The Nature of Middle-earth

by J. R. R. Tolkien

  To the land the Edain brought many things from Middle-earth: sheep, and kine, and horses, and dogs; fruiting trees; and grain. Water-fowl such as birds of duck-kind or geese they found before them; but others they brought also and blended with the native races. Geese and ducks were domestic fowls on their farms; and there also they kept multitudes of doves or pigeons in great houses or dovecotes, mainly for their eggs. Hen-fowl they had not known and found none in the island; though soon after the great voyages began mariners brought back cocks and hens from the southern and eastern lands,[4] and they throve in Númenor, where many of them escaped and lived in the wild, though harried by the foxes.

  The legends of the foundation of Númenor often speak as if all the Edain that accepted the Gift set sail at one time and in one fleet. But this is only due to the brevity of the narrative. In more detailed histories it is related (as might be deduced from the events and the numbers concerned) that after the first expedition, led by Elros, many other ships, alone or in small fleets, came west bearing others of the Edain, either those who were at first reluctant to dare the Great Sea but could not endure to be parted from those who had gone, or some who were far scattered and could not be assembled to go with the first sailing.

  Since the boats that were used were of Elvish model, fleet, but small, and each steered and captained by one of the Eldar deputed by Círdan,[fn2] it would have taken a great navy to transport all the people and goods that were eventually brought from Middle-earth to Númenor. The legends make no guess at the numbers, and the histories say little. The fleet of Elros is said to have contained many ships (according to some 150 vessels, to others two or three hundred) and to have brought “thousands” of the men, women, and children of the Edain: probably between 5,000 or at the most 10,000. But the whole process of migration appears in fact to have occupied at least 50 years, possibly longer, and finally ended only when Círdan (no doubt instructed by the Valar) would provide no more ships or guides. In that time the number of the Edain that crossed the Sea must have been very great, though small in proportion to the extent of the island (probably some 180,000 square miles). Guesses vary between 200,000 and 350,000 people.[5] After a thousand years the population seems not to have much exceeded 2 million. This was greatly increased later; but outlet was found in the Númenórean settlements in Middle-earth. Before the Downfall the population of Númenor itself may have been as many as 15 million.[fn3]

  The Edain brought with them much lore, and the knowledge of many crafts, and numerous craftsmen who had learned from the Eldar, directly or through their fathers, besides preserving lore and traditions of their own.

  As mentioned in chap. XII, “Lives of the Númenóreans”, above, the last paragraph at UT:169 was taken up from a long, digressive author’s note to that text; it is not present in the current text, which instead continues, with no significant variation, with that found at UT:170 (“But they could bring with them few materials …”), save for additional details regarding metals found in Númenor:

  Lead they also had. Iron and steel they needed most for the tools of the craftsmen and for the axes of the woodsmen.

  Also, regarding weapons in Númenor, this text has:

  But no man wore a sword in Númenor, not even in the days of the wars in Middle-earth, unless he was actually armed for battle. Thus for long there were practically no weapons of warlike intent made in Númenor. Many things made could of course be so used: axes, and spears, and bows. The bowyers were a great craft. They made bows of many kinds: long bows, and smaller bows, especially those used for shooting from horse-back; and they also devised cross-bows, at first used mainly against predatory birds. Shooting with bows was one of the great sports and pastimes of men; and one in which young women also took part. The Númenórean men, being tall and powerful, could shoot with speed and accuracy upon foot from great long bows, whose shafts would carry to great distance (some 600 yards or more), and at lesser range were of great penetration. In later days, in the wars upon Middle-earth, it was the bows of the Númenóreans that were most greatly feared.

  Finally, the long concluding paragraph of DN concerning the pursuits of men (UT:171), which Christopher Tolkien also took up from “Lives of the Númenóreans”, is absent here; instead, the text concludes with:

  These things are said for the most part of the days of the bliss of Númenor, which lasted well nigh two thousand years; though the first hints of the later shadows appeared before that. Indeed it was their very arming to take part in the defence of the Eldar and Men of the West of Middle-earth against the wielder of the Shadow (at length revealed as Sauron the Great) that brought about the end of their peace and content. Victory was the herald of their Downfall.

