Re: Eldarin Fecundity (was Re: In what ways did the Elves use their Rings?) | White Council Forum Archive - msg 2962

White Council: The Tolkien Forum archive_14 on this day of

Re: Eldarin Fecundity (was Re: In what ways did the Elves use their Rings?) | White Council Forum Archive - msg 2962

White Council: The Tolkien Forum archive_14

All Archives Top White Council Archive Index Archive 14 Index

VISIT LIVE TOLKIEN FORUM
Topic: Re: Eldarin Fecundity (was Re: In what ways did the Elves use their Rings?)
Reply to: Message 2957
Posted: April 08, 1999 at 07:05:14: by Stephen Geard
: Actually, the Eldar had hordes of children in Middle-earth. The descendants of Finwe are an extremely poor example of Elvish fertility. The numbers of the Noldor were constantly being increased according to Tolkien (in the interludes between the devastations of war).

That may be so, but we have no specific examples of it. (By the way, 'fecundity' is the word we should be using not 'fertility.' Fecundity refers to the actual number of children produced, wheres fertility merely refers to the ability to produce them).

: Elrond and Celebrian had three children.

Precisely my point. What I am basically suggesting is that the Keepers of the Three used their Rings (in the Third Age) in slightly different ways, thus acheiving ends that they themselves found desirable. Gandalf used Narya to "rekindle hearts to the valour of old in world that grows chill." Galadriel used Nenya to slow the fading in such a way as to make Lorien a sort of living echo of the Eldar Days. As Tolkien says: "In Rivendell there was a memory of ancient things; in Lorien the ancient things still lived on in the waking world ..." But Elrond, I suggest, used Vilya to not merely slow but actually to defy the fading, by perpetuating his line. And ensuring that the bloodline of the Elder Kings flowed on into the Age of Men.

I guess, we could say, that Galadriel's use of Nenya was backward looking (to the Eldar days); Gandalf's use of Narya was present-oriented (to fight the war against Sauron); and Elrond's use of Vilya was forward looking (What are we Eldar going to leave behind when this whole Ring Business is over with?)

As for Legolas ... well, as I said, we don't know when he was born, and it is best, I think, to leave it at that.

Replies To This Message


Other Xenite Sites

SF-Fandom Forum Home Pages






This page is Copyright © 1997-2009 Michael Martinez. All Rights Reserved.

The White Council was the original Tolkien Forum for the Web. The Tolkien Forum on Xenite.Org hosted many discussions between some of the most renowned Tolkien scholars on the Internet. The White Council was renamed to the Tolkien and Inklings Forum after the White Council name was used by other fan sites. The Tolkien and Inklings Forum is now often referred to as the Tolkien Forum by other sites.

SF-Fandom and Xenite.Org are trademarks. SF-Fandom is part of the Xenite.Org science fiction and fantasy network. This forum archive preserves forum discussions which took place on the Xenite.Org message board network from 1997 to 2000. Some messages may have been lost.

If you enjoy science fiction and fantasy then maybe you will enjoy The Truth About Balrogs.