Descendents of Finwë Part 18: Galadriel

[fanged-geranium.livejournal.com]

I can't think of much to say about Galadriel, except that the more Tolkien wrote about her, the more shiny and perfect he made her (see 'Unfinished Tales').


Galadriel

Potted History
*Also known as Artanis, Nerwendë and Al(a)tariel(lë) (HoME Vol. 12)
*One of the leaders of the rebellion of the Noldor ('The Road Goes Ever On')

In Valinor
Galadriel, most beautiful of all the house of Finwë; her hair was lit with gold as though it had caught in a mesh the radiance of Laurelin.

Galadriel, the only woman of the Noldor to stand that day tall and valiant among the contending princes, was eager to be gone. No oaths she swore, but the words of Fëanor concerning Middle-earth had kindled in her heart, for she yearned to see the wide unguarded lands and to rule there a realm at her own will.

In Menegroth
Galadriel his sister went not with him to Nargothrond, for in Doriath dwelt Celeborn, kinsman of Thingol, and there was great love between them. Therefore she remained in the Hidden Kingdom, and abode with Melian, and of her learned great lore and wisdom concerning Middle-earth

at times Melian and Galadriel would speak together of Valinor and the bliss of old; but beyond the dark hour of the death of the Trees Galadriel would not go, but ever fell silent. And on a time Melian said: 'There is some woe that lies upon you and your kin. That I can see in you, but all else is hidden from me; for by no vision or thought can I perceive anything that passed or passes in the West: a shadow lies over all the land of Aman, and reaches far out over the sea. Why will you not tell me more?'

'For that woe is past,' said Galadriel; 'and I would take what joy is here left, untroubled by memory. And maybe there is woe enough yet to come, though still hope may seem bright.'

Then Melian looked in her eyes, and said: 'I believe not that the Noldor came forth as messengers of the Valar, as was said at first: not though they came in the very hour of our need. For they speak never of the Valar, nor have their high lords brought any message to Thingol, whether from Manwë, or Ulmo, or even from Olwë the King's brother, and his own folk that went over the sea. For what cause, Galadriel, were the high people of the Noldor driven forth as exiles from Aman? Or what evil lies on the sons of Fëanor that they are so haughty and so fell? Do I not strike near the truth?'

"Near,' said Galadriel; 'save that we were not driven forth, but came of our own will, and against that of the Valar. And through great peril and in despite of the Valar for this purpose we came: to take vengeance upon Morgoth, and regain what he stole.'

Then Galadriel spoke to Melian of the Silmarils, and of the slaying of King Finwë at Formenos: but still she said no word of the Oath, nor of the Kinslaying, nor of the burning of the ships at Losgar. But Melian said: 'Now much you tell me, and yet more I perceive. A darkness you would cast over the long road from Tirion, but I see evil there, which Thingol should learn for his guidance.'

'Maybe,' said Galadriel; 'but not of me.'

And Melian spoke then no more of these matters with Galadriel

Galadriel the matchmaker
Galadriel came from Doriath and dwelt a while in Nargothrond. Now King Finrod Felagund had no wife, and Galadriel asked him why this should be; but foresight came upon Felagund as she spoke, and he said: 'An oath I too shall swear, and must be free to fulfil it, and go into darkness. Nor shall anything of my realm endure that a son should inherit.'

A realm of my own
not all the Eldalië were willing to forsake the Hither Lands where they had long suffered and long dwelt; and some lingered many an age in Middle-earth. Among those were Círdan the Shipwright, and Celeborn of Doriath, with Galadriel his wife, who alone remained of those who led the Noldor to exile in Beleriand.

Comments

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

... Perhaps you should have put UT Galadriel and LOTR Galadriel in too? Only this looks sadly incomplete without those bits.

Then again, no. UT makes Galadriel into such an oh-so-perfect character, both in body and mind, that I want to kick her out of the history altogether. Why did UT have to make her fight against Feanor? And rate her along there with Feanor as the mightiest of the Noldor? I can think of several mightier...

Sorry, ranting here. Point is, I love Galadriel's character in LOTR. I totally love the culture of the Galadhrim, which is why my self-insert of sorts lives in Lorien. But UT Galadriel is just... I hesitate to say Mary-Sue, because it's technically impossible in original fiction, but miss perfect-Galadriel-who's-so-stingy-with-her-hair makes me incredulous.

[fanged-geranium.livejournal.com]

These posts are specifically for the material in Christopher Tolkien's 'Quenta Simarillion', but if I'm not too lazy I'll be doing a similar series for UT and HoME. LoTR is already very well-documented by people who know it much better than me!

I agree with you 100% on Galadriel being far more likeable as a power-hungry rebel in LoTR than as a Sue-ish character in UT. It seems to me that in the last few years of his life JRRT was trying to take the shades of grey out of some of his characters.

Galadriel

[digdigil.livejournal.com]

Galadriel: Ya either love her or ya hate her.

Re: Galadriel

[fanged-geranium.livejournal.com]

I go between the two extremes, depending on which version of her!

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

*nods* Rebel!Galadriel is always more exciting than Reverent!Galadriel.

Or maybe I'm just biased. After all, I love the Feanorians, and I know lots of people don't like them. (Not present company, of course.) I can't blame them; they're just going with the opinion of the Sil and UT. I've always said, though, that just because one loves Tolkien's works doesn't mean one necessarily has to share his opinion of the characters and their deeds (I've never used this argument in a Sil debate. However, I often use it in Arwen debates where the other side says that "Tolkien intended Arwen to be a sympathetic character, who symbolises beauty, love, etc.") So the opinions of the narrator in the Sil and in LOTR do not necessarily have to be the reader's opinions. We can in a way read between the lines, see through the "bias", and appreciate whomever we see fit.

Just my somewhat unrelated two cents.

[fanged-geranium.livejournal.com]

Yes, but sometimes you don't even have to read between the lines - that's why I think its important to read what the text actually says about a character rather than just going with the author's 'spin'.