Works not intended for publishing

[Frandîr]

It is well known that there are many Tolkien works that he did not intend to publish, but the publishers did posthumously anyways. This includes writings, artwork and who knows what else...

What are ya'lls thoughts on this? Sometimes I feel he was exposed in a way he did not wanted to.

Did he left publishing instructions for after his death on what to publish and what to keep secret and safe? Were his wishes not respected? 🤔

This bugs me everyday...

 

[Vardarianna]

Well, I know that I have ten versions/revisions of a fanfiction story, eight of which I hope never see the light of day, so yeah, I'm sure Tolkien's posthumously published works were well edited by Christopher to bring us the Slimarillion and Children of Hurin, but I'm not so sure publishing all the various versions of stories was something he would have wanted. Just my gut feelings on it.

 

[Frandîr]

Well, I know that I have ten versions/revisions of a fanfiction story, eight of which I hope never see the light of day, so yeah, I'm sure Tolkien's posthumously published works were well edited by Christopher to bring us the Slimarillion and Children of Hurin, but I'm not so sure publishing all the various versions of stories was something he would have wanted. Just my gut feelings on it.

As a musician and composer, I think the same way about some of my creations. More because of the quality than the content...but I guess it roughly translates into a similar feeling.

 

[Ent]

I would suspect Christopher knew his mind on the issues of his work fairly well, but we can never really know.
In any event, he left it to Christopher so it is what it is.

Just think of all the fun we would not be having if it wasn't done.
over half the stuff we fuss over wouldn't even be available for the fussing. We'd know EXACTLY what canon was (though we're so inventive we'd still speculate with inexhaustible glee). We'd just have less of Tolkien's own 'different thoughts' to contend over and make our own inventions from.

Less Tolkien? umnhhh... no thanks. Not for me anyway. (Imagine a world without his letters? Who had a right to publish any of those? Did he give specific permission to do so? Can we prove our thoughts on that issue, and if so, by what Tolkien written, certified document do we see his permission written in his own hand? Tell me if there is one. It would settle at least that issue for me. And if he gave express permission, it would expand 'canon' a great deal.)

 

[ZehnWaters]

It is well known that there are many Tolkien works that he did not intend to publish, but the publishers did posthumously anyways. This includes writings, artwork and who knows what else...

Oh way overexposed. It's why he got so many letters about every detail of Middle-Earth. And that was BEFORE he died.

 

[Eljorahir]

I'm not sure if I'm interpreting this "other minds and hands" quote from one of his letters properly. Maybe it means he wanted authors to come after him and continue the tales of Middle-earth. If so, then having access to all his notes and letters could only benefit the future "other minds and hands". So, maybe he'd be OK with it.

“I had a mind to make a body of more or less connected legend, ranging from the large and cosmogonic, to the level of romantic fairy-story - the larger founded on the lesser in contact with the earth, the lesser drawing splendour from the vast backcloths - which I could dedicate simply to: to England; to my country. ... I would draw some of the great tales in fullness, and leave many only placed in the scheme, and sketched. The cycles should be linked to a majestic whole, and yet leave scope for other minds and hands, wielding paint and music and drama.”

 

[Tar-Elenion]

It is well known that there are many Tolkien works that he did not intend to publish, but the publishers did posthumously anyways. This includes writings, artwork and who knows what else...

What are ya'lls thoughts on this? Sometimes I feel he was exposed in a way he did not wanted to.

Did he left publishing instructions for after his death on what to publish and what to keep secret and safe? Were his wishes not respected? 🤔

This bugs me everyday...

"In 1967 Tolkien named Christpher as his literary executor and co-author of 'The Silmarillion', thereby acknowledging that he was unlikely to complete the work and giving his son the authority to finish and publish it."
The Great Tales Never End

"After asking that his personal effect be distributed among his family as his executors see fit, he sets up a trust with the remainder of his estate, to be shared equally among his children and their children after them. He also (wisely) urges the executors to keep his copyrights in the family if at all possible.
The one great exception to this are his 'literary assets' ("my library and all my manuscripts typescripts notes and all other articles connected with my work as an author"), which he entrusts (literally) to Christopher as Literary Executor, granting him the right to
"publish edit alter rewrite or complete any work of mine which may be unpublished at my death or to destroy the whole or any part or parts of any such unpublished works as he in his absolute discretion may think fit and subject thereto""

Tolkien's Will

So, having recently coming across the Wills of C. S. Lewis, Warnie Lewis, and Owen Barfield* made me want to go back and look at J. R. R. To...

sacnoths.blogspot.ca

"5. I GIVE my library and all my manuscripts typescripts notes and all other articles connected with my work as an author (hereinafter together referred to as "my literary assets) to my Trustees upon the following trusts that is to say:
(a) Upon trust to allow my son Christopher full access to the same in order that he may act as my Literary Executor with full power to publish edit alter rewrite or complete any work of mine which may be unpublished at my death or to destroy the whole or any part or parts of any such unpublished works as he in his absolute discretion may think fit and subject thereto
(b) Upon trust to deliver to my son Christopher such parts of my library as he may select for his own use and benefit within one year of my death and subject thereto"

https://www.tolkienguide.com/guide/letters/474

 

[Frandîr]

Thank you guys. This document, his final will, serves as the "permission" that all of us, of uneasy minds on this matter, needed to be appeased.

Next on my reading list: Tolkien's Letters.