You say 'Faeries' & I say 'Fairies' - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 09-29-2005, 08:30 AM

drigel, good point, but... One aspect of Tolkien's Elves which is world's away from the traditional figures (particularly the Irish Sidhe) is in their sexual mores. The Fairies of tradition are notoriously lascivious & this sexual element was extremely shocking to the early Christian redactors of the Pagan material. Tolkien's Elves are almost innately 'Catholic' in as regards sex - no sex till they are married & then seemingly only for procreation - which is usually limited to a couple of children.

So, as I said they seem from a sexual perspective to be innately good Catholics - they wouldn't even need the Church's prohibitions - every 'demand' the Church makes on member's sexual conduct is just second nature to Tolkien's Elves - no struggles involved. Traditional Fairies, on the other hand, seem to have no self control (sexual or otherwise) to speak of.

09-29-2005, 08:30 AM	#28
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	drigel, good point, but... One aspect of Tolkien's Elves which is world's away from the traditional figures (particularly the Irish Sidhe) is in their sexual mores. The Fairies of tradition are notoriously lascivious & this sexual element was extremely shocking to the early Christian redactors of the Pagan material. Tolkien's Elves are almost innately 'Catholic' in as regards sex - no sex till they are married & then seemingly only for procreation - which is usually limited to a couple of children. So, as I said they seem from a sexual perspective to be innately good Catholics - they wouldn't even need the Church's prohibitions - every 'demand' the Church makes on member's sexual conduct is just second nature to Tolkien's Elves - no struggles involved. Traditional Fairies, on the other hand, seem to have no self control (sexual or otherwise) to speak of. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."