The article makes an interesting connection to the gap in England's mythology, between the earliest tales and the present day. I have just finished reading How

The article makes an interesting connection to the gap in England's mythology, between the earliest tales and the present day. I have just finished reading Howard's End, and Forster makes a similar observation -- England has witches and fairies, but no grand mythology. Forster was Tolkien's contemporary; although their subject matter could hardly be more different, it's interesting to see how modernity is a big problem for both of them. Howard's End meditates on conflict and reconciliation between the Yeoman and the Imperialist, while Lord of the Rings is clearly of the Yeoman's party. And yet, both works need a third force to bring resolution -- LOTR has kingly Aragorn, while Howard's End has Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox. It highlights their differences in worldview, that Tolkien's resolution is about righteous violence, while Forster's is about mediating a connection between opposed forces. Maybe this is down to a difference in time as well. Forster, writing before the Great War, could believe in the power of recognizing the connectedness of people to one another, and Tolkein perhaps could not.