ELVES: was Elliott's people

Pavel Iosad <edricson@...> wrote on Tue, 25 Mar 2003 16:45:56 +0300:

> > [pre-Celtic civilization]
>
> In fact, that's almost what Tolkien's Elves were initially, vide _The
> Book of the Lost Tales)
Yes, I am very aware of that.  In fact, my project was inspired by
the  _Book of Lost Tales_ (and a fan-fiction story apparently also
inspired by it).  The difference is that my Elves are plain humans,
while the Elves in the _Book of Lost Tales_ have preternatural traits.

I like the BLT very much and think that the connection JRRT drew to the
real world back then was a good idea he unfortunately dropped
(or at least did not elaborate on).  I think the whole story lost quite much
when it became detached from our world to a point where it is no longer
clear that it takes place in the past, rather than in a parallel universe
not connected to our world.

An image I like to use is that of a "mythological onion".  Tolkien peeled off
many later layers, such as the diminuished size of the elves and their
gossamer wings, and thus restored them to their old dignity.  What I do is
to peel off even more layers, down to something that actually could have
existed in the real world.

> > [ancient Elvish grammarian]
>
> That would be Feanor, definitely.  Or Rúmil perhaps :-)
Well, I don't take it as far as to borrow individual characters from Tolkien.

> > Overall, their culture
> > is similar to that of Tolkien's Elves, but also shows "Celtic" traits.
>
> Which ones?
Their decorative styles are similar to Celtic ones, such as elaborate latticeworks.
Elvish music is also very similar to what we think of as Celtic music.

> > Well, "Elves" is mainly a term of convenience I use as long
> > as I haven't found out
> > what these people call themselves.  The reason why I call
> > them "Elves" is
> > the idea that the Celtic and Germanic traditions of elves are
> > a distorted memory of the old civilization in pre-Celtic Britain.
>
> Almost what Tolkien wrote in "Aelfwine of England" :-)) (BLT2)
Yes.  Only that in my version, the "Elves" are, as I have already
pointed out, normal humans (and the island hasn't been dragged
about by a sea-god).

Jörg.

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