Dobby

[lucky_kari]

No: HPFGUIDX 36751

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "grey_wolf_c" <greywolf1 at j...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "lucky_kari" <lucky_kari at y...> wrote:
> > Actually, Tolkien was going back to an earlier model, before 
elves 
> > became exclusively small. He couldn't stand small elves for 
various 
> > reasons. 
> 
> That's news to me. Who are those pre-short tall elves? In what 
> mythology do they make an appearance?

Norse mythology, and by derivation the little bit of English 
mythology we have. In fact, these are the original elves, since "ylf" 
is from the Norse. 

Later on, throughout the Middle ages, the denizens of faerie can be 
of all sizes, but there are many tall Tolkienian elves in medieval 
literature. It gets complicated. What is the difference between 
fairies and elves? 

They do start dwindling. And they start becoming more a part of the 
literary tradition than the folk tradition, to the point where they 
sprout gossamer wings and such stuff, and make appearances in plays. 
And that lies at the bottom of why Tolkien hated Shakespeare. :-)

Rowling's house-elves, btw, seem taken from the story of "The 
Shoemaker and the Elves." As you will recall, once the shoemaker 
leaves out the clothes for the elves, they depart, and stop mending 
his shoes for him. Who would have known that the elves in that story 
were, under Rowling's intrepretation, emotionally crushed by the 
experience?

Eileen

PS. Rowling also had a Shakespearian backlash. Go to Fantastic Beasts 
and Where to Find them and look up fairies. Written to spite the bard 
and the cultural image he created, I believe.