Poll: Fan Perceptions of Maglor

[dawn_felagund]

ETA:: Please note: As of 10 May 2009, I have collected the results for this poll. You're welcome to still contribute, if you wish, as I may return to this topic in the future, but further replies will not be used in my current essay. However, do check out the discussion on this post, which is as fabulous as I have come to expect from my flist and passersby! :) A sincere thank-you to all who participated in the poll and provided such insightful discussion of the topic. /ETA

I am getting ready to write an essay for my weble The Heretic Loremaster, and I am interested in how Tolkien fans familiar with The Silmarillion perceive the character of Maglor. I appreciate the input of anyone who has a few minutes to spare me and my LJ-created poll. :) Also, please pass the word to other Tolkienites, if you're so inclined. I would like as many responses as I can get.

If you do not have an LJ account and would like to contribute to the poll, feel free to leave an anonymous comment with your responses. (Click "Confabulate with Me" at the bottom of the post.)

Please note also that I do not expect people to look up information for this. I am interested in your perceptions of his character, not how well you can find what the book says about his character. (And, for those who do not already know, I don't believe in "canon," so I don't believe that there are right or wrong answers to any of these questions, although I certainly possess my own opinions on them. :)



[Poll #1387001]

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Anything that you'd wish to add or elaborate upon, please feel free to do so in the comments. :)

Comments

[surgicalsteel.livejournal.com]

This was harder than I thought it'd be!

For some reason, I always think of musicians as being gentle people even though I know it's not always the case.

Courageous - I think he'd have to be if he ever performed publicly, to say nothing of the fact that he was involved in all those battles. Loyal - he did take the Oath and stand by his family even though it must have cost him. Passionate - to be a good musician, you have to be, at least about your music.

For some reason I sort of associate him with the sort of strength and courage that O'Carolan must've had - he's commonly called the last of the great Irish harpers, and despite being blind, he travelled all over Ireland in an era when that would've been exceedingly difficult. So he must've been one tough guy, but he also must've trusted others a great deal.

And he must've been a fairly tough fighter to have survived all of those First Age battles, too, although an awful lot of fanfic seems to gloss that over.

[dawn_felagund]

It was challenging! It was my poll, and I was challenged to answer it. :)

I like your example of O'Carolan. In the Felakverse, Maglor is very much a good guy to have around in a pinch. He is exceedingly brave, even if he doesn't put on the front that characters like Celegorm do, but if he believes in what he is doing, he will be the last to flee or fear. Because, as you say here,

And he must've been a fairly tough fighter to have survived all of those First Age battles, too, although an awful lot of fanfic seems to gloss that over.

he not only faced all those battles but also lived along the same northern border for which Maedhros was credited for bravery, and he proved braver (or cannier) than Maedhros several times as well. But that does get overlooked, which I think is a pity, as it makes him an exceedingly interesting character.