RogerWilco
Member
Discussing Elrond's hard and unforeseen road, wherein lies their hope (if hope it be) got me wondering. It strikes me that the Elves of Middle Earth, in general, don't seem to be very good with Estel. The low Elves refused the summons to Valinor (didn't quite trust the Valar) and the returning Noldor exiled themselves in an attempt to take matters into their own hands in defiance of the Valar. Most of the history of the first age is that of the Elves trusting (hoping...Amdiring?) to their military might, protective enchantments, and secret fortifications. The few first age instances I can legitimately call Estel usually involve a mortal (usually one running off with an Elven princess). Even the creation of the Elven Rings argues a tendency among the Elves to trust more in their own power to keep things as they should be rather than an Estel that what should be shall be.
When Elrond says that they must take a hard road, there seems to be a sense in which Elrond is pushing the Elves outside of their comfort zone, to surrender Amdir and start to Estel. It seems to be a difficult thing for them to accept, as Erestor will soon after ask, "What strength have we for the finding of the Fire in which it was made? That is the path of despair. Of folly I would say, if the long wisdom of Elrond did not forbid me."
I don't mean to suggest that Estel is a foreign concept to the Elves. The word is Elvish, after all. There are some Elvish characters who are better at it than others. But when I think about Estel and the Elves, it seems like they generally have a more difficult time with it and that maybe mortals do it better. Are there many other examples of Elvish Estel that I am forgetting?
When Elrond says that they must take a hard road, there seems to be a sense in which Elrond is pushing the Elves outside of their comfort zone, to surrender Amdir and start to Estel. It seems to be a difficult thing for them to accept, as Erestor will soon after ask, "What strength have we for the finding of the Fire in which it was made? That is the path of despair. Of folly I would say, if the long wisdom of Elrond did not forbid me."
I don't mean to suggest that Estel is a foreign concept to the Elves. The word is Elvish, after all. There are some Elvish characters who are better at it than others. But when I think about Estel and the Elves, it seems like they generally have a more difficult time with it and that maybe mortals do it better. Are there many other examples of Elvish Estel that I am forgetting?