One of the most impressive elements of the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien is its depth. One walks upon the fields of Middle-earth with the awareness that you are treading ancient paths. Indications that this world was in existence long before you discovered it are everywhere: ruined watchtowers of fallen realms, tombs of bygone kings, snippets of ancient song, broken remnants of former glory. The Lord of the Rings tells only a small part of the history of Tolkien’s world, which is then in its Third Age. The full magnificence of his achievement becomes apparent when you realize that he actually wrote the history (with staggering verisimilitude) that lies behind those stories, created the languages, composed the songs and poetry, and charted the lineage of the characters back into the depths of his invented time. Yet Tolkien’s world is vibrantly alive. As deep roots survive the frost, so Middle-earth continues to flower even after the first blooms have fallen. It is a world that moves forward without losing its past. Part of the reason for this is the presence of characters whose memory stretches back across the ages, Galadriel among them. Beauty, majesty, and power are the lingering impressions of the relatively brief encounter with her in The Lord of the Rings; yet her full story is only there to be gathered in hints. As we learn from Tolkien’s other works, she is the last remaining in Middle-earth of the great among the High Elves who first awoke in Elvenhome across the sea; and her life has been marked by pride and disobedience. The Redemption of Galadriel Justin D. Lyons
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