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Forum Home » Books Discussion » BC Archive: The Silmarillion » Masters in Mythology: the lineage of the Trees
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atalante_star
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Post Masters in Mythology: the lineage of the Trees
on: November 28, 2004 01:57
"And since of all things in Valinor they loved most the White Tree, Yavanna made for them a tree like to a lesser image of Telperion, save that it did not give light of its own being; Galathilion it was named in the Sindarin tongue. This tree was planted in the courts beneath the Mindon [Ingwë's tower] and there flourished, and its seedlings were many in Eldamar. Of these one was afterwardss planted in Tol Eressëa, and it prospered there, and was named Celeborn; thence came in the fullness of time, as is elsewhere told, Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor."


So what - you may ask. Why should a lineage of trees be of interest to us?

Perhaps the slight change in this story which is seen in LotR might shed some light on the matter. In LotR, Galathilion is said to be an actual seedling of Telperion - one of the Two Trees.

The Two Trees of Valinor are one of only a few things that have continued to have significance throughout the history of the Blessed Realm and Middle-earth. From the creation of the Two Trees near the start of time, to Aragorn finding a shoot of the White Tree of Gondor after the War of the Ring - they are always there in the background, symbols of purity, hope and faith.

The creation of the Two Trees set into place a chain of events which echoed throughout the history of Arda. Without the Two Trees, the Silmarils would not have been created, nor arguably the Sun and the Moon. Nor Vingilot and the Evening Star. Nor the White Trees of Tirion, Eressëa, Númenor and Gondor. Nor would the lands and people of Middle-earth have had continuous symbols of hope and light to guide them through their darker days.

So ....

What do you think about Tolkien putting into place such a constant "image" throughout the history of Arda? Is it a good thing?

And why trees? Are trees an appropriate image for this symbol of hope and light?

It is almost as if a piece of myth is still living. While most people will never have seen Telperion and Laurelin, and will know of them only secondhand or in myth, the products of that myth remain alive and well through history. Don't you find that rather amazing? I certainly do!!!
Nolimon
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Post RE: Masters in Mythology: the lineage of the Trees
on: November 30, 2004 04:41

As we all know Celeborn along with being the name of one of the trees is also the name of the Lord of Lothlorien and Nimloth in case no one is aware is the name of Celeborn's sister.


Nimloth is NOT Celeborn's sister, rather she was the daughter of his brother Galathil which makes her Celeborn's niece. Their father is Galadhon son of Elmo, brother of King Thingol and Olwe of Alqualonde.

But you're right, his family at least had tree-names. However, Tolkien in his later writings stated that the last stem of of Celeborn's name does not refer to trees. "Celeborn" no longer mean "Silver Tree" in reference to the Lord of Lorien but rather "Silver Tall."
cirdaneth
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Post RE: Masters in Mythology: the lineage of the Trees
on: August 15, 2009 09:04
From the point of view of plot, I think we have to ignore a lot of Tolkien's later tinkering, especially as he was tinkering largely as a linguistic exercise. So Celeborn as Silver-tree has to stand ... for me at least.

As for trees as symbols, we have to remember that many faiths hold the tree as sacred ... or revere a particular species because their God, prophet or guru is associated with it. The habits of trees have always seemed magical to humankind: the rejuvenation of deciduous ones and the seeming immortality of evergreens.

The concept of a tree that sheds light is very powerful. It is connected solidly with the earth yet reaches to heaven, growing closer to it with each year that passes and as a symbol of hope it tells us that if we can spread hope to others, that hope will spread like the dividing branches and twigs of trees.
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