[davem]

This subject seems to get more complicated the more you look into it

The closest mythological ‘echo’ to Boromir’s horn I can find is the Gjallarhorn (Clangorous Horn) of Heimdall. Heimdall is the god who guards the rainbow bridge, Bifrost, to prevent the invasion of the frost giants. ‘The Gjallarhorn could be heard throughout all the levels of heaven, earth & the otherworld. It will summon all the gods to battle when the Ragnarok dawns’ (Matthews, The Aquarian Guide to British & Irish Mythology’). ‘When this comes to pass, Heimdallr stands forth & blows lustily on Gjallarhorn to turn out all the gods, who fall in together’ (Branston, ‘Gods of the North’).

There’s also Roland’s horn, Olivant, which he won from the giant, Jutumundus. ‘When he was attacked by the Saracens at Roncevalles he sounded it to give Charlemagne notice of his danger. At the third blast is cracked in two, but it was so loud that birds fell dead & the whole Saracen army was panic struck’ (Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase & Fable).

Back to Tolkien’s world: we seem to have various kinds of ‘magical’ object - swords, Palantiri, cloaks of Lorien, The Standard of Arwen, hithlain, etc, & then there’s Miruvor & Lembas.

They seem to work in different ways: the swords - Sting, Orcrist & Glamdring, glow blue at the edges when orcs are near, but they don’t have to be activated - it seems to be an innate reaction of the weapons, whoever wields them, & they also induce fear in the orcs who encounter them - is this simply due to their reputation, or is there some psychological or spiritual power at work too? And how, exactly, do they work? Is it that in some way the swords ‘register’ the presence of the orcs & respond - & is there some ‘awareness’ within the swords?

The naming of weapons was commonplace in the ancient world - Arthur’s sword, excalibur is best known, of course, but he also had a spear, called ‘Ron’, & a ship, Prydwen, which he used in his assault on the Otherworld, (as told in the poem, Preiddu Annwn). This ‘naming’ seems important, as if by naming the weapon one gives it a power & a personality of its own, so that it becomes a kind of ‘ally’ in the battle. Its certainly of the utmost significance that when Narsil is reforged it is no longer called Narsil, but renamed Anduril. It isn’t simply put back together, it is ‘reborn’ as something else.

The Palantiri seem to work at the command of the operator’s will, & don’t need to be ‘invoked’ - & neither do the Silmaril’s - they shine, they blaze forth, almost of their own will (sentience again?). The staffs of the wizards seem to be channels for the power of their owners, yet to break a wizard’s staff seems to be symbolic of breaking his power, r at least of removing his ability to act, his authority.

Arwen’s Standard also seems to have some innate power, which doesn’t require invoking. So do the elven cloaks (whose broooches don’t fall ‘idly’.) Galadiel’s Mirror doesn’t seem to require a ‘spell’ to make it work, yet Galadriel tells the hobbits that she can ‘command’ it to show many things’.

Then we have the Phial - when Frodo holds it up in Shelob’s Lair it begins to blaze before he cries to Earendel, but its only after Sam has called out to Elbereth that it glows forth again - yet Tolkien says its

As if his indomitable spirit had set its potency in motion

so ‘that it blazed suddenly like a white torch in his hand’.

Then there are the Rings - The One seems to have a mind & will - but is this its own, or Sauron’s? And do the Elven rings also have their own will?

Miruvor & Lembas seem to have a ‘power’ to strengthen not only the body but also the will & ‘spirit’ of those who ingest them, but how?

I can’t find any explanation of how objects are infused with magical power, or how they will work for some & not for others - how can Lembas sustaing Frodo & Sam, but choke Gollum? Is its ‘power’ selective - does it decide who it will sustain & who it won’t? Probably not, but that means that its power is dependent on who eats it - so must the eater be in a certain ‘spiritual’ state before he can benefit from it? If so, then it must work differently fromn the elven swords, which glow blue in the presence of orcs, whoever is holding them - & the Palantiri, it seems, will work for any individual whose will is strong enough, no matter their moral or spiritual state - Sauron can use one, & the Silmarils shine even in Morgoth’s crown.

Then there is the power of natural places - the Old Forest seems to have a power of its own, so does Caradras - where does this power come from - the Elves taught the Trees to ‘speak’ (ie made them ‘self-conscious’) - did they do the same to the land itself? If Sauron can control the storms in the Mountains of Shadow, it seems that Galadriel also has some control over the elements, even in Mordor:

’There now, Mr Frodo, its you that’s talking of water this time!’ said Sam. ‘If only the Lady could see us or hear us, I’d say to her: ‘Your Ladyship, all we want is light & water: just clean water & plain daylight , better than any jewels, begging your padon.’ But its a long way to Lorien.’

Whether its down to Galadriel or not, when they do find water later on:

Sam sprang towards it. ‘If I ever see the Lady again, I will tell her!’ he cried. ‘Light & now water!’

Is this a ‘spell’ Galadriel has cast, or a Word of Command she has spoken, or is it ‘elvish magic’? How can the elements be controlled? Are they in some way ‘alive’? Or is it possible to bring them to life - on a small scale in metal, glass, cloth, & on a large scale in terms of whole environments? How is it that the earth does not forget the elves if once they have dwelt there? Can something unconscious, something ‘dead’, have memory?

It seems that there is a kind of innate consciousness in the stuff of Arda, which can be roused by those with the ability - it can be awakened & ‘persuaded’ (or controlled) by those with power, to obey their will.

Its been said that there isn’t much ‘magic’ performed in Middle earth - certainly in comparison with other fantasy novels, where magic is wielded with ease by magicians, so much so that it really does become a case of deus ex machina - & all the more unconvincing for that - there isn’t much blatant ‘practical magic’; but ‘magic’ seems to suffuse the very suff of Arda.

Of course, that doesn’t explain what, exactly, it is.