Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
Encyclopedia
Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age is the fifth and last part of The Silmarillion
by J. R. R. Tolkien
. It is relatively short, consisting of about 20 pages.
The work is a fiction
al historical essay dealing with the preamble to the events described in Tolkien's epic novel The Lord of the Rings
, and the events themselves, in the style of The Silmarillion. As the name implies, the events of the essay are focused around magical artifacts: the Rings of Power
, and also the history of the Second
and Third Age
s of Middle-earth
. The fact that those events are explored in a mere handful of pages suggests that if the events described in the rest of The Silmarillion had been written in the style of The Lord of the Rings they would have filled hundreds of volumes.
After Tolkien's death in 1973, his son Christopher
completed this part, assisted by Guy Gavriel Kay
. Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age bears some similarities to Elrond
's narrative in The Fellowship of the Ring
during the chapter "The Council of Elrond"; both do not divulge any details about how Arnor
was destroyed and how Gondor
became kingless.
Information on the background and development of this essay can be found in The Treason of Isengard.
, the cunning and malevolent being Sauron
had been the chief servant of the evil demigod Melkor
(later called Morgoth
) and he was instrumental in Morgoth's many attempts to become ruler of Middle-earth. At the end of the First Age, the Valar (whose power governs the world) unite with Men
and Elves to defeat Morgoth, who is captured and cast into the Void. But Sauron (along with other servants of Morgoth, including Balrog
s and dragons) manages to escape his master's downfall. Those men who fought on the side of the Valar are allowed to live on the island of Númenor
close to Aman
where the Valar live, while Middle-earth itself is largely abandoned to Sauron and his minions at the beginning of the Second Age.
, and during the Second Age, the Elves of Eregion forge many magical rings, including 19 Rings of Power with the aid of Sauron. At this time Sauron is still able to put on a fair appearance and manages to fool the elves into believing his intentions are good. But he deceived them, for in secret he had made the One Ring
for himself in order to enslave them and all the other peoples of Middle-earth.
Sauron's plan fails, however: the Elves discover his plot and discard their Rings until they could be shielded from his influence. Sauron then waged war upon the Elves, capturing all the Rings of Power except three which were hidden as he had no part in their creation. While many Elves are killed and the kingdom in Eregion
destroyed, the Men of Númenor
help the Elves and repel Sauron. After the war, Sauron distributed seven rings to Dwarves and Nine to Men. The dwarves proved immune to his influence, becoming only inflamed with greed for gold, but Men prove weaker. The nine men that had received the rings became great lords, kings, and warriors of their time eventually fell under Sauron's sway, becoming in the end the Nazgûl
.
, Sauron is brought to Númenor as a hostage and appears to show remorse for his deeds. However, he has taken on a beautiful appearance and his seeming goodness and persuasive tongue soon corrupts most Númenóreans and he becomes the chief adviser to the King. Sauron encourages the Númenóreans to cast aside their traditional reverence for Eru Ilúvatar
and to take up the worship of Melkor
, or Morgoth
, Sauron's former master, and make human sacrifice
s to him. Under Sauron's influence, the Númenóreans finally decide to challenge the Valar
by invading Aman
. As a punishment for their transgressions, their fleet is annihilated and Númenor itself is destroyed and sunk beneath the waves, but Sauron again escapes and flees to Middle-earth.
Only a few survivors leave Númenor before it is too late, and led by Elendil
the Tall and his two sons Isildur
and Anárion
, they settle in Middle-earth. They create realms governed in the Númenórean way — Elendil rules over Arnor
in the North, and Isildur and Anárion rule together in the great country of Gondor
in the South. However, Sauron survived the disaster too, and although he has lost his fair appearance, both he and his One Ring return safely to his stronghold of old in the land of Mordor
.
