On Fairy Stories

On Fairy Stories: Tolkien’s Apologia

Fairytales or fairy stories have been a large part of the world’s body of literature. They serve as a way to instruct, inform, and entertain those who read or hear them. They have captivated and inspired for generations. Of course, most of the inspiring and captivating that happened, happened to children. When most people think of fairytales or fairy stories, they think of them as children’s stories and as things that are meant for children that have no place in the lives of adults. Fairy stories have long been considered the realm of children and that these fairy stories are something to be eventually outgrown as a child reaches adulthood. This was especially true in the early part of the twentieth century in Great Britain. J. R. R. Tolkien is widely known as the father of modern fantasy. The author of such works as The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion had a different idea than most of his time. Tolkien believed that, although fairy stories were great for children, fairy stories are ideally suited for adults. Tolkien argues in his essay, "On Fairy Stories," that fairy stories have a unique and deserving place in the hearts and minds of everyone, not just children. Tolkien aims to persuade his audience that they should read whatever they desire to read. His argument that fairy stories are a beautiful thing, a chance for men to create great works of art, is intended to reach as many as possible. Tolkien even goes on to say that, because fairy stories are seen as the realm of children, they have been decreased in value. “Fairy-stories banished in this way, cut off from a full adult art, would in the end be ruined; indeed in so far as they have been so banished, they have been ruined” (349). Tolkien uses his credentials as a highly respected professor as well as remembering what it is like to be a child and to escape from the real world, and well-crafted questions to try to convince his readers that fairy stories are something that should be read and enjoyed by people of all ages, not just children.

Tolkien asserts his main point with this statement: “Among those who still have enough wisdom not to think fairy-stories pernicious, the common opinion seems to be that there is a natural connections between the minds of children and fairy-stories, of the same order as the connection between children’s bodies and milk” (347-348). Here Tolkien is commenting on the world view of the audience he is trying to reach. Tolkien saw this world view, the view that fairy stories are childish in nature, as an extremely erroneous idea. “I think this is an error; at best an error of false sentiment, and one that is therefore most often made by those who, for whatever private reason (such as childlessness), tend to think of children as a special kind of creature, almost a different race, rather than as normal, if immature, members of a particular family, and of the human family” (348). Tolkien feels that his audience treats children as almost a separate entity, an entity that is relegated to the discarded and unwanted stories that the world threw out. Tolkien is convinced that these stories shouldn’t be relegated to the “nursery” but should be sought out and placed in a position of honor.

Tolkien’s credentials lend something to his argument. As a professor of Medieval Literature and Anglo-Saxon, Tolkien had an extensive knowledge of legend and myth. Not to mention his massive collection of published works, all of which are in at least one way “fairy stories.” His knowledge of the purpose and function of fairy stories affects the stance he takes on them. Because Tolkien knew so much of fairy stories, even having grown up reading them, it was easy for him to comment on their nature and purpose. Some might find his medium an odd choice, considering all of the works of fiction that he wrote. Those who are only familiar with his works of fiction, should know that he also published many works of intellectual nature. His translations of Beowulf and other northern European epics renewed understanding of the subjects. Tolkien is responsible for the renewed interest in these types of writings. Tolkien’s view on Beowulf is nearly the same as his view on fairy stories: it is worth reading, and everyone should know how important it is.

“Let us not divide the human race into Eloi and Morlocks: pretty children—‘elves’ as the eighteenth century often idiotically called them—with their fairytales (carefully pruned), and dark Morlocks tending their machines” (360). Why should a work or story be fit for one part of the human race and unfit for another part of the same race? This is the question that Tolkien is addressing, and the question that he is providing an answer to. His answer to the question is very simple: “If fairy-story as a kind is worth reading at all it is worthy to be written for and read by adults. They will, of course, put more in and get more out than children can” (360). Tolkien’s simple reasoning here is that adults should read these because their benefit will be much more than the benefit that a child gets out of them. To a child, fairy stories are stories that are entertaining and fanciful, but to an adult, these stories have deeper meanings behind them and there is always something to be learned.

Tolkien’s essay is divided into four specific sections: fairy stories, origin, fantasy, and children, each one designed to argue a specific point in Tolkien’s argument about fairy stories. Tolkien even admits in his introduction that his discussion and argument are a “rash adventure,” but that he would argue it anyway. Each section is laid out in such a way that they are easy to follow. Each section is almost in and of itself its own essay, but the four sections are masterfully brought together to form a brilliantly crafted argument on why adults should read and study fairy stories.