  XIV

  NOTE ON THE CONSUMPTION OF MUSHROOMS

  This typescript text is a short passage rejected by Tolkien from the essay published as The Drúedain in UT:377–87; I start the passage at the point (UT:378) that immediately precedes this note.

  [The Drúedain’s] knowledge of all growing things was almost equal to that of the Elves (although untaught by them), discerning those that were poisonous, or useful as medicaments, or good as food. To the astonishment of Elves and other Men they ate funguses with pleasure, many of which looked to others (Men and Hobbits) dangerous; some kinds which they specially liked they caused to grow near their dwellings. The Eldar did not eat these things. The Folk of Haleth, taught by the Drúedain, made some use of them at need; and if they were guests they ate what was provided in courtesy, and without fear. The other Atani eschewed them, save in great hunger when astray in the wild, for few among them had the knowledge to distinguish the wholesome from the bad, and the less wise called them ork-plants and supposed them to have been cursed and blighted by Morgoth.

  A rough pencil note in the margin reads: “Delete all this about funguses, too like Hobbits”.

  XV

  THE NÚMENÓREAN CATASTROPHE & END OF “PHYSICAL” AMAN

  This text, written in a somewhat hasty hand in black nib-pen, occupies three half-sides of the recto and verso of a folded sheet. It follows on immediately from the text presented as text 2 in chap. XV, “Elvish Reincarnation”, in part two of this book, and appears to be contemporary with that text, thus likewise dating from c. 1959.

  The Númenórean Catastrophe & End of “Physical” Aman[1]

  Is Aman “removed” or destroyed at the Catastrophe?

  It was physical. Therefore it could not be removed, without remaining visible as part of Arda or as a new satellite! It must either remain as a landmass bereft of its former inhabitants or be destroyed.

  I think now that it is best that it should remain a physical landmass (America!). But as Manwë had already said to the Númenóreans: “It is not the land that is hallowed (and free of death), but it is hallowed by the dwellers there” – the Valar.

  It would just become an ordinary land, an addition to Middle-earth, the European-African-Asiatic contiguous landmass. The flora and fauna (even if different in some [?items] from those of Middle-earth) would become ordinary beasts and plants with usual conditions of mortality.

  Aman and Eressëa would be the memory of the Valar and Elves of the former land.

  The Catastrophe would no doubt do great damage and change to the configuration of Aman. Partly, especially on West [sic; read “East”?] side, sunk into Sea.

  But how then would the corporeal union of fëar and hröar be maintained in an Aman of memory only?

  The answer, I think, is this.

  The Catastrophe represents a definite intervention of Eru and therefore in a sense a change of the primal plan. It is a foretaste of the End of Arda. The situation is much later than “conversation of Finrod and Andreth”[2] and could not then be foreseen by anyone, not even Manwë. In a sense Eru moved forward the End of Arda as far as it concerned the Elves. They had fulfilled their function – and we approach the “Dominion of Men”. Hence the vast importance of the marriages of Beren and Tuor – providing continuity o
f the Elvish element! The tales of the Silmarillion and especially of Númenor and the Rings are in a twilight. We do not see as it were a catastrophic end, but viewed against the enormous stretch of ages the twilight period of 2nd/3rd Ages is surely quite short and abrupt!

  The Elves are dying. They whether in Aman or outside will become fëar housed only in memory until the true End of Arda. They must await the issue of the War [?and] only then; and of their redemption foreglimpsed by Finrod:[3] for their true returning (corporeal or in Eru’s equivalent!) in Arda Remade.

  NB Melkor (inside Eä) only really becomes evil after the achievement of Eä in which he played a great and powerful part (and in its early stages in accord with the fundamental Design of Eru). It was jealousy of Manwë and desire to dominate the Eruhíni that drove him mad. It was the matter of Arda (as a whole but particularly of Imbar)[4] that he had corrupted. The Stars were not (or most of them were not) affected.

  He became more and more incapable (like Ungoliantë!) of extricating himself and finding scape in the vastness of Eä, and became more and more physically involved in it.

