Tony Meade
Active Member
SESSION 89
Comment on Strider’s attraction to high places:
Comment on Strider’s attraction to high places:
- Strider’s tendency to go to high spots and look around could be a normal choice for a Ranger who has to make decisions about travel in the wilds. Most of the time, this works out well.
- There are also metaphorical reasons, such as at Amon Hen, which is translated as “seat of seeing”, and allows one to see further than is physically possible in space, and maybe time.
- Aragorn was originally pursuing Frodo up the hill, but he continues even after Frodo leaves.
- Another sense of Aragorn’s looking around is in his use of the palantir, not just revealing himself.
- Aragorn often operates under a kind of faith in his decision-making, but it’s not a blind faith.
- The attempt on Caradhras isn’t in this same category of scouting on a high place, but rather his taking a known route with known risks, rather than the unknown dangers of Moria.
- The moments where he uses old Numenorean places as vantage points has to do with his right to do so as the heir of kings, not just showing his kingliness.
- The times that the word is used in The Fellowship of the Ring, it is associated explicitly with elf-made items. In the rest of The Lord of the Rings, it’s associated with items reputedly elf-made.
- It’s possible that Tolkien would use that word specifically in these cases, in order to signal something in particular, since it is archaic. This achieves a tone not possible with modern terms.
- His choice to use any given word is done deliberately to achieve a particular effect or because of its specific definition. As a philologist, these kind of word distinctions would be his specialty.
- There is a relation between “raiment” and “arrayed”, which are close, but not exact synonyms to “clothing” and “dressed”. There is a reason why he chooses one over the other.
- It’s a possibility that “raiment” is being substituted for a specific Westron word in translation.
- There is a sense in which each of the times the word is used is a formal occasion or introduction.
- Overall, the use of “raiment” has to do with either the clothing itself or the context of its use.
- The register of The Silmarillion is different overall from The Lord of the Rings, so the use of “raiment” to describe the physical forms of the Ainur is done in a different context.
- The particular use with Glorfindel seems to be more about the context than the clothes. This goes along with the use of “form” in creating a tone of reverence from Frodo’s point of view.
- Given Frodo’s descent into cold and darkness, the warmth and radiance radiating from Glorfindel makes this first sight of him special and memorable.
- The forms of the Valar being as raiment highlights the effect of seeing the spirit behind the physical form, and it is in this context that Frodo sees the spirit in Glorfindel through his outside.
- Strider says that he “dwells” in the house of Elrond, but not “of” the house of Elrond.
- This says something about Glorfindel’s position, in that he has not sworn fealty to Elrond.
- That Glorfindel dwells in Rivendell but is not part of the household implies his high status, and also that this is an informal arrangement that is voluntary on both sides.
- Another example of this kind of arrangement is Galadriel’s time in Doriath, where she “dwelt” but didn’t serve in the households of Thingol or Melian.
- This may show a distinction between Elf-lords and non-lordly Elves, in that the latter may not be expected to move or change lords, while the former may make other arrangements.
- Gildor’s introduction includes his affiliation with Finrod, and even though Finrod is gone from Middle-earth, he still identifies himself through this allegiance.
- Does this have anything to do with Elrond not being a king? Like Galadriel, he doesn’t identify himself as royalty, but they are both from royal houses and in that position without the titles.
- Glorfindel might think of himself and Elrond as peers and is connected to Elrond through his family history in Gondolin, and so has a senior position, though Elrond has the royal lineage.
- This may be parallel to the relationship between Elrond and Gil-galad, where Elrond dwelled with the High King, but wasn’t a formal servant, even though he was a subject of the king.
- This situation would also apply to Aragorn, and he uses the same word “dwelt” to describe his time there. He is not a servant or vassal of Elrond, but he did live there as a guest.
- We see some of the work of servant-class Elves among the Elvenking’s halls in The Hobbit.
- It’s unclear what form the arrangements would take between servant elves and their lords, though it seems that the work they do is done more for love of the work itself and their lords.
- This is similar the medieval idea of a Great Chain of Being, though more understood and accepted and perfected than in men. Tolkien sees great value in both service and leadership.
- Any economic relationships with elf-servants is unclear, as are most economies in Middle-earth.
- There don’t seem to be class relationships in the same way of the “upstairs/downstairs” notions from Victorian Britain, but more voluntary associations based on service.