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Very interesting. Obviously I didn't read your post

Curious
Half-elven


Mar 30 2009, 2:50pm


Views: 2117
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Very interesting. Obviously I didn't read your post [In reply to] Can't Post

before I gave my answers. Adda sounds a little like a long-term au pair, not considered part of the same class as the cleaning lady. But no days off! That does sound like a servant, even if the Tolkiens wanted to pretend otherwise.

I also see now how Tolkien had time for all his writing; no social life! Also no movies, and of course no TV, let alone internet. He did write lots of letters, but many of them related to his writing. And he did nip down to the pub with the boys from time to time, or meet with the Inkings, but again much of that related to his writing.

Also very interesting to see her impression of Oxford as class-ridden. The Oxford dons are a strange class, because they got to their positions at least in part through personal achievement. Of course many of them came from aristocratic backgrounds or they wouldn't have gone to such fine schools, but not Tolkien, and I trust he was not the only exception. Yet they were tutoring the sons and sometimes daughters of aristocrats, and socializing with aristocrats (when there was a "to do"). So they had a good deal invested in the class system, although they themselves were not a part of the uppermost class, and may even have looked down upon some of the aristocratic dullards they tutored.

The idea that Tolkien sometimes had to sleep in the guest room because he had been drinking lends support to my new theory (which Dreamdeer has encouraged and nicely supported) that Bilbo was at least a little drunk in Chapter One of The Hobbit -- not falling down drunk, perhaps, but enough that if he had had a wife he would have slept in the guest room, and enough that he made a rash decision he regretted the next day.

That also reminds me of Baldor, who at a celebration celebrating the completion of Meduseld (where there was undoubtedly much drinking) boasted that he would enter the Paths of the Dead. That in turn reminds me of such boasts in Beowulf, again often accompanied by drinking -- although Beowulf backed up his boasts. Let's just say that bold/rash decisions and drinking seem to go hand in hand in some instances. Sometimes they work out, and sometimes they don't.

