Our Sponsor Sideshow Send us News
Lord of the Rings Tolkien
Search Tolkien
Lord of The RingsTheOneRing.net - Forged By And For Fans Of JRR Tolkien
Lord of The Rings Serving Middle-Earth Since The First Age

Lord of the Rings Movie News - J.R.R. Tolkien

  Main Index   Search Posts   Who's Online   Log in
The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Reading Room:
Have often thought that Elrond is overlooked as a tragic figure

SilentLion
Rivendell

Dec 26 2012, 7:43pm


Views: 4715
Shortcut
Have often thought that Elrond is overlooked as a tragic figure [In reply to] Can't Post

As you point out, he had a lot to lose from the triumph of Gandalph's plan, including Rivendel and Arwen. It seems strange that he never appears to be explicitly tempted in the text of LOTR.

Perhaps Elrond's temptation came long before. At the end of the Second Age, Elrond was with Elendil, Gil-Galad, and Isildur in the final combat with Sauron at the Seige of Barad-Dur. When Sauron was vanquished, he was alone with an exhausted Isildur, and was more or less in a position of being the military leader of Elves. The ring would have been within Elrond's grasp at that point, but he appears to have rejected it: first advising Isildur to destroy the ring, and then even accepting Isildur's claim to the ring as a weirguild for his brother and father.

Accepting the latter must have been extremely difficullt. After all, Elrond was right that the Ring should have been destroyed, and had Elrond intervened at that point he would have had the rationalization that he was doing so on behalf of other inhabitants of Middle Earth. Once a character has experienced and rejected the temptation of the Ring, it seems like they acquire a degree of immunity to further temptation.

Perhaps Elrond's great temptation came much earlier, and once he demonstrated his faith in greater 'plan of thiings', even to the extent of allowing an ally to make a horrible mistake rather than stake his own claim to the Ring, he was immune to further temptation and about as safe a host for Frodo and the Ring as could be found anywhere in Middle Earth.

Subject User Time
Elrond and the ring Nerven Send a private message to Nerven Dec 15 2012, 3:48pm
    I find the text quite clear... Otaku-sempai Send a private message to Otaku-sempai Dec 15 2012, 3:55pm
    "If so" ElendilTheShort Send a private message to ElendilTheShort Dec 15 2012, 6:29pm
        Elrond Nerven Send a private message to Nerven Dec 15 2012, 7:12pm
            I do not think ElendilTheShort Send a private message to ElendilTheShort Dec 15 2012, 11:30pm
                Another Nerven Send a private message to Nerven Dec 16 2012, 9:59am
                    I think so CuriousG Send a private message to CuriousG Dec 16 2012, 4:25pm
                        Very nice analysis ltnjmy Send a private message to ltnjmy Dec 17 2012, 5:25pm
                            Especially Elrond... Nolofinwe Send a private message to Nolofinwe Dec 25 2012, 4:18pm
                                A moment of nostalgia sador Send a private message to sador Dec 25 2012, 9:32pm
                                    That Nerven Send a private message to Nerven Dec 26 2012, 10:17am
    Have often thought that Elrond is overlooked as a tragic figure SilentLion Send a private message to SilentLion Dec 26 2012, 7:43pm
        Were you responding to me? sador Send a private message to sador Dec 27 2012, 6:46am
            Yes, I meant my post as a reply to yours SilentLion Send a private message to SilentLion Dec 27 2012, 11:32pm
                Gandalf's temptation by the Ring (or Frodo) CuriousG Send a private message to CuriousG Dec 28 2012, 1:44am
                    I think in one of his Letters, Tolkien speculates that Gandalf SilentLion Send a private message to SilentLion Dec 28 2012, 9:00pm
                        Like Pol Pot and bad bunnies CuriousG Send a private message to CuriousG Dec 28 2012, 9:20pm
                            Good examples! SilentLion Send a private message to SilentLion Dec 28 2012, 10:10pm
                            Wait a second squire Send a private message to squire Dec 28 2012, 11:02pm
                                The point is taken that we need to be careful about SilentLion Send a private message to SilentLion Dec 30 2012, 12:38am
                                    Very interesting thoughts squire Send a private message to squire Dec 30 2012, 1:24am
                                        One wonders how Gandalf could be worse ElendilTheShort Send a private message to ElendilTheShort Dec 30 2012, 4:15am
                                Squire ElendilTheShort Send a private message to ElendilTheShort Dec 30 2012, 4:09am
        Just joking, but CuriousG Send a private message to CuriousG Dec 28 2012, 1:30am

 
 
 

Search for (options) Powered by Gossamer Forum v.1.2.3

home | advertising | contact us | back to top | search news | join list | Content Rating

This site is maintained and updated by fans of The Lord of the Rings, and is in no way affiliated with Tolkien Enterprises or the Tolkien Estate. We in no way claim the artwork displayed to be our own. Copyrights and trademarks for the books, films, articles, and other promotional materials are held by their respective owners and their use is allowed under the fair use clause of the Copyright Law. Design and original photography however are copyright © 1999-2012 TheOneRing.net. Binary hosting provided by Nexcess.net

Do not follow this link, or your host will be blocked from this site. This is a spider trap.