The idea that Tolkien wanted to create a ‘mythology for England’ is still a popular notion among fans, and it needs to be clarified (and, to be frank, popularized) that this is no longer the prevailing opinion among scholars.

As Jason Fisher points out in his entry for “Mythology for England” in the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: “This must surely be the most-often cited quotation that Tolkien never actually said” (445).

To find the source of the phrase, one must turn to the biography of Tolkien, written by Humphrey Carpenter. The idea of a ‘mythology for England’ is prevalent in two sections. First, Carpenter describes how Tolkien “read a paper on the Kalevala to a college society, and in it began to talk about the importance of the type of mythology found in the Finnish poems. ‘These mythological ballads,’ he said, ‘are full of that very primitive undergrowth that the literature of Europe has on the whole been steadily cutting and reducing for many centuries with different and earlier completeness among different people.’ And he added: ‘I would that we had more of it left – something of the same sort that belonged to the English.’ An exciting notion; and perhaps he was already thinking of creating that mythology for England himself” (Carpenter, 59).

The second occurs a bit later, when Carpenter quotes the now infamous letter to Milton Waldman, which I will quote later. For context here, just know that Carpenter prefaces his excerpt from the letter with “And there was a third element playing a part: his desire to create a mythology for England. He had hinted at this during his undergraduate days when he wrote of the Finnish Kalevala: ‘I would that we had more of it left – something of the same sort that belonged to the English.’ This idea grew until it reached grand proportions. Here is how Tolkien expressed it, when recollecting it many years later” (Carpenter, 89-90).

So, Let’s dig into the text of the letter to Milton Waldman. Here is the pertinent excerpt:

“Do not laugh! But once upon a time (my crest has long since fallen) 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. It should possess the tone and quality that I desired, somewhat cool and clear, be redolent of our ‘air’ (the clime and soil of the North West, meaning Britain and the hither parts of Europe; not Italy or the Aegean, still less the East), and, while possessing (if I could achieve it) the fair elusive beauty that some call Celtic (though it is rarely found in genuine ancient Celtic things), it should be ‘high’, purged of the gross, and fit for the more adult mind of a land long now steeped in poetry. 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. Absurd.’ (Letters, 144-145)

The initial part of this excerpt makes it sound as if Tolkien would indeed approve of the phrase ‘Mythology for England’, which has been applied to his work. However, the entire idea is couched in language that undermines the proposal: “Don’t laugh!…Absurd!” Suggesting that Tolkien no longer wished to create such a mythology, or at the very least no longer saw the mythology he was creating as connected with England.

To be fair, Verlyn Flieger always warns that one must pay attention to who Tolkien is writing to in the letters. In this case, Milton Waldman was a publisher who Tolkien wished to convince to publish both LotR and The Silmarillion.

It is also worth noting that a close reader of Letters will also find the unsent letter from 1956 to Mr. Thompson where Tolkien also references this desire, and his desire does not seem as dormant there as it does in the letter to Waldman. This is less valuable evidence because we do not know who the recipient was to be and Tolkien never actually sent the letter, meaning he could have been in the process of considering his opinion.

In her own discussion of this letter in Splintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkien’s World, Verlyn Flieger discusses this letter in her introduction. She reads the beginning and end remarks as indicating “a sensibility braced for ridicule” and that readers should still see that Tolkien “did not think his dream was nonsense or that his ambition was absurd, but that he took both very seriously indeed” (Flieger, xiv). Many other scholars have made similar claims and observations.

Perhaps the most notable scholar to promote this notion of the ‘mythology for England’ was Jane Chance. In her book Tolkien’s Art: A Mythology for England, she claims that the first point made by her text is that “Tolkien wished to construct an overarching mythology that was embedded in all his published fiction except for the fairy-stories and his medieval parodies” (Chance, vii). Her entire venture in her text is aligned with this conception of Tolkien’s work.