Years pass, and Sauron, who had renewed his might, decides to attack the new realms while they were still weak. His onslaught fails, however, and Elendil, his sons, and the Elven kings fight back. For many years the great coalition (The Last Alliance of Elves and Men, as it became known) besiege Mordor. At last the host breaks through into Sauron's fortress of Barad-dûr
. Anárion died first before Sauron broke the siege and the mighty king of the Elves, Gil-galad
challenges Sauron to a duel, and is slain in combat. Finally Elendil fights Sauron, and though he is mortally wounded he manages to overcome Sauron before he dies. Isildur, Elendil's son, approaches Sauron's body and cuts off his finger with the One Ring, breaking Sauron's power and causing his spirit to depart from his body. Sauron later returns as the Necromancer in The Hobbit
, and returns later to Barad-dûr
by the time of the Lord of the Rings.
where it was made, but Isildur takes it for his own and declares that it was his and his folk's, a consolation after the enormous losses of the war. Thus the Third Age of Middle-earth begins, with Isildur's fateful decision to keep the Ring of Power, which sets in motions the events that will lead to the War of the Ring
. Isildur himself dies soon after in a sudden ambush by a band of Orcs
. Isildur tries to escape by putting on the Ring but it betrays him, falling off his finger, and it is lost in the great river Anduin
.
Heirs of royal blood are chosen to lead Arnor and Gondor. For a millennium, both realms enjoy relative freedom and prosperity. However afterwards, Arnor became subject to attacks from the north-eastern kingdom of Angmar
, a kingdom that was ruled by the Witch-king
, leader of the Nazgûl
. More and more people flee from the North, and although Angmar is defeated by the beginning of the third millennium of Third Age, Arnor is no more. Its people are scattered, and its royalty decrease in number and fame; however they remain true to their Númenórean descent. They become the Rangers of the North
, protecting the paths of the North from the menace from the East.
Meanwhile, Gondor prospers for much of the Third Age. This begins to change in the beginning of its third millennium, however, when Gondor is assailed by Orcs and Men from the nearby Mordor. For a long time, no one suspects that the same force that had driven the attacks upon Arnor is now fighting Gondor.
had come to the land: Saruman
, Radagast
, Gandalf
, and the Blue Wizards
. Unknown to the peoples of Middle-earth, they are emissaries from the West, sent on behalf of the Valar
to help them to obtain their freedom. For many centuries they were silent, and little was done by them apart from observation and counsel. However as the times darken, they decide to take action against a mysterious dark force which seems to dwell in the middle of a giant forest called Mirkwood
. During the attack, the force flees to Mordor
and they discover that it was the spirit of Sauron, who was previously thought to have perished. And in the same year, the One Ring is found. Also, in the narrative, it says that Gandalf thought that Sauron was quite capable of bringing all of Middle-earth under his sway even without the One Ring
, perhaps explaining at least in part Gandalf's opposition to throwing the One Ring into the Sea at the Council of Elrond.
goes to Mount Doom
and destroys the Ring, defeating Sauron. (Note that this book specifically credits Frodo with the destruction of the Ring. It does not mention that, in the end, he in fact gave into the Ring's temptation, and did not give it up willingly, as recounted in The Return of the King
.)
After this, it is made clear that Gandalf bore the Red Ring, Narya, and that Galadriel
and Elrond
had the other two rings. Aragorn
son of Arathorn (direct descendant of many of the characters appearing earlier in the printed Silmarillion) is briefly mentioned as returning to claim the kingship and fighting a great field of battle before the City of Gondor
.
The essay finishes with the departure of the Keepers of the Rings from the Grey Havens (at the end of The Lord of the Rings) and then the sailing of the Last Ship of the Eldar ever to leave Middle-earth. Thus, "an end had come to the Eldar, of story and of song".
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
by J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
. It is relatively short, consisting of about 20 pages.
The work is a fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al historical essay dealing with the preamble to the events described in Tolkien's epic novel The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, and the events themselves, in the style of The Silmarillion. As the name implies, the events of the essay are focused around magical artifacts: the Rings of Power
Rings of Power
The Rings of Power in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium are magical rings created by Sauron or by the Elves of Eregion under Sauron's tutelage...
, and also the history of the Second
Second Age
The Second Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. Tolkien intended for the history of Middle-earth to be considered fictionally as a precursor to the history of the real Earth....
and Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
s of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
. The fact that those events are explored in a mere handful of pages suggests that if the events described in the rest of The Silmarillion had been written in the style of The Lord of the Rings they would have filled hundreds of volumes.
After Tolkien's death in 1973, his son Christopher
Christopher Tolkien
Christopher Reuel Tolkien is the third and youngest son of the author J. R. R. Tolkien , and is best known as the editor of much of his father's posthumously published work. He drew the original maps for his father's The Lord of the Rings, which he signed C. J. R. T. The J...
completed this part, assisted by Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay
Guy Gavriel Kay is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. Many of his novels are set in fictional realms that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid...
. Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age bears some similarities to Elrond
Elrond
Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...
