by Michael Drout A series called "75 reasons why you should read The Hobbit before watching the films" is currently being posted on "The Tolkienist"'s website. The newest article by Michael Drout compares the heroic world and the bourgeois world and has some very insightful thoughts on the misunderstandings that result from their cultural clash. I found it very well worth reading and highly recommend it to you! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

11-23-2012, 12:10 PM	#2
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,997	Well worth reading indeed! Fascinating to see the dwarves placed within the context of the heroic world. I might quibble that not all the elements Drout mentions belong to the heroic world, as some of Faerie sneaks in as well, but he is better read in the Northern epics than I am so I'm willing to be quite amenable to his argument. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

11-24-2012, 09:17 AM	#4
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,997	The "75 reasons", LMP, refers to the entire project The Tolkienist has developed, not just this one article by Drout. The Tolkienist is posting articles by major Tolkien critics, scholars, and writers who are arguing for reading the book before seeing the movie. He plans on having 75 contributions, hence, 75 reasons. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

11-24-2012, 09:31 AM	#6
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,997	It helps that I know him, having finally met him at Return of the Ring last August. He's quite an energetic Tolkien fan and very much involved in the online Tolkien community. It's worth following his blog. __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

11-24-2012, 09:10 AM	#3
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	An enjoyable article, though the title is misleading or at least ambiguous. 75 reasons? At any rate, definitely worth the read.