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Tolkien on Chaucer, October 2024 - TolkienGuide Review
4 Oct, 2024
(edited)
2024-10-4 5:19:32 PM UTC
2024-10-4 5:19:32 PM UTC
Tolkien on Chaucer: 1913-1959, October 2024, Oxford University Press, edited by John M. Bowers and Peter Steffensen. £80/$105. OUP page.
Published 10 September on Kindle, and officially on 17 October 2024 in hardcover although the books are in stock with various retailers.
Before we get into a short review on this new and vital work, a word on its sister publication, Tolkien's Lost Chaucer. Published in 2019, Tolkien's Lost Chaucer broke new ground in Tolkien scholarship. It told in essence a few stories, most importantly of the struggles Tolkien had to publish an edition on Chaucer, but also acted as a window into Tolkien's academic world. It was unflinching and often told of a man struggling to perform his academic duties. Of failed projects, lapsed deadlines, and of excuses. We all as Tolkien readers, especially those of us who have read Tolkien's letters (as of course at the Guide to Tolkien's Letters we have done endlessly) will know, Tolkien liked an excuse, and slipping deadlines were a theme throughout his life. Tolkien's Lost Chaucer is an essential work. onthetrail remarks that it is among his favourite works on Tolkien.
If you are reading this with interest for the new publication, and have not yet heard of, or have and have not read Tolkien's Lost Chaucer, then stop reading and go get a copy of that work to read before moving onto the latest volume.
Tolkien on Chaucer: 1913-1959
1. 'Chaucerian in Training, 1913-23'
Tolkien on Chaucer opens (after its introduction) in 1913, and the aptly titled chapter 'Chaucerian in Training, 1913-23'. Tolkien's interests in Chaucer go back throughout his life and the editors of the present volume introduce us to a young man just setting out on his academic life. Long before Tolkien had introduced the world to hobbits, wizard, and of course magic rings, he was working to become an academic, and as such throughout his life he would offer important groundbreaking works that furthered the studies into such subjects as the Beowulf poet, and the poem. But Tolkien was attempting also to make his mark in Chaucerian studies, and this volume, with the earlier Tolkien's Lost Chaucer, tell of that quest. From 1913 Tolkien began to write papers on Chaucer, and some of these papers, which are previously unpublished, are extensively quoted from in the new book. Extracts from Tolkien's "The Language of Chaucer" being the first major work given in the present volume, with some of Tolkien's more important notes interspersed throughout the commentary. Reproductions of various manuscript will be found throughout the book (see below for lists of the contents and manuscripts found in the book). It should be remarked upon here that the editors have marked the Bodleian papers with the appropriate shelf marks which will be of immense help to those who go on to research these papers at the library. The rest of the chapter gives us vital background to Tolkien's engagement with Chaucer in those early days through information on the lectures he intended, his notes, and general information pertinent to Chaucer studies from that time.
We will note here another recent publication which the TCG reviewed, The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond, contains among the many poems and crucial commentary, 'Appendix IV. Word Lists', pp. 1391-1401. This appendix in Collected Poems contains words and phrases which Tolkien put down on paper during the period covered in 'Chaucerian in Training, 1913-23' and is well worth reading at the same time. As onthetrail remarked in the recent review:
The contents of App. IV is [sic] a surprise, a welcome one, and when one comes to these word lists it is understood immediately what they are. Word lists, written by Tolkien covering some of his favourite words and phrases. The first, 'SOME MAGNIFICENT WORDS (& PHRASES) (AND THEIR AUTHORS)' contains a long list of words or phrases used by authors. Many we will recognize, and others not, but these lists demonstrate the seriousness with which Tolkien took his reading. As one would expect, names such as Chaucer, Shakespeare, Thompson, and Tennyson are listed, among others.
