Valaquenta
Encyclopedia
Valaquenta is the second section of The Silmarillion
, a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977.
, which stands as Middle-earth
's cosmogony
or 'creation myth', and Quenta Silmarillion
, a collection of mythical histories wherein major events of Middle-earth find their first elaboration (see The Silmarillion
).
Not an actual 'story' in itself (there is no plot or action), Valaquenta is more a 'listing' — a kind of expanded footnote giving 'personal' details attached to each of the major divine characters of Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium
. These divine beings are the Valar
, the Maiar
and the 'Enemies' (the last being equivalent to fallen Ainur of the same kind and order as the Valar/Maiar. For an explanation of the divine natures of all the Ainur, see Ainulindalë
).
Just as with the rest of Tolkien's characters, the natures and names of these worldly Ainur are by no means incidental; they are intimately connected with important elements of plot and action in the later tales. To an extent, Valaquenta gives a meaning or a 'genealogy', or both, to many scenes in the larger Quenta Silmarillion; it is a virtual 'list of players' for important parts of that ensuing drama, which drama itself (as a collection of mythic tales) provides a foundational background for the world that comes after (in particular for those stories comprising the more widely known histories of Middle-earth, including The Hobbit
and The Lord of the Rings
).
(first begun as far back as 1916-7, but published in 1983 as volume 1 of The History of Middle-earth
), the earliest Valar-list that can be measured against Valaquenta is found in the text called Quenta Noldorinwa (probably written in 1930, but first published in 1986 as part of The Shaping of Middle-earth
, volume 4 of The History of Middle-earth).
These ordered descriptions eventually became Chapter 1 (entitled Of the Valar) for the Quenta Silmarillion
(or "The Silmarillion proper".) In revisions to the Quenta Silmarillion done in 1958, the list of the Valar was split off into a separately titled work. When Christopher Tolkien finally edited and published The Silmarillion in 1977, he left the chapter as a distinct section. Apparently, there is nothing to indicate why the senior Tolkien felt that the piece should stand alone. While Valaquenta is not a narrative
, neither is the Quenta chapter Of Beleriand and its Realms, and Tolkien never seems to have considered presenting the latter as an independent section.
1. The Ainur who most desire and love the Universe enter into it at the beginning of Time. Their ‘task’ is to be part of the history of the Universe as it unfolds in accordance with the Great Music of the Ainur. Once the Earth
is built and realized, the Ainur move into it. The most important of the Ainur who move into Earth are called the Valar
(‘Those with Power’, singular 'Vala'), of which there are fourteen principal characters: Manwë
, Ulmo
, Aulë
, Oromë, Mandos, Lórien, Tulkas, Varda
, Yavanna, Nienna
, Estë
, Vairë
, Vána
, and Nessa. Melkor
, though he also enters the Earth, loses the title ‘Vala’.
In Ainulindalë
, the Valar assume physical forms on occasion, though only as others wear clothes — as a matter of choice and as, perhaps, an expression of identity and style. There is also apparently a 'price' to be paid for these manifestations, as when Sauron
is deprived of the ability to appear in a wholesome form.
2. The Valar and their characteristics are described thus:
Manwë
– (‘Blessed One’) Brother of Melkor. Between the two, Melkor is ‘mightier’, but Manwë is closer to Ilúvatar and better understands His plan. Manwë is the King of Arda
(the Earth). His natural province is the sky, the winds and all the birds. He has mastery over the element of Air.
Varda
– (‘Exalted’, ‘Lofty’) Mistress of Light. Espoused to Manwë, she is crafter of the Stars. The Elves hold her in the highest regard, naming her Elbereth (‘Star Queen’). Before Time, she rejected Melkor. He fears her the most. She has mastery over the element of Light.
Ulmo
– (‘The Pourer’) Master of Water. He lives alone and without a fixed home. He is second in rank to Manwë. He is not often with the others, and he is seldom seen on land, or in an embodied form (which form is always terrifying to see). He loves both Eldar and Edain
(Elves
and Men
, respectively), and never abandons them, even when the other Valar must (or choose to) look away. Whosoever hears his music is forever drawn to the Sea. Ulmo speaks to Middle-earth with a voice heard in the sounds of Water: his spirit runs in all the liquid veins of the Earth. News of Middle-earth reaches him that would miss the other Valar. He has mastery of the element of Water.
