September 2, 2002

Some Things
Richard P.

I'm not so sure about the post regarding the Balrogs wings being crippled due to the fact the the Balrog is a "fallen angel" for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, I think you are taking the description of the Maia and Valar as too literal when they are described as angels. Thats part of their role as it were, but their apperance is, I think, unlike Christianities angels. Tolkien describes that the Ainur are disincarnate to begin with, they do not have physical form, and take on shape mostly in the image of the Children of Illuvatar, Elves and Men.
Also, I don't see Gandalf, Saruman or for that matter Sauron with wings, although they are all of the angelic order of beings within Middle-earth.

I think that Eowyn is actually pronounced ay-o-wyn, the little mark above the E changes the sound to a kind of ae or ay sound. If you have the Fellowship DVD, on the special feature where Christopher Lee is talking about pronunciation, listen to how he says Theoden, and then apply that e sound to all the names and words with an E with a stroke over the top.