Teleri
Encyclopedia
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien
, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya (singular Teler) were the third of the Elf
clans who came to Aman
. Those who came to Aman became known as the Falmari
or "sea elves" and these are the Elves who are generally known as Teleri, though the term also includes their Middle-earth cousins the Sindar
, Laiquendi
, and Nandor of Middle-earth
.
The third clan was the largest of the three houses of the Elves, and most of the Avari
originally belonged to this clan.
called themselves simply Edhil
, which means Elves, and is related to the Quenya word Eldar of the same meaning.
According to legend, the Teleri were descended from Enel, the third Elf to awake in Cuiviénen, his spouse Enelyë and their 72 companions, but it was Elwë, the first of the Teleri to come to Valinor, who became their king.
The Teleri were sundered from the first two clans, the Vanyar
and the Noldor
, first because some, after seeing the Hithaeglir (Misty Mountains
), dispersed from the journey; these elves would become known as the Nandor and/or Silvan Elves
. Of those who did pass through Eriador
and over the Ered Luin, many would tarry behind in the east of Beleriand
searching for their lost king Elwë (later known as Elu Thingol), and the first two clans were ferried across to Valinor on a huge island. The Maia
Ossë
kept them company while they waited, and became their friend.
returned with the island ferry, the Teleri had grown to love the sea. Ossë convinced Ulmo to anchor the island in the Bay of Eldamar, off the shores of Aman, and persuaded many of the Teleri to remain in Middle-earth. The Teleri long remained on this Lonely Isle
, and their language changed in different ways from that of the Vanyar and Noldor (Quenya), becoming a somewhat different language known as Telerin. Much later the Teleri learned to build ships, and finally made it to Aman.
When the Noldor decided to leave Valinor and asked for their ships, the Teleri refused to join, and even tried to talk them out of leaving. As a result, many of them were cruelly slain in the Kinslaying at their chief city of Alqualondë, or Swan Harbour. This was the first of three Kinslayings that were committed by Fëanor
's people against their fellow Elves. For this reason few or none of the Teleri joined the host of the Valar
which set out to capture Morgoth
for good; they did sail the soldiers to Middle earth, but refused to fight in the war or even step foot on Middle earth. It is however recounted that the Teleri eventually forgave the Noldor for the Kinslaying, and the two kindreds were at peace again.
, but the Teleri themselves considered it to be an independent language, which seems more reasonable considering that Quenya and Telerin are about as far apart as Italian
and Spanish
. Telerin is also said to resemble the Italian language
in some regards, and the swan ships of Alqualondë bear some resemblance to the gondolas of Venice
. It was much more conservative than Quenya, and was the closest to Common Telerin (from which Sindarin
and Nandorin were also derived), and even to Common Eldarin
of the later Elvish languages.
and Vanyar
, though Thingol
was recounted as the tallest of all Men and Elves. Physically they were similar to the Noldor; they had mostly dark hair and grey/brown eyes, but their royal family and perhaps some other individuals had silver hair. Their skin colour was probably pale to light brown.
, share a love for music and song and for water. While the Noldor built great cities, the Teleri lived in simple dwellings such as the 'flets' of Doriath and Lothlorien. Fëanor insulted the Teleri for this prior to the Kinslaying, saying to Olwë they lived in "huts on the beach" before Alqualondë was built by the Noldor as a gift to the Telerin people.
The Teleri have a strong connection to nature and its cycles and have far less interest in the Valar than the Noldor and Vanyar, preferring the company of their own people and other Elven cultures. They had an especially strong tie with the Noldor
which was strained by the Kinslaying and other actions done by the sons of Feanor
.
The Teleri value silver more than gold and have a love for pearls, boats and shorebirds such as swans.
), they were known as Solosimpi ("Pipers of the Shores"), while the name Teleri was given to the clan of Elves known in the published version of The Silmarillion
as Vanyar
.
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,...
, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya (singular Teler) were the third of the Elf
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
clans who came to Aman
Aman
-External links:*...
. Those who came to Aman became known as the Falmari
Falmari
The Falmari , also known as the Sea-elves, were those of the Teleri who departed from Middle-earth and went into the West. They became known as the Sea-elves in the land of Aman, for they became enamoured with the sea and made music beside the breaking waves...
or "sea elves" and these are the Elves who are generally known as Teleri, though the term also includes their Middle-earth cousins the Sindar
Sindar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin...
, Laiquendi
Laiquendi
In the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien the Laiquendi are an ethnic group of Elves, so named because their attire was often green.-History and origin:...
, and Nandor 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 third clan was the largest of the three houses of the Elves, and most of the Avari
Avari (Middle-earth)
In the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Avari are an ethnic group of the Elves.- History of the Avari:Avari is a Quenya word meaning 'Refusers' or 'Recusants'. When the vala Oromë found the Elves who had awakened in Cuiviénen , he asked them to come with him to Valinor...
originally belonged to this clan.