Aulë
– ('Invention', 'The Smith') Master of Earth-matter. He is almost equal in rank to Ulmo. His province is stone, metal and mineral
. He is the Craftmaster, the maker of objects. The Noldor
(a distinct branch or tribe of Elves noted for their craftsmanship) are his favourites. Melkor is jealous of Aulë, though the two are very similar: they both love to make things. But Aulë is faithful to Eru and understands how his 'creations' belong ultimately to Eru, while Melkor is left making twisted imitations that can never attain independent being. He has mastery over the elements of Earth and Fire.
Yavanna – (‘Giver of Fruits’) She is the Earth Mother, and espoused to Aulë. She often takes the form of a tree – Kementári – and she is called the Queen of the Earth. She has mastery over the element of Life.
Fëanturi – (‘Masters of Spirits’) They are the brothers Námo (‘Ordainer, Judge’) and Irmo (‘Desirer’). They are more commonly called after their respective dwellings ‘Mandos’ (poss ‘Death’, ‘Soul’ or ‘Doom’) and ‘Lórien’ (poss ‘Dreams, Sleep-Visions’). Námo is the master of prophecy. Irmo is master of visions and dreams
Vairë
— (‘The Weaver’) She weaves the webs of Time that tapestry the Halls of the Dead. She is Námo’s spouse. She is the mistress of fate, time and weaving.
Estë
— (‘Rest’) She is the mistress of healing. She is Irmo’s spouse. Together they live in places of rejuvenation and ease. She has mastery of the body and of healing
Nienna
– (poss ‘The Weeper’ or ‘The Mourner’) She is the sister of the Fëanturi. She dwells alone. She weaves Grief and Sorrow into the world. She encourages Pity and Hope through Mourning. She visits the Dead and eases their pain by turning it to wisdom. She has mastery over the untouchable.
Tulkas – (poss ‘The Steadfast’) He is the master of Physical Prowess. He loves contests. He is yellow-bearded, red-faced, and empty-handed. He has no care for the past/future and is a poor source of advice.
Nessa — (‘The Young’) She is sister of Oromë, and the spouse of Tulkas. She is a dancer.
Oromë – (‘Sound of Horns’) He loves Middle-earth. A Hunter of evil beasts and a tree-lover, Oromë wages war on Melkor. His impressive horn is described as "like the upgoing of the Sun in scarlet, or the sheer lightning cleaving the clouds."
Vána
— (‘Beauty’) She is sister of Yavanna. Espoused to Oromë, Vána is associated with Springtime.
B. The naming and describing of major Maiar (paragraphs 17-23)
1. Of the Maiar
: The ‘Maiar’ (meaning unclear, singular ‘Maia’) are Ainur that came into the World with the Valar, but are of lesser rank and power. The Maiar rarely appear in recognizable forms.
2. Chief Maiar: The highest ranking Maiar are Ilmarë
(poss ‘Heavenly Light’ or ‘Star Light’) and Eönwë
(poss ‘Strong Son’). Ilmarë is ‘handmaid of Varda’. Eönwë is ‘herald of Manwë’. The best-known Maiar are Ossë
(poss ‘Dreadful Seas’) and Uinen
(poss ‘Sea-Maiden’). Ossë is one of Ulmo’s people – a water Ainu. He is master of the seas that are closer to shore, coastlines, islands and waves. He rather likes storms. Uinen is also a sea-Maia. Her hair is spread through all waters. She loves coastal sea life. Sailors pray to her because she can restrain Ossë and his storms. The Númenóreans value her as much as they do the Valar. Melkor hates the sea because he cannot dominate it. Melkor tried to ‘convert’ Ossë, and he almost got him, but Uinen saved Ossë and he remains more or less faithful to Ulmo, though he still loves a cracking good storm and is not to be trusted. Melian (full Quenya spelling Melyanna - ‘Giver of Love’) was a Maia attached to Vána and Estë, and formerly lived in the gardens of Lórien. She came surrounded by nightingales into the lands of Middle-earth. Olórin (poss ‘The Visionary’) is called wisest of the Maiar. He also lived for a time in Lórien, but he studied pity and patience under Nienna. Melian is much mentioned in the Quenta Silmarillion, but Olórin came openly into the histories only at a later date. He is a friend of the Children: known or unknown, he has always been an agitator seeking to inspire in the face of despair and darkness.
