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View Poll Results: Do balrogs have wings?
Yes 114 58.16%
No 82 41.84%
Voters: 196. You may not vote on this poll

 
 
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Old 08-30-2005, 07:52 AM   #11
Folwren
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Quote:
Originally posted by the guy who be short:
If the Balrog had wings, why that terminology? Why liken shadow to wings if the Balrog already had wings? Surely Tolkien could just say "The shadowy wings reached out" or something like that? Bottom line, why use a simile for something that exists already.
Exactly my reasoning. Any writer, any English major, or any English Professor, will know the difference between a subject and an adjective. He mentioned the wings to explain the shadow, whereas had he wanted the Balrog to have real wings, he would have mentioned the shadow to explain the wings.

I like your points, TGWBS.

- Folwren
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