The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - A review: JRRT's Osanwe-Kenta [ missing bit of The Silm.]

Child of the 7th Age · 01-05-2003, 03:42 AM

Doug,

The Osanwe-kenta essay was all written by Tolkien. It is an amazing essay. If you're interested I would definitely order it from Venyar Tengwar which is an Elvish languages journal. It can be ordered online and only costs $2 plus the shipping. The order info should be on this thread or on another thread on the same subject "telepathic communication" which I started after Lindil's. (I didn't know about Lindil's thread back then.)

It is theoretically possible for Elves to do this type of communication long distance. There are a number of factors like urgency and receptiveness of mind that makes it "easier or harder" to achieve such communication. And the essay says it is also easier to do this in the West rather than Middle-earth where more obstacles abound.

In theory, it is possible for any sentient mind to accomplish osanwe. In practice, it is rare for those other than Valar, Maia and Elves to do so. But there are definite examples of it, and some of those involve Frodo. The prime one "long distance" is when Frodo is wrestling with the question of whether or not to put on the Ring and Gandalf sends him a clear message not to. Frodo stands suspended between the demand of the Ring and Gandalf's warning, and opts for the warning.

One of the questions that has always intrigued me is this. Frodo was obviously an unusual hobbit with his ability to receive such messages, and to have visions. What would have happened to him once he reahed Tol Eressea? And indeed many agree that the ban on going to Valinor did not apply to him, and he could have done that as well. Assuming that he could be healed (and that's a big assumption!), would he have "grown" a little more after going West and learned how to communicate in this fashion? I am assuming that folk like Galadriel and Mithrndir would still have cared enought to check in on the hobbits and make sure they were doing alright. I am also assuming that he would have chosen not to die until Sam arrived and they could go on beyond the world together.

That is a lot of years in Tol Eressea, at least by human standards. People do not stand still in my opinion. Either they go forward, or they decay. So would Frodo have become proficient in Osanwe? I think there's a good chance that would have happened. If only JRRT had written a sequel or even a short epilogue as he did for Sam!

sharon

p.s. If you can't get the order info elsewhere, send me a pm and I'll send it to you.

[ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

01-05-2003, 03:42 AM	#37
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,135	Doug, The Osanwe-kenta essay was all written by Tolkien. It is an amazing essay. If you're interested I would definitely order it from Venyar Tengwar which is an Elvish languages journal. It can be ordered online and only costs $2 plus the shipping. The order info should be on this thread or on another thread on the same subject "telepathic communication" which I started after Lindil's. (I didn't know about Lindil's thread back then.) It is theoretically possible for Elves to do this type of communication long distance. There are a number of factors like urgency and receptiveness of mind that makes it "easier or harder" to achieve such communication. And the essay says it is also easier to do this in the West rather than Middle-earth where more obstacles abound. In theory, it is possible for any sentient mind to accomplish osanwe. In practice, it is rare for those other than Valar, Maia and Elves to do so. But there are definite examples of it, and some of those involve Frodo. The prime one "long distance" is when Frodo is wrestling with the question of whether or not to put on the Ring and Gandalf sends him a clear message not to. Frodo stands suspended between the demand of the Ring and Gandalf's warning, and opts for the warning. One of the questions that has always intrigued me is this. Frodo was obviously an unusual hobbit with his ability to receive such messages, and to have visions. What would have happened to him once he reahed Tol Eressea? And indeed many agree that the ban on going to Valinor did not apply to him, and he could have done that as well. Assuming that he could be healed (and that's a big assumption!), would he have "grown" a little more after going West and learned how to communicate in this fashion? I am assuming that folk like Galadriel and Mithrndir would still have cared enought to check in on the hobbits and make sure they were doing alright. I am also assuming that he would have chosen not to die until Sam arrived and they could go on beyond the world together. That is a lot of years in Tol Eressea, at least by human standards. People do not stand still in my opinion. Either they go forward, or they decay. So would Frodo have become proficient in Osanwe? I think there's a good chance that would have happened. If only JRRT had written a sequel or even a short epilogue as he did for Sam! sharon p.s. If you can't get the order info elsewhere, send me a pm and I'll send it to you. [ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ] __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.