Suite101: Gil-galad was an Elven-king...

That's this week's article at the Suite101 Tolkien and Middle-earth topic. I was rather disappointed in what I saw posted about Gil-galad on some of the Tolkien movie news sites last week when the Mark Ferguson story broke (he announced on a New Zealand radio show he had played Gil-galad in the "Lord of the Rings" movies being filmed in New Zealand).

So, I set out to write up a something-or-other about Gil-galad. It sort of wandered, as I lost my train of thought in the midst of the article and had to come back to it several days later.

As always, I welcome comments here, though I haven't been able to check this board every day.

www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/tolkien

Okay, Gil-Galad is the son of Orodreth. It was a shock for me the first time i heard that, but i agree there's no sense in denying it since Christopher Tolkien is affirming it so categorically.

However, i think whatever may say Christopher, the fan debate will never end till he resolves one crucial point: the HOME is written and signed by Christopher Tolkien, but the Silmarillion is written (as it's said in its foreword) by JRR and Chris. Tolkien, but is signed by JRR Tolkien (cuz it's the only name on the cover of the book).

Many fans are naturally unwilling to take as true (or canon, if you want) somethig in HOME that contradicts a work signed by JRR Tolkien.

How can Christopher resolve this debate? I can see two ways:

1. Altering the cover of Sil. including both names as co-authors. (i don't think he'll do that)

2. Producing a new edition of Sil., revised in those points he now think he failed in the first edition. That's the solution that literature tradition commands and the solution i hope he'll take some day.

Actually, all twelve volumes of THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH are attributed to J.R.R. Tolkien. Christopher is only editing the material, and commenting on it. He is listed merely as the Editor for each volume.

I think you're right nonetheless. The debate will continue because many fans see THE SILMARILLION as more "canonical" than HOME, and it doesn't help that HOME is a confusing source of information, often contradicting itself as Christopher might 2 or 3 volumes down the road say, "BTW, I was wrong on page x of volume y...."