Welcome Guest 

Register

Forum Home » Books Discussion » BC Archive: The Children of Hurin » Chapter quote Ia; The Childhood of Turin
Author Topic:
PotbellyHairyfoot
Grandpa Moderator
Posts: 2929
Send Message
Avatar
Post Chapter quote Ia; The Childhood of Turin
on: August 05, 2007 11:44
On Men meeting the Elves
'You may learn much of them,' said Sador, and he sighed. 'They are a fair folk, and wonderful, and they have a power over the hearts of Men. And yet I theink sometimes that it might have been better if we had never met them, but had walked in lower ways. For already they are ancient in knowledge; and they are proud and enduring. In their light we are dimmed, or we burn too quick a flame,and the weight of our flame lies the heavier on us.
Lomelindi_of_Moonlight
Council Member
Posts: 116
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Chapter quote Ia; The Childhood of Turin
on: August 14, 2007 03:57
I have come to think that Sador is not only wise man from his conversations with Turin, but also something like a prophet. The elves, as he said, taught the Edain so many things and truly advanced their culture, but because the Elves and the Edain are so different culturally, mentally, physically, and are practically worlds apart from each other they do not mesh well. With the benefits also came the Edain's realization that "the weight of our flame lies the heavier on us." Hence the permanent separation between Elves and Men, and the constant suspicion of the other because of these great differences. Don't the longings of a more civilized culture and life cause the generations of men to mimic the Elves in architecture, learning, and battle? And also it creates a jealousy in men for the immortal life that Elves posess, this ultimately leads to the Edain's greatest loss, the fall of Numenor. But back to Turin's life: he could never completely fall in with the Elves because of the human struggles he suffered through, and his life was marred with the burden of the Edain.
PotbellyHairyfoot
Grandpa Moderator
Posts: 2929
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Chapter quote Ia; The Childhood of Turin
on: August 20, 2007 03:32
Can a man who has lived among the elves ever aspire to be anything more than a big fish in a small pond?

In a way it's like inventing the steam engine, building a boat, going for a steam powered boat ride and being met at the other end by someone riding a Seadoo. How can you feel that you can accomplish anything significant when living among folk that are older and wiser and have probably already done anything you have aspired to do?.

Sador, though now just a simple handyman, shows that he has a great deal of wisdom and learned much before he was injured.

[Edited on 21/8/2007 by PotbellyHairyfoot]
Dolwen
Store Admin & Head Weaver of Vairë
Posts: 15040
Send Message
Avatar
Post RE: Chapter quote Ia; The Childhood of Turin
on: August 24, 2007 04:01
It is kind of a double edged sword. Having met the elves Men seemed dimmed, became jealous of the elves immortality etc. as said above. But the elves also gave Men great knowlege of lore and warfare. If the elves had never met Men or paid any attention to them Melkor still would have. Would Men stand a chance against Melkor without the influence of Elves?
Members Online
Print Friendly, PDF & Email