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Celeborn Unplugged - Page 4

© Michael Martinez

People look at The Silmarillion and think, "Gee, Elves killed Balrogs right and left. So why should Celeborn be concerned about one?" Well, The Silmarillion is misleading. The only tale where Elves kill Balrogs is the story about Tuor and the fall of Gondolin, and Christopher Tolkien had to summarize a very early, pre-Silmarillion story from The Book of Lost Tales to create that chapter. Realistically, had J.R.R. Tolkien lived long enough to rewrite that story for The Silmarillion, he probably would not have had so many Balrog kills. He might have retained Glorfindel's heroic sacrifice and that would have been it. Celeborn had to worry about keeping Lothlorien on the map for as long as possible. The odds stacked against Lothlorien's further long-term survival were, in fact, rather overwhelming. So why should any wise person (especially one of the Elven Wise, who have their own concerns anyway) not be a little concerned upon learning that a Balrog lives next door? Galadriel's heart must skipped a beat as well, and she was spared having to express her concern by Celeborn's outburst. In fact, Celeborn's retraction showed that he and Galadriel were not always of one mind. His quick apology to Gimli, following upon her gentle admonition, demonstrates a strength of character that Galadriel did not see in herself. Celeborn was able to change horses in the middle of the stream. He was not compelled by his past choices toward a single course of action. Galadriel, on the other hand, had trapped herself in Middle-earth through her own choices (or so we are led to believe in The Road Goes Ever On). Celeborn's temperament is flexible and open to persuasion. Nonetheless, he is also knowledgeable about the outer world. When Aragorn reveals that he has not decided which way the Fellowship will go, Celeborn buys him a little time by giving the Fellowship a few boats. The boats allow Aragorn to keep his options open. But they also speed the group on their way toward the inevitable choices they must make. Aragorn doesn't realize that, since he loses track of how fast they proceed down river. When Celeborn summons the Fellowship one last time before they depart, he tells them: "For we are come now to the edge of doom. Here those who wish may await the oncoming of the hour till either the ways of the world lie open again, or we summon them to the last need of Lorien." There is a sense of urgency in his words which is buried beneath Aragorn's doubt and Celeborn's adept handling of that doubt. While Celeborn refrains from making choices for the Fellowship, he wisely limits those choices.

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