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There has been quite the hubbub around
the original female character "Tauriel"
in the upcoming Hobbit films. I have opinions, my main one being that there's not yet enough info to have a fixed opinion one way or another. I also have other opinions. I sense an essay coming on, someday when I have time.
the original female character "Tauriel"
in the upcoming Hobbit films. I have opinions, my main one being that there's not yet enough info to have a fixed opinion one way or another. I also have other opinions. I sense an essay coming on, someday when I have time.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-28 09:32 am (UTC)Also, having carefully read the bit in the LOTR preface about the transmission of the Red Book of Westmarch and its dodgy copies and Gondorian 'corrections', I am quite happy to believe there are several versions of the story with aspects of canonical truth! :-D
no subject
Date: 2012-01-29 12:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-29 09:35 am (UTC)But then thinking about that a bit, I disagreed with myself violently - Eowyn, Aredhel and above all Luthien - this is not a writer who expects women to enjoy sitting about at home waiting for pillaging orcs...
And after all, how many sylvan elves of the lower classes do we ever meet in detail? Half of them are just described as 'elves' which could be male or female... Hmm.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 01:29 am (UTC)This is always instructive!
One thing I've heard said of Tolkien, and which I tend to agree with, is that he was rather ahead of his time in including *any* female fighters in his tales at all despite the now-noticeable male-centric world.
I'm trying to find the reference unsuccessfully so far, but apparently it was set down somewhere by the Professor that female elves could fight but that it was exceedingly rare. I can't recall if he meant all elves, or just Noldor. But to me, sylvan elves seem less concerned with propriety than the more "civilized" elves, so I'd almost think it more likely that there would be the occasional female elf fighter in Mirkwood.
no subject
Date: 2012-01-30 08:30 am (UTC)