Subject User Time
**An Unexpected Party** - 10. A few thematic questions…simple stuff... the Narrator, Social Class, Anachronism, Fairy Tales... squire Send a private message to squire Mar 29 2009, 3:19pm
    Long story made longer... Morthoron Send a private message to Morthoron Mar 29 2009, 5:21pm
        Whoa! Thank you very much!! squire Send a private message to squire Mar 29 2009, 5:48pm
        Yes, thanks indeed! N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 29 2009, 7:10pm
        And another thank-you! dernwyn Send a private message to dernwyn Mar 30 2009, 2:06am
        Fascinating story! Thank you! // sador Send a private message to sador Mar 30 2009, 6:19am
        Very interesting. Obviously I didn't read your post Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 30 2009, 2:50pm
    Thanks, squire! Enjoyed the week! batik Send a private message to batik Mar 29 2009, 5:35pm
    tales out of school Luthien Rising Send a private message to Luthien Rising Mar 29 2009, 9:44pm
    Thoughts. Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 29 2009, 10:20pm
    This has been fun! dernwyn Send a private message to dernwyn Mar 30 2009, 2:28am
    A few answers, some to the point sador Send a private message to sador Mar 30 2009, 6:17am
        You remember correctly. Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 30 2009, 3:04pm
            Thank you! sador Send a private message to sador Mar 31 2009, 6:47am
    Thankyou for a wonderful week and a great beginning ... Elven Send a private message to Elven Mar 30 2009, 10:27am
    Thank you, squire, for an interesting discussion. Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 30 2009, 3:10pm
    The servant question Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Mar 30 2009, 7:55pm
        He reminds me of some bachelors I know Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 30 2009, 8:02pm
    Thank you Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Mar 30 2009, 8:44pm
    Well Darkstone Send a private message to Darkstone Mar 30 2009, 8:48pm
        Thorin reminds me of some scam artists of the time. Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 30 2009, 9:06pm
    *faint voice from the back of the room* That was me! GaladrielTX Send a private message to GaladrielTX Mar 31 2009, 12:14am
        Yes! Sorry indeed! squire Send a private message to squire Mar 31 2009, 12:26am
    Some comments and some wondering simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Mar 31 2009, 3:49am
        Where and when does "The Hobbit" take place? N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 4:40pm
            Sam starting a new business? simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Mar 31 2009, 7:43pm
                It's in the Prologue to LotR. Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 31 2009, 8:35pm
                    I answered to NEB below but simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Mar 31 2009, 11:19pm
                    "On Fairy Stories" simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 3:20am
                        I'm sorry, I can't help but chuckle. Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 6:42am
                            Is "Farmer Giles of Ham" a Fairy-tale? sador Send a private message to sador Apr 1 2009, 7:09am
                                I suppose so, although Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 7:27am
                                    Eucatastrophes Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 1 2009, 4:45pm
                                        I don't find Farmer Giles' Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 9:53pm
                                            I find the choice of child very unexpected indeed... Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 2 2009, 4:19am
                                                Yes, but Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 2 2009, 4:58pm
                                                    Noakes is the tragedy Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 2 2009, 5:12pm
                                                        Okay. Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 2 2009, 5:18pm
                                                            Maybe different experiences have something to do with it. Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 2 2009, 5:29pm
                                                                Fair enough, although Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 2 2009, 5:35pm
                            Not a very good job simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 1:58pm
                                In his defense, Tolkien had a different purpose. Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 2:25pm
                                    I have the “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics” simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 2:53pm
                In addition to what Curious notes N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 8:52pm
                    A few names and quick thoughts simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Mar 31 2009, 10:44pm
                        Tolkien actually mentions de Saussure. N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 11:18pm
                            Yes, there are references but I don't recall "On Fairy Stories" among them simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 2:41am
                        How would you define Faerie? Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 6:58am
                            Few quick words on "Faerie" and "fairy" terms simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 2:22pm
                                Very interesting stuff. Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 2:41pm
                                    I'm not questioning the quality of his work! simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 2:51pm
                                        Yes, and that makes sense. Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 3:19pm
                            Sea Ania? Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 1 2009, 4:39pm
                                Defining Faerie has nothing to do with origins simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Apr 1 2009, 7:12pm
                                    I miscommunicated. Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 1 2009, 7:19pm
                Europe. Darkstone Send a private message to Darkstone Mar 31 2009, 8:55pm
                Earning Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Mar 31 2009, 10:17pm
                    On spec Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Mar 31 2009, 10:31pm
            "...a Warwickshire village of about the period of the Diamond Jubilee..." Darkstone Send a private message to Darkstone Mar 31 2009, 8:52pm
                What is this "Shire" you mention? N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 9:05pm
                    Where is Byzantium? Darkstone Send a private message to Darkstone Mar 31 2009, 9:15pm
                        Past, or passing, or to come. // N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 10:28pm
        A few explanations. Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Mar 31 2009, 9:42pm
            The Gaffer may have been an enabler, Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 31 2009, 10:13pm
            Thank you for all these! simplyaven Send a private message to simplyaven Mar 31 2009, 11:22pm
            Egalitarianism sador Send a private message to sador Apr 1 2009, 6:03am
                Luck and opportunity Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 1 2009, 4:05pm
                    Beautifully said Aunt Dora Baggins Send a private message to Aunt Dora Baggins Apr 1 2009, 4:19pm
                        The story of Evariste Galois Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 4:52pm
                            Every now and than Aunt Dora Baggins Send a private message to Aunt Dora Baggins Apr 1 2009, 5:22pm
                        Is it? sador Send a private message to sador Apr 2 2009, 6:29am
                            I could be wrong. Aunt Dora Baggins Send a private message to Aunt Dora Baggins Apr 2 2009, 4:44pm
                                Those graduate-level mathematicians are such cut-ups.// Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 2 2009, 4:50pm
                                    I was raised with jokes like that. Aunt Dora Baggins Send a private message to Aunt Dora Baggins Apr 2 2009, 5:41pm
                    So you're not such a radical after all! sador Send a private message to sador Apr 2 2009, 7:08am
                        Quite radical in the USA Dreamdeer Send a private message to Dreamdeer Apr 2 2009, 5:02pm
    Man! I never realized this had started... Compa_Mighty Mar 31 2009, 3:23pm
        Is there really "nothing happy" about LOTR? // N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 3:37pm
        Welcome to the discussion! Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 31 2009, 4:36pm
            The "1960 Hobbit" was published in "The History of 'The Hobbit'". N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Mar 31 2009, 4:50pm
                I suspected as much. Thanks.// Curious Send a private message to Curious Mar 31 2009, 5:00pm
            Thank you! Compa_Mighty Mar 31 2009, 5:33pm
                What about 'The Field of Cormallen' and 'The Steward and the King'? sador Send a private message to sador Mar 31 2009, 6:43pm
                    Thanks, sador! Compa_Mighty Mar 31 2009, 10:57pm
            Confirming - and not confirming dernwyn Send a private message to dernwyn Apr 1 2009, 4:01am
                So I didn't make it up, but perhaps Carpenter did? Interesting. // Curious Send a private message to Curious Apr 1 2009, 6:45am
                    And we all believed it dernwyn Send a private message to dernwyn Apr 1 2009, 10:30am
    I should be grading algebra papers Aunt Dora Baggins Send a private message to Aunt Dora Baggins Mar 31 2009, 4:59pm
    Class, it's time to turn in your papers. Mmatmuor Send a private message to Mmatmuor Apr 3 2009, 3:11am
    They never eat supper! N.E. Brigand Send a private message to N.E. Brigand Aug 10 2009, 4:03am
        Supper is like "tea" in 'A journey to the Cross-roads' sador Send a private message to sador Aug 10 2009, 5:39am

 
 
 

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