The Age of the Ring (Lord of the Rings) Forum
Tolkien only Section => Books - Advanced Reading => Topic started by: EG on September 18, 2005, 04:40:54 PM
-
Tangent 1: Why did Eru make the Ainur?
Tangent 2: What is the nature of Time in Tolkien?
-
profound wuestions you've posed there EG and one's that I'll need time to consider.
Lessa
-
what i know of the elven life, is that time passes much slower for them than human kind. I guess therefore that rather than things happen so quickly, it would have happened in half a lifetime perhaps ???
-
Tangent 2: What is the nature of Time in Tolkien?
I'm afraid with my inferior brain power, i can't quite get this question.
As we don't know the nature of time in our world, how can we comprehend the nature of tolkein's?
-
I think that it means bascially do you think that Time in Middle Earth passed at the same rate as time here ?
I know that the Hobbits for instance had different calendars to us, but were 24 hours = one day, or more or less ? hmmm.....
Certainly time passes more slowly for elves :-\
-
I don't know that time itself passes more slowly for elves. Wouldn't only their perception of time be altered?
After all, correct me if i'm wrong (i don't have my copies of the books with me), but doesn't gildor say that time seems to pass both more slowly and more quickly for elves. I can't quite remember his reasoning for it, and i'm too tired to try and think what it might have been, though!!!!
-
I think it was Legolas - and he made the comment after Sam couldn't figure out why the moon had nearly completed a full cycle while they were in Lorien. But I don't remember his reasoning either and I'm writing from work (everyone gone but me and the janitor), so I can't check the book.
I wonder if the mortal members of the company aged slower while they were in Lorien? There was no reference to time being altered while they were in Rivendell, even though both places were governed by a wearer of one of the Three Rings. Guess Elrond's mom-in-law was considerably more powerful than he was!
-
Or perhaps it was to do with how they chose to use the rings....galadriel used the ring to 'slow time' but elrond didn't.
p.s. sorry have had quite a bit of drink tonight, can't think properly
-
I don't think time actually passes more slowly. But I think amount of time is less significant to elves as it is to mortals as they have much more time at their disposal. Not necessarily does time move slower... but their life does. If that makes sense.
-
and doesn't that amount to the same thing ? A day in an elf's life is similar to say a week of ours.
-
Well, no, not really. Like some years you say to yourself, "My God it's November already! I'll have to buy Great Auntie Anne's Christmas present soon!" doesn't mean that time has moved quicker, just that to you it seems quicker.
-
It is appearantly possible to travel backwards in time, without any noticible paradoxical effects (The Lost Road, Notion Club Papers)
-
Tangent 1: Why did Eru make the Ainur?
I think Eru had the vision of Earth and the life upon it, and he made the Ainur to carry out this vision, with their song and melody. Perhaps he wanted to hear the beautiful music while they created the Earth? Those are both good questions though! I shall ponder!