Note: Ilmarë and Eönwë are given passing mention in Valaquenta. Like Manwë and Varda, to whom they are attached, they are of higher rank yet of less immediate intercourse and involvement in the histories. ‘Aloof’ is an adjective of multiple application when discussing these ‘sky’ beings. The real stars of this section are Ossë, Uinen, Melian and Olórin. Ossë and Uinen both (as sea-Maiar) serve Ulmo. They have much interaction with the Children, including the Númenóreans (appearing later: Men of the West, an island sea-people, founders of Gondor
and ancestors of Aragorn
from The Lord of the Rings
; the fate of the Númenóreans, and so the fate of all the later histories, is wrapped up tightly with "the Sea".) As for the remaining two chief Maiar, Melian gains a great deal of power over Arda through conceiving and bearing a child by Elwë, and plays a real role in the Quenta Silmarillion, only dropping out when that history more or less ends upon the death of her husband. The Valar with whom she is aligned are attached to healing and renewal. Melian’s most important legacy comes in the form of her progeny (from Lúthien
to Elrond
to Arwen
and Aragorn
, who share somewhat of her temperament — especially the healing, though this comes later in the histories). There are, as they say, many tales of Olórin’s deeds – though, as they also say, it is not judicious to discuss his endeavours when he is not present. He, like Melian, dwelt in Lórien – the "place of Visions". But he is specially attached to Nienna, who is herself a major cultivator of the ironic triumph of Fate. He is the travelling activist and organiser of Middle-earth; one who tends and stokes the fires that smoulder unquenched within the soul. He cultivates action and pity. He is, of course, Gandalf
the Grey.
C. The Enemies (paragraphs 24-27)
1. Melkor the Dark: The Noldor
no longer call him Melkor; rather, they call him ‘Morgoth’ (‘Black Enemy’, or poss ‘Dreadful Dark'). He has some of each of the powers and understandings held by the others, but he misuses those powers and understandings to attempt his usurpations. By using his powers and understandings only as means to his rebellious ends, he loses both, and gains only in ressentiment
. He begins with a lust for the ownership of Light but, being denied this, he takes Darkness (which is not inherently evil in its conception) and uses it as a weapon against Light, thus infusing Darkness with a fear. He is not alone: he has co-opted many of the Maiar, including those that came to be known as Balrogs (‘Demons of Might’).
2. Sauron
the Cruel: Sauron (‘The Abhorred’) is Morgoth’s chief lieutenant. He was a Maia originally attached to Aulë, and thus is a great Craftmaster and maker of devices. He appeared in person in The Silmarillion
and The Children of Húrin
. It is said that he is only less evil than Morgoth because for a long time he served Morgoth, and not himself. Years later, Sauron rises up like Morgoth, and so ‘ends’ like Morgoth. He also must face the ironic triumph of Fate that comes in part because of his attempted subversion.
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...
, a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977.
Overview
Valaquenta provides a middle-ground and link between AinulindalëAinulindalë
The Ainulindalë is the first part of the fantasy work The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. In Tolkien's legendarium, the Ainur are Eä's divine beings. In Heaven, before Time, they compose a Great Music. This Music is revealed to be the template, or blueprint, commensurable with the entire history...
, which stands as 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....
's cosmogony
Cosmogony
Cosmogony, or cosmogeny, is any scientific theory concerning the coming into existence or origin of the universe, or about how reality came to be. The word comes from the Greek κοσμογονία , from κόσμος "cosmos, the world", and the root of γίνομαι / γέγονα "to be born, come about"...
or 'creation myth', and Quenta Silmarillion
Quenta Silmarillion
Quenta Silmarillion is a collection of fictional legends written by the high fantasy writer J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published after the author's death in The Silmarillion together with four shorter stories...
, a collection of mythical histories wherein major events of Middle-earth find their first elaboration (see 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...
).
Not an actual 'story' in itself (there is no plot or action), Valaquenta is more a 'listing' — a kind of expanded footnote giving 'personal' details attached to each of the major divine characters of Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium
Legendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
. These divine beings are 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...
