#i brought two anthropology books with real money about ships and water

[nyenyerle]

!!! First of all, @catadromously thank you for blessing my blog with this amazing ask! It was the last push I needed to fall into Siron Family Grief, and I basically went mad as I was trying to answer. Then tumblr deleted my draft instead of saving it, so. I’m giving up on any pretence of coherency

Sometimes the underworld is above you. (aaaaaaaaaa)

I definitely see it, principally in Earendil’s journeying beyond the confines of the world, as much as “up” and “down” are applicable to the void.

Elwing? I feel like she has a two-part story. First, falling into the sea: a submersion. If the sea is an underworld of some sort, a representation of, idk, the primordial waters of tohu wa-bohu, then perhaps this part can be viewed as proper katabasis?

Secondly, her temporary metamorphosis into a bird: theJourney to Vingilót. (If/when the sea acts as some sort of holy water of transformative qualities.) Being lifted into the air, being turned into a celestial bride/divine wife/etc, now this can be “anabasis,” maybe? I’ve read exactly one Elwing-centered fic in my life (shame!!) and written none so far, but it feels like this flight over the sea would be the dramatic point where she has to make sense of her marriage. (Earendil embraced her, but which did he recognize, the bird or the stone? There is a whole feminine tragedy buried here, jirt, you bastard.)

What they end up as, though: eternal “ship’s captain'' and eternal “lady in the tower,” these states don’t have a function of self-discovery, so I wouldn’t call them reverse katabasis (unless.)

(Unless it’s regarding that part of Earendil's motivations that is running from his "normal" roles and responsibilities? He has to face, very young, in quick succession, the challenges of orphanhood, rulership, and being a paterfamilias - and immediately fucks off to sea on a quest to Intercede For Elvendom And Humanity Because It's End Times… Then he wins it all. The world is saved. He will be a distant father, unattainable husband, eternal mariner of the celestial waters. Then the aeons on the sky he can no longer turn back from, might just be a descent into hell every night.)

Hmmm I wish I could still somehow turn this into proper literary analysis but this is all I'm capable of right now

#ask #catadromously #elwing #earendil #havens of sirion family grief #i wasn't exaggerating when i said this ask pushed me into madness people #i have sticky notes on my wall now #i brought two anthropology books with real money about ships and water #and now i cant formulate the bazillion half-formed thoughts i have #partly because im still sick and can't even think straight in my mother tongue #re: elwing and earendil's jurneys i just remembered mybfavourite quote to misuse: #What is not caused but results is fate #What is not intended but happens is heaven. #i cackled at 'destiny bling' for 2 minutes