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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Olgar Shiverstone" data-source="post: 1308756" data-attributes="member: 5868">How about introducing essentially irrelevant characters (Bombadil)?I'm a big Tolkien fan -- his works are my favorite works of fiction -- but I find some faults with his work (most of which CH nailed quite nicely).It seems to me that some of LotR's flaws are less noticeable the more one is familiar with Tolkien's other works.  Someone who has only read LotR might see holes in the story that aren't really holes once you know the big picture.  My personal favorite -- the eagles as deus ex machina.  At first glance (even at second) they seem like a pretty arbitrary, convenient way to get the heroes out of bind.  Except, from other works, we know the eagles are servants of Manwe, hence a literal deus ex machina that should probably be excused.  So should (say) LotR stand alone, or be looked at within the whole body of Tolkien's work?Another point that I've pondered (as a result of the discussion and David Brin essay in one of the Star Wars threads): Are Tolkien's tales Campbellian myth? (ie, do they have the heroic mythic structure: reluctant hero is guided by mentor, gradually gaining the strength to take on his task, and is joined by an eclectic group of allies to assist him on his quest, which he fulfils after a overcoming a mounting series of obstacles).  Given Tolkien's sources, professional work, and preferred literary background, I'd guess almost certainly that is the intention -- Frodo, Aragorn, and others (Bilbo, Sam, Merry, Pippin) see to fit the mold of a Campbellian hero.  OTOH, a criticism of the Campbellian hero (really any mythic hero, since Campbell is just the guy who put together the theory, and I believe he may post-date Tolkien) is that he's not everyman -- he's born to his task, the only one that can accomplish it.  Tolkien's hobbits seem the antithesis of this, to me -- they are everyman, unlike Aragorn who is a much more traditional mythic hero -- born to greatness.  I think that departure from the formula lends a great deal to LotR's success, but perhaps not.</blockquote>

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