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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Philosopher" data-source="post: 5254947" data-attributes="member: 76803">If the visceral nature of REH's tales implies that they are not intellectual, then the spiritual nature of JRRT's tales implies that they are even less so.Conan did not typically pursue intellectual matters, but it is not the case that he never considered the meaning of it all."Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content." - Queen of the Black CoastYes, he mentions slaying, but what contents him is not entirely base. He lives (who says life itself is base?), he burns with life (he has passion), he loves (sure you can read this as "base", but given the love that grows between him and Belit in this story, I can't buy that). And look at the second sentence: "I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me." That's pretty sophisticated for a savage who only cares about money and sex. He has a reason for not pursuing intellectual topics. You may not agree with him (I don't), but he isn't merely being base.Creating an Anglo-Saxon mythology to what end? So that he has a mythological narrative for his race. Wanting a mythology for one's racial in-group is not the noblest of pursuits. It can easily be linked to base tribalism. I don't mean this as a criticism of Tolkien (racism was certainly also a theme found in Howard), I just don't see your description as raising Tolkien to a higher level.</blockquote>

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