[davem]

Originally Posted by Neurion

How Celebrian was tormented is unimportant. What is important is the way it impacted her family, and how it affected their actions during the War of the Ring.

Have only skimmed this thread this time around, but this seems to me to be the central point.

In an early draft of the story, we find this version of Celebrian's capture & torment:

On a time long ago, as she passed over the mountains to visit her mother in the land of Lorien, Orcs waylaid the road, & she was taken captive by them & tormented; & though she was rescued by Elrond & his sons, & brought home & tended, & her hurts of body were healed, she lay under a great cloud of fear & she loved Middle earth no longer; so that at last Elrond granted her prayer, & she passed to the Grey Havens & went into the West, never to return.

Compared to the final version in RotK:

In 2509 Celebrian wife of Elrond was journeying to Lorien when she was waylaid in the Redhorn Pass, and her escort being scattered by the sudden assault of the Orcs, she was seized and carried off. She was pursued and rescued by Elladan and Elrohir, but not before she had suffered torment and had received a poisoned wound.* She was brought back to Imladris, and though healed in body by Elrond, lost all delight in Middle-earth, and the next year went to the Havens and passed over Sea.

We see that the in the later version Celebrian's suffering is worse - not only is she tormented, but she recieves a 'poisoned wound' - but the effects of it are less - she simply 'loses all delight in Middle earth as opposed to 'laying under a cloud of fear & loving Middle earth no longer'. What's also interesting is that in the original version she remains in Middle earth until Elrond 'grants her prayer' to be allowed to leave. I don't think this should be interpreted in a 'sexist' way - Elrond being the master in his house & his wife having to await his permission to depart - but rather as showing how committed they were to each other - she held on in Middle earth despite her terrible suffering & the fear she lived under because of her love for her husband. So, finally, Elrond submits & lets her go into the West. He remains out of duty & love of his remaining family - only after the fall of Sauron does he depart to find his wife.

In short, I think there's a danger of getting too caught up in what might or might not have happened to Celebrian at the hands of the Orcs. As Neurion has pointed out, it is the consequences of her sufferings which are important - which is why, I think, Tolkien focussed on them, rather than on a graphic description of what happened to her.

Sorry if I've repeated earlier points...