  It is evident from the haste of his writing and the fluidity of his conceptions that Tolkien is here thinking on paper (as he often did). Not only does some of this thinking apparently contradict long-standing “facts” of the then-unpublished mythology: e.g., the discord, envy, and desire for dominance of Melkor – in short, rebellion against Eru and His design – during the Music and prior to entering Eä; but also events depicted in the already-published Lord of the Rings: e.g., Frodo’s bodily journey to a seemingly very physical Tol Eressëa.

  XVI

  GALADRIEL AND CELEBORN

  The two texts presented here are located in a bundle of papers comprising 1) manuscript drafting and writing in black nib-pen on Oxford college documents dated 1955, to which Tolkien subsequently gave the title “Concerning Galadriel & Celeborn”, and 2) a late typescript on printed sheets containing the 1968 radio script of The Hobbit (see TCG I:760). Parts of this typescript were quoted (pp. 256–7, 267) or paraphrased (e.g. pp. 253, 266–7) in Unfinished Tales. See there also for the complex nature of the various and at times contradictory accounts of the history of Galadriel and Celeborn, of which the present texts are but a part.

  TEXT 1

  Concerning Galadriel & Celeborn

  Galadriel: daughter of Finarphin and sister of Finrod (Felagund). Quenya name Alatáriel ‘blessed queen’, Sindarized as Galadriel (galad = ‘bliss’). She wedded Celeborn (grandson of Elmo, brother of Thingol)[1] at about the end of the First Age. For love of Celeborn (who did not wish to leave Middle-earth), at the downfall of Angband and the ruin of Beleriand she crossed the Eryd Lindon into Eriador. Celebrían was born c. S.A. 300; Amroth c. 350.[2]

  Eventually Galadriel and Celeborn, with a following mainly of Noldor (but of course also Sindar and perhaps? some Nandor) established (c. S.A. 750) the realm of Eregion west of the Misty Mountains, and maintained friendship with the Dwarves of Moria. They had access to the great Nandorin realm on the other side of the Mountains (where afterwards Lórien was: as a remnant of much greater woods joining up with Mirkwood on both sides of Anduin). This realm was then called Lōrinand because of its golden trees: ‘Golden Vale’ (N[andorin] lōri ‘gold’ = Q. laurë); and also Norlindon – because its people still called themselves Lindē (Lindar) – ‘land of the Lindar’.[3] The chief craftsman of Eregion was Celebrimbor.

  Galadriel and Celeborn are regarded as High Lord and Lady of all the Eldar of the West.

  Sauron visited the Elves; but was rejected by Gil-galad in S.A. 1200. He visits Eregion and is rejected by Galadriel and Celeborn. He sees that he has met his match (or at least a very serious adversary) in Galadriel; he dissembles his wrath, and gets round Celebrimbor. The Noldorin Smiths under Celebrimbor admit him and begin to learn from him (so in a sense the story of Fëanor is repeated). Galadriel and Celeborn leave Eregion c. S.A. 1300 and retreat (through Moria) to Lórinand (with many of their non-Noldorin following): they are well received, and teach to the Lindar many things, warning them especially against Sauron.

  1697: At fall of Eregion many fleeing Elves come through (via Moria) and swell the ranks of Sindarin speakers. The Lindar become more and more Sindarized.

  The text ends here, at the bottom of a page;[4] but on the next page Tolkien begins an expanded account of Celebrimbor’s dealings with Sauron:

  But Sauron was more successful with the Ñoldor of Eregion, especially with Celebrimbor (secretly anxious to rival the skill and fame of Fëanor). When Sauron visited Eregion he sees quickly that he has met his match in Galadriel – or at least that in her he would have a chief obstacle. So he concentrated on Celebrimbor; and soon had all the Smiths of Eregion under his influence. Eventually he gets them to revolt against Celeborn and Galadriel. These pass through Moria and take refuge in Lórinand (c. S.A. 1350).

  When Celebrimbor discovers the designs of Sauron and repents – and hides the Three Rings – Sauron invades Eriador from the south, and besieges Eregion. Celeborn and Amroth with Nandor and Dwarves come through Moria to the west. Gilgalad sends help under Elrond from Lindon. But he is not in time to assist much. Sauron breaks into Eregion and lays it waste. Celebrimbor is slain personally by Sauron, but Sauron does not get the Three Rings. His wrath now blazes. Elrond with all (the few) refugees from Eregion he can gather fight a vanguard action and draw away N.W. He founds a stronghold in Imladris.

