Favorites - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Elianna · 06-14-2004, 01:16 PM

It seems many Middle-Earth parents have a favorite child: Denethor and Finwë quickly come to mind, and I just read about Isildur's favorite being his eldest Elendur.

My parents are always careful to not play favorites. It certainly seems like parental favorites cause trouble. My mom's always cited Jacob and Esau and Joseph and his brothers. And certainly this was the case with Finwë. There obviously was no strain between Faramir and Boromir because of their father's favorite, but there certainly was tension between Faramir and Denethor.

Maybe it's there to add tension, as in the case of Finwë and Denthor, but why say it at all if it adds only a trivia question's worth to the story? Was playing favorites less frowned upon in Tolkien's time? Is it not as frowned upon now as I think it is?

06-14-2004, 01:16 PM	#1
Elianna Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ad finem itineris Posts: 384	Favorites It seems many Middle-Earth parents have a favorite child: Denethor and Finwë quickly come to mind, and I just read about Isildur's favorite being his eldest Elendur. My parents are always careful to not play favorites. It certainly seems like parental favorites cause trouble. My mom's always cited Jacob and Esau and Joseph and his brothers. And certainly this was the case with Finwë. There obviously was no strain between Faramir and Boromir because of their father's favorite, but there certainly was tension between Faramir and Denethor. Maybe it's there to add tension, as in the case of Finwë and Denthor, but why say it at all if it adds only a trivia question's worth to the story? Was playing favorites less frowned upon in Tolkien's time? Is it not as frowned upon now as I think it is? __________________ Enyale cuilenya, ú-enyale mandenya.