Shadows of former glory

[Elianna]

Originally Posted by Gorthaur the Cruel

For instance, in the elder days (1st age), Luthien & Beren were confronted by Carcaroth & Luthien was somehow posessed by some native strength & commanded the beast to slumber. And then In the 3rd age, Sam subconsciously murmured some elvish lingo that caused the lady's star-glass to burst into bright white fire damaging Shelob, and like Luthien, he used it to break the will of watchers of Cirith Ungol. Talk about identical situations.

You have a few similarities there, but not much I don't think. In both, the presumably weaker of the two defeats great evil, but that's it. Lúthien's power was her own, and Sam had to have help from Galadriel.

Another example is the silmarils making a semi comeback. As I said I the Luthien vs Galadriel thread (& Tolkien), Galadriel was somewhat the equal of Feanor so it was totally fitting that she alone of the elves was able to replicate the light of the Silmarills through creating the star-glass which btw did not lose its "magic light" (though its power was subdued at the heart of the realm of Sauron) even after her ring lost its powers.

Huh, I didn't know the Phial still worked after the Three deminished. I don't think it's so much that she replicated the light of the Silmarils, but that she caught it. Eärendil shone in her mirror and with the use of Nenya, Galadriel caught some of that light's power in the water that she put in the Phial.

And then of course you have Arwen described as having the likeness of Luthien, although she seemed more regretful & bitter in her death bed.

This theme of elf maiden falling for human lord seems to have been inportant to Tolkien. I think he purposely made that connection between Lúthien and Beren and Arwen and Aragorn; it shows the reader that some bit of the Elves is still in humanity.

And let's not forget the eagles.

Oh no, because if we did that, Manwë would get mad at us. The Eagles are Manwë's servants. This is why they always seem to be saving the day at the very last moment. The Valar don't want to get involved unless they absolutely have to (because they don't know much about the nature of the Elves and even less of Men, not their Theme of the Ainulindalië).

One reason why LotR is less grand than Silm is because Tolkien was trying to show how we're declining through the Ages.

[Gorthaur the Cruel]

Huh, I didn't know the Phial still worked after the Three deminished.

Yes, at their parting at the Grey Havens:

"...and slowly the ship slipped away down the long grey firth; and the light of the glass of Galadriel that Frodo bore glimmered and was lost."
The Return of the King VI 9
The Grey Havens

I wonder...

I doubt if Galadriel was the ONLY one who could have put the light of Earendil's star in a vial, she is simply the only one we know who actually does it. No mention is made of it being a spectacular feat- for all we know, Cirdan, Elrond, or old Thranduil could have done it- had they thought to. After all, Galadriel is never associated with great feats of making, as Celebrimbor and Feanor were, in spite of having been the Queen of Eregion according to one history. No, her genius was in seeing a reason to do so, rather than any special power, I would say.

I suppose none of them could've done it. Maybe it had something to do with being a Calaquendi, her being closest to Feanor in stature (as what tolkien sugested) , a pupil of Aule & Yavanna, & Nenya, the ring of water in her posession & the kind of sharp wisdom she had.

The Eagles are Manwë's servants. This is why they always seem to be saving the day at the very last moment. The Valar don't want to get involved unless they absolutely have to (because they don't know much about the nature of the Elves and even less of Men, not their Theme of the Ainulindalië).

Are these eagles immortal & of a semi-maian race?