The Lord of the Rings Foreword: Difference between revisions
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In [[1965]] [[Ballantine Books]] needed a new text in order to renew the copyright in the United States, and to challenge the controversy raised by [[Ace Books]]. For that edition Tolkien wrote a new Foreword.<ref name=rc>{{HM|RC}}</ref>{{rp|p. lxx}} | In [[1965]] [[Ballantine Books]] needed a new text in order to renew the copyright in the United States, and to challenge the controversy raised by [[Ace Books]]. For that edition Tolkien wrote a new Foreword.<ref name=rc>{{HM|RC}}</ref>{{rp|p. lxx}} | ||
The original text wrote that his work "has been read by many people since it finally appeared in print ten years ago", a number that was updated in subsequent printings. The number was omitted in [[1976]] on a suggestion by Christopher Tolkien.{{HM|RC}}{{rp|p. lxxiiv}} | |||
===Mistakes=== | ===Mistakes=== | ||
Recollecting the writing of the book 25 years earlier, Tolkien claims that he began writing ''The Lord of the Rings'' soon after completing ''The Hobbit''; and when ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' was rejected, he "went back to the sequel". In reality it was right then when he ''started'' writing the book.<ref name=rc/>{{rp|pp. lxxi-lxxii}} | Recollecting the writing of the book 25 years earlier, the references to dates and progress of writing, are inaccurate (possibly false memories), contradicting more detailed letters that Tolkien had written while composing the story. | ||
For example Tolkien claims that he began writing ''The Lord of the Rings'' soon after completing ''The Hobbit''; and when ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' was rejected, he "went back to the sequel". In reality it was right then when he ''started'' writing the book.<ref name=rc/>{{rp|pp. lxxi-lxxii}} | |||
Another example is the a hiatus in [[1940]], after writing about [[Balin's Tomb]], until late [[1941]]. [[Christopher Tolkien]] says that it contradicts contemporary [[Letter 37]]; the hiatus was probably in [[1939]] until [[August]] [[1940]].<ref>{{HM|RS}}, p. 461</ref><ref name=rc/>{{rp|p. xxiii}} | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 09:32, 10 December 2020
The Foreword is the very first section appearing in The Lord of the Rings.
The Foreword notoriously introduces minor spoilers that concern much later events in the story, as if they are well-known facts. For example, the first edition Forword mentioned the descendants of Master Samwise Gamgee, thus reassuring that he would survive the adventure.
First edition
In the Foreword to the first edition of The Lord of the Rings,[note 1] Tolkien imposes himself as merely translator and editor of the text to come, thus sharing the in-universe character of the 1951 prefatory note to the second edition of The Hobbit.
Tolkien disliked his own text, noting that it mixes real-life matters of his life (including referencing the Inklings and his children) with the in-universe "machinery" of the Tale.[1]
Second and later editions
In 1965 Ballantine Books needed a new text in order to renew the copyright in the United States, and to challenge the controversy raised by Ace Books. For that edition Tolkien wrote a new Foreword.[2]:p. lxx
The original text wrote that his work "has been read by many people since it finally appeared in print ten years ago", a number that was updated in subsequent printings. The number was omitted in 1976 on a suggestion by Christopher Tolkien.Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion:p. lxxiiv
Mistakes
Recollecting the writing of the book 25 years earlier, the references to dates and progress of writing, are inaccurate (possibly false memories), contradicting more detailed letters that Tolkien had written while composing the story.
For example Tolkien claims that he began writing The Lord of the Rings soon after completing The Hobbit; and when The Silmarillion was rejected, he "went back to the sequel". In reality it was right then when he started writing the book.[2]:pp. lxxi-lxxii
Another example is the a hiatus in 1940, after writing about Balin's Tomb, until late 1941. Christopher Tolkien says that it contradicts contemporary Letter 37; the hiatus was probably in 1939 until August 1940.[3][2]:p. xxiii
See also
Notes
- ↑ Reprinted in "greater part" in The Peoples of Middle-earth (pp. 25-6), and in its entirety in The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion (pp. lxviii-lxx).
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "II. The Appendix on Languages", p. 26
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Return of the Shadow, p. 461
| The Lord of the Rings | |
| Foreword · Prologue · The Fellowship of the Ring · The Two Towers · The Return of the King · Appendices · Index | |
