Quote:
Originally posted by Man-of-the-Wold:
NO for pity's sake! I was just being facetious. It's there of course, if not fully considered by Tolkien, because Middle-Earth is meant to be very much like our world. So, one must assume that even Elves have DNA and so forth. Clearly, though, Tolkien ascribed to a belief in mind & spirit over matter.
|
JRRT did note some concern of biological matters:
"I suppose that actually the chief difficulties I have involved myself in are scientific and biological - which worry me just as much as the theological and metaphysical... Elves and Men are evidently in biological terms one race...".
Letter 153
Quote:
|
He relied on real-world biology to present certain points, especially in regard to ecology and nature, but he then would deviate from it in terms of Elvish power over woodlands, or the ability of vast forests of familiar tree-species (Mallorns aside) to flourish for eons without the photosynthetic power of the Sun! Those first Stars must really have been something!
|
The Sun and Moon existing only after the return of the Noldor to Middle-earth is, in Morgoth's Ring, attributed to the myths and legends of Men. A Sun and Moon that have been extant for a much longer period of time is entirely in keeping with the traditions presented in LotR and virtually so stated.
[ February 10, 2002: Message edited by: Tar Elenion ]