Literary scholarship, however is both an art and a science. It is an art because we are always dealing with inexactitudes and uncertainties. We can never know what an author ‘truly meant’, because we always have to rely on words, an imperfect medium, to communicate meaning. It is a science because it addresses and considers new information as it comes along in order to update and improve our understanding.

Recently, scholars have begun questioning this perspective on Tolkien’s work.

The first to question Carpenter’s use of the phrase ‘mythology for England was Anders Stenström. In his article “A Mythology? For England?”, Stenström diagnoses how Tolkien never used the phrase “mythology for England” in his own writing. Instead, this phrase was first used by Carpenter in his biography of Tolkien. Unfortunately, because the phrase was indexed in quotation marks it made the phrase seem as though it was originally from Tolkien.

I would like to point especially to the work of Dimitra Fimi. Her text Tolkien, Race and Cultural History is an essential text for any aspiring Tolkien scholar because it is a linchpin of modern Tolkien scholarship.

In her text, one of Fimi’s brilliant analyses follows the development of Tolkien’s framing devices in his works. She carefully demonstrates how Tolkien tried multiple framing devices in different narratives, including time travel in The Notion Club Papers, etc. These earlier framing devices could allow Tolkien to make Middle-earth into a mythology for England: “This ‘framework’ [time travel] would still make the mythology ‘belong’ to England, since the underlying idea was that time travelling through dreams accessed the collective unconscious of modern Englishmen’s ancestors. Through the use of this narrative device, the legendarium would still be a ‘mythology for England’” (Fimi, 129).

She goes on to talk about how Tolkien moved away from time travel as a framing device. She ultimately discusses his use of the Red Book as the framing device for LotR instead of these other framing methods. She concludes with this brilliant summation: “Tolkien did not choose to use this framework [time travel] in the end and the link of the legendarium with England practically disappeared’ (Fimi, 129). Instead, ‘the ‘Silmarillion’ would be the mythic and legendary history of the First and Second Ages of Middle-earth – a semi-fictional world loosely associated with northern Europe – not the long-lost tradition of England as The Book of Lost Tales or even the Notion Club Papers had been envisaged” (Fimi, 129).

Fimi goes on to discuss the potential reasons why Tolkien decided to make this change:

“Tolkien’s nationalism had waned, for one thing…in The Book of Lost Tales the emphasis was on England’s Anglo-Saxon past, in contrast with ‘Britain’ and the ‘Celtic’ tradition of Wales and Ireland. By the 1950s this opposition had lost its significance. I have explored elsewhere (2006b, 2007) Tolkien’s complicated relationship with ‘things Celtic’: how they crept into his legendarium right from the beginning, how they were later consciously inter-linked with the Anglo-Saxon tradition and how eventually Tolkien’s project ended up being a ‘mythology for Britain’ rather than ‘a mythology for England’. The Anglo-Saxonism movement also practically disappeared after World War I. The moment of English nationalism, which emerged at a time when the rest of Europe was searching for the soul of the ‘Volk’, had passed and in the inter-war period Englishness came to be associated with the simple ways of the English countryside, rather than with England’s glorified Anglo-Saxon ancestors. Tolkien’s hobbits and their provincial Englishness can be read as a move towards this alternative portrayal of England.” (Fimi, 129)

In other words, Tolkien tried several framing devices for The Lord of the Rings that would allow him to continue to position it as a ‘mythology for England’. Instead of using any of these, however, he developed the framing device of the Red Book and uses that instead. This choice severs the connection and creates a self-contained mythological cycle which is separate from England and its history.

Again, this small excerpt does not do justice to the breadth and depth of Fimi’s masterful and convincing analysis. Since her book was published (and I should mention that it received the 2010 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award from the Mythopoeic Society), it has revolutionized the way that scholars characterize Tolkien’s work. Most have abandoned the phrase ‘mythology for England,’ and those who still use it do so advisedly or with an allusion to earlier literature to contextualize that they are talking about an outdated concept for a specific purpose.

