Post by Admin on Jan 2, 2021 18:15:04 GMT
I have a confession to make. When posting a theme, I usually check if we didn't have the same or similar one before. I forgot to do that last month, and so we have duplicate Resolutions in our theme list. So how about making that our theme for this month? Let's write about Originals and Copies (or Copies and Originals) in February!
The topic of copies and originals is usually connected with falsification - gems, documents, coins... A ruler would probably be faced with such matters sometimes, be it in Gondor, Mirkwood or Ithlien. Or even something more serious - theft and falsification of some of the precious heirlooms of their houses. How do you find and recognize the original?
But a copy doesn't need to be made with ill intentions. There is the story of Elendilmir, the white gem that Aragorn wore on his brow during and after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. After the original was lost with Isildur, Elrond let a copy be made for his son Valandil, and it became one of the symbols of the Northern kingdom. The original was later found in Saruman's vault in Orthanc, and king Elessar wore both for different occasions. With such a piece of history behind both copy and original, it is hard to choose only one and proclaim the other invalid...
The theme of copies and originals would also fit some persons, too, not just objects. Arwen is often described as having the likeness of Lúthien, and Aragorn is compared to Isildur, although not through physical likeness. While Arwen walked in the footsteps of Lúthien even in her choice of destiny, Aragorn rose above the one he was compared to.
There are also several pairs of twins in Middle-earth, who could argue about who is the "copy" and who's the "original". And how about look-alikes and body-doubles? Even those who knew him at first mistook Gandalf for Saruman after he returned. A king could use a body-double to sneak out from boring meetings, or an imposter with his likeness could claim to be the king, like in the classical tale of the Prince and the Pauper.
The topic of copies and originals is usually connected with falsification - gems, documents, coins... A ruler would probably be faced with such matters sometimes, be it in Gondor, Mirkwood or Ithlien. Or even something more serious - theft and falsification of some of the precious heirlooms of their houses. How do you find and recognize the original?
But a copy doesn't need to be made with ill intentions. There is the story of Elendilmir, the white gem that Aragorn wore on his brow during and after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. After the original was lost with Isildur, Elrond let a copy be made for his son Valandil, and it became one of the symbols of the Northern kingdom. The original was later found in Saruman's vault in Orthanc, and king Elessar wore both for different occasions. With such a piece of history behind both copy and original, it is hard to choose only one and proclaim the other invalid...
The theme of copies and originals would also fit some persons, too, not just objects. Arwen is often described as having the likeness of Lúthien, and Aragorn is compared to Isildur, although not through physical likeness. While Arwen walked in the footsteps of Lúthien even in her choice of destiny, Aragorn rose above the one he was compared to.
There are also several pairs of twins in Middle-earth, who could argue about who is the "copy" and who's the "original". And how about look-alikes and body-doubles? Even those who knew him at first mistook Gandalf for Saruman after he returned. A king could use a body-double to sneak out from boring meetings, or an imposter with his likeness could claim to be the king, like in the classical tale of the Prince and the Pauper.