Post a general response to the reading. (Feel free to respond to a particular incident.)

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2004

Answers

I nearly leapt out of my seat when I read that Galadriel was the granddaughter of the elf-king Finwe. It's odd that she's the descendant of the elves most connected to the earth and mining--I always found her more ethereal than that. I thought she'd be more connected to the Vanyar than the Noldor., Ah, oddness.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2004

I enjoyed the story of the killing of the trees. I especially thought it interesting that Morgoth was afraid of Ungoliant, who had once been his servant and the fact that his greed overcame his pain and hatred when it came to the Silmarils. I mean, he wore a crown of them on his head and called himself the King of the World. That doesn't exactly indicate rationality, although I think it shows his evil nature (that and the fact that his hands became black).

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2004

I thought it was a bit odd that, even though Tolkien was such a fan of Norse mythology, his layout of the world was identical to the Greek concept of the world's shape. That is to say, creation is, as a whole, a sphere, with the actual earth a flat plain in the middle; then there's the Dome of the Heavens above, the Deeps of the Earth below, and an encircling sea all around it (called Ekkaia in Tolkien, or Ocean in Greek)

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2004

I found it interesting that the Valar and Melkor are affected by physical powers. For instance, Melkor is trapped by Ungoliant’s webs, but then the Balrogs are able to burn them off. It seems that the Valar’s main powers are strength and the ability to morph, not magic.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

I personally love Yavanna and really everything she does (but I have an affinity for all of the earthy-mother-types). Her choice to protect the trees, as the most favored of her creations, also really intrigued me--despite they're constant use in myth, usually writers pick more pretty or frivoulous things to be their "favored" thing, like a certain type of flower or random stone. Also, I <3 Ents. I just think them incredibly cool.

Melkor, too, is a great curioisty for me...it wasn't the typical Dark Lord envy or hatred or jealousy--he was also afraid of so many of the creations of the Valar. It just really struck me about how uniquely...*human* that sort of behavior is. I guess that may be why the Elves thought Men so like him. (Maybe.) He's a lot less "Rah! Murder and treason!" if you think of him being scared.

That's my dollar divided by four minus 23 cents.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

Generally, when I think of elves, I think of tall, handsome, immortal beings who can do no wrong. The story of the treason at Alqualonde and the bitter passing of the Helcaraxe shows an entirely different kind of being, and the source of the pervasive sorrow that surrounds elves in the LotR is beginning to become clear.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

Hmmmm... well I think Ungoliant is really cool. But what intrigued me about it all was how Ungoliant and Melkor have a relationship similar to Sauron and Shelob. Melkor has Ungoliant protect him (with her webs of shadow no eyes can pierce) and he feeds her tasty things as rewards (jewels...yummmm). Sauron has Shelob protect him (she gaurds the pass that Frodo and Sam take, so Sauron need not worry about gaurding it) and she recieves food as well (nasty orcs and tasty men/elves). Plus, Shelob is descendent of Ungoliant and Sauron was a general kind of dude for Melkor.

-ror

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

I agree with Nick on his point about the elves. They do seem unapproachable in Lord of the Rings, and they are always wise and right in their judgement of worldly matters. It is interesting to see the "dark side" of the elves. It makes me wonder: we know what the original sin of Melkor was (pride) - are the actions of Feanor (pursuing Morgoth and killing the Teleri) a case of pride as well? He is perhaps proud of his ability and of the Silmarils, but I believe it is just anger and hate that lead to his violence. Another note: why don't we ever get to see the original fall of man in the Silmarillion? Maybe, by not including it, Tolkien is implying that it is similar to the Biblical story (in which the fall of man happens because of the coveting of the Fruit of The Wrong Tree). Maybe the sin of each person/being/thing shows part of their nature. Hmmmmmmmm.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

For some reason, a lot of the Noldor start with 'Fin'. I thought it was interesting how entirely original names (Anti-F) like Galadriel are pretty original. Galadriel swore no oath, but shared the fire of Feanor. Turgon stayed with Feanor even when Finarfin left. If I messed up on a name, try saying all of the 'F' names in alphabetical order three times fast. Then we can talk.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

Well Rory stole my Melkor:Ungoliant::Sauron:Shelob analogy, of which I was so proud of seeing. So now I'm forced to comment something less amazing... I like how 'ungodly' the Valar seem. They have downfalls like humans (much like Greek Gods). They are surmountable, what with being trapped in simple spider web. It's interesting how Tolkein's world has such similarities with both Norse and Greek mythology.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

I also was struck by the Valar's shocking displays of "ungodlyness." In addition to what everyone else said, they seemed to never be able to know what was going on. I mean, to most of them it never occured that Melkor might have been the one spreading the dissention among the Nolodor. Examples are how he attacked the trees and how they had no warning for the attack on Formenos. Also, Melkor was always able do get past them without them realizing it. That goes against the sort of all-knowing, and all-seeing view we generally have of gods.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2004

I thought it was interesting that Morgoth's lies to the Noldor creates destruction amoung the Eldar (ex: the Noldor attacking Alqualonde). Last class period we noticed that Morgoth doesn't have light and can't create anything, the race of orcs he created was actually a peversion of elves. It was also a destruction of the beauty and knowledge that the elves stood for. In accord with that theme, as he spreads his darkness amoung the Noldor, they stop creating these beautiful gems and start wreaking havoc on the peace in Valinor.

-- Anonymous, October 04, 2004