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Old 03-19-2003, 01:25 PM   #28
Legolas
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Valinor
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Quote:
Like all other parts of the books many people view things differently - like all elves with blonde hair for instance, or pipe weed as marijuana. [...] Some issues just don't require an absolute verdict that we must all adhere to.
Yes, some issues don't require an absolute verdict. This is an entirely different situation where an absolute definition is given. The "all elves had blonde hair" idea is totally wrong. In that situation, there is a factual example given in the books that makes the "personal interpretation" wrong. Opinions can be wrong. You can think that the pine trees outside my window aren't real trees, but they are, whether or not you believe they are.

In the same sense, whether or not someone pictures all elves with blonde hair, every elf does not have blonde hair. Some do, but Eol, for instance, has dark hair.

Also in the same sense, whether or not someone thinks Sauron is the Lord of the Rings, he is. It's a title given to him.

Quote:
If nobody possesses the Ring there is no Lord of the Rings - I don't care who forged it or what evil power and taint drives it.
Whether or not you care, Tolkien said he was the Lord of the Rings and called him such even when he did not have the Ring in his possession.

Upon further thought, I deemed it only logical that in your thinking, you must've totally skipped over these parts of the book, and that these might bring new light to the subject:

Quote:
'Yes, I knew of them. Indeed I spoke of them once to you; for the Black Riders are the Ringwraiths, the Nine Servants of the Lord of the Rings. But I did not know that they had arisen again or I should have fled with you at once. I heard news of them only after I left you in June; but that story must wait. For the moment we have been saved from disaster, by Aragorn.'
Quote:
`Hurray!' cried Pippin, springing up. `Here is our noble cousin! Make way for Frodo, Lord of the Ring!'
'Hush!' said Gandalf from the shadows at the back of the porch. `Evil things do not come into this valley; but all the same we should not name them. The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo, but the master of the Dark Tower of Mordor, whose power is again stretching out over the world! We are sitting in a fortress. Outside it is getting dark.'
Quote:
`But in any case,' said Glorfindel, `to send the Ring to him would only postpone the day of evil. He is far away. We could not now take it back to him, unguessed, unmarked by any spy. And even if we could, soon or late the Lord of the Rings would learn of its hiding place and would bend all his power towards it. Could that power be defied by Bombadil alone? I think not. I think that in the end, if all else is conquered, Bombadil will fall, Last as he was First; and then Night will come.'
There is Tolkien saying literally "Sauron is the Lord of the Rings." How does that leave it open for interpretation? How could it possibly be interepretted differently? "The Lord of the Rings" is one of Sauron's titles; not just something made up for the title of the book: it has a use inside of the book. Sauron is the Lord of the Rings, whether or not he has 20 or 0 in his possession. It is his title, and his title alone. Pippin wrongfully calls Frodo the Lord of the Ring, and is quickly corrected. Frodo is not the Lord of the Ring or Rings, whether or not he had it in his possession and whether or not he had the capacity to use it.

[ March 24, 2003: Message edited by: Legolas ]
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