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| A Case of Mistaken Identity by Conquistadora | 67 Review(s) |
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| purrlin | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| Well done! A fine piece of writing. One thing I'd like to add that might be of some interest is that from what I have read of Tolkein's work, the Elven realms didn't seem to worry about heirs as their human and dwarven neighbours did. I suppose when you're immortal that the idea of losing a King or Lord is unusual. I imagine that Thranduil was more like Legolas in his view to "Kingship" in his younger years as Oropher was certainly in charge. This could also explain some of Thranduil's behaviour and why certain histories consider him so "great", as he was thrust into the Kingship when few had expected him to be, and still did a great job. Like Legolas he was trained to the position, but there is a great deal of difference to being trained and taking up the mantle. And one other tiny personal bugbear.... Thranduil's wife, Legolas's mother. I hate that writers have her either killed of , dead in child birth, abused by Thranduil, or passed to the west. Our own histories tell of many "Great Kings" that if you asked who were their wives most could never tell you. I happen to think that to continue your train of thought, that the Lady of Thranduil was living happily and safely in Mirkwood along with her family. Not all members of even Royal family trees get mentioned in histories and its a truth that the female members seem to get mentioned least of all, unless something is very outstanding in either their behaviour, circumstance or history. This seems to stand true in Tolkein's stories as well. Woman are only truely mentioned if they have some outstanding response or behaviour that effects the men around them. Anyway sorry to ramble on...really only wished to congratulate you on a wonderful breakdown of an unusal Tolkein character. Thank you purrlin Author Reply: Thank you; thank you. :) Legolas' mother is always a fanfic quandary. If I just started writing now, knowing what I do, I might have left her with her family (I fall into the Valinor camp), but when I made that decision it was still back in my days of ultra-careful fanon, and since she hadn't been mentioned I thought it best to skirt the issue. Oh, well. I'd change it even now, but that would mean taking a monkey-wrench to all my background! Certainly Thranduil did not abuse her. Thanks again; it's nice to see all the defenders of the Elvenking come out of the woodwork! :) | |
| French Pony | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| Generally a good and solid argument in favor of one of the most interesting Elves that Tolkien ever wrote. I think the only thing you missed was the charge that Thranduil is a raging alcoholic; address that issue, and you'll have covered it all. One of the things I find interesting about him is how. . . well, for want of a better word. . . human he is. I think he has much more depth than the average Tolkien Elf, who tends to be either all good or all evil, but kind of two-dimensional in any case. Thranduil really only ever has a supporting role, but you get to see him in all sorts of lights, both wise and foolish, a kind ruler and a jerk, the lord and the refugee. The trick with Thranduil, I think, is to really work this three-dimensionality, and I think that's really where a lot of writers fall a bit short. I think he does have a temper, and probably a whole host of psychological issues stemming from his refugee childhood and experiences in Mordor (losing two-thirds of your army, anyone?), and the stories I like best have him really wrestling with that. He may be the greatest Elvenking ever, but I don't think it comes easily to him; he really has to work at it. The trouble with a lot of stories is that they show everything in absolutes. There's no room for a basically decent king with some personal problems. He must be either a saint (which he rarely is) or an absolute monster. That, for me, is why I find the Thranduil-as-a-raging-drunkard stories so terrible. It's not the fact that he is portrayed as a hopeless drunken meanie; it's that such a portrayal is inherently kind of boring. There's no growth, no development, no character, just a cardboard cutout with "villain" painted across it. There is a whole spectrum of ways to work with this character and the personal issues he might have (which Tolkien does hint at), and most stories just don't do it. Author Reply: I totally agree about Thranduil's three-dimensionality; he certainly does have a temper, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to control it when he wants to, nor does it make him some kind of raging maniac that threatens death to everyone within a ten-mile radius every time something ticks him off. ^_^ And he does have issues with his past, which I would imagine color many of his later deeds. And being King of Mirkwood is a heck of a job. There seems to be no explicit canon refutation of the drunken-meanie besides common sense, but I will endeavor to find one. ;) Hey, if anything, in excess that wine they keep in his household makes people happy before knocking them out cold, if one remembers Galion and his fate. Ai, I can't imagine Thranduil was very pleased with him. >_< | |
