[lindil]

<font face="Verdana"><table><TR><TD><FONT SIZE="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Haunting Spirit
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<img src="http://www.barrowdowns.com/images/posticons/nenya.jpg" align=absmiddle> Re: I´ll leave my scimitar in its scabbard anyway...

Luckily my knowledge of early WWII leaves me w/out comment on such matters -but in the matters of Galadriel I can add a few observations to my earlier post.

I think much of the isolationism attributed to Galadriel [and Celeborn] stems from the Silvan Elves themselves.I doubt very much that though G. and C. were the [lord and lady not king and queen] that they did not have to consider the wishes and ages old predilection of their people .
The silvan elves were always more reclusive and less trusworthy of outsiders than other races-with the sindar/nandor in a close second[witness thranduil in the hobbit]
This worldview was only reinforced I would guess by the 2 armies of wood elves terrible losses in the Last Alliance [which they by no means hid from].
.
So that by the end of the 3rd age lorien 's 2 closest neighbors[human w/ armies] would have been looked at w/ suspicion I think by the [grima deluded] Theoden and the anti-Arnorian/Gandalf/Elven Denethor.
I can not imagine that such alliances were not discussed in both the white council and in private amongst the Gandalf and Lorien but that the degeneration of the culture of Men was to great to allow such a direct contact -till after the installing of Queen Arwen.
Now that it is a matter of sadness that the kingdoms of men[dale being the only exception I know of by the end of the 3rd age] had grown estranged from Elven companionship and culture this had always been weak in Gondor compared to Arnor .
As to Lothlorien [and it's rulers] not being involved in a large enough scale -I offer this.
There army was probably modest [prob. as a rough guess no larger than Rohan-more likely smaller and suited to woodland warfare] and their attack { am presuming they were involved in both } on DolGuldor was probably as big a job asthey could handle and If Gandalf {and presumably Galadriel} had had their way they would have attacked sooner -but for Saruman.
So I am not exactly sure what pepole expect from a small/middle sized community of Elves .
Another factor is that Galadriel seemed to Co-rule w/ Celeborn so if his policies were more isolationist [I would not be suprised -but I know of no direct evidence,other than his anti-dwarf sentiment]
Galadriel would not have had a free hand in this either.
I also would not underestimate the elves sense of patience {and well they could be} and there being willing to wait till the time was ripe to act.
I think the fact that they maintained there realm long enough to succor The fellowship and properly equip frodo and Sam was the most important role they played in the war. As elrond says 'even if [they] I had a host of Elves clad in armor of the Eldar days-it would avail little save to rouse the might of Sauron.[something like that at least]

She is recorded in one tradition of defending the teleri at the havens of Alqualonde-the only time she is mentioned w/ a sword - indeed the only time I can think of any Elf-Woman fighting.Male Armies and warriors were as much the norm for Elves as Western European/Americans.

I think she held aloof in the first age because she saw that w/out the aid of the valar it was hopeless- and she was right.
I also see in such records as we posses Galadriel having more contact w/ the various realms than anyoneelse, astaggering amount actually probably equalled only by Gandalf and Aragorn.Mentioned are: Harlindon, the Grey Havens,Eregion,Moria,
Gondor,Lothlorien, Doriath,Rhovanion and Thranduil's realm,Nargothrond,Lake Nenuial and Imladris and even Belfalas[the more obscure sojourns are mentioned in U.T.].
I just found an interesting passage {U.T. p235} where it states '...she perceived that there was an evil controlling purpose abroad in the world, and that it seemed to proceed from a source further East,beyond Eriador{she and C. were dwelling at or near that which would becomeAnnuminas} and the misty mountains. Celeborn and Galadriel THERFORE[emphasis mine] went eastwards and established Eregion.
...It may be that Galadriel
chose it because she knew of the Dwarves of Khazad -Dum..she perceived from the begining that Middle-Earth could not be saved from 'the residue of evil' that Morgoth had left behind him save by a
union of all people opposed to him.
this tale concludes w/ Galdriel saying 'she deemed it her duty to remain in Middle-Earth till Sauron was defeated.'

We also read 'Therefore after long journeys of enquiry[...being especially concerned to
learn all the news and rumours of the growing shadow in Mirkwood and the darkstronghold of Dol Guldor] in Rhovanion , from Gondor and the Borders of Mordor{was the mega-store established even then?} to Thranduil in the norththey then passed over the mountains to Imladris.
and furtherfrom U.T. [p.245]
'In her wisdom Galadriel saw that Lorien would be a stronghold and point of power to prevent the Shadow from crossing the Anduin in the war that must inevitably come...'

So Galadriel's greatness
{ App. B RotK- 'The greatest of Elven Women'}
was a attributed to her 'Being' and inherent power much of which was a genetic inheritance from Finwe,Indis, Finarfin and Earwen of the teleri but also her extensive 'shuttle diplomacy' in the 2nd andearly third age[She was the in this sense doing Gandalf's job before or during the early years of his arrival.] Her empathy w/ dwarves [also mentioned in her settling Eregion next to khazad -dum] and Men{Aragorn to whom she would lose her granddaughter}

I, humbly concur with JRRT and see her as the most important child of Iluvatar in the 3rd age and though she seemed to leave the fighting to the Male Elves -she was more involved involved in the resistance to Sauron than anyone w/ the exception of Gandalf .
So to anyone doubting Galadriel's stature
I suggest reading Unfinished Tales' 'History of Galadriel and Celeborn'
for the bigger picture .
lindil

</p>Edited by <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000076>lindil</A> at: 8/9/00 3:38:36 pm