The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - A review: JRRT's Osanwe-Kenta [ missing bit of The Silm.]

**lindil** · 02-14-2001, 02:07 AM

Recently I have been reading this gem of an essay from JRRT that was left out of the Quendi and Eldar section of war of the Jewels, by CRT . I will give a bit of an overview for those who may be as unaware of it as I was till a couple of weeks ago. It is imo one of the most subtle and stimulating bits of lore that has ever beem written w/ in ME or here and will def. appeal to all who were tantalized by the glimpse in 'many partings' RotK[6] ch6 where it is said:<blockquote>Quote:<hr> Often long after the hobbits were wrapped in sleep they would sit together under the stars, recalling ages that were gone and all their joys and labours in the world, or holding council,concerning days to come.If any wanderer had chanced to pass, little would he have seen or heard , and it would have seemed to him only that he saw gery figures , carved in stone, memorials of things now forgotten in unpeopled lands. For they did not move or speak with mouth , looking from mind to mind;and only their shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro.<hr></blockquote>
A few other examples that come to mind are Aragorn's wresting the Palantir from Sauron and his 'duel' w/ the Mouth of Sauron.Finrod's reading of the minds of the Beorians in Ossiriand. Gandalf's 'reading 'of Frodo's mind as he lay recuperating in Rivendell.And possibly most fascinatingly, it is the central component of the Elven gift of music being a direct experience or transmission of that which is being sung about.
One of the fascinating things of this lore is that it can be used by Men [albeit w/ greater difficulty] and is in a sense a marker of how developed and clear we are and most importantly a measure of our warmth of heart [ a telling phrase which I have only before encountered in the writings of the saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church] .

I will give a brief outline of it's contents which I hope will be enough to stimulate those interested into obataining copies from the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship who publish the journal.

It was edited not by CRT but by Carl Hostetter , one of a small group of Elvish Linguists who have been given access to remaining unpublished materials and is publishing them in a couple of journals the primary one being Vinyar Tengwar of which this essay is from vol 39-july 1998.

Osanwe-Kenta translates as 'Enquiry into the Communication of Thought' and is a resume of Pengolodh's larger work , there is some speculation that this resume was the product of Aelfwine/Eriol.

The essay begins with a discussion of the nature of Valarin, Elvish and Human minds and how this is related to the hroa [roughly tr. as body] and fea again roughly, as spirit] and how the nature of the minds of Valar ,Elves and Men is the same the diference being in power and purity. Factors which make Osanwe-Kenta either more or less difficult [ love, urgency and authority]. the fact that speech and writing and words themselves have become an impediment.
How it playsa a role in conversations w/ strangers esp. when the barriers of language are partially there.
the abuses of Melkor w/ Osanwe-Kenta. Foresight and fore casting as elements along w/ osanwe-kenta of wisdom.
More on Melkor's abuse of power w/ osanwe. Manwe's teaching re: Melkor's fall and a warning to the Elves re: his mastery of speech.
On how the Valar and the children of Iluvatar can open themselves to knowing the will of Eru and the dangers therein. The Authority of Manwe and responsibilitites of all children of I luvatar.

there are also a multitude of elvish and Valarin words discussed in this and a later set of notes . All in all I cannot for the Life of me figure out why it never made it into HoME XI , but be that as it may we have it here now.

there are also a number of Notes by JRRT on some points which are large discourses in themselves: The taking up of Hroar by the Valar, Axani [laws, rules, primarily preceding from Eru] , the Heart as a non-physical 'center' [also the teaching of Taoism and Orthodox Christianity].

word has it that there is more indeed to come and that JRRt's 'linguistic' writings are full of interesting historical matters and lore.
Hopefully anyone who knows more can let us in on it.

Lindil was often found on posting on the Silmarillion Project at the Barrowowns<u> Silmarillion canon , theories and discussion Forum </u> 'The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night, and awaken early before dawn- exchanging lore and wisdom such as they possessed , so that they should not fall back into the mean and low estate of those , who never knew or more sadly still, had indeed rebelled against the Light.'

[ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ]

02-14-2001, 02:07 AM	#1
lindil Seeker of the Straight Path Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal Posts: 1,680	A review: JRRT's Osanwe-Kenta [ missing bit of The Silm.] Recently I have been reading this gem of an essay from JRRT that was left out of the Quendi and Eldar section of war of the Jewels, by CRT . I will give a bit of an overview for those who may be as unaware of it as I was till a couple of weeks ago. It is imo one of the most subtle and stimulating bits of lore that has ever beem written w/ in ME or here and will def. appeal to all who were tantalized by the glimpse in 'many partings' RotK[6] ch6 where it is said:<blockquote>*Quote:<hr> Often long after the hobbits were wrapped in sleep they would sit together under the stars, recalling ages that were gone and all their joys and labours in the world, or holding council,concerning days to come.If any wanderer had chanced to pass, little would he have seen or heard , and it would have seemed to him only that he saw gery figures , carved in stone, memorials of things now forgotten in unpeopled lands. For they did not move or speak with mouth , looking from mind to mind;and only their shining eyes stirred and kindled as their thoughts went to and fro.<hr></blockquote> A few other examples that come to mind are Aragorn's wresting the Palantir from Sauron and his 'duel' w/ the Mouth of Sauron.Finrod's reading of the minds of the Beorians in Ossiriand. Gandalf's 'reading 'of Frodo's mind as he lay recuperating in Rivendell.And possibly most fascinatingly, it is the central component of the Elven gift of music being a direct experience or transmission of that which is being sung about. One of the fascinating things of this lore is that it can be used by Men [albeit w/ greater difficulty] and is in a sense a marker of how developed and clear we are and most importantly a measure of our warmth of heart [ a telling phrase which I have only before encountered in the writings of the saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church] . I will give a brief outline of it's contents which I hope will be enough to stimulate those interested into obataining copies from the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship who publish the journal. It was edited not by CRT but by Carl Hostetter , one of a small group of Elvish Linguists who have been given access to remaining unpublished materials and is publishing them in a couple of journals the primary one being Vinyar Tengwar* of which this essay is from vol 39-july 1998. Osanwe-Kenta translates as 'Enquiry into the Communication of Thought' and is a resume of Pengolodh's larger work , there is some speculation that this resume was the product of Aelfwine/Eriol. The essay begins with a discussion of the nature of Valarin, Elvish and Human minds and how this is related to the hroa [roughly tr. as body] and fea again roughly, as spirit] and how the nature of the minds of Valar ,Elves and Men is the same the diference being in power and purity. Factors which make Osanwe-Kenta either more or less difficult [ love, urgency and authority]. the fact that speech and writing and words themselves have become an impediment. How it playsa a role in conversations w/ strangers esp. when the barriers of language are partially there. the abuses of Melkor w/ Osanwe-Kenta. Foresight and fore casting as elements along w/ osanwe-kenta of wisdom. More on Melkor's abuse of power w/ osanwe. Manwe's teaching re: Melkor's fall and a warning to the Elves re: his mastery of speech. On how the Valar and the children of Iluvatar can open themselves to knowing the will of Eru and the dangers therein. The Authority of Manwe and responsibilitites of all children of I luvatar. there are also a multitude of elvish and Valarin words discussed in this and a later set of notes . All in all I cannot for the Life of me figure out why it never made it into HoME XI , but be that as it may we have it here now. there are also a number of Notes by JRRT on some points which are large discourses in themselves: The taking up of Hroar by the Valar, Axani [laws, rules, primarily preceding from Eru] , the Heart as a non-physical 'center' [also the teaching of Taoism and Orthodox Christianity]. word has it that there is more indeed to come and that JRRt's 'linguistic' writings are full of interesting historical matters and lore. Hopefully anyone who knows more can let us in on it. Lindil was often found on posting on the Silmarillion Project at the Barrowowns<u> Silmarillion canon , theories and discussion Forum </u> 'The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night, and awaken early before dawn- exchanging lore and wisdom such as they possessed , so that they should not fall back into the mean and low estate of those , who never knew or more sadly still, had indeed rebelled against the Light.' [ January 05, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ] __________________ The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light. Last edited by lindil; 09-23-2010 at 10:08 PM.