Favourite Part of Unfinished Tales?

[Lindale]

yes, yes, mithalwen, Aldarion and Erendis was such a good sketch, wasn't it? The subtitle was even catchy. The Shadow of the Shadow. Funny how something as trifle as the divorce of the Heir and his wife should help bring the shadow of the Shadow.

[Snowdog]

Battles for the Fords of Isen, Cirion and Eorl, & Disaster in the Gladden Fields all helped flesh out parts of the Lord of the Rings story. But the most touching was Aldarion and Erendis where it showed that all marital unions in Middle Earth are not the fairy tale sorts. This tale had me thinking of other marriages mentioned where no depth was ever discussed ... Arvedui & Firiel, Arathorn & Gaelrian, Faramir & Eowyn, and even Aragorn & Arwen. I mean, imagine the "discussion" when Aragorn tells Arwen he has decided to lay down his life. We get a glimpse of it, but still...

[Tuor in Gondolin]

There are any number of the tales that are interesting and
bear rereading. Tuor's is quite enlightening but also
frustrating...with the tale ending just as he enters
Gondolin. His journey there has so many neat bits:
his "chance" meeting with the two elves, his meeting
with (Ulmo?), and his almost encounter with Turin.
A continuation of the tale with his encounters with
Maeglin and "Escape from Gondolin!" would have been
fascinating.

But then again there's the great elucidating on the Rohirrim
organization and the Battles of the Fords of Isen.
And the runup to TH "An Unexpected Party" with Gandalf's
difficulty with Thorin.

Also one other bit, it strikes me that the way JRRT presents
both sides plusses and minuses in the Erendis/Aldarion
disfunctional relationship is not unlike the various arguments
for elves, men, dwarves (and a hobbit) to the treasure of
Erebor after the slaying of Smaug.

[Gordis]

I agree with Snowdog, Eldarion and Erendis is an awesome tale. As to character development, it is probably Tolkien's best. Reading other stories it would seem that Men in Tolkien World were as "holy" as Elves in "domestic matters". Well now we know they were not. *feels relieved*
I especially like Erendis's words:

Men in Numenor are half-Elves (said Erendis), especially the high men; they are neither the one nor the other. The long life that they were granted deceives them, and they dally in the world, children in mind, until age finds them – and then many only forsake play out of doors for play in their houses. They turn their play into great matters and great matters into play. They would be craftsmen and loremasters and heroes all at once; and women to them are but fires on the hearth – for others to tend, until they are tired of play in the evening. All things were made for their service: hills are for quarries, river to furnish water or to turn wheels, trees for boards, women for their body's need, or if fair to adorn their table and hearth; and children to be teased when nothing else is to do – but they would as soon play with their hounds' whelps. To all they are gracious and kind, merry as larks in the morning (if the sun shines); for they are never wrathful if they can avoid it. Men should be gay, they hold, generous as the rich, giving away what they do not need. Anger they show only when they become aware, suddenly, that there are other wills in the world beside their own. Then they will be as ruthless as the seawind if anything dare to withstand them.

I would have loved to see the LOTR Numenoreans a bit more like the above - and not so holy and wooden as Aragorn and Faramir.

[Alfirin]

I think part of the reason for the stifness in Aragorn's case is that as a result of being raised in Rivendell he was probably raised in the manner of an elf child and so aquired a very elvish way of behaving. Had Elrond not extended his protect and had Aragon been raised among the rangers, he might have turned out as boisterous and lusty as Boromir. As for Faramir, I think the constant need for his father's approval is what led to his overly formal way, he was too afraid to trangress to be at ease.

[Elmo]

It could be construed as irony that the person with the least Numenorean blood Boromir, acted the most like the Numenoreans described by Erendis unlike say Farimir or Aragorn where their Numenoreaness was apparently pure.

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by Elmo

It could be construed as irony that the person with the least Numenorean blood Boromir, acted the most like the Numenoreans described by Erendis unlike say Farimir or Aragorn where their Numenoreaness was apparently pure.

Numenoreans were divided into 2 groups soon after the events described in "Aldarion and Erendis." Aragorn and Faramir typify the Faithful. I think Boromir reminds me of Aldarion, not evil, but more inclined toward that path.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Gordis

I agree with Snowdog, Eldarion and Erendis is an awesome tale. As to character development, it is probably Tolkien's best. Reading other stories it would seem that Men in Tolkien World were as "holy" as Elves in "domestic matters". Well now we know they were not. *feels relieved*
I especially like Erendis's words:

I would have loved to see the LOTR Numenoreans a bit more like the above - and not so holy and wooden as Aragorn and Faramir.

Yes, I think some of the Numenorean royal domestic reality could have been developed into both characters, but being limited in scope, I understand why it wasn't pursued as part of lotR. Of course, when Faramir is mentioning the Men of the West... one could wonder if some of the traits had passed on.

[Mithalwen]

I still love the thing I mentioned before but I have developed a new appreciation of the "Battles of the Fords of Isen" since I have lately taken more interest in the Rohirrim.

[mark12_30]

The little bit in Galadriel and Celeborn that deals with Amroth and Nimrodel.

But also ...

Eldarion and Erendis is an awesome tale.