Snowflake Challenge 4 & 5

[elwinfortuna]

Challenge #4: In your own space, create some goals.

There are times when goals are appropriate and good for me, and there are times when I end up using goals as a stick to beat myself with. This time, right now, feels more like it would end up in the second category. It is not a good time to make goals.

My only real goals in fandom are to enjoy myself and create things I love and am proud of.

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Challenge #5: In your own space, promote a canon/talk about a part of canon that you love.

There are so many parts of The Silmarillion that I love beyond words, but Fëanor's speeches genuinely make my heart beat faster every time I read them. There's just so much passion and eloquence; they are a masterclass in beautiful writing and speech that wins over hearts. My favourite is this one:

But Fëanor laughed, and spoke not to the herald, but to the Noldor, saying: 'So! Then will this valiant people send forth the heir of their King alone into banishment with his sons only, and return to their bondage? But if any will come with me, I say to them: Is sorrow foreboded to you? But in Aman we have seen it. In Aman we have come through bliss to woe. The other now we will try: through sorrow to find joy; or freedom, at the least.'

Then turning to the herald he cried: 'Say this to Manwë Súlimo, High King of Arda: if Fëanor cannot overthrow Morgoth, at least he delays not to assail him, and sits not idle in grief. And it may be that Eru has set in me a fire greater than thou knowest. Such hurt at the least will I do to the Foe of the Valar that even the mighty in the Ring of Doom shall wonder to hear it. Yea, in the end they shall follow me. Farewell!'

In that hour the voice of Fëanor grew so great and so potent that even the herald of the Valar bowed before him as one full-answered, and departed; and the Noldor were over-ruled.

God! The rhetorical pathos-based techniques in this: that a valiant people would not return into bondage, that Aman is not the promised paradise but a land where they have "come through bliss to woe," the whole concept of "through sorrow to find joy," calling out the Valar for sitting "idle in grief," all the ways in which he uses 'I' and 'we' and "thou" and "they." No wonder they followed him, I would have too.

Comments

[spiced_wine]

No wonder they followed him, I would have too.

I always say this! 💜

I do agree about the goals; this coming year should be more about self care and doing things that bring joy.

[adepslanae]

The Quenya translation of the speech you quoted is still my best attempt at tengwar "calligraphy". =)

[sjh2009]

Challenge 4 - I totally think that this is a great answer regarding goals. There's nothing more important than enjoying your fandom.

Challenge 5 - I so want to read The Silmarillion again. I had a copy and I read it as a teenager (many, many years ago) but somewhere down the line, during moves or weeding of books, I seem to have lost it, although I still have The Hobbit and LotR, so I wouldn't have parted with it deliberately. I will have to pick up another copy.

Thank you for sharing.

[elwinfortuna]

I hope you enjoy it, when you do get your hands on another copy. :D There is a very lovely fandom community for Silmarillion, and loads of fic. Because the Silm is so light on detail, there's just tons of scope for fleshing things out, and we love doing that! No matter who you end up being interested in, there's something out there for them, and much much more.

(I definitely recommend starting with Fingon/Maedhros and Beleg/Túrin on the slashy side of things, though that is just scratching the surface of what you can find.)

[sjh2009]

Thank you for the recommendation. I really will have to put in a book order. There's two trilogies which various people have recommended that I want too.

I love Snowflake, it sets me up with recommendations for the rest of the year, I shouldn't get bored through UK.Lockdown#3

[narya_flame]

I definitely hear you on Challenge 4 - I didn't set goals either, and gave myself a yearly theme of Fun!!

Yea, in the end they shall follow me.

<3 <3 <3

I adore him.

[hhimring]

You understand why even the herald of the Valar bowed!

[why_me_why_not]

My only real goals in fandom are to enjoy myself and create things I love and am proud of.

Those are the best goals!