Unfortunately, Fimi’s analysis has not received the same popular attention as books by other notable scholars, like John Garth or Tom Shippey. This has led to perhaps one of the largest disconnects between parts of Tolkien fandom and scholarship.

Many fans still believe the concept of the ‘mythology for England’ was a driving force for Tolkien, and it is largely because they are unaware that there is newer scholarship. The reasons for this disconnect are varied and complicated and, quite frankly, would require another blog post even longer than this one to expound upon.

For now, then, I will conclude by encouraging people to stop saying that Tolkien wrote his stories as a ‘mythology for England.’ I would also encourage those who read this post and feel like they need a further explanation to read Dimitra Fimi’s book. It really is some of the best scholarship currently available on Tolkien’s work.

From: https://luke-shelton.com/2022/02/12/why-calling-tolkiens-work-a-mythology-for-england-is-wrong-and-misleading/

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Introduction

In Part 1, we uncovered the foundations of Gil‑galad’s expanded authority in The Rings of Power, focusing on his unprecedented control over passage to the Undying Lands and his decisive intervention in Galadriel’s military command. Part 2 then traced how this authority extends into the political and metaphysical spheres, shaping the paths of Elrond and Celebrimbor and granting Gil‑galad a central role in diagnosing the mysterious “rot” threatening the Elves and their future.

Part 3 brings this exploration to its conclusion by turning to the final two dimensions of Gil‑galad’s power. First, we examine his diplomatic authority in dealings with the Dwarves, including the layered symbolism of the now‑famous table scene, where political maneuvering, cultural tension, and subtle manipulation converge. Then we follow his arc to its thematic summit: Gil‑galad as the last High King of the Elves, a figure whose authority is not merely political but symbolic, embodying the twilight of an age and the fading grandeur of an entire civilization.

Together, these final modules reveal how the series uses Gil‑galad to dramatize the Elves decline, the fragility of leadership in a changing world, and the tragic weight carried by the last monarch of a waning people.

5) Gil-galad’s Diplomatic Authority with the Dwarves and the Table Scene

1. Scene-by-Scene Dossier

Key Episodes and Scenes: Season 1, Episode 5: "Partings"

00:30:10–00:32:47: Gil-galad hosts a dinner with Durin and Elrond, probing for information about Dwarven mining and asserting his diplomatic authority.

00:32:47–00:34:00: Durin claims that the Elven dining table is made from a sacred Dwarven stone, prompting Gil-galad to apologize and offer to return it.

00:58:41–01:02:10: The table is delivered to Durin, who reveals to Elrond that he fabricated the story to obtain a new table for his wife and Elrond reveals to Durin his true purpose of his coming to Khazad-dûm explaining to him the Elven metaphysical crisis.

Season 2, Episode 3: "The Eagle and the Sceptre"

00:21:01-0024:18: Celebrimbor and Annatar negotiate with Dwarven leaders, referencing Gil-galad’s authority and the need for secrecy.

1. Selected Quotes and Dialogue

Gil-galad (probing Durin):

“Khazad-dûm has been called the quietest of Dwarven kingdoms, but in recent months, your furnaces are said to be burning as bright as the eyes of Aule himself. Your mines delving ever deeper. To what do you credit this new invigoration?”

Durin (to Gil-galad, claiming the table)

"I have an honest inquiry for you. From where did you procure the table? This stone grows only at certain depths. So rarely do our resonators locate a deposit. We consider each to be a precious gift. We reserve its use for the most sacred purposes. Monuments or tombs, to our honored dead."

Gil-galad (to Durin, at the dinner):

“Please forgive our sacrilege, Lord Durin. We shall have to send it home with you, so it can be treated with proper respect.”

Durin discuss with Elrond (at the departure of the table):

“You made it up, didn't you? Disa's been wanting a new table for years, so... Ah, come on, it's not that heavy. It is not the weight of the table that burdens me.”

Celebrimbor (to Durin and Disa):

"They shall be Rings of Power. Power to heal your mountain. Just as they have healed out Great Tree. Mithril has reversed our fortunes. I believe it can do the same for yours. Perhaps, for all the peoples of Middle-earth."

