Chapter 19: Of Beren and Lúthien

***Earniel*** · 01-17-2019, 06:26 PM

I had not forgotten the Athrabeth. It is to my knowledge pretty much the only case known of that sort of love between a mortal woman and an Elf. There are far more instances the other way around. Which is perhaps why it still rubs me wrong a little bit because everybody seemed to be so darned convinced it could never work! Whyyyy?

I don't remember it much, it's been a while since I read it, but I remember not being particularly impressed by the reasons eveybody gave for being opposed.

So it partly spurred me on to make the general observation that mortal woman just don't seem to be 'high' enough for elven husbands. And as a mortal woman (alas!) myself, it obviously annoys me.

***Varnafindë*** · 01-19-2019, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eärniel

I don't remember it much, it's been a while since I read it, but I remember not being particularly impressed by the reasons eveybody gave for being opposed.

I fear there isn't much to be impressed about in that respect ...

And all we hear in that story is one elf's point of view. It's a conversation only between Andreth and the brother of her loved one. Perhaps he (Finrod) is biased? He speaks for all the others there, does he give a true account of the other's reasons?

And perhaps he thinks Andreth isn't good enough for his brother and doesn't allow him to go on with the relationship?

This is perhaps fanfiction rather than interpreting the text (I have even participated in some RPing about it), but interesting all the same ...

***Earniel*** · 01-20-2019, 01:17 PM

There's something to be said for that line of thought. But... why did it have to be Finrod?

Now if this was someone of the Fëanoreans, or even Thingol, one could understand the obvious bias and dismiss it accordingly.

But Finrod...Finrod was by all accounts a reasonable, intelligent and straight-laced guy. And he probably knew more about humans than the majority of the Noldorin Princes due to his higher interaction with the House of Bëor.

By all accounts Finrod of all people had to know what he was talking about. And then he does something like this.

One of the reasons I am not quite a Finrod-fangirl, despite all the other good stuff he had going for him.

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01-17-2019, 06:26 PM	#1
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	I had not forgotten the Athrabeth. It is to my knowledge pretty much the only case known of that sort of love between a mortal woman and an Elf. There are far more instances the other way around. Which is perhaps why it still rubs me wrong a little bit because everybody seemed to be so darned convinced it could never work! Whyyyy? I don't remember it much, it's been a while since I read it, but I remember not being particularly impressed by the reasons eveybody gave for being opposed. So it partly spurred me on to make the general observation that mortal woman just don't seem to be 'high' enough for elven husbands. And as a mortal woman (alas!) myself, it obviously annoys me.

01-20-2019, 01:17 PM	#3
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	There's something to be said for that line of thought. But... why did it have to be Finrod? Now if this was someone of the Fëanoreans, or even Thingol, one could understand the obvious bias and dismiss it accordingly. But Finrod...Finrod was by all accounts a reasonable, intelligent and straight-laced guy. And he probably knew more about humans than the majority of the Noldorin Princes due to his higher interaction with the House of Bëor. By all accounts Finrod of all people had to know what he was talking about. And then he does something like this. One of the reasons I am not quite a Finrod-fangirl, despite all the other good stuff he had going for him.