What are Elves a symbol of?
In either form, elves are strongly associated with magic and nature. As with fairies, elves were said to secretly steal healthy human babies and replace them with their own kind.
How does JRR Tolkien describe Elves?
The Elves were the fairest creatures in Arda, a far more beautiful race than Men, and generally tall (about six feet). Elves had keener senses than Men. They were slender, graceful yet strong, and were resistant to extremes of nature, illness and disease.
What are Elves known for in the Hobbit?
The Elves, who called themselves the Quendi, and who in lore are commonly referred to as the Eldar (adj. Eldarin), were the first and eldest of the Children of Ilúvatar, and are considered to be the fairest and wisest of any race of Arda given sapience.
Who are the Elves based on?
Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Trolls, Dragons, Wights, Giants, Wraiths, and Goblins are all derived from Northern European mythology and legend. Some aspects of Dwarvish culture and language are borrowed from the lives of Jews in medieval Europe. Not permitted to own land, many became craftsmen.
What’s the difference between a fairy and an elf?
Elves are usually thought of as forest creatures, mischievous or too elegant for humans. They are usually smaller than people or they are very tall and thin. Fairies are usually thought of flower or plant devas, small creatures, also called pixies.
What do the Elves symbolize in The Hobbit?
The Elves symbolize the sad, sorrowful, and by-gone age that we in modern times can only know of in legend, in song, and in tale. Like Samwise Gamgee, I get sad just thinking about the departure of the Elves. Surely, that was the professor’s intent for perhaps that’s how he also felt.
Do elves ever leave Tolkien’s World?
They never leave. No, Tolkien’s elves are NOT immortal because their bodies can be killed and if that doesn’t happen they eventually fade, a process which Tolkien didn’t fully explain. We are sure that a fully faded elf is just a “houseless spirit”, a ghost.
What do the trolls symbolize in The Hobbit?
They don’t symbolize, i.e. represent, anything, any more than trolls or balrogs do. They are Tolkien’s way of characterizing faeries, mysterious mythical creatures from English folklore who live in the woods and in caves. Faeries are seldom seen and have magical powers.
Do the Elves have any power?
No, the Elves were possessed of a power we nor the “Men” of Tolkien’s world can’t truly comprehend, by design. They were the First-born and during the First Age, it was Men who existed to serve their Elven Kings.