Boromir88 brought up a great point about the difference between "Elf-Magic" and "Evil Magic." It's evident that the Elves are very close to nature, so it seems to me that the Elf-Magic is a sort of
natural magic, whereas Evil Magic is more
supernatural.
The Elves' magic is based off of that which they can create inherently -- Galadriel's Mirror, for example. She seems to empower or "activate" the Mirror by breathing on it. The elven cloaks, lembas, and rope which we see in the next chapter all have magical qualities: they respectively can make the wearer all but invisible, can sustain a person for a long time, and can support great weights and untie when necessary. To quote
Mr. Hedgethistle over in the
Music and Magic in Middle Earth thread:
Quote:
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The way I like to think about the magical items, moments, places and persons in M-E is through analogy with our modern way of controlling and ordering the world: technology. Elves have a technique that they use in making rope which means that it comes untied when you need it to. This is perfectly sensible and normal to them but unknown to Sam, who calls it 'magic'. In the same manner, Sauron knows how to make the One Ring; his precise technique and motivation are different, but the process is similar -- he has a technique that is unknown to others, with the result that it appears magical.
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As
Fordim points out, the magic, whether for good or evil, is like technology. There are those who know how it works, and can make it work for them, and then there are those who do not have this knowledge, and it seems amazing, almost magical, to them.
So when does the natural become the supernatural? When corruption occurs. Sources of Elven power are even natural in appearance: the basin of the Mirror is upon a base carved like a tree, and Nenya resembles a star. To the Elves, nature
is power. Since the Elven Rings are closely tied into nature, they are not as "binding" as the One Ring. Twice, Elven Rings were given away freely and for the better good: Gil-Galad gave Vilya to Elrond, and Cirdan gave Narya to Gandalf. With the Elven or natural magic, what you see is not always what you get, but it is not malicious. The supernatural sort of magic controls others, as is seen with the One Ring, and also with the nine rings of Men and the voice of Saruman. They deceive, as
Boromir said. They contort reality, or try and bend people's minds to their will. When the boundaries of nature are overstepped and the domination of others becomes the goal, natural becomes supernatural, and the potential of good withers.
I do hope this was coherent; I'm trying to get these thoughts out before I have to leave for orchestra.