Quote:
Originally posted by The Saucepan Man
Then again, one might describe the Valar and the Elves as "supernatural" in the sense that they are not governed by the normal, cyclical laws of nature which impose a limited life span on natural creatures and which require that such creatures eventually die so as to make way for the next generation. Since (while Arda endures at least) neither the Valar nor the Elves die of old age, they are in that sense outside nature and therefore supernatural. Might it not therefore be fitting to describe their powers as supernatural?
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I understand Tolkien made Valar to be angel-like in the Biblical schema. They were created by God. They are outside time and space, because they were created before the world or natural universe that is limited to space and time. So that they may enter into the natural world with supernatural powers or characteristics: moving faster than the speed of light, pass through solid objects, slay thousands of men in a single night, etc. So that would be manifesting supernatural characteristics. What is "natural" to them, characteristics inherent in their nature, would be considered supernatural to us.
Now the Elves are a different matter. I think I read in the Letters, but maybe here on the forum
that Elves and Men are like different aspects of human nature in Tolkien's design. I don't really understand it that way, but do not really know how to define elves, or their "power". Galadriel gets some power from her ring. I don't really know the nature of the ring. What power would she have as a ringless elf?
The "good" men do not refer to elves as evil or sorceresses, etc. except out of fear and ignorance. However, there is clearly much about Elves that is "super" man-natural, or above the inherent nature of man.
Anyway, I am pretty sure there is more than a "rhetorical" difference between the magics (HP vs LotR).