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LOTR characters and their daemons?
Feb. 11th, 2004 07:31 amIf this works, then as you guys can see, I've just figured out how to use the pic option of livejournal...(complaint: why am I only allowed *three* user pics? *sulks*) I've gone nuts with adobe photoshop for the past week, making my own LOTR bookmarks with Faramir and Eowyn (there just ain't enough stuff with these two. Correction: There's none. Period.) And for some reason, playing around with pics, I had a sudden need to go searching for a falcon for Faramir, and Eowyn a snowy owl.
Then I thought: if Tolkien's characters had daemons, what would they be?
For those who've never read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy (and I STRONGLY recommend that you do. NOW.)a daemon is physical embodiment of a person's soul, an extension of the self. They're gaurdian angels, alter-egos, familiars, friends, a complex mix of roles all rolled into one. They always take an animal form, and what form they take symbolizes the kind of person their human is. A snake daemon, for instance, means their human is of a subtle nature, a dog daemon means they prefer to follow others, or to care for them, a wolf means they have a fighting nature. But with regards to Faramir and Eowyn, why did I think of birds of prey? And why these specific birds of prey?
Admittedly, it's partly because they looked visually appealing. :) But they just seemed to *suit* them somehow. There's a fighting, enduring spirit I associate with the falcon and snowy owl, and I can see this in Faramir and Eowyn. If Faramir's not the kind of guy who's raring to go to war, he's definitely willing to fight for all he holds dear. So is Eowyn . And if I’m not mistaken, so are falcons and snowy owls. (Chris, thou knowest owls more than anyone else. Do I have my facts aright? :) ) For those who’ve studied iconography (ahem ahem, *Jan,* ;) ) what is it in our cultural subconscious that made me pick these animals for Faramir and Eowyn? And photogenic considerations aside, do you think my choices actually suit them? I can just as easily see Faramir, for instance having a snake daemon. (Examples of “snake people” in Philip Pullmans’s trilogy would be Lord Boreal and Dr. Lanselius, the witches’ consul: knowledgeable, cunning, and possessing an extraordinary amount of finesse when it comes to dealing with people. And Faramir quite easily has these qualities.) And Eowyn? For some reason, I see her as a person who daemon would be a bird of prey, no question. But which bird of prey?
Hmm, I’ve seemed to have rambled off in favor of my favorite LOTR characters. Let me try to get back on track…
Think of your beloved LOTR character/s, book and movie verse. Consider what you know of them and what you understand about their characters. What possible daemons would they have? And why? And would the book and movie versions of these characters have different daemons?
Then I thought: if Tolkien's characters had daemons, what would they be?
For those who've never read Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy (and I STRONGLY recommend that you do. NOW.)a daemon is physical embodiment of a person's soul, an extension of the self. They're gaurdian angels, alter-egos, familiars, friends, a complex mix of roles all rolled into one. They always take an animal form, and what form they take symbolizes the kind of person their human is. A snake daemon, for instance, means their human is of a subtle nature, a dog daemon means they prefer to follow others, or to care for them, a wolf means they have a fighting nature. But with regards to Faramir and Eowyn, why did I think of birds of prey? And why these specific birds of prey?
Admittedly, it's partly because they looked visually appealing. :) But they just seemed to *suit* them somehow. There's a fighting, enduring spirit I associate with the falcon and snowy owl, and I can see this in Faramir and Eowyn. If Faramir's not the kind of guy who's raring to go to war, he's definitely willing to fight for all he holds dear. So is Eowyn . And if I’m not mistaken, so are falcons and snowy owls. (Chris, thou knowest owls more than anyone else. Do I have my facts aright? :) ) For those who’ve studied iconography (ahem ahem, *Jan,* ;) ) what is it in our cultural subconscious that made me pick these animals for Faramir and Eowyn? And photogenic considerations aside, do you think my choices actually suit them? I can just as easily see Faramir, for instance having a snake daemon. (Examples of “snake people” in Philip Pullmans’s trilogy would be Lord Boreal and Dr. Lanselius, the witches’ consul: knowledgeable, cunning, and possessing an extraordinary amount of finesse when it comes to dealing with people. And Faramir quite easily has these qualities.) And Eowyn? For some reason, I see her as a person who daemon would be a bird of prey, no question. But which bird of prey?
Hmm, I’ve seemed to have rambled off in favor of my favorite LOTR characters. Let me try to get back on track…
Think of your beloved LOTR character/s, book and movie verse. Consider what you know of them and what you understand about their characters. What possible daemons would they have? And why? And would the book and movie versions of these characters have different daemons?
