What If? Robert E. Howard wrote J.R.R Tolkien’s works?

[CarlManvers2019]

As the title says, Robert E. Howard, the man whom at the age of 30 had written a YUGE collection of stories

Goes and writes down his own version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion/Hobbit/Sons of Hurin/Lord of The Rings(and theoretical future in which Morgoth returns) and other stories set within Arda or Eru’s creation

How does his attitudes and themes re-shape Arda?

 

[AnimalNoodles]

Aragorn takes the ring, uses it to conquer an empire, then through indomitable force of will casts it into mount doom when it is no longer needed.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Aragorn takes the ring, uses it to conquer an empire, then through indomitable force of will casts it into mount doom when it is no longer needed.

He’s sort of a barbarian for having lived outside civilization for quite a long while

 

[Yinko]

In Tolkien the Elves were the embodiment of all human virtue, if the same was true in Howard's version then all the Elves would be pointy eared Conans and Red Sonyas. Which... might not be far off from Tolkien's original idea, since Legolas is described as "barrel chested" and that one elf lord shanked a dragon the size of a mountain range with a piddly little pig-sticker of a spear.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

In Tolkien the Elves were the embodiment of all human virtue, if the same was true in Howard's version then all the Elves would be pointy eared Conans and Red Sonyas. Which... might not be far off from Tolkien's original idea, since Legolas is described as "barrel chested" and that one elf lord shanked a dragon the size of a mountain range with a piddly little pig-sticker of a spear.

But what about all the immortality and civilization? It doesn't make them "decadent"?

 

[Yinko]

But what about all the immortality and civilization? It doesn't make them "decadent"?

Dudes live in the forest. Everyone else lives in towns and cities. I honestly have no idea what Howard thought about immortality, I don't think he ever brought it up as a separate issue from being cowardly in the face of death, and Tolkien's Elves sure as hell aren't that.

 

[CarlManvers2019]

Dudes live in the forest. Everyone else lives in towns and cities. I honestly have no idea what Howard thought about immortality, I don't think he ever brought it up as a separate issue from being cowardly in the face of death, and Tolkien's Elves sure as hell aren't that.

They are sort of "tired" of it all though

 

[Navarro]

There actually is quite an illuminating article out there on the similarities between Tolkien and Howard:

Visions, Gryphons, Nothing and the Night

www.robert-e-howard.org

 

[Navarro]

In Tolkien the Elves were the embodiment of all human virtue, if the same was true in Howard's version then all the Elves would be pointy eared Conans and Red Sonyas. Which... might not be far off from Tolkien's original idea, since Legolas is described as "barrel chested" and that one elf lord shanked a dragon the size of a mountain range with a piddly little pig-sticker of a spear.

Don't forget the one who literally fought a duel with Satan.

 

[AnimalNoodles]

There actually is quite an illuminating article out there on the similarities between Tolkien and Howard:

Visions, Gryphons, Nothing and the Night

www.robert-e-howard.org

Tolkien was familiar with howards work and apparently rather enjoyed conan.