Elves in The Hobbit and LotR

[Lomadia]

What differences do you notice between the way Elves are portrayed in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings. What similarities are there? Why do you think Tolkien chose to make these changes? Which portrayal do you prefer?

[Gil-galen]

I believe that the Elves in LotR are more true to Elves as Tolkien really envisioned, they seem true to what is portrayed in the Silmarillion. I prefer LotR Elves. In the Hobbit, Elves seem more rustic and sing songish, with the possible exception of Elrond. Both the Elves of Rivendell and the Wood Elves of northern Mirkwood seem sort of simple and happy. This is a little more acceptable for the Wood Elves but the Elves of Rivendell (in the Hobbit) should be more somber and austere in accordance with their history.

[Lomadia]

I agree that I prefer the Elves in The Lord of the Rings. I recently wrote an essay on this for my Tolkien lass (yes, I get to take a class on Tolkien!). Here it is for those interested:

While the Elves of The Hobbit and those of The Lord of the Rings do have similarities, it is clear that between the writing of these two works, Tolkien developed a much clearer idea of the Elves’ culture and thus was more capable of utilizing the race for literary purposes.
In The Hobbit, Bilbo meets two major civilizations of Elves: those who live in the “Last Homely House” of Rivendell, and those who live in Mirkwood under the rule of the Elvenking. So far in our reading, Frodo and company have had only one notable encounter with Elves, in which they spend an evening with a group of High Elves. These Elves are probably also from Rivendell (since Gildor, their leader, tells Frodo that “some of our kinsfolk dwell still in peace in Rivendell” – 79).
In both works, Tolkien makes a distinction between the different divisions of Elves. What separates the groups of Elves is whether or not they have been to Aman (“Faerie in the West” in The Hobbit, 167; “over the Great Sea” in The Lord of the Rings, 79). In Aman, the Elves attain a sort of enlightenment, meaning that the “High Elves” are superior in wisdom to such groups as the Wood Elves of Mirkwood. The High Elves are also more accepting of strangers (the dwarves rest in Rivendell in The Hobbit, and the three hobbits are welcomed to the Elves’ feast in The Lord of the Rings) than those Elves who have not been to Aman (the Elvenking of Mirkwood doesn’t trust the dwarves and imprisons them).
Despite these divisions, in both works Tolkien shows a shared love among the Elves of nature, and of stars and trees in particular. The Elves of Mirkwood “loved best the stars; and they wandered in the great forests that grew tall in lands that are now lost” (The Lord of the Rings, 167). The Elves in The Lord of the Rings show a similar communion with nature. They sing a song of praise to Elbereth, the creator of the stars, and star-gaze on the hill near Woodhall. This proximity to nature indicates a wise, tranquil race for Tolkien, while at the same time suggesting that, just as trees and constellations undergo cycles, so to must the Elves accept their fading from glory.
Despite these connections, however, there is (at least for me) a very noticeable difference between Tolkien’s portrayals of the Elves in these two books. The Elves of The Hobbit bear a much stronger resemblance to the sprightly, mischievous elves of folklore, while the Elves of The Lord of the Rings are much more a semi-divine creation all of Tolkien’s own.
The songs of the Elves in particular point to this conclusion. When Bilbo arrives in Rivendell, he is greeted by Elves singing jocular, teasing songs –“pretty fair nonsense” (49). In contrast, the song the hobbits hear (and which dispatches the Black Rider) has an almost religious, hymn-like quality. It alludes to Tolkien’s wider framework of mythology, describing Elbereth, one of the highest Valar and the maker of the stars. The subject of this song is treated with solemn reverence rather than light-hearted mockery. These elves are the picture of elegance, prudence, and kindness.
Other actions of the Elves also reveal these differences. The Mirkwood Elves seem to care more for drink and hunting than anything else. They rashly imprison the dwarves without giving them a fair chance to explain themselves. While Tolkien assures us that the Elves of The Hobbit are wise beings, they are also very terrestrial, and can find pleasure in common enjoyments. The Elves of The Lord of the Rings, however, are more ethereal; they delight in stargazing and language, and have thoughtful discussions with Frodo. They even radiate “a shimmer, like the light of the moon” (78). These Elves seem to exist on a higher plane that those in The Hobbit.
This more sophisticated interpretation of the race of Elves is not only pleasing to the reader, but also a useful literary device. By making the Elves paragons of virtue, wisdom, and beauty, Tolkien makes their decline all the more tragic. The fading of their noble culture is more moving for the reader than it would have been if Tolkien had preserved his original interpretation of the race.

[Gil-galen]

Wow, I like your essay Lomadia. Interesting insights. That class sounds cool. What is its scope of study? Does it cover all Prof. Tolkiens writing? I don't think we have anything like that out here on the Northwest coast of the U.S. (but I've honestly not really looked) The elves are a deep and very fasctinating part of Tolkiens myth. I think the "History of Middle-earth" series spends time at various points in this discussion showing Tolkiens story development with regards to elves. I wonder if Tolkien simplified the elves for the Hobbit story or if that is just where they were at when he wrote. I have always heard that originally the The Hobbit was not officially apart of his great myth. He just borrowed names and ideas from the older stories (of what I understand would become the Sillmarillion) to help him write a story for young people. Very interesting stuff.

[Lomadia]

Thanks, Gil-galen! My class is amazing. Our teacher is a lifelong fan and an absolutely brilliant woman. Each of us was given a great big sketchbook where we can take notes, make charts, draw, paste articles... whatever we want! Needless to say, I'm filling mine up pretty quickly!
I think I recall Tolkien saying that it was only during the writing of The Hobbit that he decided that Bilbo's adventure was a part of Middle Earth's history. So, I believe that he didn't quite see his Hobbit Elves as quite the same as the Elves in his other works. The Elves in The Hobbit are closer to the elves of fairy tales: mischievous, light-hearted, and rather more simple than the Elves of The Lord of the Rings and other works.