I would say the best farther figure in ME would be Bilbo. He instilled a courage in Frodo that never failed.

[ June 18, 2003: Message edited by: Trippo The Hippo ]

Denethor is absolutely the best father EVER... Trying to burn his son, that is just soooooo toughtful!!


*Nova giggles*

Okey I am only joking....I think Denethor is the most horrible father ever. Well, in an other way not.. He tried to save his son, by killing him... Is that wrong??
hehe

Okey then, I agree with Alkanoonion

Elrond is a great father I think....HE is very toughtful.....

*Nova* [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ June 18, 2003: Message edited by: Novnarwen ]

I would probably say Elrond too.....

I agree with you. He was horrible [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

That's my opinion,though....

Denethor was a terrible father to Faramir. Don't get me wrong but I gotta give some credit to Feanor, I'm not sure why though. Elrond, was...well...an ok dad.I think Aragorn was a pretty good dad as well.

I think Fëanor ranks along with Denethor on the list of the Top 10 Worst Fathers in All of Arda. Look at the way all seven of his sons turned out! Maedhros got his hand chopped off. Maglor went mad, and started singing his little Elven heart out. Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Amrod, and Amras all got themselves killed in the end! The only with any sense was Maglor, and he still went batty in the end.

As you can see, I do NOT think that my son made a good father! (As if I'm the one to talk [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] )

I see that some of you put down Arathorn for the list. However, since he died when Aragorn was only 2 years old, your votes should go to Elrond, who raised him from then until he was 20.

I think Elrond was a good father overall, but he could have been more lenient with Arwen's dating preferences.

I totally agree! Couldn't have said it better myself.... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Námarië

Orofâniel [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Bilbo served as a great role model to Frodo, and even sought after the young hobbit when his parents died.

Gandalf was also a father figure. Grandfather or father, he was a figure that the whole fellowship depended on, and Gandalf never failed them---except for fighting that Balrog, which is an act that he actually owed to himself.

Elrond is the kind of father to me who seems wise, and with that experience, he also has that humility that makes him not flaunt his wisdom too much.

All of these father figures make me stop and wonder and say "now why can't my grandpa be like these guys?"

Oh well, life can't be perfect.

Describing my own dad, he reminds me of the Gaffer and Bilbo. His dad, my grandfather is more like Elrond.

[ July 07, 2003: Message edited by: Neferchoirwen ]

I'd say my own father is more like a Wizard,subtle and quick to anger [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img],yet at the same time understanding and kind. His father must be more like the Gaffer,full of old-fashioned wisdom and beliefs.

Elrond i think is the best father. Because he has seen so much and only wants the best for Arwen and her overall life. He also basically just about was father to Aragorn himself.


Now saying this, I think that Aragron would have been a great father too.

Feanor was definitely the worst father in Middle Earth (except perhaps Eol). He had no real love for his sons, he only saw them in terms of his own egotism, as tools to further his own ends.
Aldarion was also a bad father.

Good fathers - Elrond, who inspired such affection in Arwen, and was kind and understanding to Aragorn. (Please people, don't think about the Movie Elrond, who was a totally different kind of father)
Hurin, who had a better understanding of his children than their mother did.
And Theoden,as adoptive father, for the reasons others mentioned.

I always thought they were the same [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] And I also thought that his urging Arwen to change her mind shows how much he loves her as well. You know, like any other father whose child is going away.

I would have to agree, Théoden was a great adoptive father. I mean look at him, he has so much love for his son as well as Éomer and Éowyn.

The reason Aldarion was such a bad father, as everyone claims, was that he wasn't meant to be a father in the first place. There are some people who are meant for marriage and having children, and Aldarion was just not one of them. He was a free spirit and his heart was given to the Sea. It wasn't his fault that he was forced into a marriage and having a child. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It's between Bilbo and Theoden for me. It just seems like they bonded so well with ther adopted children (Frodo, Eomer/Eowyn)

He grew on me, alright, especially in RotK. The way Sam kept quoting Gaffer shows how obedient he is, and therefore how obedience is so simple and yet undermined my most of us. Gaffer's the kind that shows love in a different way, but it's love nonetheless.

It's understood. But if I remember right, he thought of Aragorn's welfare to his death, though I don't remember whose idea it was to bring him to Rivendell in the first place. That started it all for Aragorn's well-being, I guess.

Elrond is a great dad and I give him two thumbs up but what about Thranduil? I know we don't know much about his relationship with Legolas because they were never in a book together but Legolas turned out ok so Thranduil has my vote. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]