Where have all the dragons gone?: Re: Dragons and gold

» mkletch - Re: Dragons and gold

In response to message posted by Michael_Martinez:

I really liked the extension of the Morgothian influence into the 'why do dragons hoard gold' question that no author has explained very well. The best to date was Barbara Hambly in Dragonsbane, but it seemed ... invented. In Tolkien, there is a lot of 'unpublished' material (the HOME series, letters, etc.) that extend the few works he published. Even in the Seigfried tales, if I remember correctly, Grendal only hoards the gold because it is the particular golden hoard stolen ages before from the Rhine.

I do agree partially with Neithan, though. I think the comment about gold and the Morgoth influence was merely an example, not pinpointing a particularly strong correlation. The same might be said about any substance in Ea that was not 'governed' by another of the Valar (e.g. water, air, light). Bringing together a lot of gold might create greed, but bringing together a lot of iron might create violence (iron weapons); a lot of hard stone might be the reason there is increased crime in cities.

Gold was chosen for the example only because it was the element for Sauron's ring. If Sauron made his ring out of steel, then Tolkien would have referenced steel and not gold. That dragons hoard gold is only coinidence to the Morgoth-element argument; everyone hoards gold (elves, dwarves, Numenoreans, etc.).

But, gold was chosen by Sauron; I just believe the link is weaker than you suggest. Morgoth would not have limited himself to permeating gold, or concentrating on it - permeated everything! Maybe it was that gold is really dense so it had more of Morgoth in it ... ok, I'm being dense now. That is way beyond Tolkien.

That dragons could have been maintaining themselves, though, with the echo of Morgoth-element in the hoarded gold is a very interesting, clever argument. It links the very old (First Age, unpublished material) to new material (LotR, other unpublished material, Letters) in a very subtle fashion. I count this among your best articles.

Fletch!

-- posted by mkletch