Hi all.

On the wikipedia page for the 'Moberly–Jourdain incident', at the bottum of the 'Aftermath' section it reads "The incident is said to have exerted an influence on J. R. R. Tolkien's views and work.".
In the bibliography it references 'Flieger, Verlyn (1997), A Question of Time: J. R. R. Tolkien's Road to Faërie, Kent State University Press .'

I have not read this referenced book yet and cant get my hands on a copy at the moment. Can somebody shed light on how this exact event influenced Tolkien.

Thank you in advance.
Loonka.

I have a copy; though I'm afraid it's still on my 'to read' list. However, taking it down from the shelf, I see that Flieger mentions that an account of the incident was published in 1911, and that Tolkien 'could have' been aware of it. Flieger uses the phrase 'could have' twice in a very short space of time, in a quite densely-packed passage.

I'm afraid I don't have the time at present to do the Professor's argument justice, but for now I'd say that the 'Moberly–Jourdain incident' had about as much 'influence' on Tolkien's works as did the Cottingley fairies, which is to say, none at all.

Though I could be wrong.

Garm, I too have that Fleiger Hb sitting on the 'to read' shelf; it's been there for quite a while now, along with Tolkien Studies 2009 (I haven't even bought TS 2010 yet!). Tolkien criticism just leaves me totally bored at present; sorry...

BH

I bought this point up with Dimtri Fima at Oxenmoot this year, garm was there as well, and she completely agrees.

*slaps forehead* - so that's where I got that from! Thanks, Trotter.