J.R.R. Tolkien discussion

Discussions and observations about the XVII chapters in Part Two of the book. May contain spoilers 🙂

Fascinating insights (zero sarcasm intended) into what elves called their fingers, elven gender and sex (Tolkien's often euphemistic language is rather sweet considering he intended to write only for himself) and hair and beard growth amongst the Quendi and Númenórians. The latter indicates that the film depictions of Aragorn, Boromir and Faramir with beards are wrong, though I have to say that Viggo Mortensen's portrayal of Strider looks very rugged with his beard, and his King Ellesar Telcontar looks very stately with his.

Chapter IX, Ósanwe-kenta is about telepathy and thought transference, which is interesting in itself, though I'm finding the part about Melkor's personality of particular note. It's doubtless a reading informed by my own political views, and may seem insulting to those of a different political stripe, but Melkor seems to me the ultimate libertarian.

Tolkien says that Melkor repudiated all the laws and sought to abolish all the impregnable prohibitions which were imposed by Eru upon Arda, so that he might be ruled only his own personal will; the desire for a freedom untrammelled by any consideration of or respect for others. For Melkor it appears that "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law". That Eru remained an ultimate authority above his own was the source of Melkor's "unceasing and unappeasable rage."

Why do I now imagine Melkor with a comb-over and an orange complexion? 🤔

Ósanwe-kenta continues with more insights into Melkor's character and the methodology by which he seeks to sway and corrupt others to his will. Insights, too, I think, into Tolkien's view of demogogues and populist politicians who pander to the worst instincts of their followers, such as that "ruddy little ignoramus", Hitler.

As well as reading the present book, I'm listening to The Hobbit: A BBC Full-Cast Radio Drama, where I've got up to the episode in which Bilbo dreams of the crack opening at the back of the cave in which he and the company are hiding from the storm. He awakes to find his dream come true, and this links to Tolkien's comments in Ósanwe-kenta about the transmission of thoughts and impressions from the Valar to the incarnate peoples of Middle-earth being generally easier through dreams, when the mind is more naturally open. Gandalf did say that Bilbo's inclusion on the Quest of Erebor and his finding of the Ring may not have been coincidental, "and that is a good thought".