  When Celeborn heard of onset of Sauron (fearing to keep the Three Rings himself) he sent one to Galadriel in Lórinand by Amroth. Celeborn makes a sortie and breaks out and joins Elrond but cannot get back.

  In the top margin of this page Tolkien made various calculations based on the dates cited in this text, and corresponding time-spans in yéni (the “long years” of the Elves, equating to 144 solar years). These accompanied the following statement:

  Amroth was already prince in S.A. 850, only 32 yên [when he] passed in T.A. 1981.[5]

  In the accompanying calculations it can be discerned that Tolkien assigned his birth to S.A. 750, and that Amroth was thus 32 yéni plus 64 solar years = 4,672 solar years old when he passed. A different chronology, in which Amroth is made somewhat older at his passing, is worked out in the left-hand margin:

  Amroth born S.A. 300. 2 in S.A. 588. In S.A. 1350 he was 29. In S.A. 1697 he was 31. In S.A. 3441 nearly 44 (43/117). In T.A. 1693 [he was] 11/109 older = 55/82.

  These ages, however (with the exception of the first, being precisely 2 yéni after S.A. 300), cannot be reconciled with a yên of 144 solar years. The accounting of Amroth’s ages through the end of the Second Age in 3441 must refer rather to an apparent age, in terms of human maturation, not actual age in yéni (e.g., in S.A. 1350 Amroth would have been just over 7 yéni old, not 29; and in S.A. 3441 he would have been just under 22 yéni old, not 44).[6] As is shown in part one of this book, the intertwined issues of the age and maturation rate of the Elves, and implications for the chronology, occupied Tolkien greatly in his later years.

  In the top margin of the (apparently much later) cover page, above the prominent title, Tolkien very roughly wrote (and then struck through) the following:

  Galadriel is made sister of Finrod. In youth she was fond of wandering afar. She often visited the Teleri of Alqualondë (her mother was sister of Olwë and Elwë). There she was often a companion of Teleporno (‘silver-tall’). Celeborn’s kinship from a younger brother of Olwë and Elwë: Nelwë.

  Account of Galadriel’s quarrel with the sons of Fëanor at sack of Alqualondë. How she fought with Celeborn. She nonetheless went into Exile because though she did not love the sons of Fëanor she was personally proud and rebellious and wished for freedom.

  TEXT 2

  The Names Galadriel, Celeborn & Lórien[7]

  The name Alatáriel is Telerin in form; its original meaning was ‘maid of the glittering coronal’. It was a compound of three elements, in Common Eldarin (C.E.) form (1) *ñalatā ‘a glitter’ (of reflected
light); (2) the base RIȜ ‘to wreathe’; (3) the feminine suffix *-el, -elle. From *rīȝā and the suffix was made the word *rīȝelle ‘a woman bearing a garland’, specially applied to maidens wearing garlands at festivals. In Telerin initial ñ was lost; and with loss of medial ȝ and shortening of the word at the end of long names -riel was produced; the whole name thus became Alatáriel.[8]

  The name Telepornë is also Telerin in form. It meant ‘silver tree’. It was a compound of C.E. *kyelep- ‘silver’ and *ornē ‘tree’ (originally and usually applied to the taller, straighter, and more slender trees, such as birches),[fn1] a noun form related to the adj. *ornā ‘uprising, tall’ (and straight). C.E. *kyelep- became in T. telep-. In Sindarin its form was celeb. Its true Quenya form was tyelpë, tyelep- (as in the surname of Írildë, S. Idril: tyeleptalëa ‘silver-footed’). This was still the form in Old Quenya, and survived in many old names; but later the form telpë became usual. This was due to the influence of Telerin. The Teleri prized silver above gold; and their skill as silversmiths was esteemed even by the Noldor. For a similar reason Telperion was more generally used than Tyelperion as the name of the White Tree of Valinor. This was held in great honour by the Teleri (who it is said devised its name), though the Vanyar and Noldor gave greater love to Laurelin the Golden.