Are Elves Shallow?

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

I thought Finduilas' "rejection" of Gwindor had less to do with his new appearance, than the appearance of his new companion [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img].

I think in Tolkien appearance and personality seem to be inextricably connected. For example, Morwen, you pointed out that Dwarves were mocked for their stunted, non-elven appearance. The race of Dwarves had a vastly different collective personality type than the race of elves. The houses of Hador and Beor also seemed to have more elvish tendencies and more interaction with the elves than the Haladin. It seems that in ME most of the people who were pleasing to the eye by standards of Elvish aesthetics were people simiilar in behavior and tastes to the elves. If you look elvish you are elflike, perhaps.

I'm sure that Sauron and Morgoth when clad in their fair appearances didn't go around using the black speech and proclaiming their dark intentions. They disguised more than their bodies.

Elves are certainly lovers of beauty, but I wouldn't say that they are lovers of beauty to the exclusion of all else.

Sophia