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Old 05-17-2008, 09:01 AM   #11
Thinlómien
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: In a far land beyond the Sea
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Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.Thinlómien is wading through the Dead Marshes.
I always thought that he was referring to the fading of Lothlórien, his kingdom that won't remain the same and that will diminish. As much as he loved Galadriel, I cannot see him referring to her as his treasure - it sounds way too possessive, and we all knew who was the boss in that family . And it's not only that, really, there's something else there also why it would feel inappropriate and besides, if Celeborn indeed went to West later (which I hope and believe he did), he would still have Galadriel for ever, so the Galadriel-explanation would not make sense.

The Celebrian-interpretation doesn't work either, if Celeborn indeed went to the West. For Celebrían went there also, and when Celeborn (and Galadriel and Elrond and his sons - wow, I never imagined the tale had such a happy ending! ) eventually went to Valinor, he would meet her too and there is a hope she would have found healing in the West. And besides, I can't see Tolkien making Celeborn refer to Celebrían in that moment - she's not truly part of the story of LotR and I can't see why she would made a part of one of Celeborn's most important lines.

Now, The Might's interpretation is very intriguing. However, I don't think we can prove it either wrong or right, but it surely gives something to think about...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gwath
Someone had to be there to bury her, though. It might have been Celeborn and friends, but I guess it seems unlikely that they would STILL be there at that late stage.
That is such a powerful image, really. I can see it and it makes a chill run down my spine. In the graying and fading Lothlórien, its Lord stands on Cerin Amroth with a few of his closest subjects who have stayed with him. There is a great sorrow in his eyes and he looks older than ever, when he holds the dead body of his granddaughter in his arms and eventually lowers her to her grave and they bury her. Then he casts one last look at the grave and says "My work is done" and sails to the West.

But, unfortunately, I had the wits to check appendix A and it says:
Quote:
Then she [Arwen] said farewell to Eldarion, and to her daughters, and to all whom she had loved; and she went out from the city of Minas Tirith and passed away to the land of Lórien, and dwelt there alone under the fading trees until winter came. Galadriel had passed and Celeborn also was gone, and the land was silent.
There at last when the mallorn-leaves were falling, but spring had not yet come, she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the sea.
So there were no Elves in Lórien anymore, and it looks like she merely went there and died and was not buried, but her corpse was left - to be blunt - to rot on Cerin Amroth and decomposed there. Or maybe it just vanished (yet remained in Certin Amroth) in some more poetic way, but nevertheless it looks like she was never buried.
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