Nenya or the Elessar?

[Galin]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

Well, in my opinion, I think it that Galadriel used the Elessar to build up Lorien, and when she got Nenya she just used to to keep it the same once it was complete (so she didn't need the Elessar any more).

According to Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn (which I raise here because according to CJRT The Elessar goes with Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn in certain features, and was probaly written about the same time, or a little earlier): '... and by its power [Nenya] the realm of Lorinand was strengthened and made beautiful.'


A further issue is that of competing conceptions and texts: in the later conception, it is not a given (at least) that Galadriel was in Greenwood (extended Lorien) when she received the Elessar. In my opinion she was not in Lorien until after she had received Nenya -- which is problematic with respect to her passing the Elessar on when she received Nenya, as she would have passed it on before even arriving in Lorien.


Even within the context of the earlier texts it still might be noted that the window for using the Elessar ends quite early with respect to Galadriel's relationship to Lorien. Galadriel does not take up her 'second rule' until the Third age and the disaster in Moria, almost two thousand years into the Third Age, as in this conception, after the Fall of Eregion she leaves Lorinand, and it was: '... not until far in the Third Age, when Amroth was lost and Lorinand was in peril, that Galadriel returned there, in the year 1981'.

Of course one need not merge these two texts, but in The Elessar itself (two stone conception) Galadriel still gives up the stone when she receives Nenya, and one has to fit that with 'some' version of her history in connection to Lorien.

Gorthaur the Cruel wrote: And do you also think that she beautified Lorien with the Elessar instead of Nenya, for Nenya's main funtion was only to arrest decay and change. And it is said that all things grew fair about her with the Elessar. So do you think? This must be why Rivendell wasn't as beautiful compared to Lorien, since Elrond did not possess the Elassar. He'd only be able to "preserve" the pre-existing vegetation that was in Rivendell, whereas Galadriel was able to beautify Lorien. Thoughts?

Delving deeper here...

In the description of the powers of the Elessar-stone the main focus seems (to me) to be on healing. At Sirion's haven Earendil uses it to heal both Men and Elves, and beasts, and even the land appears to reflect this, as: 'all things were for a while green and fair' (ignoring here that in The Silmarillion the healing is attributed to the Silmaril).

Noting Galadriel's complaint (to both Gandalf and Celebrimbor): 'for leaves fall and flowers fade; and my heart yearns, remembering trees and grass that do not die. I would have these in my home.' (to Gandalf). And similarly to Celebrimbor: 'I would have trees and grass about me that do not die -- here in the land that is mine' And looking back at the earlier description of Earendil's stone: '... withered or burned healed again, or as they were in the grace of their youth'

Is Galadriel asking for the power to make Lorien more beautiful? if the Elessar made things more beautiful they would still fade and die, arguably making Galadriel's grief even more piercing. And in the 'two Elessar' conception Galadriel did not know that she would later have Nenya to preserve the work of the Elessar, and even upon receiving her Ring, she could not use it for many years to come in any event (and in the 'one Elessar' conception she already had Nenya when the Stone came to her, which is why I fail to see why she would say these things to Gandalf at this point).

In any case I think The Elessar text is very much a draft text, and not merely with respect to Celebrimbor's changing history (since he became Feanorian).