🧝Earendil and Ancalagon

[Bucky]

Oh, I stumbled upon this quote on another site, a post by a soon to be published Tolkien author (book on the Silmarillion)

From 'Myth's Transformed':

It is now clear to me that in any case the Mythology must actually be a 'Mannish' affair. (Men are really only interested in Men and in Men's ideas and visions.) The High Eldar living and being tutored by the demiurgic beings must have known, or at least their writers and loremasters must have known, the 'truth' (according to their measure of understanding). What we have in the Silmarillion etc. are traditions (especially personalized, and centred upon actors, such as Fëanor) handed on by Men in Númenor and later in Middle-earth (Arnor and Gondor); but already far back - from the first association of the Dúnedain and Elf-friends with the Eldar in Beleriand - blended and confused with their own Mannish myths and cosmic ideas.


It seems to back up what I've been saying about the 'passed down through many hands' theory......

 

[Nalcyon]

FWIW I choose to take the stories in the Sil as literal. I think the dragon got pwnd. In my fantasy world I enter when I read these stories, I want to believe it is true. And I mean true as in the context of Tolkien's world. In other words I don't want to be reading about middle earth and hearing things that are myth in middle earth, I want to hear about things that actually happened in middle earth.

 

[Bucky]

FWIW I choose to take the stories in the Sil as literal. I think the dragon got pwnd. In my fantasy world I enter when I read these stories, I want to believe it is true. And I mean true as in the context of Tolkien's world. In other words I don't want to be reading about middle earth and hearing things that are myth in middle earth, I want to hear about things that actually happened in middle earth.

This is a typical attitude/view in the world of Tolkien/Middle-earth these days....

The author lays out HIS view in plain black & white right on the printed page, yet the readers of today (by and large) insist anyhow "I believe the text means this or that to me" despite Tolkien's clear debuttle of their 'theories/opinions'.......

Just like supposed Christians reinterpretting the bible to fit their needs instead of following what the word clearly says.

 

[Nalcyon]

This is a typical attitude/view in the world of Tolkien/Middle-earth these days....

The author lays out HIS view in plain black & white right on the printed page, yet the readers of today (by and large) insist anyhow "I believe the text means this or that to me" despite Tolkien's clear debuttle of their 'theories/opinions'.......

Just like supposed Christians reinterpretting the bible to fit their needs instead of following what the word clearly says.

Please don't tell me you believe the Bible is less mythological than the Silmarrillion! I think there are more inconsistencies in it!











*sorry, I know you aren't supposed to discuss religion, I was just trying to be provacative... Carry on!

 

[Bucky]

Please don't tell me you believe the Bible is less mythological than the Silmarrillion! I think there are more inconsistencies in it!











*sorry, I know you aren't supposed to discuss religion, I was just trying to be provacative... Carry on!

No problem.....

I used to think the same thing myself and no man can change that, lol.......

'The wisdom of God is foolishness to men.'

 

[Ancalagon]

I can tell you all now it was just a flesh wound, I'm fine, I will rid Arda of this Earendil character before you know it!

 

[Alcuin]

I can tell you all now it was just a flesh wound...

“just a flesh wound,” eh?

 

[Peeping-Tom]

I actually mentioned this in another thread too...

But this masive Dragon flies? Did it not?
What if Eärendil, and the Eagles, simply sliced Ancalagon's wings to shreads?

"Sorry Anca...No wings, no fly",...and Ancalagon fell down upon Thangorodrim and smashed it and himself good...end of the...well his story.

 

[Edheldae]

Some good points about Tolkien intentionally trying to be vague in his mythological style retelling, yet we insist on trying to pin him down to know what exactly happened.

I always imagined a shiny comet ala Silmaril flaring, death-from-above kind of drop with the keel of Vingilot bashing Ancalagon, followed up with prow-mounted ram to the gut. but then I'm always had an over-active imagination. :*cool:

 

[Bard the Bowman]

How can you people just not accept this as literal? Peeping-Tom has a good point, but it's not as cool as him actually slaying it. Earendil is in his magical flying ship. Ancalagon is this gigantic dragon. Obviously the power of the Silmaril had something to do with Earendil's victory. How could he accomplish what the Valar could not? It probably protected him from the blast and gave him greater strength. I also think that Vingilot would be more maneuverable than Ancalagon. He could have dodged Ancalagon and hopped on his head and then drive his sword through his brain.

About the Eagles of Manwe being able to fight the dragons, Thorondor had a wingspan of thirty fathoms. That equals about 55 feet. That is one giant eagle. 30 or so of those should be able to tackle dragons.

Also maybe Vingilot had a spike at the front and Earendil just went full speed ahead and rammed right into Ancalagon and then backed up letting him drop. Just a thought