But I am :-)
As to your question, I've wondered if part of it isn't simply that these
particular stories deal with motivations and emotions that we, as lowly humans,
can understand in ways we cannot understand the motivations and emotions of
Iluvatar or the Valar. Here there are models (conscious or not) that are
non-mythical: Greek and Roman epic, Shakespearean tragedy and romance. Much as
Tolkien wanted to Think Myth, LOTR demonstrates just how capable he was of
thinking drama and legend and even novel.
And a not unrelated question: When was the prose version of Beren and
Luthien
written?
Lúthien Rising
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Reading the Sil for the first time? Getting confused? Look in the Reading Room every other weekend for the NDQ (No Dumb Questions) thread. Because there are no dumb questions.
(luthienrising at hotmail dot com)
