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Iarwain · 03-14-2003, 02:35 PM

Bravo, Burrahobbit!

Spells are words of power. In other words, Gandalf could easily be talking about the passwords used by Elves Dwarves and Men to shut their doors. Mornie's argument is still valid. When Gandalf, surrounded by wolves in FotR cries out a "spell" to set alight all the trees around him, is he really doing anything more than speaking about fire in Quenya?

To defend my own metafore about the great music, I ask this. Who were the Ainur singing of? It could not all be of trees and rock and air. They sang of the people of middle earth, of the tortures that would take place within Arda. Does it not seem at all odd to you, Burrahobbit, that Tolkien makes a point of describing Melkor's disruption and destruction to the music? He is not about to be cast from heaven as in Paradise Lost. Melkor, in marring the perfection of Iluvatar's vision and the great themes has already done his greatest harm. He has stated his malice, all that remains after Ainulindale is to act it out. Men and Elves did not sing, but they were sung of. They were in the great themes that Iluvatar produced.

Iarwain

[ November 01, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ]

03-14-2003, 02:35 PM	#28
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	Bravo, Burrahobbit! Spells are words of power. In other words, Gandalf could easily be talking about the passwords used by Elves Dwarves and Men to shut their doors. Mornie's argument is still valid. When Gandalf, surrounded by wolves in FotR cries out a "spell" to set alight all the trees around him, is he really doing anything more than speaking about fire in Quenya? To defend my own metafore about the great music, I ask this. Who were the Ainur singing of? It could not all be of trees and rock and air. They sang of the people of middle earth, of the tortures that would take place within Arda. Does it not seem at all odd to you, Burrahobbit, that Tolkien makes a point of describing Melkor's disruption and destruction to the music? He is not about to be cast from heaven as in Paradise Lost. Melkor, in marring the perfection of Iluvatar's vision and the great themes has already done his greatest harm. He has stated his malice, all that remains after Ainulindale is to act it out. Men and Elves did not sing, but they were sung of. They were in the great themes that Iluvatar produced. Iarwain [ November 01, 2003: Message edited by: Iarwain ] __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"