Posted: September 20, 1999 at 18:30:38: by Gimilkhad
The age thing. It's seems to me that the immortals, those made of the stuff of Arda, Valar, Maia and Elves, have appearances directly related to their personality, their spirit. As creatures of the Unseen world, how they appear is an expression of some archetypal form. So the Istari appear as old men because that's the sort of spirit chosen for the mission. I think the idea works for elves as well, Elrond appears older than Galadriel because he has the role of a stern councillor to Middle Earth, Galadriel, although chronologically much older, appears younger because she is playing a different role, re-creating the Valinor of her youth in Loth-Lorien.
|
