Certainly LOTR is capable of standing on its own, same way that “Hamlet” is capable of standing on its own. But if you want to discuss Shakespeare seriously (the same way author discusses Tolkien as an author), then you better have read a few more of his works as well.
Instead of saying something to the point of “Shakespeare consistently only wrote tragedies about kings partaking in murderous plots” based just on your reading of Hamlet and Macbeth, while never having read “Midsummer Night’s Dream” or “The Taming of the Shrew”.
I agree that for Tolkein scholarship you have to read the Silmarillion and beyond, and that they present a much broader view of elves etc. But I didn’t take that as the purpose of the fanfiction in this case.
Certainly LOTR is capable of standing on its own, same way that “Hamlet” is capable of standing on its own. But if you want to discuss Shakespeare seriously (the same way author discusses Tolkien as an author), then you better have read a few more of his works as well.
Instead of saying something to the point of “Shakespeare consistently only wrote tragedies about kings partaking in murderous plots” based just on your reading of Hamlet and Macbeth, while never having read “Midsummer Night’s Dream” or “The Taming of the Shrew”.
I agree that for Tolkein scholarship you have to read the Silmarillion and beyond, and that they present a much broader view of elves etc. But I didn’t take that as the purpose of the fanfiction in this case.