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11-14-2009, 05:13 PM | #1 | ||
Animated Skeleton
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 41
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Whom did the White Council serve?
Quote:
Certainly we know Mithrandir and Curunír both sat on the Council, and although in appearance they were similar to Men, it was known that they not 'of' Men. Quote:
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11-14-2009, 05:46 PM | #2 |
Gruesome Spectre
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Heaven's doorstep
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The White Council looks to be a gathering of those who saw the 'big picture' in Middle-earth; those with the most perspective and long experience. The Dwarves were always guilty (save in extreme necessity such as the Nirnaeth Arnoediad against Morgoth, or the Last Alliance) of being very self-involved. I can't picture the Dwarves of Erebor taking the time away from their own affairs to recognise the importance of council with other powers in Middle-earth. It was only immediately before the start of the War of the Ring that they were forced to do so.
The same could be said of the Dúnedain, at least those of Gondor in the Third Age. Boromir, for instance, thought only Gondor stood as a barrier to evil in the West, and its only allies were the Rohirrim. Gondor had come to the point where they believed they had no other allies, and it was only Boromir's dream and Denethor's anxiety about Mordor that brought a high Man of Gondor to the Council of Elrond. As for the Dúnedain in Arnor, they would have been too busy keeping guard, and Aragorn probably wouldn't have thought himself deserving of a seat on the Council anyway. The Council had to consist of those who could govern the 'real' war against Sauron without thought of any individual conflicts or interests. The greatest remaining Eldar and the Istari seem to be the closest to that ideal.
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11-14-2009, 05:59 PM | #3 |
Dead Serious
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I think it's important to note that the White Council was not exactly a legislative body so much as a group of like-minded people who got together to plan strategies against Sauron. In line with what Inziladun is saying, I'd say that this like-minded group really only consisted of the Istari and the Eldar.
In the time of the Last Alliance, the Dúnedain would probably have belonged as well--but by the time the Istari showed up and the White Council formed, Arnor had declined into petty infighting and Gondor was myopically swallowing up the southern coasts--neither would have seen the big picture at all. Perhaps later, after the fall of Arthedain, the Dúnedain of the North would have been involved in the actions of the White Council, as allies and collaborators of Rivendell and Gandalf (ie. guarding the Shire), but I can't really see any of the rugged Lords of the Rangers sitting in council with them....
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11-15-2009, 06:42 AM | #4 |
Curmudgeonly Wordwraith
Join Date: Jun 2007
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And let's not forget that the immortal make-up of the Council could allow for planning over centuries, rather than just months or years. Having mortals on the Council, even longer lived races like Dwarves would reduce the overall effectiveness of the group, particularly among Men, whose political and philosphical changeability might be pronounced over several generations.
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