Alkanoonion 
Thain
Posts: 281
(1/21/04 9:21 pm)
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Tolkien's mother
Gayalondiel
Tavern Hostess
Inn Keeper
posted April 11, 2003 12:06 PM
Further to discussions on the 'relationships' thread, I'm opening this thread, but you'll have to bear with me, as all my books are in London and I'm not. I'll just throw out some info about Mrs. Tolkien. (whose first name eludes me) and see if anyone talks back. Sister Bigfoot, hopefully this is a little to get you started on the Tolkien family history.
So, what do we know about Mrs. T? We know that JRRT lost his father at a very young age, and so very likely attatched himself to her as the one parent he remembered. We know she died young as well, cut off from her family due to her stringent Catholicism. I (and others before me) would suggest that this had the following effects on the (?)seven year old Tolkien:
-it soured him to the rest of his family in the belief that it was their lack of support that killed his mother.
-it fixed him firmly into the Catholic faith, partly in upholding his mother's wishes, partly in that he was subsequently brought up by various degrees of church authorities.
-it settled him firmly in the love of word which his mother had begun to introduce into his education, of course leading to his eventual philology studies.
-as a combination of his contrasting his guardians with his mother, I personally am of the opinion that Tolkien raised his mother, the strongest female role model of his youth onto a pedestal, setting her up in an almost-saintly guise.
So here's the big difficult question - did Tolkien's mother influence his writing to a great extent? Is it possible that such a strong influence on his early life could not have influenced his work in any way? It's common knowledge that the philology of Middle-earth is where it all started, so can we hold her accountable for that? I'm not going into Catholicism here (yet) Despite what we know Tolkien thought of allegory, is there a character who equates with his mother?
Here is my big idea: Mrs. T. can be found in the brief mention of Gilraen. It's only tenuous, but I think it's there: Aragorn loses his mother at a (relatively) young age, and her death is a further push toward his destiny, but she does not live to see him come into his own. This idea can easily be overlaid onto the situation that Tolkien and his mother were in. Furthermore, while we are aware of the guidance and influence of Gilraen on Aragorn's early life following through into his life, we hear very little about her and are given only one direct line from her. Similarly, Tolkien knew of his mother and possibly idolised her, but had no concrete 'adult' memories of her - all her personal correspondance was burned by one of his guardians while he was still young.
Is this coincidence? am I reading too much into it? Has anyone found her elsewhere?
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The Dude Abides
Posts: 258 | From: My own wierd, wierd world | Registered: December 23, 2002
Sister Bigfoot
The Artist
Shirriff
posted April 12, 2003 10:49 PM
quote:
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all her personal correspondance was burned by one of his guardians while he was still young.
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Do you know why they were burned? I ask because one of Tolkins strongest images is the 'All seeing eye’, which is surrounded by fire. Could they be connected, or am I grasping at straws?
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Yes I am a Hobbit, and a fat one at that!
Posts: 669 | From: Adelaide Australia | Registered: December 12, 2002
Gayalondiel
Tavern Hostess
Inn Keeper
posted April 13, 2003 05:17 AM
As I understand it, one of his guardians (an aunt or something, I think, still without books so I can't check that) burned them. Tolkien walked in after school one day to find the letters reduced to a pile of ashes in the grate. Apparently it wasn't a malicious act: the guardian just didn't seem to realise that perhaps they might be valuable to the orphaned Tolkien and his brother. Maybe it was part of the family disapproval of his mother's situation, I'm not sure.
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The Dude Abides
Posts: 258 | From: My own wierd, wierd world | Registered: December 23, 2002
Sister Bigfoot
The Artist
Shirriff
posted April 15, 2003 08:59 PM
It may not have been a malicious act, but if I were an orphan, then this act would have affected me, so maybe it did affect him!
Are there any other incidences in his life that other people can think of that could have affected his life (other than the war!!!)?
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Yes I am a Hobbit, and a fat one at that!
Posts: 669 | From: Adelaide Australia | Registered: December 12, 2002
Sister Bigfoot
The Artist
Shirriff
posted April 28, 2003 06:22 PM
quote:
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did Tolkien's mother influence his writing to a great extent?
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quote:
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Mrs. T. can be found in the brief mention of Gilraen.
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This idea is not so far fetched. Tolkin often stated that his wife, Edith Mary Tolkin was the influence behind his character Luthien, as he was for Beren (just look at their tomb stone!). If Tolkin drew inspiration from his wife, then why not his mother!
However, another important figure during his life, at least while he was growing up, was Father Morgan (his legal guardian after his mothers death) After all, was it not Father Morgan who for so long prevented Tolkin’s relationship with his beloved Edith Bratt. Such a strong religious influence in his life must have influenced him in some way?
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Yes I am a Hobbit, and a fat one at that!
Posts: 669 | From: Adelaide Australia | Registered: December 12, 2002
"Tolkien is hobbit-forming"
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