's narrative in The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom...
during the chapter "The Council of Elrond"; both do not divulge any details about how Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
was destroyed and how Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
became kingless.
Information on the background and development of this essay can be found in The Treason of Isengard.
The Second Age
In the First AgeFirst Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
, the cunning and malevolent being Sauron
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
had been the chief servant of the evil demigod Melkor
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
(later called Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
) and he was instrumental in Morgoth's many attempts to become ruler of Middle-earth. At the end of the First Age, the Valar (whose power governs the world) unite with Men
Man (Middle-earth)
The race of Men in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth books, such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, refers to humanity and does not denote gender...
and Elves to defeat Morgoth, who is captured and cast into the Void. But Sauron (along with other servants of Morgoth, including Balrog
Balrog
Balrogs are fictional demonic beings who appear in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. Such creatures first appeared in print in his novel The Lord of the Rings, though they figured in earlier writings that posthumously appeared in The Silmarillion and other books.Balrogs are described as...
s and dragons) manages to escape his master's downfall. Those men who fought on the side of the Valar are allowed to live on the island of Númenor
Númenor
Númenor is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. It was a huge island located in the Sundering Seas to the west of Middle-earth, the main setting of Tolkien's writings, and was known to be the greatest realm of Men...
close to Aman
Aman
-External links:*...
where the Valar live, while Middle-earth itself is largely abandoned to Sauron and his minions at the beginning of the Second Age.
The Rings of Power
However, not all of Middle-earth remains under Sauron's sway. Those Elves who had survived the vicissitudes of the First Age begin a new kingdom in EregionEregion
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Eregion or Hollin was a kingdom of the Noldorin Elves in Eriador during the Second Age, located near the West Gate of Moria under the shadow of the Hithaeglir . Its capital was Ost-in-Edhil...
, and during the Second Age, the Elves of Eregion forge many magical rings, including 19 Rings of Power with the aid of Sauron. At this time Sauron is still able to put on a fair appearance and manages to fool the elves into believing his intentions are good. But he deceived them, for in secret he had made the One Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
for himself in order to enslave them and all the other peoples of Middle-earth.
Sauron's plan fails, however: the Elves discover his plot and discard their Rings until they could be shielded from his influence. Sauron then waged war upon the Elves, capturing all the Rings of Power except three which were hidden as he had no part in their creation. While many Elves are killed and the kingdom in Eregion
Eregion
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Eregion or Hollin was a kingdom of the Noldorin Elves in Eriador during the Second Age, located near the West Gate of Moria under the shadow of the Hithaeglir . Its capital was Ost-in-Edhil...
destroyed, the Men of Númenor
Númenor
Númenor is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. It was a huge island located in the Sundering Seas to the west of Middle-earth, the main setting of Tolkien's writings, and was known to be the greatest realm of Men...
help the Elves and repel Sauron. After the war, Sauron distributed seven rings to Dwarves and Nine to Men. The dwarves proved immune to his influence, becoming only inflamed with greed for gold, but Men prove weaker. The nine men that had received the rings became great lords, kings, and warriors of their time eventually fell under Sauron's sway, becoming in the end the Nazgûl
Nazgûl
The Nazgûl are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium...
.
Founding of Arnor and Gondor
Hundreds of years later, the Men of Númenor decide to capture Sauron to demonstrate their might, unaware of the One Ring and the power Sauron wielded when he wore it. As it is described in AkallabêthAkallabêth
Akallabêth is the fourth part of the fantasy work The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is relatively short, consisting of about thirty pages.-Synopsis:...
, Sauron is brought to Númenor as a hostage and appears to show remorse for his deeds. However, he has taken on a beautiful appearance and his seeming goodness and persuasive tongue soon corrupts most Númenóreans and he becomes the chief adviser to the King. Sauron encourages the Númenóreans to cast aside their traditional reverence for Eru Ilúvatar
Eru Ilúvatar
Eru Ilúvatar is a fictional deity in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as the creator of all existence . In Tolkien's invented language of Elvish, Eru means "The One", or "He that is Alone" and Ilúvatar signifies "Father of All"...
and to take up the worship of Melkor
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
, or Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
, Sauron's former master, and make human sacrifice
Human sacrifice
Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more human beings as part of a religious ritual . Its typology closely parallels the various practices of ritual slaughter of animals and of religious sacrifice in general. Human sacrifice has been practised in various cultures throughout history...
s to him. Under Sauron's influence, the Númenóreans finally decide to challenge the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
by invading Aman
Aman
-External links:*...
