With which Middle Earth Race do you most identify?

[Bêthberry]

I must congratulate elempi for the wisdom of this poll. He omitted orc and troll, therbye limiting any potential problems caused by the likes of spammers, trolls (hey, there's a real identification ), monkeys, hacks, and just your plain garden-variety jokers. Sometimes, you just have to ruin some people's fun.

I must ponder the inclusion of ent, though. Not because ents aren't a race in Middle-earth, but because I wonder whether ent includes entwives. I notice that elempi carefully sidestepped this issue of gender inclusiveness by using human rather than the term Tolkien himself used, man, or men. But since entwives are differentiated from ents, does that not suggest that ent refers only to the male form of the species? (Assuming that trees have male and female gender and not some other biological expression of reproduction).

After all, we don't have elfwives or dwarfwives. (Do we even have female dwarves?) What does this naming suggest about the race of ents? Does the poll need a separate choice of entwife?

I notice also another omission, one probably due to the enigmatic difficulty of categorizing his race. And that of his wife. I speak, obviously, of the omission of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry from this list. Are they a race unto themselves or do they belong with the Ainur?

[Meriadoc1961]

I am human, but I identify mostly with the Hobbits. My two favorite characters in the books are Merry and Faramir.

Merry

[The Might]

I took Hobbit, becaue like Hobbits I greatly enjoy the finer things in life, a good beer, nice food and the comfort of a nice evening together with my friends. The only thing about them that I can't identify with at all is their lack of interest for the outside world and lack of adventure (with some exceptions).

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

I chose Ent, but not for the 'green' aspect. My reasons for identifying with the brethren of my favourite character Treebeard are more to do with a sense of isolation from the rest of Middle-earth's inhabitants. The Ents seem to belong to the world in a different way from the other species, who are all coming and going; but the Ents watch them as they do this. I also thought they would be much more sensible company than the others, who are more prone to childish capering.

Or, to quote my significant other (who may or may not post her own response to this thread): "Yes, you would be an Ent, all cynical and completely unaware of modern technology. "

[alatar]

In order from least likely to more likely:

• Dwarf - Could never identify with dwarves. Not materialistic nor into making things (fixing things, sure), and never been that fixated on one thing. And just what is the birth rate amongst Durin's folk?

• Hobbit - Couldn't see myself here as well. Comforts are great, but not necessary. Most likely too mean/stern/cynical to be one of the little folk. Can't sing a note either.

• Ent - Sure, I like to study things, but never to the point of watching grass grow. Hopefully, though some of my posts may show otherwise, I'm not predisposed to being long-winded and boring. And do Ents dance?

• Human - The living fast and dying hard - then living elsewhere - is just too cool, but definitely don't have the passions of Turin. I'd like to think of myself as a little more learned than the typical human - more steeped in history and science, and somehow that doesn't fit here. And there's just something about the choice 'human' that means "typical" - that I am not.

• Elf - Of the available choices, this would seem the be the best fit. Dancing, laughter, seriousness, thoughtfulness - that apparent aloofness that living a billion years can give one are all appealing. Daily using what some would call 'magic,' looking backward, but with some prescience mixed in fit too. Elf would be a good choice, but not the best. On the other hand, my indecision is mostly likely from my elvishness.

That all said, I'm holding out with LoAL and going with 'Wizard.' That option not available, then 'elf.'

[Thinlómien]

I really can't answer this question, because I can't decide if I should answer "Elf" or "Human".

I've always loved the Elves. Nowadays my enthusiasm towards most Elven folk has somewhat faded, but I haven't got over the Noldor. They are the people of Arda I love the most: proud, stubborn and hot-tempered, wise and skillful, lovers of languages, tales and different crafts. I see so much of myself in them. I'm all too stubborn, sometimes too proud and used to have quite a temper (I've calmed when I've got older, though... blah ). I love languages and tales and I would love to be wise and great like the High Noldorin Lords. Also, I could see myself acting as stupidly as many Noldor did. I know very well the feeling of defying authorities even if it's not the wisest thing to do and of being too proud to admit your mistakes and apologise. Also, in the Silmarillion, when it's told about the Noldor's wish to see unseen lands and found realms of their own, it always creates an odd feeling of sympathy and recognition in me. Likewise, I recognise the Noldor's lust for knowledge and lore in myself.

