Menu Legolas Greenleaf
About Legolas
Legolas' birthday is unknown but he is thousands of years old, his age is well-debated as is his hair colour. Tall, slender and fine-featured, Legolas can move with grand stealth. His steps are light and he can easily pass over snow barely leaving footprints. His surname, Greenleaf, is the literal meaning of his name, Legolas. He is the son of Thranduil, the King of the Elves of Northeren Mirkwood. Legolas is quick and deadly with knife or bow and this good elf is keen lover of all things forest.
Legolas is a Sindarin/Woodland Elf though he wore the attire of the Silvan Elves which is green and brown. Elves are immortal as they are not prone to death, disease or old age. However, they can be slain and they may die of grief or choose to pass on because they grow bored of their present life. As an Elf, Legolas' senses are stronger than those of other races (e.g. Dwarves, Men) and so he is the eyes and ears of the Fellowship. Legolas is always the first member of the Company to be aware of danger. Legolas aided the Fellowship with his incredible archery skills, heightened senses aa well as being lethal with his long knife. When he runs out of arrows he relies on his long white knife and he collects arrows, his and his enemy's, from the ground after the battle.
History of Legolas in Middle-earth
The first appearance of Legolas Greenleaf is in the story of the fall of Gondolin. Legolas escaped the fall and made it with the rest of the fugitives, along with Tuor, Idril, Earendil and Glorfindel, to the heights of Christhorn. Legolas is night-sighted and knew all the plain of Tumladen and he led the group to the heights of Chrsithorn.
Legolas' part in The Lord of the Rings
Legolas was one of the nine in the Fellowship of the Ring after his father sent him to the Council of Elrond in Rivendell in 3019. Legolas fought at the Battles of Hornburg and the Pelonnor Fields. He journeyed with Aragorn and Gimli during the War of the Ring through the southern lands of Middle-Earth. At the Battle of the Pelannor Fields, Legolas got his first glimpse of the sea at Gondor and was overcome with a grat desire to sail. In the Year 120 FO Legolas passed over the sea and sailed to the undying land of the Elves and he brought his dear friend, Gimli, with him.
Legolas' Character in The Lord of the Rings
In the recent LoTR movie, Legolas hardly says a word but his character portrayal was no weaker. His character was presented in the way he moved, fought, spoke [when he did speak] and his whole attitude. In both the film and the book, what Legolas does say represents his personality. His actions, too, gives us an idea of what he is like.
The Books
Legolas Greenleaf, in the novels, is a curious fellow. He notices things around him a lot and always wants to get a closer look! He gets all excited like in a childish way! He's also quite considerate and thinks of the people around him. He suggests that he and Boromir carries the Hobbits when they were hurt, after they escaped the mines of Moria. Legolas implies his dislike of mines and caves by saying that he didn't want to enter the mines of Moria and by making fun of the caverns of Helm's Deep to Gimli. Legolas sings and talks a lot as well. Some might even call him "chatty". He gives nicknames to members of the Fellowship such as "Master Sluggart", not realising that these nicknames are actually offensive.
When confronted by the Riders of Rohan, Legolas jumps to Gimli's defence and he says to the rider "He stands not alone. You would die before your stroke fell." I was moved by his actions!
While at Lorien, Legolas leaves the Company most of the time to wander around. I actually found this rude of him. But then he starts to take Gimli along with him. It was because I felt like I was personally part of the Fellowship so I felt "ditched". *laffs*
I find Legolas amusing because he shrieks, cries and wails all the time!
Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings Movies
In the live-action movie, Legolas' character is very different. For one thing he's rather silent. He only speaks when he needs to. The first line he has in the film is him pointing out to Boromir who Aragorn is: "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir to the throne of Gondor and to him you owe your alleigance." I think he says that with a powerful tone, maybe reflecting the fact that he's a prince (not even hinted at in the film so far.) I think the fact that he's defending Aragorn shows that he has some sort of close bond with Aragorn, though it was not clearly represented in the film.
Legolas to me comes of as more mature character than he seems in the books. Especially since we have a Legolas minus the wailing, name-calling and childlike wonder.
It's great to see a live-action Legolas and Orlando Bloom plays the role so well. His expressions express his emotions vividly, especially after Gandalf "falls into shadow". His expression (and that of the other members of the Fellowship, plus the music) made me feel their loss and helplessness. One quick shot of Legolas looking left to right was enough to show how much at a loss and shock he was in.
At Lorien, we catch a glimpse of Legolas strolling through the forest, no, more like moving in slow (balletic?) steps sideways and looking up and around to admire the scenery. He moves gracefully, as he did over the snow. He was alone and not with the Fellowship. I did not find it rude of him because I could see clearly that his full attention was captured by the forest and so I understood. (No feelings of being "dumped", "ditched" or "left behind" !)
In The Fellowship of the Ring, Legolas is described:
There was a strange Elf clad in green and brown, Legolas, a messenger from his father, Thranduil, the King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood.
Legolas had a bow and a quiver, and at his belt a long white knife. ~ In Peter Jackson's movies, Legolas has two white, dagger-shaped knives.
The heart of Legolas was runnuing under the stars of a summer night in some northern glade amid the beech-woods
Frodo looked up at the Elf standing tall above him, as he gazed into the night, seeking a mark to shoot at. His head was dark, crowned with sharp white ears that glittered in the black pools of the sky behind.
Suddenly the great bow of Lorien sang. Shrill went the arrow from the elven string. ~ It's interesting how Tolkien describes the actions of Legolas' bow with the word "sing". Makes his attack sound beautiful besides deadly ["shrill went the arrow".]
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