. As a punishment for their transgressions, their fleet is annihilated and Númenor itself is destroyed and sunk beneath the waves, but Sauron again escapes and flees to Middle-earth.
Only a few survivors leave Númenor before it is too late, and led by Elendil
Elendil
Elendil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
the Tall and his two sons Isildur
Isildur
Isildur is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in the author's books The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
and Anárion
Anárion
Anárion is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. His name is derived from Anar, which means "Sun" in Tolkien's invented language of Quenya...
, they settle in Middle-earth. They create realms governed in the Númenórean way — Elendil rules over Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
in the North, and Isildur and Anárion rule together in the great country of Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
in the South. However, Sauron survived the disaster too, and although he has lost his fair appearance, both he and his One Ring return safely to his stronghold of old in the land of Mordor
Mordor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Mordor or Morhdorh was the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of northwestern Middle-earth to the East of Anduin, the great river. Orodruin, a volcano in Mordor, was the destination of the Fellowship of the Ring in the quest to...
.
Years pass, and Sauron, who had renewed his might, decides to attack the new realms while they were still weak. His onslaught fails, however, and Elendil, his sons, and the Elven kings fight back. For many years the great coalition (The Last Alliance of Elves and Men, as it became known) besiege Mordor. At last the host breaks through into Sauron's fortress of Barad-dûr
Barad-dûr
Barad-dûr is the fortress of Sauron in the heart of the black land of Mordor and close to Mount Doom in the fantasy world of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
. Anárion died first before Sauron broke the siege and the mighty king of the Elves, Gil-galad
Gil-galad
Ereinion Gil-galad is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, and featured in The Silmarillion.- Character overview :...
challenges Sauron to a duel, and is slain in combat. Finally Elendil fights Sauron, and though he is mortally wounded he manages to overcome Sauron before he dies. Isildur, Elendil's son, approaches Sauron's body and cuts off his finger with the One Ring, breaking Sauron's power and causing his spirit to depart from his body. Sauron later returns as the Necromancer in The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
, and returns later to Barad-dûr
Barad-dûr
Barad-dûr is the fortress of Sauron in the heart of the black land of Mordor and close to Mount Doom in the fantasy world of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...
by the time of the Lord of the Rings.
The Third Age
Elrond pleads with Isildur to destroy the ring in the fire of Mount DoomMount Doom
Mount Doom is a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. It is located in the heart of the black land of Mordor and close to Barad-dûr, it is approximately high. Alternative names, in Tolkien's invented language of Sindarin, include Orodruin and Amon Amarth...
where it was made, but Isildur takes it for his own and declares that it was his and his folk's, a consolation after the enormous losses of the war. Thus the Third Age of Middle-earth begins, with Isildur's fateful decision to keep the Ring of Power, which sets in motions the events that will lead to the War of the Ring
War of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
. Isildur himself dies soon after in a sudden ambush by a band of Orcs
Orc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
. Isildur tries to escape by putting on the Ring but it betrays him, falling off his finger, and it is lost in the great river Anduin
Anduin
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland, the longest river in the Third Age . The ancestors of the Rohirrim called it Langflood. It flowed from its source in the Grey and Misty Mountains to the Mouths of Anduin in the Great Sea...
.
Heirs of royal blood are chosen to lead Arnor and Gondor. For a millennium, both realms enjoy relative freedom and prosperity. However afterwards, Arnor became subject to attacks from the north-eastern kingdom of Angmar
Angmar
Angmar is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's continent of Middle-earth.-Synopsis:Angmar was founded in in the far north of the Misty Mountains by the evil Lord of the Ringwraiths, who became known as the "Witch-king of Angmar"...
, a kingdom that was ruled by the Witch-king
Witch-king of Angmar
The Witch-king of Angmar, also known as the Lord of the Nazgûl and the Black Captain among other names, is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. In Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings, he is the chief of the Nazgûl , the chief servants...
, leader of the Nazgûl
Nazgûl
The Nazgûl are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium...
. More and more people flee from the North, and although Angmar is defeated by the beginning of the third millennium of Third Age, Arnor is no more. Its people are scattered, and its royalty decrease in number and fame; however they remain true to their Númenórean descent. They become the Rangers of the North
Rangers of the North
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Rangers of the North, also known as the Dúnedain of the North, were the descendants of the Dúnedain from the lost kingdom of Arnor...
