oOoOO once again you my friend always shine a new perspective on things!
My thoughts for this instantly jumped to
the one direct reference by name to
Celebrían in FOTR. The passage in question is when
Galadriel and
Aragorn are speaking before the Fellowship leaves
Lothlórien. I'm totally not forsaking my studies to find it lol.
Anyway, Galadriel gives Aragorn the
Elfstone, saying, "'This stone I gave to Celebrían my daughter, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope...'"
To this Aragorn replies, "'For the gifts that you have given me, I thank you... O
Lady of Lórien of whom were sprung Celebrían and
Arwen Evenstar. What praise could I say more?' The lady bowed her head, and she turned then to
Boromir..."
What I am about to do is really read into that bowing of her head and what it could mean. First off, however, I'd like to point out Aragorn has never met Celebrían before, and here he is singing her praises. Most likely this is through knowing the rest of the family very well being raised by them (apart from Arwen who he met later, as you certainly know) of whom Arwen Celebrían's daughter he loves the most, which makes this all the more important. The Elfstone Galadriel carries she passed on to Celebrían who passed on to Arwen who must have at some point returned it to Galadriel's safekeeping for Aragorn (if anyone knows when this occurs, I would love to know!). Carries a whole heritage worth of importance, it does. I don't quite see how this connects to the mother's heart of Galadriel this discussion is centering on, but note Aragorn's response to the gift! He is praising Galadriel not for her wisdom, not for her graciousness to him and the Fellowship, not for setting him up with Arwen (interjection: I always found this part of App. A's
The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen super hilarious, Grandmother Galadriel matchmaking!), not for any mighty thing she has done as an
Elf of
Valinor... but he praises her for being a mother. And grandmother. He asks,
rhetorically, what higher praise could he offer.
And Galadriel bows her head. She has nothing to say because there is no more to say than what has been said. I take this as evidence she is a mother first and foremost in heart beyond all her power and foreknowledge and everything else beside that she is/has. She bows her head in recognition and reverence of this fact... and in sorrow for the long years of separation from her daughter across the sea and for her future separation with her granddaughter (at this point remember, she has passed the test, resolving to diminish and sail into the West-- where she will reunite with her daughter).
Anyway, I'm not sure how to conclude, but it is quite clear to me above all else Galadriel's motherhood is prized above all else by herself, and Aragorn has understood this. These are just my initial thoughts...
...And back to studying!