, the Maiar
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...
and the 'Enemies' (the last being equivalent to fallen Ainur of the same kind and order as the Valar/Maiar. For an explanation of the divine natures of all the Ainur, see Ainulindalë
Ainulindalë
The Ainulindalë is the first part of the fantasy work The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. In Tolkien's legendarium, the Ainur are Eä's divine beings. In Heaven, before Time, they compose a Great Music. This Music is revealed to be the template, or blueprint, commensurable with the entire history...
).
Just as with the rest of Tolkien's characters, the natures and names of these worldly Ainur are by no means incidental; they are intimately connected with important elements of plot and action in the later tales. To an extent, Valaquenta gives a meaning or a 'genealogy', or both, to many scenes in the larger Quenta Silmarillion; it is a virtual 'list of players' for important parts of that ensuing drama, which drama itself (as a collection of mythic tales) provides a foundational background for the world that comes after (in particular for those stories comprising the more widely known histories of Middle-earth, including 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 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...
).
History of composition
Although sequential descriptions of the Valar can be found in The Book of Lost TalesThe Book of Lost Tales
The Book of Lost Tales is the title of a collection of early stories by J. R. R. Tolkien, and of the first two volumes of Christopher Tolkien's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth, in which he presents and analyses the manuscripts of those stories, which were the earliest form of the...
(first begun as far back as 1916-7, but published in 1983 as volume 1 of The History of Middle-earth
The 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...
), the earliest Valar-list that can be measured against Valaquenta is found in the text called Quenta Noldorinwa (probably written in 1930, but first published in 1986 as part of The Shaping of Middle-earth
The Shaping of Middle-earth
The Shaping of Middle-earth is the fourth volume of Christopher Tolkien's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth in which he analyses the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R...
, volume 4 of The History of Middle-earth).
These ordered descriptions eventually became Chapter 1 (entitled Of the Valar) for the Quenta Silmarillion
Quenta Silmarillion
Quenta Silmarillion is a collection of fictional legends written by the high fantasy writer J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published after the author's death in The Silmarillion together with four shorter stories...
(or "The Silmarillion proper".) In revisions to the Quenta Silmarillion done in 1958, the list of the Valar was split off into a separately titled work. When Christopher Tolkien finally edited and published The Silmarillion in 1977, he left the chapter as a distinct section. Apparently, there is nothing to indicate why the senior Tolkien felt that the piece should stand alone. While Valaquenta is not a narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
, neither is the Quenta chapter Of Beleriand and its Realms, and Tolkien never seems to have considered presenting the latter as an independent section.
Main synopsis
A. Naming and describing of the Valar (paragraphs 1-16)1. The Ainur who most desire and love the Universe enter into it at the beginning of Time. Their ‘task’ is to be part of the history of the Universe as it unfolds in accordance with the Great Music of the Ainur. Once the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
is built and realized, the Ainur move into it. The most important of the Ainur who move into Earth are called 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...
(‘Those with Power’, singular 'Vala'), of which there are fourteen principal characters: Manwë
Manwë
Manwë is a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon imagined by J. R. R. Tolkien. He is described in The Silmarillion.Manwë was the King of the Valar, husband of Varda Elentári, brother of the Dark Lord Melkor, and King of Arda. He lived atop Mount Taniquetil, the highest mountain of the world, in the...
, Ulmo
Ulmo
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...
, Aulë
Aulë
Aulë is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, who is primarily discussed in The Silmarillion, but appears also in Tolkien's other works. In Tolkien's pantheon of Middle-earth, Aulë is a knowledge deity, sometimes worshipped as a god by men, representing skill and craftsmanship,...
, Oromë, Mandos, Lórien, Tulkas, Varda
Varda
Varda Elentári is a deity in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium to whom the hymn A Elbereth Gilthoniel is directed..-Character overview:Varda is one of the Valar, a group of semi-divine beings similar to archangels. Also known as "Queen of the stars", she is said to be too beautiful for words; within...
, Yavanna, Nienna
Nienna
Nienna is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. She is introduced in The Silmarillion as an Ainu, one of the Queens of the Valar and one of the Aratar.She was the sister of Mandos and Irmo. Her name meant She who weeps...
, Estë
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
, Vairë
Vaire
Vaire is a Jat gotra, mainly found in the state of Haryana and Bulandshahr district of western Uttar Pradesh in India. There are several villages of Vaire Jats in Bulandshahr such as Jagdishpur, Naurangabad, Kanaini, Asroli ka Nagla and other surrounding villages...
