Home » Reading & Literature » J.R.R. Tolkien » Speaking of Legolas... - Page 3

Speaking of Legolas... - Page 3

© Michael Martinez

That's a curious thing to say. From whom did they hear the land was not deserted? Probably from Elrond's folk. And Legolas did learn the Westron translation of the lay in Rivendell, apparently. So it seems that Legolas was young enough not to have ever been in Lorien, or even to have approached it while its people were still active in the broad world. It may be, therefore, that he was born sometime in the Watchful Peace, and perhaps towards the end of it. He would thus be quite old even by comparison with the long-lived Gimli and Aragorn. Yet again Tolkien sets an apparent inconsistency before us. When Aragorn and Legolas discuss Celeborn's warning about Fangorn Forest, Legolas professes to know nothing, save only that old songs speak of the Onodrim, the Ents. He has not travelled as far as Aragorn. Yet later on, when they enter Fangorn to look for the missing hobbits, Legolas says, "It is old, very old. So old that almost I feel young again, as I have not felt since I journeyed with you children." That's a rather strange comment from an Elf who hasn't travelled far. Mirkwood is an ancient forest in its own right. But Mirkwood, unlike Fangorn, has been home to creatures which cut down trees, clear paths, and do other things which strip the age from forests. Elves, Men, Orcs, and even the giant spiders all make Mirkwood a very different forest. Perhaps Legolas was experiencing the sense of wonder that any child would feel upon first stepping out into the wider world. Legolas may have visited Rivendell more than once. He doesn't seem to be unfamiliar with Elrond's people. The journey from Mirkwood to Rivendell would not have been very perilous for many years after the Battle of Five Armies (since most of the Orcs of the Misty Mountains were killed in that battle). Some people have wondered if Legolas might not be a younger son of Thranduil. His role as messenger to Elrond, and Thranduil's later granting permission to Legolas to lead some of their people to Gondor seem to indicate Legolas may not have been his father's heir. Of course, Thranduil may only have been bowing to the inevitable as far as letting Elves leave for Gondor. If he were barely more than 500 years old at the time of the War of the Ring, Legolas would have lived through several significant events. He would recall the coming of Smaug to Erebor, and the destruction of the kingdoms of Dale and Erebor. He would remember the Long Winter, and probably would have been one of the Elven lords defending Thranduil in the Battle of Five Armies. He thus would have known some dangers and hardships, and so was well able to care for himself. He seems to fight the Orcs well enough at Parth Galen and later at Helm's Deep to show he is an accomplished warrior. He threatens Eomer's life on Gimli's behalf with all the confidence of a veteran.

The copyright of the article Speaking of Legolas... - Page 3 in J.R.R. Tolkien is owned by Michael Martinez. Permission to republish Speaking of Legolas... - Page 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.