The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

William Cloud Hicklin · 02-01-2009, 12:06 PM

When Elrond is deciding on the makeup of the Company, he rejects including "a great Elf-lord like Gorfindel." Had Legolas of Mirkwood been the same as Laegolas lord of Gondolin a Noldorin Exile from Valinor, surely he would have qualified! (according to the conception operative at the time the Fall of Gondolin (and indeed the Lord of the Rings) was written, its inhabitants were entirely of the Noldoli).

Moreover, Legolas couldn't have been the son of Thranduil and at the same time Laegolas of Gondolin: Thranduil was a Sinda of Doriath, with no connection to the Hidden City.

This is just Tolkien borrowing a pre-existing name, something he did not only with Men of Gondor, but with Elves as well, e.g. Rumil of Lorien who can hardly be the Sage of Tirion!

In fact he as much as admits that he did the same with Glorfindel (although in an early LR note he wrote "Glorfindel tells of his youth in Gondolin).

02-01-2009, 12:06 PM	#34
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,324	When Elrond is deciding on the makeup of the Company, he rejects including "a great Elf-lord like Gorfindel." Had Legolas of Mirkwood been the same as Laegolas lord of Gondolin a Noldorin Exile from Valinor, surely he would have qualified! (according to the conception operative at the time the Fall of Gondolin (and indeed the Lord of the Rings) was written, its inhabitants were entirely of the Noldoli). Moreover, Legolas couldn't have been the son of Thranduil and at the same time Laegolas of Gondolin: Thranduil was a Sinda of Doriath, with no connection to the Hidden City. This is just Tolkien borrowing a pre-existing name, something he did not only with Men of Gondor, but with Elves as well, e.g. Rumil of Lorien who can hardly be the Sage of Tirion! In fact he as much as admits that he did the same with Glorfindel (although in an early LR note he wrote "Glorfindel tells of his youth in Gondolin). __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it. Last edited by William Cloud Hicklin; 02-01-2009 at 12:15 PM.