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Those annoying Elven issues – Who sailed?

Those annoying Elven issues Who sailed? What about Círdan? Elrond’s sons? We all know that Elrond sailed, Galadriel too. Arwen dies in Middle-earth, but what happened to the remaining elves? Elladan and Elrohir? Círdan? Celeborn? Actually, as Celeborn left Lothlórien for Rivendell after Galadriel’s departure, at least a few of their fates are intertwined: “There […]

Those annoying Elven issues – How come Lúthien was an elf but mortal, and Tuor a mortal but immortal?

Those annoying Elven issues How come Lúthien was an elf but mortal, and Tuor a mortal but immortal? What’s going on …? In Tolkien’s world there is a big difference between *race* and *mortality*. While the vast majority of elves are immortal, there are cases where the Valar grant them mortality – and remember that […]

Those annoying Elven issues – How did the line of Dol Amroth contain Elven blood?

Those annoying Elven issues How did the line of Dol Amroth contain Elven blood? During the First Age, there were three sets of marriages in which the blood of the Eldar became mingled with the blood of both Men and Maiar. These were: – the marriage of Thingol (elf) and Melian (Maia) – the marriage […]

Tom Bombadil – who, what, why and where?

Tom Bombadil – who, what, why and where? — “And even in a mythical Age there must be some enigmas, as there always are. Tom Bombadil is one (intentionally).” The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, No 144, dated 1954 — Tom Bombadil was one of the characters that originated before “The Lord of the Rings”. He […]

So what were the Two Towers?

So what were the Two Towers? This is a common question. Tolkien’s books are littered with towers – Minas Morgul, Orthanc, Barad-dûr, the Hornburg, Minas Tirith, Carchost, Narchost, Cirith Ungol – which two are *the* Two Towers? This is a slightly artificial problem in that it only ever came about while making the books ready […]

Was there one Glorfindel or two?

Was there one Glorfindel or two? Basically, there was one. Tolkien explicitly said so, just a year before his own death, but only after many years of consideration after not realising he was making such a problem for himself when he accidentally used the same name twice. Until the publication of “The Peoples of Middle-earth” […]

Who exactly were the Blue Wizards?

Who exactly were the Blue Wizards Five Istari were sent to Middle-earth – Olórin, known also as Gandalf, Curunir / Curumo, known also as Saruman, Radagast, and then two others – the mysterious Blue Wizards. So who were they? And what did they do in Middle-earth? Canon In canon, the Blue Wizards are hardly mentioned, […]

Balrogs – flying high?

Balrogs – flying high? Whether Balrogs had wings is maybe the most contentious issue Tolkien left behind him. It is the one thing on which every Tolkien fan has an opinion – and usually a die-hard opinion which is *right* whatever others may think. So why is this such a huge issue? Why is the […]