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08-18-2008, 10:09 AM | #1 | |
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Facing the world's troubles with Christ's hope!
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Turin, and the living sword
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Gurthang, the sword of Turin, had had two master before Turin. Is it possible that the sword being of high quality, and having been through many things, developed a mind of it's own? This would also raise the question: do all high works of the Noldor (or the dwarves of Belegost for that matter) have this ability? Personally, I think that Turin was mad with rage and grief so that when he spoke to the sword the voice was all in his head. Yet Tolkien does not lead us to that assumption in the text above. So I thought that I'd bring the question to the Downs: Is the sword really talking?
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08-18-2008, 10:34 AM | #2 |
Pilgrim Soul
Join Date: May 2004
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While it is clear that the Noldorin technology gave their works properties that seem magical, and the fairytale styly hobbit has the troll's talking purse, I have always felt that the speech of the sword was a projection of Turin's guilt. May be by personifying the sword he is displacing responsibility for his death - thought I don't know that ME culture banned suicide in the way that Tolkien's own did.
I have alwasy found it very powerful and don't think the psychologicaly interpretation lessens it - thought I seem to remember being in the minority the last time it came up.
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08-18-2008, 11:24 AM | #3 | |
Curmudgeonly Wordwraith
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08-18-2008, 11:35 AM | #4 | |
Pilgrim Soul
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Quote:
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“But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.”
Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace |
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08-18-2008, 04:10 PM | #5 | ||
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Facing the world's troubles with Christ's hope!
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Quote:
Quote:
Your assumption could be possible, Morthoron, thanks for brining that to my attention.
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I heard the bells on Christmas Day. Their old, familiar carols play. And wild and sweet the words repeatof peace on earth, good-will to men! ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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08-19-2008, 08:29 AM | #6 |
Flame Imperishable
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He did. Out of a meteorite. Anyway, I think it really did talk, on its deathbed (well, it was actually Turin's, but I assume the sword knew what would happpen). It seems to me like finally showed its tre colours, right at the end.
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08-19-2008, 09:18 AM | #7 |
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
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Having a spark of divinity, as we can say, Anglachel and Anguirel made from meteorite which was a fallen star which in turn comes from Varda's well fed with the dews of Telperion; and Sauron's Ring "speaking" in Mount Doom:
[QOUTE] Begone, and trouble me no more! If you touch me ever again, you shall be cast yourself into the Fire of Doom! [/QUOTE] we can then argue that certain items with that "spark of divinity" could develop, shall we say, a mind of their own. Didn't the Silmarils rejoice at light and gave it back in hues more splendid than before? However the excellent point that says the "voice" may all be in Turin's head is also something to be noted. The blood of Beleg, and of Brandir, slain unjustly, these are at that particular point in his life very piercing thoughts, and together with Nienor's true name, enough to make a man go wild and commit suicide (kinda like seppuku, but if he were a Bushido-loving fellow the suicide would have been at the fall of Nargothrond). About your points with swords like Sting glowing in the dark when foes are close, doesn't Orcrist at Thorin's grave also light up when enemies are at hand? I suppose this is a characteristic of Noldorin works, being able to light up. From the Silmarils to the Feanorian lamps to their swords to Galadriel's vial.
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