For some time I was dying to write this post, exactly when I received this winter Morgoth's Ring, the tenth volume of the History of Middle Earth. Now that I finally got the documentation and the time I can take action.
I came across several articles about sexuality in Tolkien's elves who have teased my little non-critical vein. In these articles, will link the two most important at the end (to Uljanka is a starting point), they made several references to the fact that Tolkien was a Catholic and therefore considered sex outside of wedlock something dirty and finalized mainly for procreation. The usual modern preconceptions, in fact. Because in modern society where a love story written contains no sex is just an alarm. The author is politically correct, retrograde, bigoted, and many other nice things. And if one holds to certain values \u200b\u200b"old" even in everyday life, and certainly kept us Tolkien, is a scandal. In these cases, once it comes to platonic love, because no appearance of sexual activity. But what is first of all this blessed platonic love that all appointed time? In
concenzione is a common idealized love, spiritual, as opposed to carnal love and passion. Poor Plato, the which traces the origin of this concept, did not intend that. Platonic love is a love so that tends to transcend the reality of the senses to achieve the perfect world of ideas, but has a dual nature, is both spiritual and carnal! It involves both the mind and body. Eros, the daimon that Plato uses to represent the love, the allegory of love is understood as generating power and spiritual union. This balance of forces leads to harmony, no disorder of the passion. Why the passion is very different from love. We must not forget that many fans of the legends make it a bad end because they end consumed from the heat of passion, a love that is degenerate, chaotic, destructive. A love that is based almost entirely on the gender dimension and is not tempered by reason, by force of will. As Denis de Rougemont says about Tristan and Isolde
"Tristan and Isolde ... do not love what they love is love and the very fact of loving. And act as if they understood that this which is opposed to love and devotes the guarantees in their hearts, to exalt forever the instant of killing that is the obstacle
death "
Behold, these words express the passion (understood as the exaltation of the physical side and selfish love, attention, not as the absence of flesh!) would be harmful.
Found that platonic love is not for chaste love, let us analyze the case of the elves of Tolkien.
The Eldar are an interpretation of the Norse elves, with the addition of Finno-Ugric influences I would say is Gaelic. Certainly it is undeniable that Tolkien was inspired by Christian principles, as evidenced by the monotheistic religion elf. However, it is known the contempt of Tolkien to the forced allegory, and in fact the sources from which it draws its inspiration are many and always mixed together. It makes no sense to say that Tolkien elves = good Catholics. Sexuality for the elves Tolkien is linked to procreation as for Christians, this is true, but there are particular cultural and religious rules and customs that link to pagan peoples. Sex is seen as generating life force, and has always been considered a sacred , connected to religion, giving rise to the various "sacred marriage" and sacred prostitution. Regardless of how you consider the morality of it all, immediately evident in the sacredness of sex as an expression of life. Sex and procreation are two things connected to all civilizations, without necessarily exclude the sentimental and erotic side. Some people have emphasized more the latter aspect than others, the fact is that no one has denied the first aspect. And after this concept was born the institution of marriage. Marriage and its connection to the concept of procreation and family plays a very important religious and social role in all early civilizations, was not invented by Christians. In addition, the male virility was connected to its power-generating. Having so many children was a source of pride.
For Eldar sex is sacred in the true sense of the word. In this essay, Laws and Customs of the Eldar, we learn that two lovers also choose at a young age and that the engagement is one year. This year the two get to know and can also dissolve bonding, although this is not done lightly. The marriage takes place with the consent of families and is considered unbreakable. Just because it is the sexual act to make it so. Not the ceremony, not the various formalities. In times of war, or even if you prefer, rituals are often avoided and engagements. Just the consent of the two lovers, and say a religious formula. It follows as a carnal union is the culmination of a love relationship "spiritual" is what makes true love. Even if the test specifies that the Eldar are masters of their own bodies and not allow themselves to be misled by lust, it is clear that a loving relationship without the sexual component is not acceptable for them. Sexual desire is for power generating, and tends to decrease with time as the interest of the elves turns to other things, but this seems normal to immortal beings and also to be fortunately sessuomani
XD So for the elves and the trio sex-love-eternal life force is vital. The sacredness of everything is the same as in the ancient primitive religions, although it is expressed in a more rational way, then putting the impulse physical willpower. The fact that there are betrayals (I must point out that the marital betrayal was serious not only among Christians but also among the Germans are famous for the fidelity of their wives) or lascivious acts is only half true. It is rare but not unusual. Think Aredhel enmeshed by Eol Maeglin and passion for Idril, as well as the dark elves corrupted or not civilized like the Noldor (this is only mentioned in the essay but it is still important).
Regarding the relationship between the elves of Tolkien's mythology and models, it must be said that there are a lot of different races of elves and those that were known to be seducing the Tuatha de Danaan, the Celtic fairies. The Noldor more closely resemble the Norse Light Elves, and indeed are far from being a nation suffering from gooders. Considering the function sacred sex for the High Elves, it is clear that this profile was consistent with the Tolkien reference model. Then we have also added Christian values \u200b\u200bcan only be a good indicator of originality. Why were his followers to have misunderstood the relationship with the elven sex and to have given rise to the coupling-chaste love elves. If anything it is more correct to talk about the similarities between the elven love or chivalry and courtly love, but not repudiation of sexuality or its exclusive use for procreation.
http://jav-nav-prav.blogspot.com/2009/02/postilla-sullamore-platonico-tra-gli.html
http://it.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A1f4bVdA55xMY68AGmpHDwx .; _ylu = = X3oDMTExZ281dWU3BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA3VrbAR2dGlkAwRsA1dTMQ--/SIG 1295otibv/EXP = 1285437632 / ** http% 3A / / www.rohirrim.it / articles / Letti_caldi_eldar.htm
ps: I hope that if the Uljanka not take offense, I had mentioned long ago your opinion on this topic. Specifically that his article was the starting point for discussion and I just felt the need to deepen into the subject, from die-hard Tolkien fans who are ^ _ ^
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