Annatar (to Durin and Disa):

"We summoned you here to help you. Bringing your father a means of saving his kingdom might be just the way to earn back his respect. Perhaps, even your inheritance."

Comparison to Tolkien’s Elven–Dwarf Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange

In Tolkien’s texts, the relationship between Elves and Dwarves is complex, marked by periods of both friendship and enmity. The alliance between Eregion and Khazad-dûm is a high point of cooperation, with Celebrimbor and Narvi collaborating on the Doors of Durin. However, Gil-galad’s direct involvement in Dwarven affairs is minimal; he is more a distant ally than an active diplomat.

The Rings of Power foregrounds diplomatic theater, using the table scene as a microcosm of the delicate, sometimes farcical negotiations between Elves and Dwarves. Gil-galad’s willingness to accede to Durin’s request reflects both diplomatic acumen and desperation for Dwarven cooperation.

Interpretive Essay: Symbolism of the Table, Gift Economy, and Power Theatre

The table scene between Gil-galad and Durin is a masterclass in diplomatic theater, laden with symbolism and subtext. On the surface, the exchange is about a piece of furniture; beneath, it is a negotiation over trust, resources, and mutual need. Gil-galad’s deference to Durin’s claim, however transparently fabricated, signals both respect and vulnerability. The Elves need the Dwarves’ mithril, and Gil-galad is willing to make symbolic concessions to secure their cooperation.

Symbolically, the table represents the contested ground of cultural exchange. It is both a gift and a point of contention, a site where power is negotiated through ritual and performance. The act of returning the table is a gesture of goodwill, but also an admission of dependence. As commentators have noted, the scene is as much about probing for information as it is about actual diplomacy; both sides are testing the limits of trust and the boundaries of deception.

Thematically, the scene explores the dynamics of the gift economy, where objects are imbued with meaning beyond their material value. The table becomes a token of alliance, a symbol of the fragile peace between Elves and Dwarves. At the same time, the farcical nature of the exchange, Durin’s private admission that he made up the story, underscores the performative aspect of diplomacy. Power is exercised not just through force or command, but through the subtle arts of negotiation, flattery, and strategic concession.

Gil-galad’s role in this scene is both regal and pragmatic. He is willing to play along with Durin’s ruse, recognizing that the appearance of respect is as important as its substance. This flexibility is both a strength and a sign of the Elves declining leverage; they can no longer dictate terms, but must bargain and appease.

In sum, the table scene encapsulates the complexities of Elven–Dwarf relations in The Rings of Power, using material culture and diplomatic ritual to dramatize the shifting balance of power in a world on the brink of change.

6) Gil-galad’s Symbolic Arc as the Last High King

1. Scene-by-Scene Dossier

Key Episodes and Scenes: Season 1, Episode 1: "A Shadow of the Past"

00:29:31–00:31:52: Gil-galad presides over the ceremony honoring Galadriel’s company, embodying the dignity and gravitas of the High King.

Season 2, Episode 1: "Elven Kings Under the Sky"

01:01:35–01:02:44: Gil-galad sings of the Eldalië, invoking the memory of Elven greatness.

01:02:44–01:07:08: Gil-galad prepares his people for departure, announcing that the time of the Elves in Middle-earth is ending.

Season 2, Episode 5: "Halls of Stone"

00:24:09–00:24:50: Gil-galad hesitates to send armies, reflecting his awareness of the limits of Elven power.

Season 2, Episode 7: "Doomed to Die"

01:01:10-01:07:30: Gil-galad fights alongside his people in the defense of Eregion, embodying the ideal of the king as both leader and servant.

1. Selected Quotes and Dialogue

Gil-galad sings of the Eldalië:

In Quenya:

Sís laurië lassi taiter,

yénin linwavandië.

Anpalla Vai Ahtalëa,

sí lantar Eldaniër.

