Psychological depth in Tolkien's characters

[lindil]

Hence the laughable shallowness of Legolas's (aka the shop mannikin) character.

He is clearly meant to be a support character, he does what he does, he says what he says. Get from it what you will. For me I have never felt Legolas' lack of depth. When he speaks [praising Aragorn to Merry and Piipin in regards the Paths of the Dead] he is to me showing the fact that though an immortal, a prince and no johnny come lately, he has been in the presence of a one worthy of complete respect and devotion, and thus alot of silence, as this gives Legolas the ability to stand back and learn. Contrast this with Boromir who was always quick to speak. Legolas' silence is often louder than words.

E., from the thread on the Nazgul at Valinor -italics are mine:

Apart from Gandalf perhaps the only other person who would have been capable of mastering it would have been Galadriel, whose true strength is only really revealed in the Silmarillion.

hmmm... very interesting. Apart from the fact that it is UT's The History of Galadriel and Celeborn [and behind that HoM-E XII's Shibboleth of Feanor] that reveal her as Feanor's equal you seem to be at odds with yourself on the 'multi-source reading shows the full character' issue.

E. you clearly have your own [seemingly deficient for your personal standards] way of reading LotR and if you wish to maintain them you of course will, but I for one, am always on the lookout for ways to appreciate art that I do not quite 'get' but that others I respect and know do.

That being the case you have been offered a banquet table of doors that open into the Legendarium by many if not most of the senior posters on this board. Perhaps you do not wish to admit there are other ways to experience literature, perhaps you do not really respect anyone else's opinion here, so trying to read LotR from their perspective and with their attitude's seems only an idea fit for the ignorant and simple.

lindil

[ November 15, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ]