Smith of Wootton Major: Allegory or not?

In reading Tolkien’s Smith of Wootton Major, one comes across many characters and trinkets, and a small town in which deeper meaning, or perhaps even deeper allegory, seems to be found. Tolkien himself was not too fond of the whole, “allegory of the sort ‘five wizards = five senses’” (Letters, 203), however he then also explains that while this simple allegory is not in his way of thinking, the fact “that there is no allegory does not, of course, say there is no applicability” (Letters, 203). First one must discuss whether allegory must be this 1:1 ratio, or if it can be searched and dug into for deeper layers of meaning. Certainly, in Tolkien’s writing, there is no simple “Orcs ‘are’ Communists”, however many traits are found in all of the races of Middle-earth that are applicable to themes of the greater universe, and of course to what extent that Middle-earth is in our universe. Is this applicability not just a more complicated allegory?

Another point of allegory that must be discussed is if the intentions of the author or creator of the story determine whether allegory can be found and named as such. Tolkien did not intend on creating allegory, for he wrote that he had “very little particular, conscious, intellectual intention in mind at any point” (Letters, 163). He also writes that he finds “‘interpretations’ quite amusing,” of course excepting, “any ‘interpretations’ in the mode of simple allegory; that is, the particular and topical,” (Letters, 163). Needless to say, Tolkien rejects simple allegory of his own work. He does admit, however, that “it is I suppose impossible to write any ‘story’ that is not allegorical in proportion as it ‘comes to life’; since each of us is an allegory, embodying in a particular tale and clothes in the garments of time and place, universal truth and everlasting life,” (Letters, 163). In writing this, he concedes that his works may, in fact, have allegory. In this statement, he grants the possibility that allegory is often found where it is not intended, in the stories and the words that make up us all. It is impossible to escape from the kind of allegory that arises from life. Anything can be compared to anything, and interpretations of stories will exist from now until forever.

Bearing all this in mind, is The Smith of Wootton Major an allegory? Certainly the relationship between Alf, the King of Faery, and the old Master Cook Nokes, and also between Alf and the Smith, or Starbrow, the Elf-friend, lend to some greater themes of life. The character of the old Nokes, almost a caricature of the close-minded, old, lazy, sly characteristics that Tolkien gives him, can certainly be applied to the world. Furthermore, the lessons we learn from Nokes, or more precisely learn because of his disrespectful actions, about how to respect powers we do not understand and to be open minded to what mysteries the world can offer, lead us to think about ourselves in relation. The character of Starbrow, the lonely wanderer with some fantastical glow about him and a light in his eyes, also teaches the reader many things. He teaches the observer to look at the wider world, and the majesty and mystery of it all, however thanks to the Faery King, we also learn when to move on, and when to give up that connection to Faery and pass it to the new generation.

This one point of the story, when the Faery King asks Starbrow to give back the star so that it can be passed to another young child, is very interesting due to its similarity with Gandalf and Bilbo, and the one ring. Smith has this reluctance to give away his ‘passport’ to all of Faery, just as Bilbo is reluctant to pass on the ring to Frodo. Of course, the two objects, the Faery star and the evil magic ring, are two opposite magical items. The star gives Starbrow a chance to travel to and see the mysteries of Faery, and he will miss the light that made him wiser. Bilbo is mainly reluctant to give up the ring because of the evil power it holds, however it holds a similar place in his life as the star in Smith’s. It gave him some power to see beyond, to be a part of Faery. Of course, this allegorical paragraph is entirely what Tolkien would not have wanted, except that it is not exactly a 1:1 ratio. Gandalf is certainly not the King of Faery, however magical and mysterious he may be, and while he does serve a similar role, and the Hobbits of the shire are just as unwelcoming to Gandalf as perhaps Nokes is to his Prentice and all of Prentice’s ideas and opinions. However, none of these comparisons are equating any one part of the story to another. The star and the ring are fundamentally different, and their power affects the user differently, and while Gandalf seems to be all-knowing at first, soon the limitations of his power and knowledge, and the creatures beyond him are exposed, yet the Faery King still holds his mysteries and still holds a different role in Wootton Major. These stories were not intended to be allegories of each other, they stand separately.

With all this in mind, the conclusion is that yes, indeed, Smith of Wootton Major is in fact an allegory. It is an allegory for the beginning of the Lord of the Rings, it is an allegory for finding wonder and majesty in life, and about knowing when to move on. It is also an allegory for so many other deeper meanings, to any that can be found. Tolkien was very happy about applications of his world to our world, and the way he uses application is the same way some use allegory, to some deeper, layered truth, to help find symbolism and meaning in all the stories in the world. 

-CS