Encounters with Faerie

All great works of art and literature have a common purpose: they open doors to higher worlds. One of 20^th century’s greatest works of literature is Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, a story that originates in Middle-earth; the world beyond mere appearances. Fantasy adventure stories are designed to have a strange magical effect of revealing secret doors that open like portals right in front of our eyes; and upon entering, leads to higher worlds which Tolkien called Faerie.

Images and illustrations—complex or simple—are another way of pointing out these worlds. Tolkien dedicated a personal journal to his sketch illustrations, a journal which he named the Book of Ishness. His illustrations are not great works of art compared to artist like William Blake, for Tolkien’s genius was for writing fantasy stories and his illustrations simply attempt to sketch the world from which his fairy stories originated. In this essay, I will describe a few of his sketch images in order to catch a glimpse of that invisible domain beyond ordinary appearances, the place that Tolkien called Faerie.

In one image, Tolkien draws two pillars of fire that light up a pathway leading to a door. In a second image he draws a figure who’s crossed that door and continues to walk a pathway illuminated by more pillars of light.  A third image depicts a hooded figure—a wizard—that continues to walk the path through a dark forest. The central figures appear in the form of a man that gradually become a wizard, these are not only Tolkien’s imaginary creations, but depict his actual experiences.

In the image of the dark forest, the trees appear hostile and threatening, hence the title “Eeriness” given by Tolkien. A fourth image called “The Shores of Faery” illustrates the world of Faerie. And just like at a beach shore where you see the ocean without stepping into it, the ocean of Faerie is visible to those who come near it. However, one must enter these higher worlds with caution and care, for Tolkien offers a vital warning upon entering the lands of Faerie:

“The Land of Fairy Story is wide and deep and high … its seas are shoreless and its stars uncounted, its beauty an enchantment and its peril ever-present; both joy and sorrow are poignant as a sword. In that land a man may (perhaps) count himself fortunate to have wandered… and while he is there it is dangerous for him to ask too many questions, lest the gates be shut and the keys be lost.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien

The early stages of this path are daunting and confusing, but fortunately, there are a few brave hobbits who’ve accepted the challenge and conquered the quest. Those who come back from their adventure tell tales about it, stories that are called fairy tales. These stories serve as inspirational guidebooks that readers may reference in order to borrow ideas—for each traveler's tale forms a unique path. For example, Bilbo offers a gift to Frodo, a book of tales. Bilbo’s book of tales serves as a guide to Frodo, in which new tales are added as a new traveler embarks on his (or her) magical quest.

By referencing those who already walked through those mysterious doors, the path becomes less daunting and confusing. There’re many genres of literature which introduce these early stages of the path. Tolkien’s fairy stories are one of the many tales throughout history that attempt to inspire and awaken the light dormant within every human being. The average person walking in darkness yearns to one day stumble upon a magical tale that invite and guides them across those “shores of faery.”

Eventually, great stories get turned into movies, which is the case for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit; as presented by the filmmaker Peter Jackson. Whether it’s a written tale or an illustrated image (or Hollywood film), the ultimate purpose is to connect with the depths of a human being in order to deliver a deep message—that an epic journey awaits on the fields beyond mere appearances. These worlds are “difficult to explain” states anyone who’s ever encountered them in any way, shape, of form. But in order to facilitate and pass on these experiences to society, an attempt must be made to illustrate and narrate a magical tale (a fairy story) that offers a glimpse of the world which Tolkien called Faerie—the world of magic, enchantment, dragon fire, and treasures.