HoME XIII: The Weird Bits

[Huinesoron]

Oh, are we talking the "Gal Pals" phase of the Legendarium? I've never been convinced by the claim that C.S. Lewis accidentally persuaded Tolkien that lesbianism lay outside the traditional Catholic condemnation of homosexuality, but it's pretty clear something did. Uinen and Miriel, Galadriel and Luthien, that obscure note about Haleth (I know C.T. rejected the "meets Aredhel in [Nan] Elmoth" reading, but it makes more sense than his version), and not even mentioning that weird thing with Níniel being "filled with great affection and longing" at Turin's description of his sister Nienor.

I know, he had a whole essay about the Pure Love of Woman, and how nakedness = innocence (see also: Tom Bombadil's 'naked over the grass'), and... what was that quote?

Originally Posted by HoME XIII: Rejected Extracts from the 'Laws and Customs'

The Eldar considered the procreative urge a barrier to friendships between man and woman; yet between woman and woman this love could be practiced in its unmarred form.

... but really, who was he kidding?

I've always thought it odd that Christopher shuffled most of this material off to The Weird Bits, but let the whole Indis/Nerdanel[/Miriel] thing slip through into Morgoth's Ring:

Originally Posted by HoME X: Morgoth's Ring

But Nerdanel would not go with him, and she asked leave to abide with Indis, whom she had ever esteemed, though this had been little to the liking of Feanor.

hS