, Vána
Vana
Vana can be:* The Hawaiian name for the Sea urchin * Vána — a fictional character from J R R Tolkien's legendarium* The Vanir — a family of gods in Norse mythology....
, and Nessa. 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...
, though he also enters the Earth, loses the title ‘Vala’.
In Ainulindalë
Ainulindalë
The Ainulindalë is the first part of the fantasy work The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. In Tolkien's legendarium, the Ainur are Eä's divine beings. In Heaven, before Time, they compose a Great Music. This Music is revealed to be the template, or blueprint, commensurable with the entire history...
, the Valar assume physical forms on occasion, though only as others wear clothes — as a matter of choice and as, perhaps, an expression of identity and style. There is also apparently a 'price' to be paid for these manifestations, as when 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...
is deprived of the ability to appear in a wholesome form.
2. The Valar and their characteristics are described thus:
Manwë
Manwë
Manwë is a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon imagined by J. R. R. Tolkien. He is described in The Silmarillion.Manwë was the King of the Valar, husband of Varda Elentári, brother of the Dark Lord Melkor, and King of Arda. He lived atop Mount Taniquetil, the highest mountain of the world, in the...
– (‘Blessed One’) Brother of Melkor. Between the two, Melkor is ‘mightier’, but Manwë is closer to Ilúvatar and better understands His plan. Manwë is the King of Arda
Arda
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Arda is the name given to the Earth in a period of prehistory, wherein the places mentioned in The Lord of the Rings and related material once existed...
(the Earth). His natural province is the sky, the winds and all the birds. He has mastery over the element of Air.
Varda
Varda
Varda Elentári is a deity in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium to whom the hymn A Elbereth Gilthoniel is directed..-Character overview:Varda is one of the Valar, a group of semi-divine beings similar to archangels. Also known as "Queen of the stars", she is said to be too beautiful for words; within...
– (‘Exalted’, ‘Lofty’) Mistress of Light. Espoused to Manwë, she is crafter of the Stars. The Elves hold her in the highest regard, naming her Elbereth (‘Star Queen’). Before Time, she rejected Melkor. He fears her the most. She has mastery over the element of Light.
Ulmo
Ulmo
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...
– (‘The Pourer’) Master of Water. He lives alone and without a fixed home. He is second in rank to Manwë. He is not often with the others, and he is seldom seen on land, or in an embodied form (which form is always terrifying to see). He loves both Eldar and Edain
Edain
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Edain were men who made their way into Beleriand in the First Age, and were friendly to the Elves....
(Elves
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...
and 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...
, respectively), and never abandons them, even when the other Valar must (or choose to) look away. Whosoever hears his music is forever drawn to the Sea. Ulmo speaks to Middle-earth with a voice heard in the sounds of Water: his spirit runs in all the liquid veins of the Earth. News of Middle-earth reaches him that would miss the other Valar. He has mastery of the element of Water.
Aulë
Aulë
Aulë is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, who is primarily discussed in The Silmarillion, but appears also in Tolkien's other works. In Tolkien's pantheon of Middle-earth, Aulë is a knowledge deity, sometimes worshipped as a god by men, representing skill and craftsmanship,...
– ('Invention', 'The Smith') Master of Earth-matter. He is almost equal in rank to Ulmo. His province is stone, metal and mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
. He is the Craftmaster, the maker of objects. 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...
(a distinct branch or tribe of Elves noted for their craftsmanship) are his favourites. Melkor is jealous of Aulë, though the two are very similar: they both love to make things. But Aulë is faithful to Eru and understands how his 'creations' belong ultimately to Eru, while Melkor is left making twisted imitations that can never attain independent being. He has mastery over the elements of Earth and Fire.
Yavanna – (‘Giver of Fruits’) She is the Earth Mother, and espoused to Aulë. She often takes the form of a tree – Kementári – and she is called the Queen of the Earth. She has mastery over the element of Life.
Fëanturi – (‘Masters of Spirits’) They are the brothers Námo (‘Ordainer, Judge’) and Irmo (‘Desirer’). They are more commonly called after their respective dwellings ‘Mandos’ (poss ‘Death’, ‘Soul’ or ‘Doom’) and ‘Lórien’ (poss ‘Dreams, Sleep-Visions’). Námo is the master of prophecy. Irmo is master of visions and dreams
Vairë
Vaire
Vaire is a Jat gotra, mainly found in the state of Haryana and Bulandshahr district of western Uttar Pradesh in India. There are several villages of Vaire Jats in Bulandshahr such as Jagdishpur, Naurangabad, Kanaini, Asroli ka Nagla and other surrounding villages...