The first section in Tolkien’s essay is a description of what a fairy story actually is. Tolkien states that there are three definitions of a fairy story: “(a) a tale about fairies, or generally a fairy legend; with developed senses, (b) an unreal or incredible story, and (c) a falsehood” (316). Although he states these three definitions, Tolkien by and large views these definitions as a difficult topic for discussion. Of the last two definitions, he says that they make the “topic hopelessly vast,” and of the first definition, he says that it is “too narrow” (316). He states that it isn’t too narrow for an essay, but rather too narrow “to cover actual usage.” Tolkien states that it is too narrow if the lexicographer’s definition is used: “‘supernatural beings of diminutive size, in popular belief supposed to possess magical powers and to have great influence for good or evil over the affairs of man’” (316). Tolkien had an interesting view of this definition and saw the use of the word “supernatural” as almost a dangerous use. He stated that the word couldn’t really be used to describe fairies, “unless super is taken merely as a superlative prefix” (317). It is Tolkien’s argument here that fairies are in fact more natural than the human race. Instead, Tolkien uses his own definition of fairy stories: “a ‘fairy story’ is one which touches on or uses Faërie, whatever its own main purpose may be: satire, adventure, morality, fantasy” (323). Having established what a fairy story actually is, Tolkien moves on to his next section, which establishes the origins of the fairy story.

In the section entitled “origins” Tolkien discusses exactly that, the origins of the fairy story and how they came to be. Tolkien admits that he is unlearned on the subject and that it is a difficult subject to study and pursue. He declares “I shall therefore pass lightly over the question of origins. I am too unlearned to deal with it in any other way; but it is the least important of the three questions for my purpose, and a few remarks will suffice” (333). Tolkien admits a lack of knowledge, but this in some way only increases his credibility as it pertains to the subject. As he says, the origins of the fairy story aren’t really all that important. It doesn’t matter where they came from, it only matters where they are going and what they are used for. The history and the purpose are two different subjects that need not be linked together. To understand the purpose and desired effect of a fairy story, one doesn’t really need to know where fairy stories come from. It’s enough to say that they are simply there. One of Tolkien’s main discussions in this section is the debate on invention versus inheritance. Tolkien states “We are therefore obviously confronted with a variant of the problem that the archaeologist encounters, or the comparative philologist: with the debate between independent evolution (or rather invention) of the similar; inheritance from a common ancestry; and diffusion at various times from one or more centres” (334). Tolkien argues that there are natural explanations to the origins of fairy stories, just as there are natural explanations to the origins of myths. Tolkien uses the example of Thor to demonstrate this. When thunder is heard, it can sound much like a hammer on an anvil. The creation of Thor to explain this is a perfectly natural progression in Tolkien’s mind.

In the third section of his essay, Tolkien discusses the role of children in relation to fairy stories and, as Tolkien puts it, “so come to the last and most important of the three questions: what, if any, are the values and functions of fairy stories now?” (347). Even when fairy stories might be written with the intent that adults will read them, and this doesn’t happen all too often, they are often labeled with something like “for children ages six to sixty” and Tolkien found this to be highly ridiculous. Tolkien asks a very important question in this section: “Is there any essential connection between children and fairy-stories? Is there any call for comment, if an adult reads them for himself?” (347). The answer is clear to Tolkien, and that answer is a resounding no. His answer to this question is simple and straightforward: “Adults are allowed to collect and study anything, even old theatre programmes or paper bags” (347). Tolkien goes on to say that, although fairy stories have been relegated for the use of children, they have been adapted to be that way. In Tolkien’s mind, fairy stories are no different than music or even scientific material: “It is true that in recent times fairy-stories have been written or ‘adapted’ for children. But so may music be, or verse, or novels, or history, or scientific manuals” (349). To Tolkien’s mind, fairy tales for children are just fairy stories that have been adapted for children, they aren’t fairy stories in the truest sense, in the sense that they have been almost watered down or abridged for the use of children. The truest fairy stories are written for adult consumption. Take, for example, one of the animated Disney movies. These are for children, but they have been watered down and made suitable for children. Often these movies are based on stories that are very much unsuitable for children.

In the last section of Tolkien’s essay, he discusses “Fantasy” and imagination. “The human mind is capable of forming mental images of things not actually present. The faculty of conceiving the images is (or was) naturally called Imagination” (361). Tolkien goes on to say that the term imagination has become almost a negative term in a sense. Now it is often relegated to the realm of fantasy and dreams, and therefore a person with imagination doesn’t live in the real world, rather than someone who can just see and be held in wonder by stories or wondrous things. Tolkien brings in his idea of “sub-creation” into this section, and “sub-creation” being a large part of why fairy stories are something for adults to enjoy, as well as children. Tolkien’s idea of “sub-creation” is simple. It is the process of a human being creating something beautiful and wonderful, something that God would be proud of them for, something that could be shared with the rest of the world. Tolkien uses this idea as the capstone of his argument. God created us in his image, and why not create something beautiful in tribute to God’s glory, something that fulfills a purpose in us?

Tolkien uses a variety of strategies to argue his point. His logical arguments make a wonderful case for why fairy stories should be read and enjoyed by people of all ages. Plus, why wouldn’t someone want to relive a part of their childhood, for that is almost what reading fairy stories is as an adult, it takes one back to a time when things were simpler; back to when life was easy. Tolkien is regarded as the father of modern fantasy and, although he did know it at the time, he uses this as proof of his argument. He wrote fairy stories specifically for adults, to be enjoyed. He used his power as a “sub-creator” to enlighten and enrich the lives of others. His works are proof of his argument.