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squire
Half-elven
Oct 21 2013, 10:39pm
Views: 448
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In general, that's it. But Tolkien will not go gently into that bad night...
[In reply to]
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Can't Post
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I think it is important to remember that Tolkien specifically assigns the Elves a love of the night - that is, of darkness. They awoke in a dark world, illuminated only by the stars of Varda, and stars against a black field, the night sky, are a constant in Elvish art and imagery. Even at the end of the story, when Sauron has been defeated, Arwen is the Evenstar; she blesses the returning darkness of night (now signifying decline rather than rising) for the Elves of Middle-earth.
The Men of Numenor acquire this same heraldry, as we see when Aragorn's resurrects the standard of Elendil, a black field with stars. As well, the livery of the knights of the citadel of Minas Tirith is black, as is the famed outer wall of the city.
So along with the standard assignment of evil will and evil deeds to the shadows and the night, which does permeate his stories, Tolkien adds a counterweight. I think he does it to point out that even the darkness is not inherently evil; it has simply been conquered and corrupted by Melkor and his minions who are afraid of the light.
squire online:
RR Discussions: The Valaquenta, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
Lights! Action! Discuss on the Movie board!: 'A Journey in the Dark'. and 'Designing The Two Towers'.
Footeramas: The 3rd (and NOW the 4th too!) TORn Reading Room LotR Discussion; and "Tolkien would have LOVED it!"
squiretalk introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary
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Where the shadows are.
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Rembrethil
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Oct 21 2013, 2:17pm
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Darkness
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CuriousG
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Oct 21 2013, 2:52pm
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Thanks, and some thoughts
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Rembrethil
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Oct 21 2013, 4:32pm
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To do with theories of evil?
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noWizardme
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Oct 21 2013, 8:14pm
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Yes.
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Rembrethil
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Oct 22 2013, 3:55pm
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23 Sceadu
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Darkstone
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Oct 21 2013, 3:24pm
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Yes...
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Rembrethil
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Oct 21 2013, 4:39pm
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There is also the Shadow as Self.
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Darkstone
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Oct 21 2013, 4:46pm
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And this is what shadows are made of:
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Rembrethil
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Oct 21 2013, 6:51pm
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"None of us has any pockets."
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Darkstone
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Oct 21 2013, 7:47pm
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Darkness does equal evil in Tolkien's world...
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rangerfromthenorth
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Oct 21 2013, 9:57pm
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Then, would you say the opposite is true?
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Kalimac
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Oct 21 2013, 10:15pm
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interesting question
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rangerfromthenorth
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Oct 21 2013, 10:20pm
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Exactly what I was thinking.
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Meneldor
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Oct 21 2013, 10:57pm
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Agreed
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Rembrethil
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Oct 22 2013, 4:01pm
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In general, that's it. But Tolkien will not go gently into that bad night...
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squire
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Oct 21 2013, 10:39pm
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Elves and light
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CuriousG
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Oct 21 2013, 10:45pm
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besides the points made by others about the stars and moon there is more...
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rangerfromthenorth
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Oct 21 2013, 11:03pm
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Could the imagery of stars be read as
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Kalimac
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Oct 21 2013, 11:58pm
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That's more like it
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squire
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Oct 22 2013, 12:29am
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Exactly!!!!
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Rembrethil
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Oct 22 2013, 4:05pm
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Exactly. //
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Ethel Duath
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Oct 22 2013, 3:24pm
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Yes, I agree. The sematics are terribly troubling....
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Rembrethil
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Oct 22 2013, 3:59pm
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Please tell me I'm not the only one...
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Dame Ioreth
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Oct 22 2013, 1:44am
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Yes, that's pretty much
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Ethel Duath
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Oct 22 2013, 3:26pm
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The 'Smoke and Mirrors' are a lie
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Rembrethil
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Oct 22 2013, 4:12pm
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Fear and darkness are often connected with fear, but-
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RosieBaggins
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Oct 22 2013, 11:35am
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I wonder
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Dame Ioreth
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Oct 22 2013, 2:07pm
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Elves, who awakened when the stars were kindled, love the Night.
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Otaku-sempai
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Oct 22 2013, 4:02pm
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That is what I say!!
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Rembrethil
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Oct 22 2013, 4:08pm
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as suggested above, the elves loved twilight (which includes light,stars, moon)
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rangerfromthenorth
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Oct 24 2013, 4:46pm
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Sauron is after all, "The Dark Lord"
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rangerfromthenorth
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Oct 24 2013, 4:42pm
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some thoughts
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elostirion74
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Oct 24 2013, 7:50pm
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Back at ya!!
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Rembrethil
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Oct 25 2013, 1:35am
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Gandalf, Pippin, and shadows
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CuriousG
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Oct 25 2013, 6:10pm
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Maybe....
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Rembrethil
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Oct 25 2013, 6:53pm
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