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Pile o' Bones
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Re: Orcish Fear
Because there is speculation that I believe has merit, that in the survival of pagan traditions under Christianity the line between gods and other mythological beings became blurred. The heros of the Irish mythological cycle, for example, are considered to be gods by many scholars. Also, faerie beings are thought to be diminished god-forms (as is suggested in Kipling's "Puck of Pook's Hill," Robert Graves' "The White Goddess" and other sources). Robin Goodfellow is a prime example of this, because he was accused of being the God of Witches in medieval times. Robert Graves also makes a convincing argument that Robin Hood's legend comes from both an actual person and a faerie being/god. Herne the Hunter and Santa Claus both have been suggested as being gods that degenerated over time into mere folklorish faerie beings. An example of the opposite effect is Heracles who was a hero who later became a god. Weland the Smith is another example, for in some books he is called a figure of folklore, and in others he is called a god, Volund, and identified with Vulcan. Herodias was linked with Diana and Hecate in medieval witchlore. Morgana of the Arthurian Cycle is really the Morrigan, the Irish raven-goddess of battle. Seth of the Bible has been identified with the Egyptian god Set. Etc, etc.
Most people have this idea from classical paganism that paganism was somehow an organized religion. But there was no canon and no uniformity of belief even in classical times. There was also much sycretism and the heathens, the people of the heath, did not make the distinctions that many of us do today. In many Christian countries, even now, the common folk treat saints as though they are gods, and in religions like Santeria they actually are gods. Only learned folk make meaningless distinctions, because they are fond of distinctions, as they are of fitting each little thing into its own neat little box.
Among modern pagans today almost anything can be a god if considered as such, even a tree, because the Godforce inhabits all things. Joseph Campbell's "The Masks of God" is a good study of the meaning of gods and their relationship to humans and to the rest of nature. But even if Earendel was not commonly considered to be a god, this does not invalidate my claim about Earendil. The identification between stars and mariners is too obvious to be a coincidence. I believe Tolkien made this identification and hence Earendil is both a star and a mariner in his mythology.
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I am the Lieutenant of <a href=http://pub28.ezboard.com/blugburz>Lugburz</a>, a member of the <a href=http://www.tolkienboards.cjb.net/>Tolkien EZBoard Network</a>. I am also the High Priest of <a href=http://www.crosswinds.net/~darkbanecircle/>Darkbane Circle</a>, an online coven.</p>
Edited by: <A HREF=http://www.barrowdowns.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile&u=00000277>The Black Lieutenant</A> at: 11/10/00 1:54:02 pm