— (‘The Weaver’) She weaves the webs of Time that tapestry the Halls of the Dead. She is Námo’s spouse. She is the mistress of fate, time and weaving.
Estë
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
— (‘Rest’) She is the mistress of healing. She is Irmo’s spouse. Together they live in places of rejuvenation and ease. She has mastery of the body and of healing
Nienna
Nienna
Nienna is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. She is introduced in The Silmarillion as an Ainu, one of the Queens of the Valar and one of the Aratar.She was the sister of Mandos and Irmo. Her name meant She who weeps...
– (poss ‘The Weeper’ or ‘The Mourner’) She is the sister of the Fëanturi. She dwells alone. She weaves Grief and Sorrow into the world. She encourages Pity and Hope through Mourning. She visits the Dead and eases their pain by turning it to wisdom. She has mastery over the untouchable.
Tulkas – (poss ‘The Steadfast’) He is the master of Physical Prowess. He loves contests. He is yellow-bearded, red-faced, and empty-handed. He has no care for the past/future and is a poor source of advice.
Nessa — (‘The Young’) She is sister of Oromë, and the spouse of Tulkas. She is a dancer.
Oromë – (‘Sound of Horns’) He loves Middle-earth. A Hunter of evil beasts and a tree-lover, Oromë wages war on Melkor. His impressive horn is described as "like the upgoing of the Sun in scarlet, or the sheer lightning cleaving the clouds."
Vána
Vana
Vana can be:* The Hawaiian name for the Sea urchin * Vána — a fictional character from J R R Tolkien's legendarium* The Vanir — a family of gods in Norse mythology....
— (‘Beauty’) She is sister of Yavanna. Espoused to Oromë, Vána is associated with Springtime.
B. The naming and describing of major Maiar (paragraphs 17-23)
1. Of the Maiar
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...
: The ‘Maiar’ (meaning unclear, singular ‘Maia’) are Ainur that came into the World with the Valar, but are of lesser rank and power. The Maiar rarely appear in recognizable forms.
2. Chief Maiar: The highest ranking Maiar are Ilmarë
Ilmarë
Ilmarë is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. Her name may come from the Elvish word for "starlight". It has been noted that her name closely resembles that of Ilmarinen which is a name shared by both an ancient Finnic sky-god and a character in the...
(poss ‘Heavenly Light’ or ‘Star Light’) and Eönwë
Eönwë
Eönwë is a supporting character in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. He first appears in print in the posthumously published The Silmarillion, though his character had existed long before its original publication in 1977.-Biography:...
(poss ‘Strong Son’). Ilmarë is ‘handmaid of Varda’. Eönwë is ‘herald of Manwë’. The best-known Maiar are 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 ....
(poss ‘Dreadful Seas’) and Uinen
Uinen
Uinen is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. A Maiar spirit known as "The Lady of the Sea".Her hair lies spread throughout all waters, and her love is given to the creatures that live in salt streams and also the weeds that grow there...
(poss ‘Sea-Maiden’). Ossë is one of Ulmo’s people – a water Ainu. He is master of the seas that are closer to shore, coastlines, islands and waves. He rather likes storms. Uinen is also a sea-Maia. Her hair is spread through all waters. She loves coastal sea life. Sailors pray to her because she can restrain Ossë and his storms. The Númenóreans value her as much as they do the Valar. Melkor hates the sea because he cannot dominate it. Melkor tried to ‘convert’ Ossë, and he almost got him, but Uinen saved Ossë and he remains more or less faithful to Ulmo, though he still loves a cracking good storm and is not to be trusted. Melian (full Quenya spelling Melyanna - ‘Giver of Love’) was a Maia attached to Vána and Estë, and formerly lived in the gardens of Lórien. She came surrounded by nightingales into the lands of Middle-earth. Olórin (poss ‘The Visionary’) is called wisest of the Maiar. He also lived for a time in Lórien, but he studied pity and patience under Nienna. Melian is much mentioned in the Quenta Silmarillion, but Olórin came openly into the histories only at a later date. He is a friend of the Children: known or unknown, he has always been an agitator seeking to inspire in the face of despair and darkness.
