The White Council

Re: The pointy-ear thing

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

: Then I assume that Tolkien later retracted his discription? If so I'm happy to hear it, since I've spent most the last thirty years thinking Elves looked just like us.

No Tolkien did not say specifically what Elvish ears looked like - if he had we wouldn't be having this discusssion - he certainly did NOT retract the description, however much Michael wishes otherwise;). Let's get this straight - Tolkien does not say ANYWHERE that Elves did NOT have pointy ears; Michael, et al are inferring it from the text.

The only overt references to ear shape are the letter and the 'las/lasse' discussion which both seem to indicate pointed ears. The evidence against pointed ears is that humans were often mistaken for Elves but could be told apart by their eyes. (In at least one of these cases, the human in question was wearing Elvish armour and a helm which would have covered his ears). Tolkien also mentions that Gandalf was often mistaken for an Elf, despite the fact that Elves are commonly believed to be beardless. Perhaps the inhabitants of ME were particularly unobservant?

It doesn't bother me one way or the other whether Elves (or Hobbits) had pointy ears or not - I am not a D&D/RPG fan and read very little in the way of fantasy outside of Tolkien. It does bother me, however, that Michael did not see fit to mention another piece of evidence (the letter) when he tried to debunk the pointy ears idea - he certainly knew about it.

CJRT must give the idea of pointy ears some credence, otherwise, why would he have included las/lasse in the published etymological discussion or at least mentioned that Tolkien changed his mind afterwards?

I wonder why the anti-ears contingent are so virulently opposed to the idea - it's as though they think that JRRT giving his Elves pointy ears reduces them to the level of D&D elves, which is ridiculous.

Anyway - this is my last word on the subject (here at least) - I know how... intransigent Michael can be when he gets on his high horse - remember the dark/light discussion? Let's just hope he doesn't delete this post/thread.