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Old 08-31-2013, 07:47 AM   #23
Galin
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1,031
Galin is a guest at the Prancing Pony.Galin is a guest at the Prancing Pony.
Quote:
As for one text being consistent with all or any others on the same subject, I have no problem with inconsistencies. They exist even in our own real history. How many times was Julius Caesar stabbed in the Senate? Shakespeare says 33 times. Some historians have always said it was 22 times.
Certainly Tolkien intended some purposed inconsistencies in his work, while others, even if author-published, were perhaps not really intended. That said [and not that you said otherwise], my issue is with the possible 'external muddle', meaning, those inconsistencies that 'really' are not, in an internal sense [supposed to be parts of the legendarium] -- as they are merely the not unexpected result of a creative mind creating.

Orodreth was not intended to be both Galadriel's brother and her nephew for example, or rather, there was not supposed to be existing variant texts within the legendarium that related both ideas.

On the other hand, there were supposed to be two internal variations of the history of the Elessar jewel -- or if that is in dispute, compare The Drowning of Anadune [Mannish perspective] to the tale of Numenor's fall in The Silmarillion.
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