In 1920 Tolkien was appointed to Leeds, Tolkien would give lectures on Chaucer, and as the editors remark, while Tolkien was grateful for the opportunity, he would not look back with fondness on the time. In 1922 he published anonymously the satirical poem, 'The Clerke's Compleinte', which an excerpt of is given.See Collected Poems, pp. 497-503 for commentary and two versions of the complete poem.[1]
2. 'Editing Chaucer, 1924-28'
Selections from Chaucer's Poetry and Prose predates Tolkien, in 1922 his future co-editor George S. Gordon (no relation to Tolkien's friend E.V. Gordon) would suggest a student edition of Chaucer to the OUP, namely to David Nichol Smith. The majority of this chapter deals with correspondence between the various parties involved, including of course Tolkien once he was attached to it. Eight letters from Tolkien survive among the Oxford University Press (OUP) papers.Those can be read about in our Guide, see the tag 'Clarendon Chaucer' for more information.[2] All eight are given in full in Tolkien on Chaucer with others to Tolkien and others, given in summary with pertinent quotes. After the section on correspondence we are given details of Tolkien's engagement with Skeat's Works of Geoffrey Chaucer and his work to adapt it to work in the new project. Kenneth Sisam had gained permission from Skeat's daughter for Tolkien and Gordon to use Skeat's work and this should have saved a lot of time. Tolkien made corrections to Skeat and worked on a general layout for the future work. It was soon to become apparent that Tolkien's attention to detail would slow matters, his close readings, with eventual corrections to various textual matters would take time and far from being a student edition, the work grew out of proportion. Tolkien would later use some of these textual complications for discussion in later papers, see 'Chaucer as a Philologist', 1934, p. 155 for a larger discussion on theerly and heterly. The chapter then turns to Tolkien's glossary, with extensive excerpts from the galley sheets and on Tolkien's notes, which had by now become so extensive that they exceeded the given space by some 20 times that allowed.
3. 'The Reeve's Tale, 1928-34'
This chapter introduces us to Tolkien's paper, 'The Reeve's Tale, read in May 1931 at a meeting of the Philological Society, Oxford. The talk is given in full, with various notes not found elsewhere. Later in the chapter we are treated to Tolkien's 'The Reeve's Tale', in a version prepared for recitation at the "Summer Diversions", Oxford 1939. The editors note that their original intent was include the version found in Tolkien Studies 5, 2008, but with the help of Catherine McIlwaine of the Bodleian, they were able to include a version which Tolkien had later amended to reinsert portions removed for "decency". The chapter then deals closely with 'Chaucerian Grammar' among other related matters of words.
4. 'Merton Professor of Chaucer, 1947-54'
In June 1945, Tolkien was elected to a new chair, the Merton Professor of Language and Literature, at which point his lectures moved from Beowulf, to works in Middle English, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and of course Chaucer. This chapter quotes extensively from Tolkien's lecture notes on 'The Reeve's Tale, and 'The Pardoner's Tale', both from 1947, and from 'The Parliement of Foules, 1948. More quotes follow, from 'The Pardoner's tale', 1951-54. Most of these excerpts are previously unpublished.
5. 'The Middle English Lossenger'
Chapter five deals with various matters related to Tolkien's 'Middle English Losenger' and gives that paper, with Tolkien's notes following on after the paper.
6. 'The Pardoner's Tale: The Story and its Form, 1955-56'
As with previous chapters, the editors quote extensively from Tolkien's lecture notes and we learn ever more about Tolkien's engagement and thoughts on Chaucer. It is testament to the editorship that Tolkien's often complicated notes are presented in a form which helps expand our knowledge on this academeic period.
7. 'Valedictory to Chaucer, 1959'
The final chapter of the book deals with Tolkien's final year at Oxford, and his 'Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford'. The address is given only as an excerpt. This might at first seem a shame, but the pertinent parts are present, and the complete address is available elsewhere.See J.R.R. Tolkien: Scholar and Storyteller and The Monsters and the Critics, and Other Essays for two different versions of the address.[3]
Coda. 'Tolkien on Chaucer's Retracciouns'
The book closes out with a short piece which one would hope gives final resolution to the myriad of questions one will ask about Tolkien and Chaucer, but it leaves one asking, "is there more?" It offers a reflection on Tolkien later thoughts on Chaucer in the form of a letter he wrote in reply to a letter we are yet to add to our Guide to Tolkien's Letters.
Conclusion
Tolkien would say, and did, that "it is not possible even at great length to ‘pot’ The Lord of the Rings in a paragraph or two."Carpenter's Letter #131 (J.R.R. Tolkien to Milton Waldman, 1951 (late))[4] and to this point we would say the same. There is too much information between the covers of this new work, too many threads, and new details for us to give a detailed overview of every chapter and page, but in the short time we have had to enjoy this work, enjoy it we have.
