No basis for a system of government, maybe, but it’s a perfectly good reason for an Elf to wax poetic about the good old days (or the bad ones… but it’s not the Dwarves’ fault). After Legolas tells the story of Nimrodel and Amroth, the Fellowship continue through the Golden Wood until they are halted by mysterious voices from above. We get word-nerdy on the language of the Silvan Elves, contemplate Wizard staffs (staves?), and run off after Thorin’s dad in This Week in Tolkien History. Plus, Amazon series predictions that will be hilarious in a few years.
For streaming audio and a transcript of the Tom Shippey lecture “Tolkien Book to Jackson Script: The Medium and the Message”, see the Swarthmore College website at http://www.swarthmore.edu/news-events/tolkien-book-to-jackson-script-medium-and-message. (Audio highly recommended!)
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Recommended Reading:
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings (Mariner Books, paperback) pp. 329-33, “Lothlórien”
Carpenter, Humphrey, ed. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (Mariner Books, paperback)
I bet Mîm climbed a few trees in his time. To hide from vicious predators like wolves and elves.
I bet!
I’m not sure I agree with you 100% about Legolas not finishing the song. My impression at least, is that he realised mid-song that this tragic, bawl-your-eyes-out lament of death and separation isn’t the thing to be singing to a group of people have experienced a loss that they have not yet had a chance to properly grieve.
And his excuse that he forgot most of the song? I’m not sure I believe that from the elf that had been fanboying over Lothlorien for the past several pages.