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Finwe
Menegroth
Jun 18 2012, 2:20pm
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Team Thuringwethil vs. Team Draugluin
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In my readings of The Sil, I imagine Thuringwethil as an oversized vampire bat, not a Dracula or Twilight style vampire. I based this assumption on the fact that in the earliest version of the story from the Book of Lost Tales, Morgoth's orcs rode large vampire bats, which he similarly refers to as vampires. Similarly, I picture Draugluin as a wolf, not the horror movie version of a werewolf. I've always assumed Tolkien used the term werewolf because Draugluin and Carcaroth were likely possessed by fallen Maia, making them more than just wild, canine beasts.
I'm throwing the bat (pun intended) signal out to my fellow posters as I'm not entirely sure if these are correct assumptions. I ask because whenever I come across pictures of these characters on the web, they appear to be portrayed as Twilight style vampires and werewolves.
As three great Jewels they were in form. But not until the End, when Fëanor shall return who perished ere the Sun was made, and sits now in the Halls of Awaiting and comes no more among his kin; not until the Sun passes and the Moon falls, shall it be known of what substance they were made. Like the crystal of diamonds it appeared, and yet was more strong than adamant, so that no violence could mar it or break it within the Kingdom of Arda.
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Otaku-sempai
Elvenhome
Jun 18 2012, 7:34pm
Post #2 of 3
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Thuringwethil's wings were a magical cloak, not literal wings.
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That argues that she was less of a bat then a corrupted Maia who could assume a bat-llke form.
"Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them, as much in the Golden Wood as in his own house." - Aragorn
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Felagund
Nargothrond
Jun 18 2012, 11:35pm
Post #3 of 3
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Thuringwethil the shape-shifting Maia
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I reckon you and Otaku-sempai are both right. Tolkien describes Thuringwethil as having "great fingered wings... barbed at each joint's end with an iron claw". There's also passages referring to "the winged fell [hide / skin] of Thuringwethil", "the bat-fell [hide / skin] of Thuringwethil", and to "a bat-like creature clinging with creased wings". In other words, "vampire" and "bat-like" are the same thing - some kind of giant mutant vampire bat.
On the other hand, Tolkien also seems pretty clear that this was just a "vampire's form", adopted by Thuringwethil as a means of flying between Tol-in-Gaurhoth and Angband. Sauron pulled a similar manoeuvre after he was defeated by Huan and Lúthien - "he took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees...". Like Thuringwethil, he flew, in the form of a vampire bat. So like Otaku-sempai said, Thuringwethil was probably a courrupted Maia - as suggested by her shape-shifting power.
Welcome to the Mordorfone network, where we put the 'hai' back into Uruk
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