JRR Tolkien on how WW1 inspired The Lord of the Rings | BBC Global

Summary

The speaker delves into the human fascination with stories, often centered around the inevitability of death, using a quote from SIM B about the untimely death of composer Karia Viba. They explore the misunderstanding between allegory and application, referencing 'The Lord of the Rings' and its misinterpretation as a nuclear allegory. The speaker's passion for inventing languages since their youth is highlighted, with the creation of Elish, a language they find beautiful and enjoyable, but without the intention of forming a cult around it.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker believes that stories, particularly those that capture people's attention, are often about the inevitability of death.
• 🎭 The speaker mentions a quote from SIM B, which suggests that death is always an 'accident' to the individual, even if they are aware and consent to it.
• 💬 The script discusses the difference between an allegory and an application, indicating that while some may see The Lord of the Rings as an allegory for the nuclear bomb, the speaker does not believe it was intended as such.
• 👶 The speaker's interest in inventing languages began at a young age, around 13 or 14, and has continued ever since.
• 🌐 The speaker finds languages to have a 'flavor' and likens learning a new language to tasting new wine or food.
• 🌌 The speaker is currently working on a language called 'Elish' and is writing in it, with a standard greeting being 'A star shines upon our meeting'.
• 🌟 The Elish language has a specific greeting phrase that translates to 'Ellen Sila Lumen' or 'A star shines', which the speaker finds beautiful.
• 🚫 The speaker does not wish to create a cult around the Elish language or have people exclusively speak it together, unlike some other language inventors.
• 🛠 The Elish language is described as being too complicated, and the speaker has not yet finished developing it.
• 🤔 The transcript touches on the complexity of understanding the difference between allegory and application, and how people may misinterpret or apply stories to their own contexts.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the story interest mentioned in the transcript?

The main theme discussed is the inevitability of death, suggesting that every story, including PR, is fundamentally about this concept.

Who is the composer mentioned in the transcript who died at a young age?

The composer mentioned is Karia Viba, who died at the age of 39 due to tuberculosis.

What is the quote from SIM B that the speaker found particularly striking?

The quote emphasizes that there is no such thing as a natural death for humans, as every death is an unjust violation, even if it is anticipated and consented to.

What is the speaker's view on the difference between an allegory and an application in literature?

The speaker believes that while one can apply a Shakespeare play to various situations, most of his works, including 'The Tempest,' are not primarily allegorical.

Why do some people associate 'The Lord of the Rings' with the nuclear bomb according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that people make this association because they see the story as an allegory for the destructive power of the nuclear bomb, even though the author did not intend it as such.

At what age did the speaker begin inventing languages?

The speaker started inventing languages when they were around 13 or 14 years old.

What does the speaker find appealing about creating new languages?

The speaker finds the process of creating new languages enjoyable and likens it to the experience of tasting new wine or food, appreciating the unique 'flavor' each language has.

What is the speaker's current project involving the creation of a new language?

The speaker is currently working on writing in a language called Elish, which they find beautiful and would like others to enjoy as well.

What is the standard greeting in Elish and what does it mean?

The standard greeting in Elish is 'Elen sila lumen,' which translates to 'A star shines upon our meeting.'

Why does the speaker not want to create a cult around the Elish language?

The speaker does not wish to create a cult or gather people to speak Elish together; they simply enjoy the process of language creation and want to share it without imposing it on others.

What is the speaker's opinion on the complexity of the Elish language?

The speaker acknowledges that Elish is too complicated and has not yet been fully completed.