By any other name

[altariel]

Thanks to the munificence of trixieleitz, you will notice that 'the annoying 1' has now gone from my user name, and I'm now finally, properly altariel. You shouldn't notice any difference at all at your end.

Who is Altariel? Altariel is the Quenya name for Galadriel, Tolkien's best female character. It means something about golden hair. My hair is more silver these days, nor am I stronger than the foundations of the earth (not every day, anyway), but (despite what the fanfic suggests) Galadriel was always my favourite character in Tolkien. She hung out with angels and was the boss of the White Council (the Good Guys' think tank and strategy-making body). She knew that apparent defeats can be transformed into great victories, if you play a long enough game. Also she understood that some victories are not worth the scorched earth that they would take. Wise woman.

Tolkien couldn't stop turning her into the BVM, but in my head she is more Jadis (without all the bad press Lewis gave her).

Plus - magic mirror!

Altariel is also the name under which I commit Tolkien fanfiction.

Thank you, trixieleitz!

Comments

[rcfinch.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday, and congratulations on becoming the one and only!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :-D

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

The person who had wild_iris has left since I got an account, too. I've sometimes worried about having the extended version of the username - it seems so presumptuous to sport a definite article :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really like that about your username.

[gair.livejournal.com]

Dude, I had no idea you were a Capricorn. THIS EXPLAINS MUCH.

Congratulations on the new name, and very happy birthday!

(There is a small chance I might be in Cambridge for this conference on 27th January, but it depends on THINGS.)

Re: PS

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

I've got this vision, now, of aspirants to the hand of altariel lining up at a table bearing amazing gourmet dishes under those domed thingies for her to sample.

Re: PS

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Don't forget my obsidian throne.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the birthday wishes. Oh yes, I am very Capricorn.

Let me know about the conference. Some friends are over the following day for a birthday lunch at Midsummer House (someone else's birthday), but it would be very cool if you could get to meet them.

Re: PS

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Does this mean Garak's on hand as your food-taster?

Re: PS

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Who would dare poison me?

[mikekellner.livejournal.com]

Congrats. Getting rid of the One was a long time obsession of your namesake. ;^)

She is my favorite character as well. A lady for all seasons. Whatever Tolkien tried to make her into, I hold that when you read the various writings about her, what emerges is a truly gifted and complex person. A true feminist who was unhappy with the plan where her brothers were to seek kingdoms while she was to be restricted to seeking a king.

In one of the letters Tolkien refers to her as the Elf Queen. I view this as her true position. When her cousin died, he was proclaimed to have been the Last High King of the Elves in Middle-earth. Yet, she is a true daughter of kings, closer to the royal line than Gil-galad was. It seems a bit of discrimination to me that she was not acknowledged as the High Queen. Given that when the big players got together for lunch, they all called her boss, wouldn't it have been proper that they grant her the title she deserves?

Anyway, we can now wake the non Tolkienistas from the slumber I induced, so they can hear me offer...

Happy Birthday.

mk

PS Her hair was a mix of gold & silver. You are just coming into your own.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Congrats. Getting rid of the One was a long time obsession of your namesake. ;^)

*snort!* Nice one!

I knew you would understand about Galadriel. And you're damn right - she's easily Top Elf in Middle-earth.


PS Her hair was a mix of gold & silver. You are just coming into your own.

You, sir, are welcome in this journal at all times ;-D

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Cool!

And you know, I'd always assumed that part of the attraction for that name was the Blake's 7 tariel call inside. ;-)

Re: PS

[trixieleitz]

As I recall, she deleted, but the username didn't become available until LJ did one of their infrequent purges of deleted accounts some time later.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I was inspired to check on who was preventing me from having the identity jhall. It turns out to be somebody called Jared Hall, who last posted to their journal just over four years ago. Cool first name he has - perhaps I should change mine?

[kerravonsen]

Agreed on both points.

[trixieleitz]

Getting rid of the One was a long time obsession of your namesake.

Hee, brilliant! Does that make me one of the Fellowship, then?

Ooooh, oooh, altariel, can I be Gollum? Pleeeeeasssssse?

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

What an excellent birthday present! (Hope it was a good one.)

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Congrats on becoming the Altariel!

I have to say I don't think I've ever associated her that much with the BVM though - far more of a 'light' Jadis, I guess - but I wasn't brought up with that tradition.

Hmm ... I'm wondering whether the BVM is lurking somewhere among all those dead mothers? Gilrean in particular: "I gave Hope to the Dunedain" or whatever. PJ seems to have had that idea in the extended edition ...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

You can certainly be Gollum, my precious (although technically he doesn't count as one of the Fellowship, she says nerdily...!).

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And I'm glad to see the back of that 1.

Cute icon!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Jared is a cool name. It's the name of the lead character in The Pretender, which I enjoyed immensely until Sky decided not to show any more of it, grrr...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That's a nice added bonus! ;-)

[trixieleitz]

Technically, I didn't actually say I thought he was ;) (she says pedantically)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-D When nerds and pedants attack!