, protecting the paths of the North from the menace from the East.
Meanwhile, Gondor prospers for much of the Third Age. This begins to change in the beginning of its third millennium, however, when Gondor is assailed by Orcs and Men from the nearby Mordor. For a long time, no one suspects that the same force that had driven the attacks upon Arnor is now fighting Gondor.
Arrival of the Wizards
A thousand years earlier, several WizardsWizard (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. They are also called the Istari by the Elves. The Sindarin word is Ithryn...
had come to the land: Saruman
Saruman
Saruman the White is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. He is leader of the Istari, wizards sent to Middle-earth in human form by the godlike Valar to challenge Sauron, the main antagonist of the tale, but later on aims at gaining...
, Radagast
Radagast (Middle-earth)
Radagast the Brown is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is one of the Istari or Wizards who were sent by the angelic Valar to aid the Elves and Men of Middle-earth in their struggle against the Dark Lord Sauron...
, Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
, and the Blue Wizards
Blue Wizards
Blue Wizards are fictional characters in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium.They are two of the five Wizards sent by angelic beings called the Valar to Middle-earth to aid in the struggle against Sauron...
. Unknown to the peoples of Middle-earth, they are emissaries from the West, sent on behalf of the Valar
Vala (Middle-earth)
The Valar are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. They are first mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion develops them into the Powers of Arda or the Powers of the World...
to help them to obtain their freedom. For many centuries they were silent, and little was done by them apart from observation and counsel. However as the times darken, they decide to take action against a mysterious dark force which seems to dwell in the middle of a giant forest called Mirkwood
Mirkwood
Mirkwood is a name used for two distinct fictional forests in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. In the First Age, the highlands of Dorthonion north of Beleriand were known as Mirkwood after falling under Morgoth's control. During the Third Age, the large forest in Rhovanion, east of the Anduin in ...
. During the attack, the force flees to Mordor
Mordor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Mordor or Morhdorh was the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of northwestern Middle-earth to the East of Anduin, the great river. Orodruin, a volcano in Mordor, was the destination of the Fellowship of the Ring in the quest to...
and they discover that it was the spirit of Sauron, who was previously thought to have perished. And in the same year, the One Ring is found. Also, in the narrative, it says that Gandalf thought that Sauron was quite capable of bringing all of Middle-earth under his sway even without the One Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
, perhaps explaining at least in part Gandalf's opposition to throwing the One Ring into the Sea at the Council of Elrond.
War of the Ring
Sauron makes war on Middle-earth again, but Frodo BagginsFrodo Baggins
Frodo Baggins is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium.He is the main protagonist of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He was a hobbit of the Shire who inherited Sauron's Ring from Bilbo Baggins and undertook the quest to destroy it in the fires of Mount Doom...
goes to Mount Doom
Mount Doom
Mount Doom is a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. It is located in the heart of the black land of Mordor and close to Barad-dûr, it is approximately high. Alternative names, in Tolkien's invented language of Sindarin, include Orodruin and Amon Amarth...
and destroys the Ring, defeating Sauron. (Note that this book specifically credits Frodo with the destruction of the Ring. It does not mention that, in the end, he in fact gave into the Ring's temptation, and did not give it up willingly, as recounted in The Return of the King
The Return of the King
The Return of the King is the third and final volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, following The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.-Title:...
.)
After this, it is made clear that Gandalf bore the Red Ring, Narya, and that Galadriel
Galadriel
Galadriel is a character created by J.R.R. Tolkien, appearing in his Middle-earth legendarium. She appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales....
and Elrond
Elrond
Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...
had the other two rings. Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
son of Arathorn (direct descendant of many of the characters appearing earlier in the printed Silmarillion) is briefly mentioned as returning to claim the kingship and fighting a great field of battle before the City of Gondor
Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith , originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age...
.
The essay finishes with the departure of the Keepers of the Rings from the Grey Havens (at the end of The Lord of the Rings) and then the sailing of the Last Ship of the Eldar ever to leave Middle-earth. Thus, "an end had come to the Eldar, of story and of song".
See also
- SauronSauronSauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
- GandalfGandalfGandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
- CelebrimborCelebrimborCelebrimbor is a fictional character In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. His name means "silver fist" or "Hand of silver" in Sindarin ....
- The HobbitThe HobbitThe Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
- The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...