Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth

[Nanedhel]

It has been cool and damp for two days now, so I have gone into a sort of hibernation mode. This type of weather always makes me want to curl up with a good book, so naturally I have gotten out some of my favorite works by Tolkien, namely the Athrabeth. Now all I need is a crackling fire.

I completely agree with you, RÃ*an, about the feeling of the Athrabeth. It is less about the description of places and events, and is more a feeling of an interaction between two friends. I can not think of any other place in Tolkien's writings where there is such a rich interaction between two individuals, where we can get a feel for their personality and true sense of self. I really grew to like Finrod in this chapter. He is not a remote and intimidating Elf-lord, he is just a friend of Andreth's, trying to better understand his mortal friends and offer what comfort that he is able.

Also, excellent point about the using of Melkor’s name. I had not noticed that before. Perhaps you are right in that Finrod uses Morgoth’s original name around mortals. Perhaps that is the name they are more familiar with, not having renounced it as the Noldor did in Aman. That may take some more thought.

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair

…in the end it would appear that humans were the immortal ones since they would go beyond and live again, where as the Elves died when the world died, so they were only immortal within Arda.

That is exactly the impression that I have gotten. It says in the Silmarillion, of mortals, that “Death is their fate, the gift of Ilúvatar, which as Time wears even the Powers shall envy�. It has always struck me that mortals, for all of their envy of the perceived immortality of the Elves, are envied far more by the Elves themselves and possibly even by the Valar and Maiar.

Originally posted by Attalus:

but they view themselves as more or less condemned to stay behind when Mankind will go on to something grand, exciting, and truly immortal. The good ones, anyway. In the seminal "On Fairy Stories," JRRT suggests that the "Human Stories" of the Fairies might be concerned with Escape from Deathlessness,

I think this is at the heart of the Elves’ sorrow and fear for the future that Finrod is trying to explain. This is something that I have given a lot of thought to, the Elves' fear of their fate. Some day I will organize my thoughts on that topic, but I think I have rambled on enough for one day.