Did Tolkien mean to make this relation? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 03-29-2003, 08:56 AM

Bethberry, I can't help but agree about the way Elves are idealised. Its a trap too many of Tolkien's readers fall into. Tolkien himself was very clear. In letter 154 he writes:

But the Elves are not wholly good or in the right. Not so much because they had flirted with Sauron; as because with or without his assistance they were 'embalmers'. They wanted to have their cake & eat it; to live in the mortal historical Middle Earth because they had become fond of it (& because they there had the advantages of a superior caste) & so tried to stop its change & history, stop its growth, keep it as a pleasaunce, even largely a desert where they could be artists, & they were burdened with sadness & nostalgic regret.

A bunch of us actually went quite a way down this road, exploring the Elves attitude to mortality, time & death in another debate - http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin...1&t=003050&p=1
especially in the second half of the debate.

03-29-2003, 08:56 AM	#11
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Bethberry, I can't help but agree about the way Elves are idealised. Its a trap too many of Tolkien's readers fall into. Tolkien himself was very clear. In letter 154 he writes: But the Elves are not wholly good or in the right. Not so much because they had flirted with Sauron; as because with or without his assistance they were 'embalmers'. They wanted to have their cake & eat it; to live in the mortal historical Middle Earth because they had become fond of it (& because they there had the advantages of a superior caste) & so tried to stop its change & history, stop its growth, keep it as a pleasaunce, even largely a desert where they could be artists, & they were burdened with sadness & nostalgic regret. A bunch of us actually went quite a way down this road, exploring the Elves attitude to mortality, time & death in another debate - http://forum.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin...1&t=003050&p=1 especially in the second half of the debate. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."