Today we spoke briefly on the topic of escapism and whether, in the end, Faerie is a form of escapism. There is a song I love, which I sang for choir a few times called “Weep No More.” The link below leads to a beautiful rendition of this song on youtube.
This song was originally based on a Keats poem called “Fairy Song,” and the song talks about the idea of the enchantment of Faerie relieving sorrow. I had not listened to this song for a long time, but when I heard it again today, I suddenly felt like it helped me to, in some part, understand this abstract idea of Faerie just a little bit more.
Tolkien talks about enchantment in his essay "On Fairy-stories," and to me, this song tries to encompass that enchantment a little bit. With the original title of the poem in mind, I picture the enchantment of a fairy inviting a sorrowful stranger into the arms of paradise.
Question time: Do you think this is what Faerie provided for Tolkien? Is the paradise provided in Faerie any less beautiful because it is imagined?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.