I’m aware that occasionally there’s some debate about whether or not Tokiens Elves sleep or not. Since Tolkien has described several instances of elves sleeping and dreaming (for example, Turgon and Finrod are both described as sleeping and dreaming of the secret elven cities they would one day found.) As far as I’ve seen, the main argument against the elves actually sleeping is the somewhat popular belief that Tolkiens Elves might partake in some sort of deep meditative trance.
This seems largely due to the fact that Elves are also described as sleeping with their eyes open and remaining aware of their surroundings and the happenings around them. They’re also described as needing comparatively short rest periods compared to mortals. So I can definitely see where the idea of them meditating rather than sleeping comes might come in.
HOWEVER,
That is not what I personally believe and since I’m physically incapable of keeping my opinions to myself I’m here at 2:09 AM on this fine Thursday night blatantly ignoring the fact that if I were to fall asleep right now I would only get 4 hours and six minutes of sleep before I have to get up again to explain my hypothesis to the void.
I think that Elves (and maybe other immortal creatures) use a similar sleeping tactic as several aquatic mammals and various bird species, which is a phenomenon called “Unihemispheric Sleep” or “Slow Wave Sleep.” The idea is extremely interesting and there’s tons of super cool info that you can look into if you’re interested, but I’ll try to explain what it is as short and sweet as I can.
Brains are generally considered to be divided in half down the middle into two hemispheres; the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere. Each hemisphere is in charge of sending or receiving messages to half of the body, while the other hemisphere is in charge of the other side.
During normal sleep, BOTH hemispheres of the brain ‘turn off’ and rest simultaneously. This is why for most creatures we’re completely unaware of our surroundings and everything going on while we sleep because our entire brain went on its lunch break. We don’t process any sensory information unless it’s exceedingly disruptive. (For example, we probably won’t hear somebody walking through a room if we fall asleep on the couch but would wake up to them calling loudly to us.)
During Unihemiphseric Sleep only one side of the brain (one hemisphere) rests at a time. Basically, it means that one side of your brain can still remain aware of the environment and ensure that body movement/function isn’t repressed so that if the need arises you can react quickly to things such as threats.
Aquatic Mammals use this specific pattern of sleep most often to ensure that they don’t accidentally drown while they sleep or drift away from any family or pod that they might be a part of. Birds use it most often during long flight migrations so that they can still fly on course while also getting some rest or when they’re in an area where they feel unsafe or threatened.
There have also been several studies that indicate most birds are able to choose if they want to rest both halves of their brain simultaneously or if they want to rest each hemisphere separately. In my personal headcanons (and writing) I also believe that Elves would have the same ability to decide how they want to rest since the quality and benefits of sleep are better when both sides of the brain rest at the same time.
I beleive that the Elves would switch between the two sleeping styles depending on the situation the same way that birds can.
For example, while Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are chasing after Merry and Pippin I think that Legolas would have been capable of doing something similar to the migratory birds and kept on running after them even while half his brain slept.
Meanwhile, I think that when elves are injured, sad, or just really tired they’ll sleep ‘normally’ and rest both hemispheres of their brain for the added benefits.
His body recovered from his torment and became hale, but the shadow of his pain was in his heart; and he lived to wield his sword with left hand more deadly than his right had been.
“I like to call the Fëanturi, the blind gods. Not because they cannot see but they are bound by principles. Bound by what has been (death), what could be (dreams), and what is being done (grief).”-Ardie
The party that Manwë throws to force Fëanor & Fingolfin to reconcile is so hilarious not just because Fëanor chooses to go in pajamas to disrespect the attendants in any way he can but also because:
You know, the way you imagine a character’s appearance is directly related to how you interpret their personality.
From what we’ve read of Celebrimbor I think he was good-hearted, had a strong moral backbone, had a strong will, was hardworking, strong, brave, selfless, had a desire for knowledge & a desire for building, he was full of ideas, hopes, dreams & plans, he was open to everyone and was eager to make bridges & friendships, he was deeply lonely and alone & sad & he was determined to make up for the wrongdoings of his family & restore their name.
& I know it would underestimate Sauron’s deception skills but compared to the ‘the wise’ (Gil-Galad, Elrond & Galadriel) Celebrimbor looked rather naive.
So all the reasons listed above, make me imagine Celebrimbor as a very young man. (Other than the fact that elves don’t look old. But even among the elves some like Elrond at the end of the third age look “neither old nor young”. But I think Celebrimbor straight-up looked young. Like he was in his twenties.)
And you know, a youth full of hopes & dreams & plans & ideas, fighting alone & dying horribly under torture because he trusted and welcomed someone and because he was eager to learn & to build is a real tragedy.
That the Amazon series now can’t show.
Idk what they’re going to do with the character but as I said, how you imagine him to look is related to how you imagine him to be.
And how vastly different we imagined Celebrimbor to look, makes me think how vastly different we imagine his character is. So far, the only word the showrunners have used to describe him has been “mysterious”. Which is not at all what I’d use in a million years to describe Celebrimbor. What about him is mysterious?
And with “politically ambitious” Elrond & “brash” Galadriel…Idk I worry how they’re going to write him.
The topic of the glory of failure in Tolkien’s work is a very interesting one.
In fact, most endeavors end up in failure.
Whether it’s Frodo failing to complete his mission, Smeagol failing to free himself of the ring & Gollum, Boromir failing to save the hobbits (or Gondor), the Noldor failing to defeat Melkor, Fëanor & the Fëanorians failing to take their revenge and (for most of them) their Silmarils, Maedhros failing to escape his doom, Fingolfin failing to defeat Melkor, the whole Nirnaeth, etc…
They all fail. But the failure is so epic. So spectacular, there is such a grandeur, such valor & prowess, such tragic beauty, such tales, dare I say, such grace to their failure that could never be found in victory.
They’re all still hailed as heroes. (Or at worst, tragic fallen heroes or anti-heroes.)
Whether it’s Frodo managing to keep his soul if not his peace & happiness & old life for the mercy & pity & kindness he once showed, whether it’s Smeagol unintentionally destroying what destroyed him & saving Frodo’s soul, Boromir regaining his honor, Fingolfin leaving a lasting scar on Melkor, Maedhros’ true nature finally showing itself after so long in his last moment & expressing such deep shame & regret by killing himself when the Silmarils judged him evil, Maglor’s good nature shining through even in his worst moments when he decided to raise the half-elven twins & passed down the best of himself still remained to him to them & them growing up to become such great people, & eventually his good nature showing shame & regret by condemning himself to be forever separated from people & singing songs of regret…as @helimir beautifully expressed, if it’s not outright a redemption arc, it at least feels like it. Their struggles mattered, but even more than that, their struggles were what mattered.
Even in things like Nirnaeth that were nothing but catastrophes, they’re such beautiful, epic, spectacular catastrophes.
Really, how many endeavors truly result in success?
They made an effort, & therefore, they left an impact. & for that, they went down in history. If not as heroes then at least as tragic figures.
They dreamed, they hoped, they willed, they fought, they tried, they were here.
