Why Michael Moorcock Despises Tolkien and C. S. Lewis
In 1978, Michael Moorcock released a famous essay known as Epic Pooh. In it, he mocks Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander, Richard Adams and other famous fantasy authors by comparing their work to Winnie-the-Pooh. Moorcock even updated the essay in 2008, suggesting his mind has not changed.
But while Moorcock’s criticisms are harsh, he doesn’t make it easy to understand his reasoning. This is convenient for the fans who use Epic Pooh in support of whatever bold opinion they want to express.
Some of Moorcock’s arguments echo debates between artists a century before him, and similar claims to his are still employed today. That gives us a lot to analyze already, but Moorcock’s own work adds another twist. Does Moorcock live up to his own standards? Is his work better than The Lord of the Rings, or is Moorcock just deriding his competitors? For answers to these questions, I’ve turned to one of his most famous works, Elric of Melniboné.
Let’s see what Moorcock’s up to in Epic Pooh. If you’d like to examine the essay as we go, it can usually be found online.
