LotR -- Book 2 - Chapter 03 - The Ring goes South

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Tuor of Gondolin

Related to earth features such as Caradhras seeming to have some kind of
consciousness, I've always found this rumination by Legolas to be curious:


Should he be taken literally? I tend to think so.

I tend to agree..... In some ways Legolas is an underdeveloped character, and says little especially during this phase of the journey (probably not unrelated to the fact that he hadn't quite " found his place" at this stage in the early drafts), but one of the things that gives him a depth beyond being the token keen sighted sharp-shooting elf, is his sensitivity to place. It can be seen here, will be seen a little later when he asks if they hear the voice of Nimrodel , in Fangorn and in Minas Tirith "The deeds of men wil lout last us Gimli". Maybe it is partly because he is an immortal being born into Middle Earth realtively late... the situation of the Sindar and silvan Elves at he end of the third age is rather different to that of the high. For them passing oversea is not "Going home" but something they do when desperate - like the people of Nimrodel. Yet if they remain they will diminish. Thinking about it - a lot of Legolas' speech is melancholy - if it isn't excessively light, flippant almost. At these times maybe he is overcompensating..