Elven Ring Question...

Öjevind Lång wrote:

> I know a woman who insists that Galadriel just pretends to think
> Celeborn is wise and actually promotes herself by acting modest while
> consistently showing herself to be more insightful and bright than her
> husband.

Yes, that's it, spot on! That captures exactly what I was groping at.
Clever lady (Galadriel I mean, your friend also).

Galadriel I see as the the original "self-actualizer", ahead of her
time, or I should rather say, ahead of LotR's time. She wants to have
it all - esteem and power, beauty, femininity, benevolence, and
(perceived) modesty. She wants to develop all sides of herself to the
maximum, to *create* herself as a supremely magnificent being. (She's
almost like the Angelina Jolie of Middle-Earth, LOL. OK,not that bad).
For her, the temptation of the Ring was the supreme test, much more so
than it was for Gandalf, Aragorn, or Elrond. She herself says "I pass
the test, and will remain Galadriel". And she has all that backstory as
a Noldorin rebel against the Valar, forbidden by them to return, etc.
She's perhaps the most interesting character in the whole work, leaving
out only Gandalf and maybe Bombadil (who is fascinating chiefly because
he is mysterious).

Dave

On Dec 23, 6:48 am, Dave Stallard wrote:
> Öjevind Lång wrote:
> > I know a woman who insists that Galadriel just pretends to think
> > Celeborn is wise and actually promotes herself by acting modest while
> > consistently showing herself to be more insightful and bright than her
> > husband.
>
> Yes, that's it, spot on! That captures exactly what I was groping at.
> Clever lady (Galadriel I mean, your friend also).
>
> Galadriel I see as the the original "self-actualizer", ahead of her
> time, or I should rather say, ahead of LotR's time.  She wants to have
> it all - esteem and power, beauty, femininity, benevolence, and
> (perceived) modesty.  She wants to develop all sides of herself to the
> maximum, to *create* herself as a supremely magnificent being.  (She's
> almost like the Angelina Jolie of Middle-Earth, LOL.  OK,not that bad).
> For her, the temptation of the Ring was the supreme test, much more so
> than it was for Gandalf, Aragorn, or Elrond.  She herself says "I pass
> the test, and will remain Galadriel".  And she has all that backstory as
> a Noldorin rebel against the Valar, forbidden by them to return, etc.
> She's perhaps the most interesting character in the whole work, leaving
> out only Gandalf and maybe Bombadil (who is fascinating chiefly because
> he is mysterious).
>
>    Dave

This brings up a strange light upon te the relation between Celeborn
and Galadriel. It would imply that they were NOT married according to
the customs of the Eldar.
Marriage among the Eldar is forever, so much is clear. It holds the
promise that the couple will share their fates together. Thus, in a
mixed (official) marriage between Elves and Men the woman usually
followed the man (or the reverse). So did Luthien follow Beren and
Arwen follow Aragorn into the fate of men. On the other hand, Tuor has
followed Idril into the fate of the Elves. Also, Earendil and Elwing
chose the fate of the Elves, though they both had a choise due to
their mixed heritages.
About the problems of a second marriage between the Eldar much is
discussed in MR considering the second marriage of Finwe (to Indis).
Do we have no footage about Celeborn and Galadriel, about being them
married or not?
Apart from marriages there seems to be the possibility of a Liaison.
Consider Eol and Aredhel. They had an unofficial relation, though they
had offspring. But it is not likely that they, once reborn in Valinor
as is the `elves' wont, be reunited there. Eol had not married
Aredhel, but sort of bewildered her in his woodlands. Funny enough,
something similar appears to be valid for Melian and Thingol. Were
they married officially? If not, they are both free to find another
mate in Valinor.

About Galadriel being of more potency than Celeborn: Shure she was.
Celeborn never lived in the Blessed Realm under the Trees, but
Galadriel did. She may have had a chance to take knowledge from the
Valar themselves. In order to produce Lembas and the Coats of the
Fellowship, she must have had knowledge from Yavanna. She knew about
Water, so she must have known a water sprite to learn from.
Galadriels Mirror could look into the future so she has conversed with
Vaire, the Goddess of fate. But finally, in her mirror she could make
things visible, an achievement that places her next to Feanor. It is
tempting to imagine Galadriel and Feanor attending a master class by
Varda, about Light.
Now when we think about the gifts to the Fellowship, we tend to
forget the virtue of the Phial she gave to Frodo. This must really
have been a masterpiece by Galadriel. The Light of Earendil's star had
not been visible since the Change of the world. But before that event
she could not have applied the force of her Ring since Sauron carried
the One. She thus forced her mirror, probably with the power of her
Ring in the 3rd Aera, to look back in time and catch the light of
Earendil's star, that was the light of a Silmaril, that was the light
of the Trees.
This sounds much like Gandalf who had wanted to force a Palantir to
look back in time and see Feanor. So Galadriel's Mirror was some sort
of a Palantir, not for communication but for revealing, based on water
and spells rather than on crystal that was Feanor's skill.
This points to Galadriel to be a Wizard rather than a ruler. She may
have left the role of a ruler to her mate/husband.