Glaladriel Evil? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 06-26-2003, 01:56 AM

No, Galadriel isn't evil. But that's not what Tolkien was doing - much as his critics might disagree. He wasn't depicting the Elves as perfectly good, or as evil. The Elves were wise, loving, heroic, self sacrificing & great artists. But they were also proud, haughty, & enjoyed their position of superiority in ME. They were also constantly looking back to an idealised past, which prevented them from seeing the future as anything but a decline into hopeless loss. It was due to this very complexity of their nature that they lived as they did, & in part that they suffered as they did. They weren't GOOD or EVIL. They were complex beings with all kinds of desires, motives, hopes & fears.

06-26-2003, 01:56 AM	#18
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	No, Galadriel isn't evil. But that's not what Tolkien was doing - much as his critics might disagree. He wasn't depicting the Elves as perfectly good, or as evil. The Elves were wise, loving, heroic, self sacrificing & great artists. But they were also proud, haughty, & enjoyed their position of superiority in ME. They were also constantly looking back to an idealised past, which prevented them from seeing the future as anything but a decline into hopeless loss. It was due to this very complexity of their nature that they lived as they did, & in part that they suffered as they did. They weren't GOOD or EVIL. They were complex beings with all kinds of desires, motives, hopes & fears. __________________ “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."