Letter to Eileen Elgar (24 December 1971)

From Tolkien Gateway

On 24 December 1971, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a letter to Mrs Eileen Elgar.

Excerpts[edit | edit source]

"[Edith] was my Lúthien Tinúviel, with her river [sic? as transcribed, for "raven"] hair and fair face and bright starry eyes"

"I am glad that you have discovered Narnia. These stories are deservedly very popular; but since you ask if I like them I am afraid the answer is No. I do not like 'allegory', and least of all religious allegory of this kind. But that is a difference of taste which we both recognized and did not interfere with our friendship."[2]

See also[edit | edit source]

References

  1. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: I. Chronology, p. 758
  2. Quoted in "Disparaging Narnia: Reconsidering Tolkien's View of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by Josh B. Long, in Mythlore 121/122, p. 39