4 Lithe, TA 3019
4 July 2006 10:40:52The Wedding of Elessar and Arwen
Quote:
THEN THE KING WELCOMED HIS GUESTS, AND THEY ALIGHTED; AND ELROND SURRENDERED THE SCEPTRE, AND LAID THE HAND OF HIS DAUGHTER IN THE HAND OF THE KING, AND TOGETHER THEY WENT UP INTO THE HIGH CITY, AND ALL THE STARS FLOWERED IN THE SKY. AND ARAGORN THE KING ELESSAR WEDDED ARWEN UNDOMIEL IN THE CITY OF THE KINGS UPON THE DAY OF MIDSUMMER, AND THE TALE OF THEIR LONG WAITING AND LABOURS WAS COME TO FULFILLMENT.
INDEED THE ROYAL WEDDING SYMBOLIZES IN ITS BEAUTY AND JOY ALL THAT THE HEROES OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS ACCOMPLISHED IN THEIR LONG QUEST TO SAVE MIDDLE EARTH--SO LIFE AFFIRMING HAS BEEN THEIR SUCCESS THAT NIGHT, ONCE FEARED AS THE CLOAK OF SAURON, IS NOW FOREVER ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEAUTY OF THE EVENSTAR AND THE HOUR OF HER WEDDING TO MIDDLE EARTH'S GREAT HIGH KING AND LIFEGIVER. WITH THEIR UNION, THE WHITE TREE AND LIFE HAVE RETURNED.. FRODO SAYS IT BEST: " AT LAST I UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE WAITED! THIS IS THE ENDING. NOW NOT ONLY DAY SHALL BE BELOVED, BUT NIGHT TOO SHALL BE BEAUTIFUL AND BLESSED AND ALL ITS FEAR PASS AWAY!"
AND YET, TOLKIEN REMINDS US QUIETLY THAT THIS NEW AGE IS AN AGE OF MEN--NOT AN AGE OF ELVES, WIZARDS, ENTS AND DWARVES. ELROND RETURNS THE SCEPTRE OF ANNUMINAS TO ELESSAR AS A SYMBOL OF HIS REUNITED KINGDOM, AND GIVES HIM THE HAND OF HIS CHERISHED DAUGHTER, WHO HAS CHOSEN THE MORTAL FATE OF HER BELOVED. THEN HE STEPS BACK--TO LET A NEW AGE BEGIN. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, HE TURNS HIS THOUGHTS SEAWARD--TOWARD THE LAST JOURNEY HIS PEOPLE, GANDALF, AND THE RINGBEARERS WILL SOON MAKE OUT OF A WORLD AND TIME NO LONGER THEIRS.
AND YET, TOLKIEN REMINDS US QUIETLY THAT THIS NEW AGE IS AN AGE OF MEN--NOT AN AGE OF ELVES, WIZARDS, ENTS AND DWARVES. ELROND RETURNS THE SCEPTRE OF ANNUMINAS TO ELESSAR AS A SYMBOL OF HIS REUNITED KINGDOM, AND GIVES HIM THE HAND OF HIS CHERISHED DAUGHTER, WHO HAS CHOSEN THE MORTAL FATE OF HER BELOVED. THEN HE STEPS BACK--TO LET A NEW AGE BEGIN. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, HE TURNS HIS THOUGHTS SEAWARD--TOWARD THE LAST JOURNEY HIS PEOPLE, GANDALF, AND THE RINGBEARERS WILL SOON MAKE OUT OF A WORLD AND TIME NO LONGER THEIRS.
© J.R.R.Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King. Images © "Cerin Amroth" by Alan Lee.