The Smith of Wooton Major, and Middle Earth

Embladyne · 01-14-2005, 01:20 AM

I'm not sure exactly where this belongs, because The Smith of Wooton Major isn't specifically set in Middle Earth.

My question is, ever since I first read The Smith of Wooton Major, I've wondered how the elves and the realm of faery in the story relate to Tolkien's work on Middle Earth.

I'm wondering if the whole story maybe takes place in ME, or if "Faery" is ME, or if none of it is. I guess this is a pointless question, but I'm truly curious to know other people's take on it.

***Tessar*** · 01-14-2005, 01:27 AM

I believe it was simply meant to be a sort of 'stand alone bed-time story'.

Just by reading it, I personally don't think it had anything to do with Middle Earth. Middle Earth was a bit more gritty and dark, while even at its 'worst' this story was very light hearted and sweet.

inked · 01-14-2005, 01:28 AM

Yes, it is in the Tolkien corpus, but it is separate. Rather like Leaf by Niggle.

Embladyne · 01-14-2005, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inked

Yes, it is in the Tolkien corpus, but it is separate. Rather like Leaf by Niggle.

Ah, yes, but Leaf by Niggle has a more overt social commentary than I see in Smith of WM, and is very definitely a distinctly different place. I just am wondering how to intepret the prescence of "Faery" in the story. I haven't decided yet.
edit: Okay, this is not worded very well. I should sleep, and take a look again when I wake up later.

Embladyne · 01-14-2005, 01:31 AM

Okay, sounds good to me. But, after reading about ME, reading about elves in another work of Tolkien always evokes the elves of ME. What I'm wondering is if Tolkien saw the elves in The Smith of Wooton Major as refering to the elves of ME, or if the land of "Feary" was just a good place to vacation in.

***Tessar*** · 01-14-2005, 01:34 AM

Ah, but if you'll remember it wasn't always a pleasant place.

I believe there was something said about how the elvish warships were 'terrible to look upon', and that the elvish warriors themselves frightened him so much that the smith threw himself on the ground.

Embladyne · 01-14-2005, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tessar

Ah, but if you'll remember it wasn't always a pleasant place.

I believe there was something said about how the elvish warships were 'terrible to look upon', and that the elvish warriors themselves frightened him so much that the smith threw himself on the ground.

Mmm...apologies...I meant good as in convenient.
Yeah, it was the elvish warriors that particularly make me think of ME. But that's prolly from reading too much of the Silm and HOME.

***Tessar*** · 01-14-2005, 01:42 AM

I haven't read much of the Sil, LT, or HoM to know, but from what little I do know, I'm pretty sure Tolkien didn't mean to make any connections between those stories.

Now on the other hand, many writers have little 'quirks' that they like to throw in. Tolkien probably disliked the idea of 'short' elves, so his are always tall, beautiful, and powerful, even if the power is subtler.

I also have a feeling that Tolkien didn't delve too deeply into the whole fairy thing. For instance when he bestows magical powers on something, he's always very vague and generalized about it. The flip side would be a writer like Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time), or perhaps simply the people who write the Dungeons and Dragons games.

01-14-2005, 01:20 AM	#1
Embladyne Honourary Elitist Inklette Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: between the mountains and the sea Posts: 704	The Smith of Wooton Major, and Middle Earth I'm not sure exactly where this belongs, because The Smith of Wooton Major isn't specifically set in Middle Earth. My question is, ever since I first read The Smith of Wooton Major, I've wondered how the elves and the realm of faery in the story relate to Tolkien's work on Middle Earth. I'm wondering if the whole story maybe takes place in ME, or if "Faery" is ME, or if none of it is. I guess this is a pointless question, but I'm truly curious to know other people's take on it. __________________ Even on the pinnacle of a palace a crow does not become an eagle. My DA page

01-14-2005, 01:28 AM	#3
inked Elf Lord Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: sikeston, MO, usa, earth, sol Posts: 3,114	Yes, it is in the Tolkien corpus, but it is separate. Rather like Leaf by Niggle. __________________ Inked "Aslan is not a tame lion." CSL/LWW "The new school [acts] as if it required...courage to say a blasphemy. There is only one thing that requires real courage to say, and that is a truism." GK Chesterton "And there is always the danger of allowing people to suppose that our modern times are so wholly unlike any other times that the fundamental facts about man's nature have wholly changed with changing circumstances." Dorothy L. Sayers, 1 Sept. 1941

01-14-2005, 01:31 AM	#5
Embladyne Honourary Elitist Inklette Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: between the mountains and the sea Posts: 704	Okay, sounds good to me. But, after reading about ME, reading about elves in another work of Tolkien always evokes the elves of ME. What I'm wondering is if Tolkien saw the elves in The Smith of Wooton Major as refering to the elves of ME, or if the land of "Feary" was just a good place to vacation in. __________________ Even on the pinnacle of a palace a crow does not become an eagle. My DA page

01-14-2005, 01:27 AM	#2
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	I believe it was simply meant to be a sort of 'stand alone bed-time story'. Just by reading it, I personally don't think it had anything to do with Middle Earth. Middle Earth was a bit more gritty and dark, while even at its 'worst' this story was very light hearted and sweet.

01-14-2005, 01:34 AM	#6
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	Ah, but if you'll remember it wasn't always a pleasant place. I believe there was something said about how the elvish warships were 'terrible to look upon', and that the elvish warriors themselves frightened him so much that the smith threw himself on the ground.

01-14-2005, 01:42 AM	#8
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	I haven't read much of the Sil, LT, or HoM to know, but from what little I do know, I'm pretty sure Tolkien didn't mean to make any connections between those stories. Now on the other hand, many writers have little 'quirks' that they like to throw in. Tolkien probably disliked the idea of 'short' elves, so his are always tall, beautiful, and powerful, even if the power is subtler. I also have a feeling that Tolkien didn't delve too deeply into the whole fairy thing. For instance when he bestows magical powers on something, he's always very vague and generalized about it. The flip side would be a writer like Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time), or perhaps simply the people who write the Dungeons and Dragons games.