Quote:
Originally Posted by Gorthaur the Cruel
So if Galadriel was more powerful than Glorfindel, that means the curse of Mandos hasn't harshly affected her (except for weariness). And wasn't it said that the Eldar diminished in their spiritual powers eventually, or become weary to that effect?
|
Galadriel's diminishment would not have occured until after the destruction of the One Ring and her going into the West (as she herself prophesies in her dialogue with Frodo in Lothlorien); nevertheless, as I stated previously, she demolishes the walls of Dol Guldur after the One Ring was destroyed, which represents an act of immense innate power above and beyond being a bearer of Nenya, which would have lost its potency with the One Ring's demise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gorthaur the Cruel
But then Tolkien is confusing. He says that Galadriel was the mightiest and fairest of all the elves (including the mighty Glorfindel) in the 3rd age. But he seems to suggest that Elrond was inherently more powerful than Galadriel in one of his letters:
Quote:
|
Of the others only Gandalf might be expected to master him - being an emissary of the Powers and a creature of the same order, an immortal spirit taking a visible physical form. In the 'Mirror of Galadriel', 1381, it appears that Galadriel conceived of herself as capable of wielding the Ring and supplanting the Dark Lord. If so, so also were the other guardians of the Three, especially Elrond.
|
|
There is no confusion really; I believe you might be misreading Tolkien's quote. He is stating that Galadriel believed herself capable of wielding the One Ring, but also the
other guardians of the Three (that would be, at various times, Gil-Galad, Cirdan, Gandalf and Elrond) could also be capable of wielding the Ring as well, and of those
other guardians, Elrond in particular. I don't believe the statement gives precedence to either Galadriel or Elrond.
It must also be remembered that Celebrimbor originally gave the Three Rings of Power only to his High-King, Gil-Galad, and to Galadriel (Gil-Galad then giving one each to Elrond and Cirdan, who in turn gave his to Gandalf). This, I believe, infers the status of Galadriel amongst the Elves.