Abstract
This essay proposes the idea of incarnation as a key to unlocking Tolkien’s conception of fantasy as set out in the 'Origins' section of On Fairy Stories. Tolkien's intellectual context is explored and his conception of mythology as a blending of imagination and history examined. The essay also establishes the differences between mortal and Elvish fantasy and argues that Tolkien's Elves engage in a different kind of incarnational art than do mortals. In conclusion it is claimed that in ‘Origins’ Tolkien reworked the speculations of mid-Victorian comparative philology into an aesthetic theory of artistic creation grounded upon the notion of incarnation.
Recommended Citation
Cook, Simon J. Dr.
(2016)
"Fantasy Incarnate: Of Elves and Men,"
Journal of Tolkien Research: Vol. 3:
Iss.
1, Article 1.
Available at:
https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol3/iss1/1
Included in
Aesthetics Commons, Intellectual History Commons, Literature in English, British Isles Commons