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TCG Letter #1786


From
J.R.R. Tolkien
To
John Masefield
Date
14 July 1939
Type
Autograph Letter Signed
Transcript
Unknown
Tolkien writes apologetically because he has missed the deadline for the program (of the year's Oxford Summer Diversions); he had looked through The Canterbury Tales and some of Gower (probably Confessio Amantis, since it is in English) for some-thing suitable and then had to grade some Civil Service papers. Last night he finally worked out the reading: either the same as the previous year, or a cut version of "The Reeve's Tale" with one revised link for one passage cut and with the Northern dialect as worked out in Tolkien's article.

Hammond/Scull note that "Masefield decides in favour of Tolkien reciting the ‘Reeve’s Tale’. Tolkien prepares the text for his reading, which is published as a pamphlet, presumably for the audience on 28 July."Chronology, p. 244. It is however unknown if this was communicated to Tolkien in a letter or in person. Also see 28 July 1939 for details on Tolkien's reading.[1]

1 Chronology, p. 244. It is however unknown if this was communicated to Tolkien in a letter or in person. Also see 28 July 1939 for details on Tolkien's reading.
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