J.R.R. Tolkien was a giant and the father of an entire literary genre. I must have read his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy at least half a dozen times as a youth. Thanks for sharing his views on marriage and human nature. While Tolkien’s critique of the masculine polygamous sex drive seems realistic and fair, I’m not so sure about his idealistic praise and characterization of female nature as monogamous - hypergamous might be more on point.
His characterization of females as naturally inclined toward monogamy is bound to anger some people today, but I thought it was the most interesting point in his letter.
It's hard to speak with any authority on these issues because men are men and women are women. But I think there's something to what he says.
That Tolkien placed women on a pedestal is interesting (and probably unsurprising given his similar depiction of the female characters in “The Lord of the Rings”). However, real world data differs: Forbes and Psychology Today cite statistics that 70% of divorces are initiated by women.
I don't think he placed them on a pedestal. He's just saying men and women naturally have different libidos. I think that's true. He's not saying women can't cheat or won't have the desire too. (Note the qualifying word corrupt.)
J.R.R. Tolkien was a giant and the father of an entire literary genre. I must have read his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy at least half a dozen times as a youth. Thanks for sharing his views on marriage and human nature. While Tolkien’s critique of the masculine polygamous sex drive seems realistic and fair, I’m not so sure about his idealistic praise and characterization of female nature as monogamous - hypergamous might be more on point.
His characterization of females as naturally inclined toward monogamy is bound to anger some people today, but I thought it was the most interesting point in his letter.
It's hard to speak with any authority on these issues because men are men and women are women. But I think there's something to what he says.
That Tolkien placed women on a pedestal is interesting (and probably unsurprising given his similar depiction of the female characters in “The Lord of the Rings”). However, real world data differs: Forbes and Psychology Today cite statistics that 70% of divorces are initiated by women.
I don't think he placed them on a pedestal. He's just saying men and women naturally have different libidos. I think that's true. He's not saying women can't cheat or won't have the desire too. (Note the qualifying word corrupt.)