Tidbits of Curiosity

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

So did Tuor....


(Also, way to turn my own argument against me...)

So did Eowyn, when she murdered the incapacitated Witch-king for threatening Theoden. In fact, I'm pretty sure every member of the Fellowship kills someone at some point (Moria, if nowhere else).

I think what you're really saying is that you wish Maeglin hadn't had to die, because you like the kind of stories Tolkien could have built around his character. I get that! I feel the same way about Finrod, who would have made the Nirnaeth and War of Wrath much more interesting to read about.

But for both of them, in terms both of the narrative structure and of their characters as written, their deaths were necessary - Maeglin to bring the tale of Gondolin to a close, Finrod to show the cost of Beren's quest. Fanfic can save them - but most fanfic doesn't have the same continent-spanning epochal scope as The Silmarillion.

hS

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

So did Eowyn, when she murdered the incapacitated Witch-king for threatening Theoden. In fact, I'm pretty sure every member of the Fellowship kills someone at some point (Moria, if nowhere else).

I think what you're really saying is that you wish Maeglin hadn't had to die, because you like the kind of stories Tolkien could have built around his character. I get that! I feel the same way about Finrod, who would have made the Nirnaeth and War of Wrath much more interesting to read about.

But for both of them, in terms both of the narrative structure and of their characters as written, their deaths were necessary - Maeglin to bring the tale of Gondolin to a close, Finrod to show the cost of Beren's quest. Fanfic can save them - but most fanfic doesn't have the same continent-spanning epochal scope as The Silmarillion.

hS

But none of them killed a supposed ally.....

[Urwen]

And, also, look at this image again.



You might see a murderer here, but I see someone who is afraid out of their wits.

[Urwen]

But then again, you're probably correct. Every single characters I had liked to any degree was deaded or close to it. All in the name of wrapping up or advancing the plot. And this isn't limited to just Tolkinese characters either. And people think I am silly for being upset over fictional characters. :c

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

But then again, you're probably correct. Every single characters I had liked to any degree was deaded or close to it. All in the name of wrapping up or advancing the plot. And this isn't limited to just Tolkinese characters either. And people think I am silly for being upset over fictional characters. :c

Hey, dying makes a character that much more interesting! (And some would have been more interesting if they stayed dead *coughBerencough*).

But I don't think that picture gives a good and balanced view. For instance, in my mind I see a desperate and terribly frightened Idril and Earendil, not the pair calmly watching over Tuor's shoulder. Also, falling and dying are both terrifying things, which gives the possibility of the picture's interpretation. However, just a moment before the fall, Maeglin's expression could easily have been that of mad fury, and perhaps that was still his expression as he fell - that's left up to us, and I leave the degree of his madness an open question. So no, I will not judge the story differently based on this picture.

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Hey, dying makes a character that much more interesting! (And some would have been more interesting if they stayed dead *coughBerencough*).

But I don't think that picture gives a good and balanced view. For instance, in my mind I see a desperate and terribly frightened Idril and Earendil, not the pair calmly watching over Tuor's shoulder. Also, falling and dying are both terrifying things, which gives the possibility of the picture's interpretation. However, just a moment before the fall, Maeglin's expression could easily have been that of mad fury, and perhaps that was still his expression as he fell - that's left up to us, and I leave the degree of his madness an open question. So no, I will not judge the story differently based on this picture.

Well, then you best hope I get my hands on that book asap, because as it stands, this is my POV, and the only way it can change is if details from that book cause it to change.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Well, then you best hope I get my hands on that book asap, because as it stands, this is my POV, and the only way it can change is if details from that book cause it to change.

Nothing wrong with standing firm in your pov, as long as you can reasonably argue your side and hear arguments from other sides. It's fun to debate things, and the point is not to convince the most people to agree with you but to present things so that they're seen in a different light. I still maintain my general view that what happened to Maeglin wasn't unreasonable, but maybe as a result of this thread I'll ljke him a little better.