Did Shadowfax go to Valinor?
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I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?
tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
add a comment |
I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?
tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
add a comment |
I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?
tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
I seem to recall that Shadowfax was taken with Gandalf to Valinor, but I have not been able to find a clear reference in the Lord of the Rings. Is there any writing by Tolkien adressing this question?
tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings
tolkiens-legendarium the-lord-of-the-rings
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
asked Apr 4 at 16:16
GinasiusGinasius
3,1731448
3,1731448
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.
I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
evidence as there is). I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
he could hardly have been forgotten.
Tolkien: Letter 268
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
add a comment |
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
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Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.
I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
evidence as there is). I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
he could hardly have been forgotten.
Tolkien: Letter 268
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
add a comment |
Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.
I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
evidence as there is). I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
he could hardly have been forgotten.
Tolkien: Letter 268
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
add a comment |
Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.
I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
evidence as there is). I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
he could hardly have been forgotten.
Tolkien: Letter 268
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
Tolkien wrote on this subject in a letter to a fan. It was his belief that Shadowfax did indeed travel with Gandalf, despite it not being mentioned specifically.
I think Shadowfax certainly went with Gandalf [across the Sea], though
this is not stated. I feel it is better not to state everything (and
indeed it is more realistic, since in chronicles and accounts of
‘real’ history, many facts that some enquirer would like to know are
omitted, and the truth has to be discovered or guessed from such
evidence as there is). I should argue so: Shadowfax came of a special
race (II 126, 129, III 346) being as it were an Elvish equivalent of
ordinary horses: his ‘blood’ came from ‘West over Sea’. It would not
be unfitting for him to ‘go West’. Gandalf was not ‘dying’, or going
by a special grace to the Western Land, before passing on ‘beyond the
circles of the world’: he was going home, being plainly one of the
‘immortals’, an angelic emissary of the angelic governors (Valar) of
the Earth. He would take or could take what he loved. Gandalf was last
seen riding Shadowfax (III 276). He must have ridden to the Havens,
and it is inconceivable that he would [have] ridden any beast but
Shadowfax; so Shadowfax must have been there. A chronicler winding up
a long tale, and for the moment moved principally by the sorrow of
those left behind (himself among them!) might omit mention of the
horse; but had the great horse also shared in the grief of sundering,
he could hardly have been forgotten.
Tolkien: Letter 268
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
answered Apr 4 at 16:22
ValorumValorum
415k11330253242
415k11330253242
add a comment |
add a comment |
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