The Silver Swan

By:Isabeau
 February, 23 2006

The place for discussion about Hethlin's new adventures.

Comment:
Rebecca said:

(snip of great stuff)

But whether for good or bad, the control of the environment will be coming from beings that are part of that dynamic of change, instead of struggling against it. Which to me seems like a good thing.

I really liked your argument, and I agree.

BUT: There is that fine line Tolkien draws between good and evil magic. He calls the former "Art". And the other is distinguished by imposing one's will by force on other things/beings/phenpmena. And I think the disappearance of Art is what is sad. But as you yourself show with your examples, the Elves themselves sometimes strayed over that lines - most of the time with disastrous results.

My theory frex is that Lórien deteriorates so rapidly after the departure of Galadriel because she kept it beautiful and magical and, yes, unchanging, by means of Nenya. After the Three Rings lose their power, the sudden withdrawal of this stay is like a shock to the wood, like all these centuries catching up at once with the present. In contrast to this I see Eryn Lasgalen. Held without any Rings of Powers, and therefore, despite Dol Guldur and spiders etc. "healthier". IIRC, Elrond used his Ring only sparingly, which would speak for Rivendell better able to accomodate the change after the fall of Sauron.

I like the thought of Amrothos as the representative of the new, rational age of Men.

But to me, it's not Sherlock Holmes that leaps to my mind, but rather the image of the Renaissance-man: highly educated, curious, open for all kinds of knowledge, sciences, arts, looking not only into the future with new discoveries, but also with an eye to preserving what is worthy from the past - Leonardo da Vinci. And "The Machine that changed the World" fits awfully well in this renaissance theme, don't you think?

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