Concerning Elf-friends

[Child of the 7th Age]

So, do you think that Frodo was actually changed after he was named Elf-friend by Gildor? (I'm very interested!)

Alretalathwen -- This question really interests me too. I don't know the answer, but I do know that this is not the only place in the book where there is a special light in Frodo's face. And the place where Sam first noticed that light in Frodo's face was apparently in Rivendell, which would also tie in with the Elf-friend theme.

It goes like this. In the depths of Mordor while Frodo slept, Sam watched, then remembered and commented:

He was reminded suddenly of Frodo as he had lain, asleep in the house of Elrond, after his deadly wound. Then as he had kept watch Sam had noticed that at times a light seemed to be shining faintly within; but now the light was even clearer and stronger. Frodo's face was peaceful, the marks of fear and care had left it; but it looked old, old and beautiful, as if the chiselling of the shaping years was now revealed in many fine lines that had before been hidden, though the identity of the face had not changed. He shook his head , as if finding words useless, and murmured: 'I love him. He's like that, and sometimes it shines through, somehow. But I love him, whether or no. (II, 260)

The amazing thing about this passage is the fact that Frodo's face looked "old and beautiful." We all know that the one thing the Ring does is to preserve the bearer in a stretched, taut state of youth that will not go away until the Ring itself is put down (e.g., Bilbo's experience). But, here, it is as if the light in Frodo's face protects him, at least momentarily, from that artificial state of youth. This light which apparently has some connection with Frodo's status as an Elf-friend and his ability to sense the otherworldly quality of Lorien in an almost mystical sense. I would call it, on some level, a spiritual gift or light that gives him at least a measue of protection against the lure of the Ring itself. It functions like Galadriel's phial, but on the inside instead of the outside.

HerenIstarion-- Your knowledge of this subject is amazing. I can add one small thing, athough it simply comes from reading someone else's essay. Have you read "The Footsteps of Aelfwine" by Verlyn Flieger? It is published in Tolkien's Legendarium, Essays on the History of Middle Earth.

This essay looks at a range of Tolkien's Elf-friends, those in the Lord of the Rings plus many who only appear in the History of Middle-earth. The former include Aragorn, Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam. The latter group focus on Aelfwine the Mariner and his alter ego Eriol the Mariner who are in the Book of Lost Tails; the time travel story figure, the Numenorean Elendil (Quenya for Elf-friend), and the later characters Alboin Errol and Alwin Lowdham and the latter's father Edwin Loudham; plus Smith of Wooten major and his mysterious grandfather.

The essay argues that one important characteristic of an Elf-friend is to act as a link between the world of faery and the world of man. As Flieger explains, on some level, Tolkien saw himself as rediscovering an already existing myth, rather than creating a new story. There are many places in the Letters where Tolkien alludes to this, seeing revelation as a component of sub-creation.

Now, in order to reveal a myth, it as to come from somewhere else. So the Elf-friend has one foot in the story and one foot outside of it. i.e. he acts as a link between the natural world and the world of faerie.

The Elf-friend may act as a storyteller or singer in the book, revealing some of the existing mythology. For example, Frodo, Sam, and Aragorn present songs and stories which capture some of the earlier mythology. Or the Elf-friend may actually write down the myths themselves into another book to transmit the stories on. For example, Elendil is said to have written down his Elvish stories in a book, and the later Aelfwin is also said to possess such a book. Bilbo's Translations from the Elvish are presumed to be an extension or translation plus comments from these earlier sources. This is how the stories in the Red Book of Westmarch are produced and passed down to Tolkien.

Tolkien himself then is framed as the overarching Elf-friend, since he takes the already existing Red Book (at least that's what he says!) and passes it on to us in an English translation of the Silm, Hobbit, and LoTR. He does the same thing as Elendil, Aelfwine, Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam-- just in a later time frame!

I find this idea or literary device absolutely intriguing. In my opinion, you could even take this one step further. Let me show you what I mean by quoting the dedication to Tolkien's Legendarium:

We dedicate this book with gratitude to Christopher Tolkien. By his labors ahd service --pridda sunu his faeder--he is like his father,-- Aelfwine Widlast,-- "Elf-Friend the Far-travelled" --but by the same neither his father nor he is any longer Eriol--One who dreams alone."

This last sentence is fascinating because it pulls us into the story too. We are the ones who dream Tolkien's dreams after him and so we too are Elf-friends in a very small way! sharon, the 7th age hobbit

[ April 29, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]