9 ms·

The reason that Tolkien didn’t write an industrial revolution into the history of middle earth is that he hated industry. Hated how it destroyed bucolic village

The reason that Tolkien didn’t write an industrial revolution into the history of middle earth is that he hated industry. Hated how it destroyed bucolic village life. Having this take on LoTR is pointless. Just an annoying waste of time.

bloodyplonker22 4y ago
Tolkien lived in a city in Oxford which was neither bucolic nor a village. It sounds more like you hate industry and wish to return to bucolic village life.
- mikeyouse 4y ago
  Tolkiens views weren’t subtle or complicated.. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord...
  - r_harriso 4y ago
    Wow didn’t even take as much work as I suggested.
- r_harriso 4y ago
  Seems like you googled where he lived and haven’t read any analysis of his works and letters.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- ehnto 4y ago
  I have no idea if Tolkein loved or hated industry, but simply living in a city doesn't suddenly make you an industrialist as much as living in a village doesn't make you a farmer. If anything, living in the city gives you an excellent perspective on the effects of industrialization, form ones own opinions from there.
  - r_harriso 4y ago
    Also, there were cities before industrialization. Can’t remember the names of any right now… but I pretty sure there were a few.
    - bawolff 4y ago
      Pretty sure that's most capital cities in europe. E.g. London, Rome
      - V-2 4y ago
        I suppose GP was being ironic ;)
- bencollier49 4y ago
  Bit of a stretch to figure Oxford as "ravaged by industry" though, isn't it? The Cotswolds are suffused with bucolicity.
- lordnacho 4y ago
  Oxford is known for having some quite stunning villages surrounding it. I went back in the weekend for a reunion, the city itself is still quite pretty with plenty of river paths.
yyyk 4y ago
You're of course right about the real reason, but speculating within the setting is fun (and also a waste of time by definition).
- r_harriso 4y ago
  I’m definitely being too negative about something that is silly. Im just tired of this kind of analysis. It’s common in ASOIAF space. there it is often done completely seriously. I spent a lot of time in that space, so I think I’m just overly sensitive.
dj_mc_merlin 4y ago
The point of the article is to talk about the industrial revolution. It is no great feat of intelligence to figure out the reason something is not in a book is because the author didn't want it there. I personally thought these thoughts were a bit scattered but ultimately somewhat interesting. And the thought of Gandalf waving a .44 around is funny.
- p_l 4y ago
  Especially when you consider that Gandalf is essentially "LARPing" a human - and has access to weapons of mass destruction if he threw off his limits.
strken 4y ago
I think the point wasn't to interpret the books. The author hasn't read them, which is an obvious giveaway. As an excuse to write thousands of words about the starting conditions of the industrial revolution, it doesn't seem like a waste of time.
ncmncm 4y ago
Yet, he had bellows forges. Curiously selective. And explosives, for his fireworks. I think it was Saruman who did the industrial bit, and used wood for the fuel. (No dwarven miners to hand, I guess? But orcs like it underground.) But inventing guns all by himself seems like a tall order, even given several centuries' plotting.
moomoo11 4y ago
Thanks for introducing a new word to me - bucolic relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. "the church is lovely for its bucolic setting"
- totetsu 4y ago
  referring to shepherds related to Bullock via bucula , and maybe the bugle horn
rockemsockem 4y ago
Less pointless than this comment for sure though
matkoniecz 4y ago
> didn’t write an industrial revolution into the history of middle earth He wrote it, with focus on negative effect - note ending of the book. Curiously Shire has numerous products that require industrial base, without industrial revolution being present. See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings#Industrial_hell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord_o...

bloodyplonker22 4y ago

Tolkien lived in a city in Oxford which was neither bucolic nor a village. It sounds more like you hate industry and wish to return to bucolic village life.

mikeyouse 4y ago
Tolkiens views weren’t subtle or complicated.. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord...
- r_harriso 4y ago
  Wow didn’t even take as much work as I suggested.
r_harriso 4y ago
Seems like you googled where he lived and haven’t read any analysis of his works and letters.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
ehnto 4y ago
I have no idea if Tolkein loved or hated industry, but simply living in a city doesn't suddenly make you an industrialist as much as living in a village doesn't make you a farmer. If anything, living in the city gives you an excellent perspective on the effects of industrialization, form ones own opinions from there.
- r_harriso 4y ago
  Also, there were cities before industrialization. Can’t remember the names of any right now… but I pretty sure there were a few.
  - bawolff 4y ago
    Pretty sure that's most capital cities in europe. E.g. London, Rome
    - V-2 4y ago
      I suppose GP was being ironic ;)
bencollier49 4y ago
Bit of a stretch to figure Oxford as "ravaged by industry" though, isn't it? The Cotswolds are suffused with bucolicity.
lordnacho 4y ago
Oxford is known for having some quite stunning villages surrounding it. I went back in the weekend for a reunion, the city itself is still quite pretty with plenty of river paths.

yyyk 4y ago

You're of course right about the real reason, but speculating within the setting is fun (and also a waste of time by definition).

r_harriso 4y ago
I’m definitely being too negative about something that is silly. Im just tired of this kind of analysis. It’s common in ASOIAF space. there it is often done completely seriously. I spent a lot of time in that space, so I think I’m just overly sensitive.

dj_mc_merlin 4y ago

The point of the article is to talk about the industrial revolution. It is no great feat of intelligence to figure out the reason something is not in a book is because the author didn't want it there. I personally thought these thoughts were a bit scattered but ultimately somewhat interesting. And the thought of Gandalf waving a .44 around is funny.

p_l 4y ago
Especially when you consider that Gandalf is essentially "LARPing" a human - and has access to weapons of mass destruction if he threw off his limits.

strken 4y ago

I think the point wasn't to interpret the books. The author hasn't read them, which is an obvious giveaway. As an excuse to write thousands of words about the starting conditions of the industrial revolution, it doesn't seem like a waste of time.

ncmncm 4y ago

Yet, he had bellows forges. Curiously selective. And explosives, for his fireworks. I think it was Saruman who did the industrial bit, and used wood for the fuel. (No dwarven miners to hand, I guess? But orcs like it underground.) But inventing guns all by himself seems like a tall order, even given several centuries' plotting.

moomoo11 4y ago

Thanks for introducing a new word to me - bucolic relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. "the church is lovely for its bucolic setting"

totetsu 4y ago
referring to shepherds related to Bullock via bucula , and maybe the bugle horn

rockemsockem 4y ago

Less pointless than this comment for sure though

matkoniecz 4y ago

> didn’t write an industrial revolution into the history of middle earth He wrote it, with focus on negative effect - note ending of the book. Curiously Shire has numerous products that require industrial base, without industrial revolution being present. See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord_of_the_Rings#Industrial_hell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism_in_The_Lord_o...