Letter 347b

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 347b
Recipient	Sterling E. Lanier
Date	24 January 1973
Subject(s)	The Silmarillion

Letter 347b is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition.

Summary

In this letter to Sterling E. Lanier Tolkien discussed the progress of his work on The Silmarillion, explaining that his efforts had been delayed due to the recent death of his wife and his subsequent relocation back to Oxford. This disruption had left his books and files in disarray, affecting his ability to focus on preparing the manuscript for publication.

Tolkien acknowledged a concern raised by Lanier about the tone of The Silmarillion. He admitted that the legends within the work are predominantly mythological and grim, lacking any elements of comedy. This tone sets the book apart from his other works, such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which contain more light-hearted moments alongside the more serious themes.