Panels at Boskone, and an elf's reply

[nancylebov]

sartoriaswrote a recent and very interesting series of reports on Boskone panels--check for "Bittercon" in the subject line.

In particular, about the attractiveness of elves, and whether we are or should be sick of elves, gave rise to superversive's interview with Maglor, one of Feanor's sons, and a spectacular thing it is, too.

It's a little unfair-- the original panel premise twitted Tolkien's elves for being angelic rather than excessively cool-- but it's still spectacular.

One other Bittercon thought: iirc, Tolkien defined myth as a story which is so strong that it sticks in the mind no matter how plainly it's told. I like it, but there may be a problem with definitions which are only about the successful members of a category.

Comments

[rm.livejournal.com]

I also think tonal quality can imbue a more ordinary story with mythic qualities to the extent that it can evolve into myth (similarly, are elves evolving out of myth as they get overused in really banal ways in fiction?). Is a myth a series of facts or a series of feelings and are those determined by the nature of events or the nature of the telling of those events?

[madfilkentist]

Success may be part of the definition of myth. If a story doesn't permeate a sizeable population, can it be called a myth?

[cathyr19355.livejournal.com]

I point out that something may "stick in the mind" even if it's annoying or unpleasant. If you doubt this, think of some of the more irritating popular songs of the last 30 years. Or think of any time an annoying song from the radio got stuck in your head.