PDA

View Full Version : Illuvitar=Aslan


Guildo
09-18-2002, 01:07 PM
Im not exactly sure this is the right place for this discussion, but it came to me as a good thing to talk about. i have been involved in Tolkien books for a long time, but i just begain to read the entire "Chronicles of Narnia"
Last night i had a dream that Aslan was Illuvitar and singing songs to the Ainur which where all the animals in "the Wizards Nephew"
My question i guess is, i know Tolkien and Lewis where friends and conversed on there Books, But just how much, and is it safe to say they helped write each others books. Could Illuvitar( Tolkien) and Aslan (Lewis) have helped create each others worlds.

[ September 18, 2002: Message edited by: Guildo ]

Rimbaud
09-18-2002, 01:14 PM
Yes and no, is the answer. For more information on the Inklings, see here (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=001568) and here (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000946), might as well see here (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=002195) and why not also take a peek here. (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000804)

Perhaps someone with more time than I could furnish you with a fuller answer, but that's probably enough for you to read at the moment...

[ September 18, 2002: Message edited by: Rimbaud ]

Child of the 7th Age
09-18-2002, 01:48 PM
If you want to compare the figures of Eru and Aslan, there is one obvious difference. Eru is, in most respects, very distant from Middle-earth. He has delegated his authority to the Valar. Aslan, by contrast, is involved. He offers himself as a sacrifice on the stone altar, and is constantly coming to the children.

Only one place in Tolkien, that I know of, is there an indication that Eru may one day "come into" Arda itself. This possibility is stated in the discussion between Andreth and Finrod in Morgoth's Ring.

sharon, the 7th age hobbit

Arwen Imladris
09-18-2002, 02:03 PM
I think that Aslan was more like Jesus then Illuvatar. You are right in that they are both god-like figures, but they are different in many other ways.

merlilot
09-18-2002, 07:18 PM
I agree with Arwen. Now, if Illuvatar/Eru had had a child, THEN we could say that the child was = to Aslan. "The Emperor Across the Sea" in Narnia is more accurate for Illuvatar.
I think it is definitely safe to say that they helped each other, and perhaps Narnia is just the story of Middle Earth after the 3rd age (and flipped compass points).
Did anyone else note that Narnia would be "Chasm of Tales" in Elvish?

Mithuial
09-18-2002, 08:27 PM
I love the fact that Tolkien and Lewis were friends because they're my two favorite authors. Yes, they read each other's stuff, and I'm sure that they had many influences on one another's writing. I agree that Aslan is much more of a Christ figure than Eru is. Tolkien uses Christ figures in his work, but there are more than one and none of them fit directly into the category of: "Oh, this dude is definately Jesus." I love the way Lewis uses Aslan to make Jesus seem more real and personnel. I think that Lewis definately has a gift for making religion/Jesus more easy to understand for us.

Gayalondiel
09-20-2002, 08:04 AM
I'd say that Aslan is definately more like a Jesus figure. In 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' Aslan sacrifices himself according to the Emperor's magic and laws. He makes it quite clear that it is impssible to go against the Laws, which suggests that Eru is much more on a par with the elusive Emperor who never shows himself in Narnia, but is represented there by Aslan in much the same way as the Valar represent Eru.

Tirned Tinnu
09-20-2002, 02:40 PM
What a nice dream that must have been! I'm curious, was Alsan a baritone, or a tenor? smilies/smile.gif

Guildo
09-21-2002, 10:50 AM
Haha probably a Baritone it was a low Voice and i dont think i could make out the words, like Gregorian Chant, but ofcourse you know how vague dreams are.