| Elena Tiriel | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| Excellent work! I always had the feeling that Thranduil was ill-served in much fan fiction, but to see all the original sources quoted really puts it all together. Thank you! - Barbara Author Reply: You are most welcome! :) | |
| Gypsum | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| Thank you! Your essay could not be more timely or helpful! I am working on a story where Thranduil plays a semi-prominent role towards the end, and I was utterly clueless as to how one writes him. There is a dirth of information about him and what info you can find is scattered. Your essay brought it together nicely. Thanks again!! Author Reply: Hooray! So glad to help! That's what I'm here for. ;) | |
| Bejai | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| Woohoo! Brilliant! While Thranduil has not historically been one of my ... hm, obsessions, these mighty Sindar kings are taking up more and more room in my heart. The connections to Doriath and the first age are particularly facinating. All the great elves living in the third are connected in interesting, important ways -- for example, while the elves of Rivendell and Lothlorien are more my style, I've been discovering that it is impossible to work out their history without knowing about Thranduil, Oropher, Amdir, and Amroth. So I very much appreciate this essay, if for nothing more than a good reflection of what ELSE is going on in the world I like to play in. And I always appreciate someone who can lay down the law regarding the nature of elves in general. Only one or two of the very worst would do even half the things some writers have the best doing Author Reply: I'm not sure what it is about Thranduil that I find so captivating . . . maybe his resemblence to many of the historical figures I find to be facinating. He has all the magnificent temper of Emperor Charles V, all the concerns and high moral standards of King Philip II (who really reminds me more of Legolas; convienient since Philip was Charles' son), all the indomitable drive of St. Joan of Arc or Pope Gregory VII, etc. Poor King Philip also has a monster legend to deal with because of his Armada, so I think Thranduil can sympathize. ;) And yes, I wholeheartedly agree that the scandals of fanfic elvendom should be denounced more often and more vehemently. I kept my (online) mouth shut for a long time outside my own writing, but like Thranduil I finally abandoned the pushover attitude and decided I wasn't having any more of it. I usually avoid confrontations, but I'll stand up for this guy! Anyone who lasts as long as Thranduil did has to be doing something right! I used to not have much use for Lorien, but Marnie has instilled in me a healthy respect for Celeborn, so, greetings from one on the other side! | |
| Kitt of Lindon | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| Thank you for writing this! You took the words right out of my mouth in this essay. I too was getting very sick of the horrible jerk-Thranduil fan fiction that is going around. Reading this has brought me back to the ‘magnificent Elven lord of old’ state of mind on Thranduil that had been soiled before. Ah, it feels so good. I bow to you! Hmm, you put in that “he has a sense of humor as well”-how unused that is in fan fiction. And I'm so glad you pointed out the Legolas-Thranduil relationship was not a neglected one. There was never a wasted word in it, so I can only say this is a work of brilliance! Author Reply: You're welcome; I enjoyed writing it! It's about time we Good!Thranduilites found each other and gathered beneath his banner, don't you think? ;) And certainly Thranduil had a sense of humor! "May your shadow grow never less (or stealing would be too easy)! Farewell!" Can't you just see him smiling?! What a great guy! :D | |
| finafyr | Reviewed Chapter: 10 on 2/12/2004 |
| here here... to everything you said.. for too long have the elven peoples and especially Thranduil had to endure stories making him and others out to be beasts.. you have made your statements with much thought and study .. and I for one would like to thank you... I agree 1000% to every thing you said.. now if we could also get rid of the Merry and Pippin evil mean father stories.. (sigh) thank you from the bottom of my heart.. Author Reply: You are more than welcome. :) It was unfortunate that our only good look at Thranduil was at a less-than-opportune moment, and I don't think the poor guy will ever live it down, but no one who really takes the time to know him will conclude that he is a monster. I can't do much about Merry's and Pippin's problems of paternal-misrepresentation, but you have my sympathy! Cheers from a fellow Thranduil devotee. :) | |