Note: Ilmarë and Eönwë are given passing mention in Valaquenta. Like Manwë and Varda, to whom they are attached, they are of higher rank yet of less immediate intercourse and involvement in the histories. ‘Aloof’ is an adjective of multiple application when discussing these ‘sky’ beings. The real stars of this section are Ossë, Uinen, Melian and Olórin. Ossë and Uinen both (as sea-Maiar) serve Ulmo. They have much interaction with the Children, including the Númenóreans (appearing later: Men of the West, an island sea-people, founders 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...
and ancestors of 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...
from 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...
; the fate of the Númenóreans, and so the fate of all the later histories, is wrapped up tightly with "the Sea".) As for the remaining two chief Maiar, Melian gains a great deal of power over Arda through conceiving and bearing a child by Elwë, and plays a real role in the Quenta Silmarillion, only dropping out when that history more or less ends upon the death of her husband. The Valar with whom she is aligned are attached to healing and renewal. Melian’s most important legacy comes in the form of her progeny (from Lúthien
Lúthien
Lúthien Tinúviel is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Lord of the Rings and the Grey Annals, as well as in other material.-Character overview:Lúthien is a Telerin ...
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:...
to Arwen
Arwen
Arwen Undómiel is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. She appears in his novel, The Lord of the Rings, usually published in three volumes. Arwen is one of the Half-elven who lived during the Third Age.-Literature:...
and 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...
, who share somewhat of her temperament — especially the healing, though this comes later in the histories). There are, as they say, many tales of Olórin’s deeds – though, as they also say, it is not judicious to discuss his endeavours when he is not present. He, like Melian, dwelt in Lórien – the "place of Visions". But he is specially attached to Nienna, who is herself a major cultivator of the ironic triumph of Fate. He is the travelling activist and organiser of Middle-earth; one who tends and stokes the fires that smoulder unquenched within the soul. He cultivates action and pity. He is, of course, 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...
the Grey.
C. The Enemies (paragraphs 24-27)
1. Melkor the Dark: 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...
no longer call him Melkor; rather, they call him ‘Morgoth’ (‘Black Enemy’, or poss ‘Dreadful Dark'). He has some of each of the powers and understandings held by the others, but he misuses those powers and understandings to attempt his usurpations. By using his powers and understandings only as means to his rebellious ends, he loses both, and gains only in ressentiment
Ressentiment
Ressentiment , in philosophy and psychology, is a particular form of resentment or hostility. It is the French word for "resentment" . Ressentiment is a sense of hostility directed at that which one identifies as the cause of one's frustration, that is, an assignment of blame for one's frustration...
. He begins with a lust for the ownership of Light but, being denied this, he takes Darkness (which is not inherently evil in its conception) and uses it as a weapon against Light, thus infusing Darkness with a fear. He is not alone: he has co-opted many of the Maiar, including those that came to be known as Balrogs (‘Demons of Might’).
2. 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...
the Cruel: Sauron (‘The Abhorred’) is Morgoth’s chief lieutenant. He was a Maia originally attached to Aulë, and thus is a great Craftmaster and maker of devices. He appeared in person in 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...
and The Children of Húrin
The Children of Húrin
The Children of Húrin is an epic fantasy novel which forms the completion of a tale by J. R. R. Tolkien. He wrote the original version of the story in the late 1910s, revised it several times later, but did not complete it before his death in 1973...
. It is said that he is only less evil than Morgoth because for a long time he served Morgoth, and not himself. Years later, Sauron rises up like Morgoth, and so ‘ends’ like Morgoth. He also must face the ironic triumph of Fate that comes in part because of his attempted subversion.
See also
- Ainur
- AinulindalëAinulindalëThe Ainulindalë is the first part of the fantasy work The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien. In Tolkien's legendarium, the Ainur are Eä's divine beings. In Heaven, before Time, they compose a Great Music. This Music is revealed to be the template, or blueprint, commensurable with the entire history...
- 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...
- J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. TolkienJohn 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,...
- MorgothMorgothMorgoth 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...
- 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...
- 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...
- The SilmarillionThe SilmarillionThe 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...
- ValarVala (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...