Elric is Turin! - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Kaszul · 08-15-2002, 07:40 AM

This is just an observation I made after reading the Silmarillion, but has anyone ever noticed that Michael Moorcock's Elric is pretty much Turin?

I'm not for shure if discussing other works of fantasy, however related, is taboo in here. So, being new, if it is please overlook my stupidity.

To my point. The parallels:

Turin, as told in Narn Hi Hin Hurin, was given a black sword(Angrist, I think). This is the most obvious connection with Elric, who posesses a simillar black sword.

Both characters end up slaying their closest friends. In the case of Turin, Beleg. With Elric, he just ends up killing most everyone who ever gets close to him.

Its interesting that Turin at one point is also known as the Dragonhelm. This is because of(big surprise) his helm shaped like a dragon. Its intresting to note that Elric's head gear is shaped like that of a dragon taking flight.

Finally, upon the completion of their greatest deeds, both Turin and Elric converse with their swords and ask for death upon them.

The most interesting thing about the parallels between the characters is Moorcock's apparent boredome of Tolkien. Moorcock states somewhere that he loosely based Elric on Zenith the Albino of Sexton Blake fame. The albinism aside, Elric seems almost an exact copy. How could an author who so hates Tolkien churn out a character which is almost an exact copy of the author he is so bored by?

08-15-2002, 07:40 AM	#1
Kaszul Pile O'Bones Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 14	Elric is Turin! This is just an observation I made after reading the Silmarillion, but has anyone ever noticed that Michael Moorcock's Elric is pretty much Turin? I'm not for shure if discussing other works of fantasy, however related, is taboo in here. So, being new, if it is please overlook my stupidity. To my point. The parallels: Turin, as told in Narn Hi Hin Hurin, was given a black sword(Angrist, I think). This is the most obvious connection with Elric, who posesses a simillar black sword. Both characters end up slaying their closest friends. In the case of Turin, Beleg. With Elric, he just ends up killing most everyone who ever gets close to him. Its interesting that Turin at one point is also known as the Dragonhelm. This is because of(big surprise) his helm shaped like a dragon. Its intresting to note that Elric's head gear is shaped like that of a dragon taking flight. Finally, upon the completion of their greatest deeds, both Turin and Elric converse with their swords and ask for death upon them. The most interesting thing about the parallels between the characters is Moorcock's apparent boredome of Tolkien. Moorcock states somewhere that he loosely based Elric on Zenith the Albino of Sexton Blake fame. The albinism aside, Elric seems almost an exact copy. How could an author who so hates Tolkien churn out a character which is almost an exact copy of the author he is so bored by?