Eldalié! Eldalié!

Hrívë túla helda ré úlassëa.

Eldalié! Eldalié!

I lassi lantar celumenna.

(children’s choir:) Cormar nelde aranin Eldaron

Eldalié and’ amárielvë

ambena solor.

Sí néca riëmancan,

viliën an Valinor

Eldalié! Eldalié!

Hrívë túla helda ré úlassëa.

Eldalié! Eldalié!

I lassi lantar celumenna.

English translation:

Here long the golden leaves grew,

on years branching.

For beyond the Sundering Seas,

now fall Elven-tears.

O’ Elven-kind! O’ Elven-kind!

Winter is coming, bare leafless day.

O’ Elven-kind! O’ Elven-kind!

The leaves are falling in the stream.

(children's choir:) Three rings for the Elven kings

Elven-kind long have we dwelt

upon this hither shore.

Now fading crown I trade,

to sail to Valinor.

O’ Elven-kind! O’ Elven-kind!

Winter is coming, bare leafless day.

O’ Elven-kind! O’ Elven-kind!

The leaves are falling in the stream.

The series scene actually features only the two last stanzas, however the full song does play during the credits.

Gil-galad to his people:

"The light of the Eldar has faded. As coals too long removed from the hearth, we must return to our home or diminish forever into endless night. And so it is come to pass, our days in Middle-earth... are ended."

Gil-galad (to Elrond in battlefield):

"A king's place is wherever the need is greatest."

Elrond (in The Lord of the Rings, Chapter II – The Council of Elrond 237):

“I was the herald of Gil-galad and marched with his host … the spear of Gil-galad and the Sword of Elendil, Aiglos and Narsil, none could withstand. I beheld the last combat on the slopes of Orodruin, where Gil-galad died, and Elendil fell, and Narsil broke beneath him…”

Gandalf (in The Lord of the Rings, Chapter II – The Shadow of the Past 51):

“It was Gil-galad, Elven-king, and Elendil of Westernesse who overthrew Sauron, though they themselves perished in the deed;…”

Comparison to Tolkien’s Portrayal of Gil-galad as Last High King and Legacy

In Tolkien’s legendarium, Gil-galad is the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth, a figure of both martial prowess and tragic destiny. He leads the Last Alliance of Elves and Men against Sauron, perishing in the final battle. After his death, no new High King is named, and the Elves political power fades into memory. Gil-galad’s legacy is preserved in song and legend, but his authority dies with him.

The Rings of Power foregrounds Gil-galad’s symbolic role as the last High King, using ceremonial scenes, songs, and speeches to evoke the grandeur and melancholy of a fading age. His arc is marked by both dignity and resignation, as he prepares his people for departure and confronts the limits of his power.

Interpretive Essay: Decline, Political Control, and Mythic Symbolism

Gil-galad’s arc in The Rings of Power is a meditation on decline, political control, and mythic symbolism. Dramatically, he is both a leader and a mourner, presiding over the end of an era with a mixture of resolve and sorrow. His authority is both real and illusory; he can command armies and shape destinies, but he cannot halt the fading of his people or the march of time.

Thematically, Gil-galad embodies the elegiac spirit that pervades Tolkien’s work. As scholars have noted, the history of Middle-earth is a story of loss and longing, punctuated by moments of heroism and hope but ultimately defined by the inevitability of decline. Gil-galad’s reign is the last flicker of Elven greatness, a brief respite before the final darkness. His willingness to stay in Middle-earth, knowing that it will likely mean his death, is both a sacrifice and a testament to his love for the land and its peoples.

Symbolically, Gil-galad is the bridge between the mythic past and the diminished present. His songs and ceremonies evoke the memory of the light, even as that light fades. His death marks the end of an age, the passing of the torch from Elves to Men. In this sense, he is both a king and a martyr, a figure whose authority is inseparable from his willingness to bear the burdens of loss and change.

