TUOR SON OF HUOR

[Man-of-the-Wold]

Originally posted by Mithadan:
<STRONG> the significance of the 50 years is that Tuor, if he arrived in Valinor at all, would have been "elevated" to Elven status by the time the Host of the West came to Beleriand. If he were somehow given immortality this would be a significant event and the tale would have been related accurately to Elves and/or men and thus would not be a rumor or legend but rather treated as a "fact".</STRONG>

I just wasn't aware that 50 years would have passed between Æärendil's arrival and the Host of the West's departure. I don't see it in The Silmarillion. Nevertheless, the impression is of only fairly chaotic interaction between the Host's members and the Men and Elves then living in Middle-Earth. Among the Edain who interacted with them, the fate Tuor may have become known and a matter of faith for some. Still, I would compare it to the situation with Beren and Lúthien. Were Tuor and Idril Celebrindal released from the Halls of Mandos to live as Noldor in Aman, before the Host set forth, chances are they probably went and did the reclusive thing, too, somewhere in the more distant north or south of Aman, and had very little interaction with the Eldar. The Valar and Maiar would probably have avoided publicizing the situation to any of the Children of Ilúvatar. But likely someone like Finarfin would have known, and would have related it to Gil-Galad and Círdan, as well as Elrond and Elros during the War of Wrath. They in turn would have treated such information with great reverence, and not as a subject for everyday transcriptions of lore. In other words, if The Silmarillion comes from Bilbo's hand, the point of Tuor was something he picked up in Rivendell, perhaps from Elrond, but not from the books that he transcribed.

Ultimately, I still fall back on the notion that this all comes from Tolkien, who could never work out every relationship to either his or our satisfaction. And that he was trying to make it all beautiful. So, having Tuor's fate being "rumored" is just a way of making the whole thing more charming and awe-inspiring for the reader. I like it being that way.

[ February 16, 2002: Message edited by: Man-of-the-Wold ]