The Greatest Warrior... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Legate of Amon Lanc · 07-27-2007, 04:53 PM

Hmm, the trouble with Tolkien is that he sometimes makes similar statements about two (or more) different characters, and both in superlatives. The best it is generally with the "fairest" people, since there are at least twelve people who are "fairest in Middle-Earth", though with looking at more details we learn that they were "fairest of their house" or "fairest among Elven-lords" (meaning that some peasant may be better than them); sometimes it's even more complicated like that someone was "fairest of his house", but "his house was fairest of the other houses"... with the strength and so on, it's less clear... but considering what you have mentioned, I'll probably go for Fingolfin - you see - the description of him is "clear", not only in understanding it (with Fëanor, as you said, we don't know if the "fire" is not meant by it - personally, I realize that I always - sort of subconsciously - thought so; that's probably the reason why I haven't nominated him), but also in that Fingolfin is described as being superior in only these skills, and nothing more - which sort of calls for taking it as his specialization; something that is his own, in which he is a champion. Fëanor is more "universal", but less focused on one thing; and one assumes that such a person does not reach the qualities of the specialist.

07-27-2007, 04:53 PM	#14
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Hmm, the trouble with Tolkien is that he sometimes makes similar statements about two (or more) different characters, and both in superlatives. The best it is generally with the "fairest" people, since there are at least twelve people who are "fairest in Middle-Earth", though with looking at more details we learn that they were "fairest of their house" or "fairest among Elven-lords" (meaning that some peasant may be better than them); sometimes it's even more complicated like that someone was "fairest of his house", but "his house was fairest of the other houses"... with the strength and so on, it's less clear... but considering what you have mentioned, I'll probably go for Fingolfin - you see - the description of him is "clear", not only in understanding it (with Fëanor, as you said, we don't know if the "fire" is not meant by it - personally, I realize that I always - sort of subconsciously - thought so; that's probably the reason why I haven't nominated him), but also in that Fingolfin is described as being superior in only these skills, and nothing more - which sort of calls for taking it as his specialization; something that is his own, in which he is a champion. Fëanor is more "universal", but less focused on one thing; and one assumes that such a person does not reach the qualities of the specialist. __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories