On Tolkien's sense of Humor

[Beren3000]

Lotr and the Sil. are such serious and "grand" works. But through subtle hints here and there you can feel that Tolkien enjoyed a great sense of humor (like with Sam's troll song) and that sense of humor can be seen in some of his letters: he knew someone by the name of T. W. Earp, so he nicknamed him "the original twerp"! :D
That said, the Sil. doesn't contain that much humor (at least the Tolkien version of it :D) So do you think that this sense of humor was inherent to Tolkien or was it just a literary device to lighten in the mood in some of the darker parts of Lotr? IOW, was Tolkien the stereotypical college professor, or was he a funny guy?

[brownjenkins]

my favorite humorous moment is with aragorn and the old lady about the kingsfoil in "houses of the healing"... we get to see some classic gandalf and aragorn sarcasm :p

i think that particular part was put in to lighten the mood after the battle and theoden's death

[Manveru]

So do you think that this sense of humor was inherent to Tolkien or was it just a literary device to lighten in the mood in some of the darker parts of Lotr? IOW, was Tolkien the stereotypical college professor, or was he a funny guy?

Both :D I think Tolkien says in the prologue to LotR or something that he had a very simple sense of humour that his publishers (i think) sometimes found tiresome.


PS what does IOW mean?

[Minielin]

Inherent to Tolkien.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Sam cousin Halfast (or Half-ast) that sees giant creature waling around in North farthing.

[Nibs]

It's largely the book's format... it differs a lot from his other works, which generally had much more dialogue and detailed interaction. The Silmarillion gives us a whole lot of names and places and details in a compressed format.

[Minielin]

Sam cousin Halfast (or Half-ast) that sees giant creature waling around in North farthing. Hehe... missed that one... :p

[BeardofPants]

It's largely the book's format... it differs a lot from his other works, which generally had much more dialogue and detailed interaction. The Silmarillion gives us a whole lot of names and places and details in a compressed format.

Nibs?! :eek: Hewwwooooo!!!! :eek: :) You back?

[Pytt]

if you had spent more time spamming the Welcome new members thread BoP, you would have known ;)

[Blackheart]

There's humor in there... Dry, dessicated, english humor...

[Beren3000]

Dry, dessicated, english humor...
Actually, I think that his humour wasn't "dry" at all. Are you saying you don't like the "twerp" joke? :D

[Blackheart]

You'll have to cite your references for that one...

Puns, wordplay and so forth are exactly what I would classify as "dry"...

That doesn't mean I don't appreciate or even enjoy it. I can appeciate a desert landscape... though I may not want to walk across it. Sand in my knickers and all..

[inked]

Well, BH, to expect non-punning humour on the part of a philologist IS A BIT MUCH, don't you think?

To pun or not to pun?
Anglaise or Anglo-Saxon
QUEST -i- on
Vouched Shakespearean!
Humour Olympian!!
:eek:

[BeardofPants]

Are you wearing my knickers again? :mad:

[Blackheart]

Only the pair you left in my van of evil... ;)

Oh yes people, do not be fooled. Evil drives a van. A big black monster van... with red sparklies....

By the way, were those your knee-hi boots too? because they do not fit me at all. :p

[inked]

Hope you two are having .......(p)un! ;)

[Minielin]

Hope you two are having .......(p)un! ;)Quit making jokes... that's punishable by death around here.

[inked]

Well, if you are going to be PUNctilious, I shall PUNt on the PUNs for now! :cool:

[Attalus]

Only the pair you left in my van of evil... ;)

Oh yes people, do not be fooled. Evil drives a van. A big black monster van... with red sparklies....

By the way, were those your knee-hi boots too? because they do not fit me at all. :p
RoFLMAO!!! Now that's funny.

Inked, thank the Lord. He who would make a pun would pick a pocket. Or steal a pair of pants. ;)