LOTR wasn't an entirely original story either. Tolkien, a philogist, was a specialist in languages, and had a profound knowledge of myths, legends and folklore. The tradition of the Quest tale is an anciet one, going back to Greek times, probably even before that Tolkien used these myths and legends, and his knowledge of Anglo-Saxon folklore to create Middle Earth and it's inhabitants.
That said, LOTR would not exist without Tolkien. The material might have been there, but it takes someone of talent to turn that raw material into something special. And that is what Tolkien did, and the fantasy genre, and literature owe him a huge debt.
Shakespeare was not an original writer either. All the sources from his plays came from classic writers such as Seneca, Platus, folklore - and other plays. There was no copyright as we know it bac in Elizabethan times, and it was quite acceptable for someone to take a play written by someone else, and reshape to your own ideas. And Shakespeare certainly got ideas from at least one other contemporory playwright, such as Christopher Marlowe. Certainly, Shakespeare'w tragedies, especially the early ones were strongly influenced by Marlowe. Anyone ever read or see Titus Andronicus? It is gruesome! Most of the modern splatter movies don't even come close to it in gore! I think that it was Shakespeare's attempt to out-Marlowe Marlowe.
However, Shakespeare soon moved beyond merely copying Marlowe, and started adding his own touch to his plays. King Lear is almost as gruesome as Titus, but thanks to strong characterisation, and the awareness of the horrors in that play, it has survived as a classic, while Titus is mostly regarded as one of Shakespeare's early plays.
And while we're at it, let's consider other possible influences on JMS. Some of them have been said before, but here goes.
Dune
Greek Myths and Legends Ie, Oydessy, Iliad, and the AaenidJason and the Argonauts, definitely a quest tale.
Charles Dickens - there are at least three references to Dickens in the B5 eps. especially a Christmas Carol.
Gilbert and Sullivan. G'Kar's Fishy song, and the song that Marcus sings as he and Franklin head for Mars.
Shakespeare. LOndo and to a lesser extent, G'Kar could be called tragic characters. Macbeth. Macbeth gains a crown and a kingdom, but because of the way he acquires them, can never rest easy, and like Londo, he is haunted by his conscience.
Lovecraft, and his concept of the Great Elder Gods.
JMS mighthave been influenced by these sources - as have countless other writers, composers, and artists down the ages. It is not so much whether something is original that matters, but how the finished product is.
------------------
That said, LOTR would not exist without Tolkien. The material might have been there, but it takes someone of talent to turn that raw material into something special. And that is what Tolkien did, and the fantasy genre, and literature owe him a huge debt.
Shakespeare was not an original writer either. All the sources from his plays came from classic writers such as Seneca, Platus, folklore - and other plays. There was no copyright as we know it bac in Elizabethan times, and it was quite acceptable for someone to take a play written by someone else, and reshape to your own ideas. And Shakespeare certainly got ideas from at least one other contemporory playwright, such as Christopher Marlowe. Certainly, Shakespeare'w tragedies, especially the early ones were strongly influenced by Marlowe. Anyone ever read or see Titus Andronicus? It is gruesome! Most of the modern splatter movies don't even come close to it in gore! I think that it was Shakespeare's attempt to out-Marlowe Marlowe.
However, Shakespeare soon moved beyond merely copying Marlowe, and started adding his own touch to his plays. King Lear is almost as gruesome as Titus, but thanks to strong characterisation, and the awareness of the horrors in that play, it has survived as a classic, while Titus is mostly regarded as one of Shakespeare's early plays.
And while we're at it, let's consider other possible influences on JMS. Some of them have been said before, but here goes.
Dune
Greek Myths and Legends Ie, Oydessy, Iliad, and the AaenidJason and the Argonauts, definitely a quest tale.
Charles Dickens - there are at least three references to Dickens in the B5 eps. especially a Christmas Carol.
Gilbert and Sullivan. G'Kar's Fishy song, and the song that Marcus sings as he and Franklin head for Mars.
Shakespeare. LOndo and to a lesser extent, G'Kar could be called tragic characters. Macbeth. Macbeth gains a crown and a kingdom, but because of the way he acquires them, can never rest easy, and like Londo, he is haunted by his conscience.
Lovecraft, and his concept of the Great Elder Gods.
JMS mighthave been influenced by these sources - as have countless other writers, composers, and artists down the ages. It is not so much whether something is original that matters, but how the finished product is.
------------------
