The Elves are intriguing to me; they’re beautiful, ancient, mysterious… yet often it’s sometimes difficult to imagine yourselves into their heads, because they so often reflect inwardly on matters. But therein lies some of their charm, they’re ultimately quite mystifying and at the same time quite dazzling to us mere mortals. They have such perfect beauty and they live forever, something that seems enviable, yet they have a melancholy that goes deep; they’re mourning their lost lands, they’re mourning eternal life itself… they can never die naturally, and so are obsessed with fading in Middle Earth. A kind of autumn, as in Lothlorien, which is doomed to dwindle into winter. This is just me speaking right from my head, not really linking up all these speculations and thoughts…
But that’s part of the beauty of the Elves. You never really know enough about them. They are a people that provoke such rare interest, and we see this with Sam and his love of them, his curiosity to meet them and know more of them.
I have to say some of my favourite Elves are the ones the hobbits meet on the road from the Shire. They’re welcoming, they’re friendly… I love their hospitality, even if they really have no real home of their own in exile such as they are. I can just imagine them sitting with the hobbits under the trees in the moonlight as a fire crackles; I can hear Frodo talking with them! It’s just so atmospheric.
But the Lorien Elves also interest me, especially Galadriel – their infinitely wise and beautiful leader, who will “diminish”, like the golden wood. She has enough power to be tempted by the Ring, and yet ultimately realizes that carrying it would indeed destroy her. The Ring had even the power to, given the chance, corrupt the lady of light. I’m glad it was only a fleeting moment in which she wanted it with that terrible all-consuming power. Galadriel is that most stunning of characters; lovely, kind and wise enough to inspire awe even in Gimli! I think it’s incredibly heart-warming that she gives him several hairs from her head as his gift, and that he treasures them.
Anyway, this is getting quite long but I think I’ve just about gotten to the point! I think the Elves are very interesting, complex characters to study.