Ancient history
In ancient times they named themselves Lindar, or "Singers", because they were known for their fair voices. They were also called Nelyar ("Thirds"). The Sindar of BeleriandBeleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
called themselves simply Edhil
Sindar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the fictional Sindar are Elves of Telerin descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin...
, which means Elves, and is related to the Quenya word Eldar of the same meaning.
According to legend, the Teleri were descended from Enel, the third Elf to awake in Cuiviénen, his spouse Enelyë and their 72 companions, but it was Elwë, the first of the Teleri to come to Valinor, who became their king.
The Teleri were sundered from the first two clans, the Vanyar
Vanyar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Vanyar are the fairest and most noble of the High Elves. They are the smallest of the three clans of the Eldar, and were the first to arrive in Aman. According to legend, the clan was founded by Imin, the first Elf to awake at Cuiviénen, his wife Iminyë, and...
and the Noldor
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...
, first because some, after seeing the Hithaeglir (Misty Mountains
Misty Mountains
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth, the Misty Mountains is a mountain range, running for 795 miles from north to south, between Eriador and the valley of the Great River, Anduin, and...
), dispersed from the journey; these elves would become known as the Nandor and/or Silvan Elves
Silvan Elves
Silvan Elves are an ethnic group of Elves in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, mainly the Elves of Mirkwood and Lothlórien.In the First Age the Elves of Ossiriand, or Laiquendi, were also referred to as wood-elves....
. Of those who did pass through Eriador
Eriador
Eriador is a large region in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth. In the Second Age, and possibly much earlier, it was largely forested, but the Dúnedain felled most of the forests to build ships. Much of it was encompassed in the early Third Age by the kingdom of Arnor, which...
and over the Ered Luin, many would tarry behind in the east of Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
searching for their lost king Elwë (later known as Elu Thingol), and the first two clans were ferried across to Valinor on a huge island. The Maia
Maia (Middle-earth)
The Maiar are beings from J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium. They are lesser Ainur who entered Eä in the beginning of time. Tolkien uses the term Valar to refer both to all the Ainur who entered Eä, and specifically to the greatest among them, the fourteen Lords and Queens of the Valar...
Ossë
Ossë
Ossë is a fictional character in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. She is introduced in The Silmarillion as an angelic being known as a Maia, associated with Ulmo, one of the Valar ....
kept them company while they waited, and became their friend.
In Valinor
Later when UlmoUlmo
Ulmo is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He first appears in The Silmarillion as a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon. Ulmo is a title, which means He who pours. He is also known as King of the Sea and Lord of Waters...
returned with the island ferry, the Teleri had grown to love the sea. Ossë convinced Ulmo to anchor the island in the Bay of Eldamar, off the shores of Aman, and persuaded many of the Teleri to remain in Middle-earth. The Teleri long remained on this Lonely Isle
Tol Eressëa
In early versions of J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium , Tol Eressëa was an island visited by the Anglo-Saxon traveller Ælfwine which provided a framework for the tales that later became The Silmarillion. The name is the Elvish for "Lonely Island"...
, and their language changed in different ways from that of the Vanyar and Noldor (Quenya), becoming a somewhat different language known as Telerin. Much later the Teleri learned to build ships, and finally made it to Aman.
When the Noldor decided to leave Valinor and asked for their ships, the Teleri refused to join, and even tried to talk them out of leaving. As a result, many of them were cruelly slain in the Kinslaying at their chief city of Alqualondë, or Swan Harbour. This was the first of three Kinslayings that were committed by Fëanor
Fëanor
Fëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...
's people against their fellow Elves. For this reason few or none of the Teleri joined the host 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...
which set out to capture 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...
for good; they did sail the soldiers to Middle earth, but refused to fight in the war or even step foot on Middle earth. It is however recounted that the Teleri eventually forgave the Noldor for the Kinslaying, and the two kindreds were at peace again.
Language
Their tongue, known as Telerin or Lindalambë (tongue of the Lindar), was considered by some to be a dialect of QuenyaQuenya
Quenya is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Quenya is one of the many Elvish languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called Quendi in Quenya. The tongue actually called Quenya was in origin the speech of two clans of Elves...
, but the Teleri themselves considered it to be an independent language, which seems more reasonable considering that Quenya and Telerin are about as far apart as Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Telerin is also said to resemble the Italian language
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
in some regards, and the swan ships of Alqualondë bear some resemblance to the gondolas of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. It was much more conservative than Quenya, and was the closest to Common Telerin (from which Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
and Nandorin were also derived), and even to Common Eldarin
Common Eldarin
Common Eldarin, or simply Eldarin, is a constructed language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is one of the many fictional language set in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth....
of the later Elvish languages.