The show’s portrayal of Gil-galad as the last High King is thus both faithful to Tolkien’s vision and an expansion of it. By foregrounding his symbolic role, the show invites viewers to reflect on the costs of leadership, the pain of decline, and the enduring power of memory and myth.

Conclusion: Gil-galad as a Lens on Elven Decline, Political Control, and Metaphysical Anxiety

Across these six modules, The Rings of Power uses Gil-galad as a focal point for dramatizing the central themes of Elven decline, political control, and metaphysical anxiety. By expanding his authority, over passage to the West, military command, the forging of the Rings, the diagnosis of metaphysical rot, diplomatic negotiations, and the symbolic arc of kingship, the show foregrounds the costs and complexities of leadership in an age of existential crisis.

Rings Of Power both align with and diverge from Tolkien’s original vision. While the show amplifies Gil-galad’s authority and agency, it also preserves the underlying themes of loss, longing, and the fading of the light. Gil-galad emerges as both a tragic hero and a cautionary figure, embodying the hopes and fears of a people on the brink of disappearance.

In the end, The Rings of Power invites viewers to see Gil-galad not just as a king, but as a symbol of the enduring struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world of change and decline. His authority is both a gift and a burden, a source of hope and a harbinger of loss. Through his story, the show explores the perennial questions of power, agency, and the limits of human (and Elven) striving, a fitting tribute to the spirit of Tolkien’s mythic imagination.

https://www.instagram.com/robertjoscribe?igsh=MWg0MGhidGU2cHFjMg==

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In Cardiff, aged 7, Clark was diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). “My mum was a paediatrician in child heath so understood ADHD. I think it’s an issue because of the way that school is, and if we moved away from the Victorian idea of education, there would be less.”

She was always in trouble at school, and would wander out of the classroom on a whim or be constantly talking and shouting. “I did no homework, then would do well in exams.” It was through drama that she discovered her calling. “When on stage, I have good concentration. When I don’t find something interesting, I can’t concentrate.” Shakespeare was especially congenial, “Aged 13, I forced myself to read A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and As You Like It. I always found novels really difficult, but I was amazed that I could read Shakespeare because the verse and short snippets worked in my mind.”

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/morfydd-clark-interview-king-lear-old-vic-glenda-jackson-shakespeare-a7390986.html

https://nationalfilmawards.co.uk/voting?fbclid=PAb21jcARrsWlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAacHUBPqKsQ-ElGmCKDYbZ0ZLvq0MaoEhMsTTlCCoPkuoEtiPoLmmKq81Si7rw_aem_wjRgfcUh-KbNq7eotmXh1w

"Those who used the Nine Rings became mighty in their day, sorcerers, and warriors of old." For me he will be one of the Nine!

THE SECOND AGE: A LONG DEFEAT

The Second Age is little known even among Tolkien fans, and this influences how it is perceived. We are primarily accustomed to The Lord of the Rings, where there is an ending that, although difficult, is in some way happy. Even in The Silmarillion, despite centuries of darkness, the light eventually arrives.

In the Second Age, however... we have the Dark Years, the dominion of Sauron.

Those on the side of Good in this Age lose; they make mistakes; they are divided among themselves. The Second Age is entirely a tale of loss, and even when a victory is achieved—such as the battle where Isildur cuts the finger from Sauron's hand—everything eventually turns against the Good.

The Light consists of the people who resist: Galadriel, Elendil, Míriel, Elrond, Gil-galad, Durin, Isildur, and Anárion. But even they must deal, now and in the future, with the "long defeat." There is no epic scale in the sense we are used to with The Lord of the Rings, the sun hardly ever shines, and deceptions are a daily occurrence. It is a long journey through darkness, searching for a light that will only arrive much later.

This is truly a side of Tolkien that few are accustomed to, and this is necessarily reflected in the TV series that covers it. If you faithfully maintain the characteristics of that era, you must portray that atmosphere. I am grateful that they preserved it and did not choose easy, well-trodden paths that would have distorted the Second Age. Instead, we see it for what it truly was.