On Tolkien's sense of Humor

Beren3000 · 01-11-2005, 05:04 PM

Lotr and the Sil. are such serious and "grand" works. But through subtle hints here and there you can feel that Tolkien enjoyed a great sense of humor (like with Sam's troll song) and that sense of humor can be seen in some of his letters: he knew someone by the name of T. W. Earp, so he nicknamed him "the original twerp"!

That said, the Sil. doesn't contain that much humor (at least the Tolkien version of it

) So do you think that this sense of humor was inherent to Tolkien or was it just a literary device to lighten in the mood in some of the darker parts of Lotr? IOW, was Tolkien the stereotypical college professor, or was he a funny guy?

brownjenkins · 01-11-2005, 05:43 PM

my favorite humorous moment is with aragorn and the old lady about the kingsfoil in "houses of the healing"... we get to see some classic gandalf and aragorn sarcasm

i think that particular part was put in to lighten the mood after the battle and theoden's death

Manveru · 01-11-2005, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beren3000

So do you think that this sense of humor was inherent to Tolkien or was it just a literary device to lighten in the mood in some of the darker parts of Lotr? IOW, was Tolkien the stereotypical college professor, or was he a funny guy?

Both

I think Tolkien says in the prologue to LotR or something that he had a very simple sense of humour that his publishers (i think) sometimes found tiresome.

PS what does IOW mean?

Minielin · 01-11-2005, 06:27 PM

Inherent to Tolkien.

Lefty Scaevola · 01-11-2005, 10:30 PM

Sam cousin Halfast (or Half-ast) that sees giant creature waling around in North farthing.

Nibs · 01-11-2005, 11:35 PM

It's largely the book's format... it differs a lot from his other works, which generally had much more dialogue and detailed interaction. The Silmarillion gives us a whole lot of names and places and details in a compressed format.

BeardofPants · 01-12-2005, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nibs

It's largely the book's format... it differs a lot from his other works, which generally had much more dialogue and detailed interaction. The Silmarillion gives us a whole lot of names and places and details in a compressed format.

Nibs?!

Hewwwooooo!!!!

You back?

Pytt · 01-12-2005, 09:29 AM

if you had spent more time spamming the Welcome new members thread BoP, you would have known

Minielin · 01-11-2005, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lefty Scaevola

Sam cousin Halfast (or Half-ast) that sees giant creature waling around in North farthing.

Hehe... missed that one...

01-11-2005, 05:04 PM	#1
Beren3000 Fëanorophobic Join Date: May 2004 Location: Between the pages of a book Posts: 1,417	On Tolkien's sense of Humor Lotr and the Sil. are such serious and "grand" works. But through subtle hints here and there you can feel that Tolkien enjoyed a great sense of humor (like with Sam's troll song) and that sense of humor can be seen in some of his letters: he knew someone by the name of T. W. Earp, so he nicknamed him "the original twerp"! That said, the Sil. doesn't contain that much humor (at least the Tolkien version of it ) So do you think that this sense of humor was inherent to Tolkien or was it just a literary device to lighten in the mood in some of the darker parts of Lotr? IOW, was Tolkien the stereotypical college professor, or was he a funny guy?

01-11-2005, 05:43 PM	#2
brownjenkins Advocatus Diaboli Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Reality Posts: 3,767	my favorite humorous moment is with aragorn and the old lady about the kingsfoil in "houses of the healing"... we get to see some classic gandalf and aragorn sarcasm i think that particular part was put in to lighten the mood after the battle and theoden's death __________________ Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

01-11-2005, 06:27 PM	#4
Minielin Elven Warrior Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: I dwell in possibility. Posts: 247	Inherent to Tolkien. __________________ "...then how shall I Revive the dying tones of minstrelsy, Which linger yet about lone gothic arches, In dark green ivy, and among wild larches?" Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum Europae vincendarum.

01-11-2005, 10:30 PM	#5
Lefty Scaevola AngAdan Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boerne, Texas Posts: 856	Sam cousin Halfast (or Half-ast) that sees giant creature waling around in North farthing. __________________ Gaius Mucius Scaevola Older, richer, and wiser than you "Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor, but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Iluvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, ... And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me,"

01-12-2005, 09:29 AM	#8
Pytt The Supreme Lord of The Northern Eagles Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: trondheim, norway Posts: 1,388	if you had spent more time spamming the Welcome new members thread BoP, you would have known __________________ Don't Panic!

01-11-2005, 11:35 PM	#6
Nibs Head Hollara Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 751	It's largely the book's format... it differs a lot from his other works, which generally had much more dialogue and detailed interaction. The Silmarillion gives us a whole lot of names and places and details in a compressed format.

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