Isengard in Oxford
12 hours ago
- #Oxford
- #Satire
- #J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Bovadium Fragments is a recently published, complete work by J. R. R. Tolkien, originally intended for publication in the 1960s but deemed 'unpublishable' by a friend.
- The work is a satire on mankind's obsession with motor vehicles, told through the perspective of future archaeologists studying an extinct civilization that asphyxiated on its own exhaust fumes.
- Tolkien's anger towards motorized culture is evident, drawing parallels to real-life controversies in Oxford, where he lived, particularly the city's traffic congestion and proposed solutions like road expansions.
- The book includes supplementary material such as editorial notes, an introduction, and an essay, adding historical context and linguistic insights, including contributions from Christopher Tolkien.
- Tolkien's disdain for cars is reflected in his other works, like Roverandom and Mr. Bliss, but The Bovadium Fragments presents his hatred most viscerally, equating cars with monsters.
- The recent controversy over Oxford's traffic filter system in 2023 mirrors the long-standing debate Tolkien critiqued, highlighting the ongoing struggle between modernization and preservation.
- Tolkien's nostalgia for a pre-industrial Eden and his fatalistic view of human progress are central themes, suggesting that mankind's hubris leads to self-destruction, much like the civilization in his story.