Gimli also

[afro-elf]

there is a thread about sam being stupid.

what about the overly sensitive and hard headed gimli

[Kirinki54]

I find the Dwarves as a race rather difficult to understand or sympathise with, but I admit that is probably more a problem on my part.
Sure, they commited atrocities in the past but so did Elves. And yes, they were greedy but so were men and so on.

Gimli is as you point out is quite a hotspur, very straight-forward and direct. Hardly diplomatic corps material it would seem. But he changes as the Company travels, especially in his dealings with Legolas and Galadriel, but he also softens with the contacts to all the other races and the different places he goes to.
And, it was probably no mere chance that brought him to Rivendell in the first place (only as a son of Gloin). He comes across as intelligent, honest and resourceful.

Gimli gives the Dwarves a 'human' face to me. I like him! And he´s got a sort of dry 'unwilling' sense of humor when given opportunity...

[afro-elf]

yes i concur that he did "grow"

I guess it always seemed that he was on the "losing end" of some statement being made

[Comic Book Guy]

I love the politeness Gimli had when he was to speaking the Lady Galadriel, especially when he asked for a lock of hair, I really hope Peter Jackson captures this in the movie.

[Kirinki54]

Yes, I think Gimli was very articulate and full of finesse to a point which even Celeborn commented on IIRC.

[arynetrek]

IMO Gimli is the most "alien" of the Fellowship; i can't easily identify with Dwarves as a people. but i don't think he was "hardheaded," particularly because he (and Legolas) got over their ingrained racism in a very short time.

aryne *

[Kirinki54]

If some of us think that Dwarves are a bit 'alien' (of the 'humanoid' races), could that be because of Tolkien´s intention because of their origin (made by Aule)?

[arynetrek]

possibly.

But i think (can't verify) that the dwarves were part of the Music from the beginning, but the Valar didn't know about them until Aule got the inspiration to "build" them. i think they were "made" similar to the Ents, that only one Vala thought they'd be needed but Eru had them in mind from the beginning.

aryne *

[Kirinki54]

Originally posted by arynetrek
possibly.

But i think (can't verify) that the dwarves were part of the Music from the beginning, but the Valar didn't know about them until Aule got the inspiration to "build" them. i think they were "made" similar to the Ents, that only one Vala thought they'd be needed but Eru had them in mind from the beginning.

aryne *

Yes, I think just as Aule conceived the Dwarves, so did Yavanna the Ents to protect the trees (from the axes of Dwarves among other things).
And the Ents are truly alien!

[arynetrek]

something i've been thinking about for a few days now is the idea of the "alien" or the 'otherworldly" - nearly everything in Arda can be described that way. yes the Ents are definitely alien.

will post a thread on this when i have more time to think (i'm surprisingly busy lately...)

aryne *