From the new information and primary Tolkien works included, this volume will benefit many Tolkien libraries. It should be pointed out that this is at its heart an academic book, published by an academic publisher, and edited for academics, by academics. If Chaucer is not your thing, or you are not interested in Tolkien's academic life, then this volume might not be for you, but if you are an academic, or interested in this area, or are a completist Tolkien collector, it will be an essential volume for you. Primary Tolkien texts are prominent throughout this work, many published here for the first time.
We extend our thanks to the editors, and especially to John M. Bowers who has kept onthetrail updated at various times about the books progress and the material found in it.
Among the various new textual material found in Tolkien on Chaucer, are found some interesting letters, including all eight letters from Tolkien related to the Chaucer project that are found at the Oxford University Press archives, with others found elsewhere, they include:
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam (for Oxford University Press) • 5 January 1924 (#1627)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam (for Oxford University Press) • 1 February 1924 (#1629)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam (for Oxford University Press) • 23 October 1924 (#2351)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam • 21 November 1930 (#1631)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam • 22 January 1931 (#1634)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to R.W. Chapman • 25 October 1932 (#1701)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Kenneth Sisam • 18 December 1932 (#1768)
Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Dan Davin • 8 June 1951 (#154)
TCG.
Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Chaucerian in Training, 1913–23
- “The Language of Chaucer” (1913)
- “Chaucer and his Contemporaries” (1914)
- Troilus and Criseyde
- Oxford English Dictionary (1918–20)
- Tolkien at Leeds: TLS and YWES
- 2. Editing Chaucer, 1924–28
- Oxford University Press correspondence (1924–51)
- Tolkien Editing Skeat’s Chaucer
- The Glossary (1925)
- The Notes (1928)
- 3. The Reeve’s Tale, 1928–44
- “Chaucer as a Philologist: The Reeve’s Tale” (1934)
- Oxford’s Summer Diversions (1939)
- The Reeve’s Tale for Navy Cadets (1944)
- 4. Merton Professor of Chaucer, 1947–54
- The Clerk’s Tale (1947)
- The Pardoner’s Tale (1947)
- The Parlement of Foules (1948)
- The Pardoner’s Tale (1951–1954)
- 5. The Middle English Losenger
- “Neck Verse” for the Oxford Dante Society (1947)
- Letter on faynights (1951)
- “Middle English Losenger” (1953)
- 6. The Pardoner’s Tale: The Story and its Form, 1955–56
- 7. Valedictory to Chaucer, 1959
- Coda: Tolkien on Chaucer’s Retracciouns
- Works Cited
- Index
List of illustrations
- 1. Tolkien’s 1913 tutorial essay “The Language of Chaucer” (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 21/1, fols. 44v and 45r).
- 2. Lecture notes from Professor Raleigh’s “Chaucer and his Contemporaries” (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 21/4, fols. 16v–17r).
- 3. Tolkien’s 1915 student notes on Troilus and St. Juliana (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 21/7, fols. 5v and 6r).
- 4. Letter of 8 June, 1951 to Dan Davin (Oxford University Press Archives).
- 5. Title page and Tolkien’s handwritten table of contents for Selections from Chaucer’s Poetry and Prose (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 39/1, fol. 1).
- 6. Galley long-sheet from Clarendon Chaucer’s Glossary (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 39/3, fol. 10).
- 7. Typewritten commentary on Chaucer’s Romaunt of the Rose (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 39/2/1, fol. 6).
- 8. Handwritten introduction to Canterbury Tales (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 39/2/2, fol. 83).
- 9. Copy of the Reeve’s Tale programme with self-censored lines marked for restoration (Bodleian Tolkien VC Pamph (10), pages 12–13).
- 10. Ink notes over erased pencil draft in Clerk’s Tale lecture (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 13/2, fol. 10).
- 11. First page of 1947 lecture on Pardoner’s Tale (Bodleian MS Tolkien 13/2/1, fol. 61).
- 12. First page of 1955–56 lectures The Pardoner’s Tale: The Story and its Form (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 13/2, fol. 39).
- 13. Last page of 1955–56 lectures The Pardoner’s Tale: The Story and its Form (Bodleian MS Tolkien A 13/2, fol. 60v).
1 See Collected Poems, pp. 497-503 for commentary and two versions of the complete poem. ↩
2 Those can be read about in our Guide, see the tag 'Clarendon Chaucer' for more information. ↩
3 See J.R.R. Tolkien: Scholar and Storyteller and The Monsters and the Critics, and Other Essays for two different versions of the address. ↩
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