Evil Elves?

[Lyta_Underhill]

No doubt a foolish question, but can elves be evil or malicious (without Sauron corrupting them)?

I'd have to say no for the ones we have specific histories of; the most common examples of Maeglin and Fëanor were explicitly corrupted and their weaknesses taken advantage of by Morgoth and/or his minions. Even those who were twisted in the dungeons of Morgoth over long periods were never by innate nature evil, just tortured beyond endurance.

Interesting idea to have Jason Isaacs play Thingol, Silmiel! I actually had in mind casting W.C. Fields as Thingol (impossible of course, because he's long dead!), because the theme of sending the young man to retrieve great wealth in exchange for his daughter seems to fit a lot of Fields' movies! This is, of course, a spoof I am considering. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

And, Finwe, as for the Elves' arrogance concerning their relation to the Younger Children of Eru, I'd call it more a weakness and blindness than evil, the example of Thingol being most prominent here. I prefer the more benevolent image of Finrod going among Men and forging a relationship with them through song, and going on to finally sacrifice his life for Beren in the dungeons of Morgoth. I suppose some elves understood or at least intuited Eru's purpose and some did not and lived by their own plan, some falling into evil by so doing.

Cheers,
Lyta