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Old 02-24-2006, 07:47 AM   #36
Lalwendë
A Mere Boggart
 
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Join Date: Mar 2004
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Lalwendë is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Lalwendë is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuruharan
It demonstrates that Aredhel was a spoiled brat. The Noldor were not in Middle-earth to have a jolly good time. There is a quote from an orc that might have done Aredhel a world of good, "Don't you know we're at war?" The Noldor were at war faced with an enemy far beyond their strength. The only thing they could do was make the best of their dire situation. Aredhel, in her empty-headed silliness, willfully disregarded this part of her brother's role and selfishly demanded her own way and the ultimate result was complete disaster. I'm often inclined to think that Maeglin's naughtiness was more a result of his mother's nature than his father's.
I always wonder why, if the Noldor are there to make war, Turgon decides instead to hide. Yes, they may stand a good chance of survival, but when they finally leave their secret hideaway what will they find? It makes me think of those who believed a personal nuclear bunker would help them survive a holocaust - it might well do that but what would they be faced with when they finally emerged? I think Turgon realised too late after bringing his people (and Gondolin was not populated entirely by 'his' people) from Aman that he had brought them into danger so he decided to lock them into Gondolin.

I also don't think Aredhel was empty-headed or silly. Like a lot of women she naturally reacted against the 'protection' that was in fact a restriction. And it was not just Aredhel who Turgon displayed arrogance towards, he was also like this with Eol.

Quote:
Turgon sat long in thought, and was troubled, remembering the deeds of Húrin of Dor-lómin; and he opened his heart, and sent to the eagles to seek for Húrin, and to bring him if they might to Gondolin. But it was too late.
Hmm, Turgon, a bit like the guy who sees someone being beaten up but has his best clothes on, so instead he rings the police when he gets home. Not quite doing the right thing.

I have to say, in the Silmarillion, Tolkien lays out all these tales and leaves us to judge whether the characters were right or wrong; such distinctions can be more clear cut in LotR than in the Sil. Is this due to the style? Or is it that LotR goes into more narrative detail so we have more chance to learn motives etc? Thinking about Denethor, we are able to see why he acts as he does in LotR as we learn a lot of detail about him, but we do not have the same level (or is it style?) of information for Turgon. Hmm...
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