Physical appearance
The Teleri were more slender and perhaps slightly shorter on average than the NoldorNoldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...
and Vanyar
Vanyar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Vanyar are the fairest and most noble of the High Elves. They are the smallest of the three clans of the Eldar, and were the first to arrive in Aman. According to legend, the clan was founded by Imin, the first Elf to awake at Cuiviénen, his wife Iminyë, and...
, though Thingol
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
was recounted as the tallest of all Men and Elves. Physically they were similar to the Noldor; they had mostly dark hair and grey/brown eyes, but their royal family and perhaps some other individuals had silver hair. Their skin colour was probably pale to light brown.
Kings
- Enel and Enelyë
- Elwë First True King
- Dior, grandson of Elwë
- Olwë King of the FalmariFalmariThe Falmari , also known as the Sea-elves, were those of the Teleri who departed from Middle-earth and went into the West. They became known as the Sea-elves in the land of Aman, for they became enamoured with the sea and made music beside the breaking waves...
, brother of Elwë.
Culture
All Telerin peoples, from Valinor to the Silvan ElvesSilvan Elves
Silvan Elves are an ethnic group of Elves in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, mainly the Elves of Mirkwood and Lothlórien.In the First Age the Elves of Ossiriand, or Laiquendi, were also referred to as wood-elves....
, share a love for music and song and for water. While the Noldor built great cities, the Teleri lived in simple dwellings such as the 'flets' of Doriath and Lothlorien. Fëanor insulted the Teleri for this prior to the Kinslaying, saying to Olwë they lived in "huts on the beach" before Alqualondë was built by the Noldor as a gift to the Telerin people.
The Teleri have a strong connection to nature and its cycles and have far less interest in the Valar than the Noldor and Vanyar, preferring the company of their own people and other Elven cultures. They had an especially strong tie with the Noldor
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...
which was strained by the Kinslaying and other actions done by the sons of Feanor
Fëanor
Fëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...
.
The Teleri value silver more than gold and have a love for pearls, boats and shorebirds such as swans.
Notable Teleri
- EärwenEärwenEärwen is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. She is the daughter of Olwë of Alqualondë, and the wife of Finarfin and mother of Galadriel....
, princess of Alqualondë, wife of FinarfinFinarfinFinarfin is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Silmarillion.-Personality:Unlike the warlike Fëanor and Fingolfin, Finarfin was something of a pacifist...
, mother to GaladrielGaladrielGaladriel 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....
, Finrod, AngrodAngrodIn J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe, Angrod was a son of Finarfin and lord of the Noldor.Angrod was the elder brother of Galadriel and Aegnor, and the younger brother of Finrod Felagund. He joined the Exile of the Noldor to Middle-earth, where together with Aegnor he held the highlands of...
and Aegnor. - CelebornCelebornCeleborn is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings as the Elven husband of Galadriel, Lord of the Galadhrim; and co-ruler along with Galadriel of Lothlórien. He was the father of Celebrían — the wife of Elrond — and thus the...
, in one account, the only one of the Falmari to leave Valinor, with Galadriel. - CelebríanCelebríanCelebrían is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien. She is an Elven noblewoman, the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, wife of Elrond, and mother of Elrohir, Elladan and Arwen. She was called the Lady of Rivendell. Her name means "silver queen" in Sindarin.- Biography :The place and...
is three-quarters Telerin descent, and probably had the silver hair of the royal family of the Teleri. - ThranduilThranduilThranduil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is a supporting character in The Hobbit, and is referenced briefly in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.-In literature:...
, king of the Elves of MirkwoodMirkwoodMirkwood 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 ...
, father of LegolasLegolasLegolas is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. He is an Elf of the Woodland Realm and one of nine members of the Fellowship of the Ring.- Literature :...
. - CírdanCírdanCírdan the Shipwright is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien. He was a Telerin Elf, a great mariner and shipwright, and lord of the Falas during much of the First Age. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf.He had a beard, which was rare for...
, mariner and shipwright, Lord of the Falas, former bearer of the Great Ring Narya.
Other versions of the legendarium
In the early versions of Tolkien's mythology (see: The History of Middle-earthThe History of Middle-earth
The History of Middle-earth is a 12-volume series of books published from 1983 through to 1996 that collect and analyse material relating to the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, compiled and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Some of the content consists of earlier versions of already published...
), they were known as Solosimpi ("Pipers of the Shores"), while the name Teleri was given to the clan of Elves known in the published version of The Silmarillion
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...
as Vanyar
Vanyar
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Vanyar are the fairest and most noble of the High Elves. They are the smallest of the three clans of the Eldar, and were the first to arrive in Aman. According to legend, the clan was founded by Imin, the first Elf to awake at Cuiviénen, his wife Iminyë, and...
.