The Role of Stealth in the Lord of the Rings

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Indeed. Gollum, fundamentally A Stoor variety of Hobbit, is a champion "sneaker", but that serves to add to his creepy, malignant aura.
Sauron's forgotten detachment of Orcs ambushed Isildur and are presented as cowardly, but the Green-elves attacking the Dwarves of Nogrod and recovering the Silmaril are heroic.
Motives do matter, in Tolkien's world and this one.

... that's almost enough to make me wonder whether Tolkien intentionally mirrored the two situations. A king's (Thingol/Sauron) former allies (the dwarves/the Numenoreans) turn on him, killing him and stealing his greatest treasure (the Silmaril/the Ring). As they flee for home, a small band of the king's other allies (the Laiquendi/Orcs) set upon them by the river (Ascar/Anduin). Treasure is lost in the river (the rest of Doriath's treasure/the Ring), and afterwards, the greatest treasure is known by the thief's/thieves' name (the Nauglamir/Isildur's Bane).

Hmm...

hS