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Paul's avatar

There has been some critical discussion lately on Tolkien as a 'modernist' author - aesthetically, if not ideologically. The sources escape me at the moment, but it's clear that Tolkien was not attempting to replicate any medieval literary style (except occasionally and on a very small scale - e.g. certain alliterative poems that resemble Old English verse forms). Overall, LotR is worlds away from, say, the Icelandic sagas in terms of structure and presentation of interiority.

I'd be curious on your thoughts about the extent to which any modernism of his style may (or may not) reinforce, or undercut, the ideologies of modernity that Tolkien was clearly opposed to. Of course, your post is more about the content of the message than the manner of its craft - but how do the two link up (if at all)?

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Gwyneth's avatar

Envy is an emotion which occurs when a person lacks another's quality, skill, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it.

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