Rowling's Goblins = Tolkien's Dwarves?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I'd like to comment on the most obvious - blatantly so! - difference between a race as portrayed by Tolkien and by Rowling. Though elves are on the good side in both stories, they couldn't be more different. Tolkien's Elves are tall, beautiful, noble, creative persons who show leadership in the events of Middle-earth. Rowling's elves are house servants - more like slaves, actually, since they are not paid for their services. They are hobbit-sized in stature and apparently not particularly attractive in appearance. They have no power, no initiative for their own fate (as a rule), and if they have creativity, it probably goes into cooking or other tasks that are more menial than artistic.

Both authors deviate from the typical elfs of fairy tales, diminutive winged creatures that live in flowers, whose magical power is equal to their stature. I am aware of the darker, more powerful elves of folk legends, though I know too little to expound upon the differences.

Rowling's wizard race is closer to Tolkien's Elves, I think; they are different, with innate magical powers, and they often protect the non-magical humans.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

They have no power

They actually do. They have magic of their own. Dobby uses it in the second (or was it the third?) book to vandalise in Harry's aunt and uncle's house and if I'm not mistaken, the house elf magic plays a part in the latest book as well. So, in this area, Rowling's house-elves are not that different from Tolkien's Elves, though the question of whether Elves have magic or not can always be debated...

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Rowling's wizard race is closer to Tolkien's Elves, I think; they are different, with innate magical powers, and they often protect the non-magical humans.

I could never see Rowling's wizard race in any way similar to Tolkien's elves. The wizards and witches are neither nostalgic nor backward looking; they don't have ancient memories of angelic beings; they don't live in a mythic past, but our time; they aren't almost-immortal; they aren't all gorgeous and elegant and sophisticated. And more importantly, they have behaviour characteristics of humans, specifically senses of humour, spite, silliness. I can't for the world imagine a Tolkien elf enjoying a joke about boogers or eating things like Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Cockroach Clusters, Jelly Slugs, Blood Pops, Acid Pops and, well, I can't imagine a Tolkien elf creating the kind of store which Fred and George excel in.

In fact, I've always seen Rowling's wizards and witches simply as humans but endowed with greater talent and imagination and charm than the slower, more mundane muggles. Forgive me if this is wrong; the Dursleys made such an impact on me.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thanks for those thoughtful comments, Lommy and Bb! I was generalising, and as always, that brings the danger of inaccuracy with it.

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

In fact, I've always seen Rowling's wizards and witches simply as humans but endowed with greater talent and imagination and charm than the slower, more mundane muggles.

Isn't that a lot like what Tolkien said, about Elves being one aspect of humanity?!

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Isn't that a lot like what Tolkien said, about Elves being one aspect of humanity?!

Well, . . . yes and no.

I don't recall where Tolkien said that, but it's probably why I prefer his hobbits, dwarves, dragons, orcs, trolls, ents (not necessarily in that order) to his elves. To me, his elves are too much alike, as if that one aspect was all there is to the elves. I don't see substantive differences in the psychology or behaviour of Elrond, Galadriel, Celeborn, Arwen. They are all just too . . . elvish to display a variety of characteristics.

On the other hand, Rowling's wizards and witches are very differentiated. First of all, they don't all have the same magical strength. There are strong wizards and weaks ones, competent witches and superb ones. Hermione is alot smarter than most of the other kids at Hogwarts, some of whom care for their studies while others are lackadaisical. There are introverts and extroverts among the magical set, as well as cheeky ones and shy ones, phlegmatic ones and dramatic ones. And they change and develop--consider Neville, for instance. And they argue and bicker, even the friends. The teachers at Hogwarts, too, cover a range of professorial ambitions and characteristics. These differences are, I think, underscored by the differences in wands and patronuses (patroni? patronae?) which accompany each wizard and witch.

So even if those gifted with magic are distinguished by this ability, the ability does not cancel or outshine their individuality. It could be just me, of course, but the elves are so overwhelmingly elves that individual differences are not a prime consideration.

EDIT: And since Voldemort so clearly demonstrates the supreme error of thinking that one race could be superior over others, well, I have great difficulty seeing even rough equivalences between Rowling's wizards and Tolkien's elves. (Thinking mainly of LotR). There are a great many similarities between JKR and JRRT, but I don't think that a comparison of elves and wizards particularly sheds light on either author.