Lastly, one big thing that connects me and Elves is the love of sea. I've lived practically all my life near the sea and it has a special meaning for me. I could sit on a beach for hours and just watch the changing sea. I love wading in the sea (and getting all my clothes wet... it's the best in a long skirt ), not to mention swimming in the sea. And when I'm diving in the sea I feel like I was in a totally different world and the greenness is something really beautiful. The sea always makes me feel sad and small. (And I live near the tiny and almost lake-like Baltic Sea that freezes during the winter... I have no idea what a proper sea or ocean would make me feel...)

So I do identify with Elves, but I also identify with the Humans who lived beside them. I can so well understand their reactions to the Elf-folk: the awe, the love and the bitterness too. And humans are, well, more human. Their sorrow, courage and happiness has always touched me more than the Elves'. In a way, it seems like their sorrows and joys were stronger (definitely not deeper, but stronger) than the Elves'. The courage of the Men of the First Age always makes me cry. Just look at Húrin and Huor or Haleth. How the brothers fight against an evil foe bigger than them side-by-side with an immortal folk greater and more powerful than them, but still no way, do lesser deeds or display lesser courage, quite the opposite. And Haleth, she and her folk show that Humans can survive without the Elves' assistance and that there's great strength and courage in their people. Besides, I have always thought all the three houses of Edain were interesting and of the later peoples the northern peoples - mainly Beornings and Rohirrim - are just something really great.

Also, there's more mirth and sort of warm or gentle joy in Humans than there is in Elves. As I've always been quite cheerful of nature, the one thing that I find distant in Elves is that they're always so serious, or if they're happy, they're happy in a very non-down-to-earth way (happy in their own spheres of sort of divine joy) or in a tra-la-lal-ly -way, which quite doesn't inspire me.

In conclusion, I would maybe say that in general, I identify with Humans more than with Elves, but the Noldor are the people I most identify with and thus I can't really answer the original question.

[Selmo]

I don't really have a choice!

I am short and more than a little rotund.
I have curly hair that used to be brown.
I like dressing in bright colours.
I eat good, simple food as often as possible.
I enjoy a pint of strong, dark ale and the occasional pipe of tobacco.
I love to walk in the tranquility of well-managed countryside.
I enjoy the occasional adventure, so long as it's there and back again and any dangers are more apparent than real.

The only thing missing is the hairy feet.
.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I must congratulate elempi for the wisdom of this poll. He omitted orc and troll, therbye limiting any potential problems caused by the likes of spammers, trolls (hey, there's a real identification ), monkeys, hacks, and just your plain garden-variety jokers. Sometimes, you just have to ruin some people's fun.

I actually did consider their inclusion, but discluded them ultimately on the ground that they are, in Tolkien's mythos, degradations of the originals.

I must ponder the inclusion of ent, though. Not because ents aren't a race in Middle-earth, but because I wonder whether ent includes entwives. I notice that elempi carefully sidestepped this issue of gender inclusiveness by using human rather than the term Tolkien himself used, man, or men. But since entwives are differentiated from ents, does that not suggest that ent refers only to the male form of the species? (Assuming that trees have male and female gender and not some other biological expression of reproduction).

Entwives are, of course, Ents. Just because females of our own species are called WO-man does not mean we fail to include them in the race of Men. Of course, in this era we always say Human, but Tolkien didn't.

I notice also another omission, one probably due to the enigmatic difficulty of categorizing his race. And that of his wife. I speak, obviously, of the omission of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry from this list. Are they a race unto themselves or do they belong with the Ainur?

I am no authority other than that based on my creation of this poll, but for the purposes of this thread, Tom and Goldberry are excluded on account of them being (in my opinion) among the Ainur.

Originally Posted by Selmo

The only thing missing is the hairy feet.

Give it a few years....

Eomer, how soon will your choice of Ent make your significant other an Entwife?

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

In the sense that she ups and leaves me? Hopefully never!