Evil Elves?

[Lyta_Underhill]

No doubt a foolish question, but can elves be evil or malicious (without Sauron corrupting them)?

I'd have to say no for the ones we have specific histories of; the most common examples of Maeglin and Fëanor were explicitly corrupted and their weaknesses taken advantage of by Morgoth and/or his minions. Even those who were twisted in the dungeons of Morgoth over long periods were never by innate nature evil, just tortured beyond endurance.

Interesting idea to have Jason Isaacs play Thingol, Silmiel! I actually had in mind casting W.C. Fields as Thingol (impossible of course, because he's long dead!), because the theme of sending the young man to retrieve great wealth in exchange for his daughter seems to fit a lot of Fields' movies! This is, of course, a spoof I am considering. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

And, Finwe, as for the Elves' arrogance concerning their relation to the Younger Children of Eru, I'd call it more a weakness and blindness than evil, the example of Thingol being most prominent here. I prefer the more benevolent image of Finrod going among Men and forging a relationship with them through song, and going on to finally sacrifice his life for Beren in the dungeons of Morgoth. I suppose some elves understood or at least intuited Eru's purpose and some did not and lived by their own plan, some falling into evil by so doing.

Cheers,
Lyta

[Amrod the Hunter]

I think Maeglin was the only evil elf,and he is more mad than evil.Feanor and his sons were all hot-headed,not evil,and that's why they did all they did.And in the end,they all feel sorry,especially Maedhros.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

It is very clear that Elves can be malicious.

As for evil, there are numerous discussions on the nature of evil in Tolkien's legendarium on the Barrowdowns (some of which are quite hard to sift through) so it's worth a look in those. I can't link to one but just key in 'evil' in the search and I'm sure you'll find something useful.

[Lachwen]

I don't think any of the Elves were ever truly "evil." Some were misled, corrupted, arrogant or driven to madness, but evil? No. Malicious? Occasionally. Fëanor abandoning the rest of the Noldor and burning the Telerin ships at Losgar was certainly malicious, as was Eöl's attempt to slay Maeglin (well, that might be considered more selfish than malicious...) and Celegorm and Curufin's plan to usurp the throne of Nargothrond. Maeglin's actions, too, were malicious, even before Morgoth offered him Idril for Gondolin (remember how he always spoke against the councils of Tuor?).

So the short answer is: No, I don't think any of them were evil, but they could be malicious.

[gorthaur_cruel]

Still elves they were and remain, and that is Good People.

Nothing conclusive, but...