|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CuriousG
Half-elven
Jul 2 2018, 6:53pm
Post #26 of 28
(1593 views)
Shortcut
|
is that he seemed rather bland to me as a character, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the movies made such a big deal out of him. On first read, I don't think he coalesced as a character for me until sometime in Rohan, and Orlando Bloom seems to be my picture of him because I never had a well-developed one in the book. If he was "fair," it's only by default. All Elves are beautiful. But no one ever reacts to his "fairness." Why didn't Eowyn shove aside the scruffy Ranger and grab Legolas, saying, "Now this is a handsome man that I want for myself"? 
By contrast, somehow I have a well-defined image of Faramir in my mind (who appears late in the book) as a classic handsome prince but not a generic one, but maybe that's because he does a lot of talking, often about himself and his views on things, whereas Legolas says little about himself, his family, his home, etc.
|
|
|
Eruonen
Half-elven
Jul 5 2018, 4:17pm
Post #27 of 28
(1572 views)
Shortcut
|
|
Beautiful snippets to read - his prose language just captures the reader.
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
|
|
|
Eruonen
Half-elven
Jul 5 2018, 8:22pm
Post #28 of 28
(1557 views)
Shortcut
|
|
You may find this take of interest re Beauty and Virtue
[In reply to]
|
Can't Post
|
|
https://www.eighthdayinstitute.org/...rtue_in_middle_earth
"...Beauty, properly understood, is that quality in things which elicits within us a twofold response of wonder and longing. Wonder, in turn, is an experience that dispels our complacency by a sudden awareness of and fascination by something other and higher than ourselves, which wholly possesses our attention. And longing is both a recognition of this thing’s absence in us hitherto and a desire to have it, yet not as a possession but as a participation. Beauty, then, gives birth to wonder. And wonder opens us up to the perception of truth. It is truth that imparts meaning, and meaning gives man purpose. And it is such purpose—born ultimately of the perception of beauty—that inspires man to hope and motivates him to virtue."
"...Terror is the chief means employed by the Enemy to coerce the will of others. His motivation is sheer Domination, and for such an end fear is an apt tool because it effectively reduces the number of our possible choices to two: submit or perish."
"...Desire can be just as potent, only it takes longer to work. The corrupting influence of evil is meant to disorder desire. And when desire is inordinate, sooner or later, depending upon the object of our desire, it overpowers us."
T-Minus 17 Days - The High and the Perilous: Beauty and Virtue in Middle-Earth
posted by Benedict Armitage
Anno Domini 2015, July 01
Beauty serves several purposes, with the physical aspect a tool for the greater wonder and truth. This is especially true after Sauron was marred and his beautiful appearance as Annatar was lost. Evil could no longer be associated with beauty.
|
|
|
|
|
