I am just going to point out that
Tolkien definitely put his interpretations of real-world
events into his writing, both intentionally and unintentionally.
To this question or rather remark also fits well this note:
though
Tolkien said he detested allegory, his entire works are naught but the battle of good vs.
evil expressed in allegorical form. The details are just the window-dressing. We can't really separate the details from the root.
Yes, I think it's inevitable that an author will put his worldview into his works if he puts his heart and soul into them. And at the same time, of course, all his life experiences that shaped him come into it.
As concrete examples of negative things, one could mention the trenches in World War I or the disadvantages of industrialization, all of which contributed to his understanding of
evil.
As examples of the positive side, one could name the Christian principle of charity and sacrifice. Even though these
principles may of course also be deeply rooted in other religions or wisdoms, Christianity, especially (theoretical) Catholicism (which, in my opinion, has long been perverted in its practice, but that's another story...), was his reference.
As examples on the rather neutral side, one could mention his enormous knowledge of
languages and European history - and, what is of course particularly relevant for his works - especially mythology.
In addition to his world view and experiences, his knowledge and love of (ancient) English, Germanic, Nordic, Celtic, European and Mediterranean (such as Roman, Greek or Egyptian) myths flows into his works. And not because he considered it better than other cultures, but because it was - in this order - his spiritual and origin home.
To illustrate this with an example related to the series:
This can be seen in his criticism of colonialism and imperialism, as exemplified in the fall of
Numenor.
But would it be correct to call this an allegory already?
Great Britain, and of course other former great European powers such as Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, the Netherlands, etc., have been "guilty" in this sense in the past. Today it may be other states, but that will only become clearer later....
Be that as it may, it does not seem to be a singular, real event, but a principle that seems to be the rule rather than the exception for expansionist empires. And perhaps this makes perfect sense and logic in the beginning, before it leads to abuse of power? Could there also perhaps be a point where it decides whether it tips into good or evil?
So it is not an allegory, but a general principle - as Tolkien understood it. Allegory vs. applicability!
If these points are clarified in the series, I would be very happy and could perhaps even forgive much of the insanity that has now already become clear.
Anyway, in addition, one can certainly compare Numenor in particular very well (as Tolkien himself had emphasized) with Plato's Atlantis, which can also be interpreted both real and mythological as well as a spiritual principle and warning.
But even for Atlantis more or less equivalent examples can be found in real mythology, like Hyperborea. And I suppose almost every culture has its own Atlantis. Also in Meso-America (Mayas, Aztecs etc.) there are surely very many counterparts, which certainly often have real bases. And everywhere else, probably.
It seems to come down to how one defines and interprets the word "allegory."
Myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth (or error), but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary ‘real’ world. (I am speaking, of course, of our present situation, not of ancient pagan, pre-Christian days.
(Tolkien - letter 131)
There is no ‘allegory’, moral, political, or contemporary in the work at all. It is a ‘fairy-story’, but one written — according to the belief I once expressed in an extended essay ‘On Fairy-stories’ that they are the proper audience — for adults.
(Tolkien - letter 181)
So I would say that Tolkien's works naturally reflect his beliefs, experiences, and accumulated knowledge (interpreted in his individual way).
Nevertheless, he had the ambition to have his mythology and stories reflect universally valid truths. If these now more or less apply to real events, it is not because he had exactly these events in mind, but because reality in one way or another always repeats greater truths in the form of concrete events. So an example from the
books can correspond exactly to a concrete example of reality - but then not because Tolkien wanted to refer exactly to it, but because both examples can be traced back to the same basic principle.
At the same time, unfortunately, it is of course also very possible that people, due to certain misunderstandings when reading and/or due to certain ideologies (or even if they read nothing at all, but for them everything is based on previous film adaptations), even interpret the opposite into the original intention or orientation of the author. Maybe also with full intention.
Perhaps this would still be individually possible in the sense of Tolkien under the term "personal applicability" (instead of allegory)?
But if at the same time certain facts are reinterpreted or faded out for ideological reasons, he would turn in his grave, at least if a certain audience reach is achieved to deform his original in a negative way - and Amazon unfortunately has a very big influence on what consumers are supposed to think from their point of view (or from the point of view of their backers)...
The only secret "unspeakable" agenda going on in these movies are the same that go on in most all modern cinema: to make money for investors
How do you know that's the only one? 😂
Most people believe, as you do, that big corporations are all about making money. In my opinion, however, that is no longer consistently logical, when all the facts are taken into account...
But to carry this out, is unfortunately not allowed here. 😉 However, perhaps in the split-off politics forum? But this no longer seems to exist, unfortunately.
Well, who is informed, knows anyway what I mean. 👍
