Beren and Luthien

Before I present my arguments re why I think Kili and Tauriel are based on Beren and Luthien, I would like first to make a request.

When God made me He, for reasons of His own, decided that I should be very squeamish about presenting my opinion on anything and that I should feel very uncomfortable doing so. Therefore I'm going to ask please that nobody hate me for my opinion and please remember that presenting my opinion feels to me like facing down a large angry Jabberwocky armed with only a toothpick. That's me armed with the toothpick, not the Jabberwocky.

If you feel that my opinion is stupid and/or irreverent, please just allow me to be happy in my stupidity and irreverence and instead of hating me and sending me out to be tarred and feathered, just pity me for my stupidity. That's all I'm going to say about that.

As I see it, the story of Kili and Tauriel in the Hobbit movies has two prevailing motifs. They are
1. An appreciation for "light and high beauty."
2. The realization/acceptance of death and mortality.

I would like to argue that motifs are also prevalent in the story of Beren and Luthien.

"In that hour, Luthien came, and standing upon the bridge that led to Sauron's isle she sang a song that no walls of stone could hinder. Beren heard, and he thought that he dreamed; for the stars shone above him, and in the trees nightingales were singing. And in answer he sang a song of challenge that he had made in praise of the Seven Stars, the Sickle of the Valar that Varda hung above the North as a sign for the fall of Morgoth." (p. 174).

"But Beren coming back to the light out of the pits of despair lifted her up, and they looked again upon one another; and the day rising over the dark hills shone upon them." (p. 175)

"There she set her arms about Beren, and kissed him, bidding him await her beyond the Western Sea; and he looked upon her eyes ere the spirit left him. But the starlight was quenched and darkness had fallen even upon Luthien Tinuviel." (p. 186)

"For Luthien wove two themes of words, of the sorrow of the Eldar and the grief of Men, of the Two Kindreds that were made by Iluvatar to dwell in Arda, the Kingdom of Earth amid the innumerable stars." (p. 187)


Also very important I think is:

"It is told that Huan pursued the sons of Feanor, and they fled in fear; and returning he brought to Luthien a herb out of the forest, With that leaf she staunched Beren's wound, and by her arts and by her love she healed him; and thus at last they returned to Doriath." (p. 178)

and

"Now Beren lay in a swoon within the perilous Gate, and death drew nigh him, for there was venom on the fangs of the wolf. Luthien with her lips drew out the venom, and she put forth her failing power to staunch the hideous wound...long Beren lay, and his spirit wandered upon the dark borders of death, knowing ever an anguish that pursued him from dream to dream. Then suddenly, when her hope was almost spent, he woke again, and looked up, seeing leaves against the sky; and he heard beneath the leaves singing soft and slow beside him Luthien Tinuviel. And it was spring again." (p. 183)

As Peter Kreeft said, "does that plot sound familiar?"

I'm not going to explain further, because I don't have time and I don't want to. But this is what I thought, and I might be wrong but then I might be right, and I like to think I'm right, so I'm going to pretend I am.

I'd also like to say that I didn't mind Kili and Tauriel because
1. They remind me of my favorite PG Wodehouse couple.
2. They remind me of my favorite Hozier song.
3. They remind me of two of my favorite Florence + The Machine songs.
4. I enjoyed both of their characters both separate and together.
5. They were Tolkien-esque enough for me.
6. They were kind of adorable.
7. That is all. [: