Flight Of The Noldor

In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor (also spelled Ñoldor, meaning ''those with knowledge'' in his constructed language Quenya) were a kindred of Elves who migrated west to the blessed realm of Valinor from the continent of Middle-earth, splitting from other groups of Elves as they went. They then settled in the coastal region of Eldamar. The Dark Lord Morgoth murdered their first leader, Finwë. The majority of the Noldor, led by Finwë's eldest son Fëanor, then returned to Beleriand in the northwest of Middle-earth. This made them the only group to return and then play a major role in Middle-earth's history; much of '' The Silmarillion'' is about their actions. They were the second clan of the Elves in both order and size, the other clans being the Vanyar and the Teleri.

Among Elves, the Noldor showed the greatest talents for intellectual pursuits, technical skills and physical strength, yet were prone to unchecked ambition and pride in their ability to create. Scholars such as Tom Shippey have commented that these attributes led to their decline and fall, especially through Fëanor who created and coveted the magical jewels, the Silmarils. Others including Dimitra Fimi have linked the Noldor to the mythical Irish warriors and sorcerers, the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Etymology and origins

"Noldor" meant those who have great knowledge and understanding. The Noldor were called ''Golodhrim'' or ''Gódhellim'' in Sindarin, and ''Goldui'' by another kindred of Elves, the Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is ''Noldo'' and the adjective is ''Noldorin'', which is also the name of their dialect of Quenya.

In early drafts of his legendarium, Tolkien used the name "Gnomes" for the group later called the Noldor, and their language, the Noldorin dialect of Sindarin, was called "Gnomish" or "Noldorin".

Attributes

The Noldor were counted among the Calaquendi ("Elves of the Light") or High Elves, as they had seen the light of the Two Trees of Valinor. The most distinctive aspect of Noldorin culture was their fondness for craftwork and skill of their workmanship, which ranged from lapidary to embroidery to the craft of language. Among the Elven kindreds, the Noldor were the most beloved by the Vala Aulë, who originally taught them craftsmanship. As a result of their renown as the most skilled of all peoples in lore, warfare and crafts, the Noldor were sometimes called the "Deep Elves". Following their return to Middle-earth during the First Age, the Noldor built great cities within their realms in the land of Beleriand, such as Nargothrond and Gondolin., ch. 15 "Of the Noldor in Beleriand"

The Noldor spoke Quenya in Valinor; in Middle-earth they also spoke Sindarin. Among the wisest of the Noldor was Rúmil, creator of the first writing system, Sarati, and author of many books of lore. Fëanor, son of Finwë and Míriel, was the greatest of their craftsmen, "mightiest in skill of word and of hand",, ch. 5 "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië" and creator of the Silmarils. Fëanor also devised the Tengwar script.

Tolkien gave some Noldorin leaders like Finwë and Fingolfin their own heraldic devices, carefully distinguishing their ranks by the number of points touching the rim.

The Noldor were the proudest of the Elves, as they vaunted in particular their ability to create: by the words of the Sindar, "they needed room to quarrel in". Equally, this caused in them an arrogance that plagued their history and caused them great suffering., part 4, "Quendi and Eldar" C: The Clan-names "Noldor"

The Noldor were tall and physically strong. Their hair colour was usually a very dark shade of brown; Tolkien hesitated over whether their hair might be black., part 2, Late Writings (1968 or later): "The Shibboleth of Fëanor", p. 365, note 61 Red and even white ("silver") hair occasionally existed among some individuals. Their eyes were usually grey or dark, with the inner light of Valinor reflected in their eyes; the Sindarin term ''Lachend'' means "flame-eyed"., Part 4, "Quendi and Eldar"

Fictional history

Early history

'' The Silmarillion'' tells the history of the Noldor. The Elves were placed, asleep, in Cuiviénen on Middle-earth by the creator, Ilúvatar. According to Elven-lore, the Noldor as a clan was founded by Tata, the second Elf to awaken, his spouse Tatië and their 54 companions. The fate of Tata and Tatië is not recorded; it was Finwë who led the Noldor to Valinor, where he became their King, and their chief dwelling-place was the city of Tirion upon Túna. In Valinor "great became their knowledge and their skill; yet even greater was their thirst for more knowledge, and in many things they soon surpassed their teachers. They were changeful in speech, for they had great love of words, and sought ever to find names more fit for all things they knew or imagined."

The Noldor drew the ire of the rogue Vala Melkor, who envied their prosperity and, most of all, the Silmarils crafted by Fëanor. So he went often among them, offering advice, and the Noldor listened, being eager for knowledge., ch. 6 "Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor", ch. 7 "Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor" But Melkor sowed lies, and in the end the peace in Tirion was poisoned. Fëanor, having assaulted his half-brother Fingolfin and thus broken the laws of the Valar, was banished to his fortress Formenos, and with him went Finwë his father. Fingolfin remained as the ruler of the Noldor of Tirion.

With the aid of the spider spirit Ungoliant, Melkor destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor,, ch. 8 "Of the Darkening of Valinor" slew Finwë, stole the Silmarils and departed from Aman. Driven by vengeance, Fëanor rebelled against the Valar and roused the Noldor to leave Valinor, follow Melkor to Middle-earth and wage war against him for the recovery of the Silmarils. Though the greater part of the Noldor still held Fingolfin as the rightful leader, they followed Fëanor out of kinship and to avenge Finwë. Fëanor and his sons swore an oath of vengeance against Melkor, whom Fëanor renamed Morgoth, or anyone who came into possession of a Silmaril., pp. 194, 294

Flight of the Noldor: exile to Middle-earth

In the port city of Alqualondë, the Noldor hosts led by Fëanor demanded that the Falmari, those of the Teleri who had come to Valinor, let them use their ships. When the Teleri refused, Fëanor's forces took the ships by force, committing the first Kinslaying. A messenger from the Valar came later and delivered the Prophecy of the North, pronouncing the Doom of Mandos on the Noldor for the Kinslaying, and warning that a grim fate awaited them should they proceed with their rebellion. Some of the Noldor who had had no hand in the Kinslaying, including Finarfin son of Finwë and Indis, returned to Valinor, and the Valar forgave them. The majority of the Noldor, some blameless for the Kinslaying, remained determined to leave Valinor for Middle-earth. Among them were Finarfin's children, Finrod and Galadriel, who chose to follow Fingolfin instead of Fëanor and his sons., ch. 13 "Of the Return of the Noldor"

The Noldor crossed the sea to Middle-earth in the stolen ships, leaving Fingolfin and his people behind. Upon his arrival in Middle-earth, Fëanor had the ships burned. When the Noldor led by Fingolfin discovered their betrayal, they went farther north and crossed the sea at the Grinding Ice or the Helcaraxë., ch. 9 "Of the Flight of the Noldor" Suffering substantial losses along the way, this greatly added to the animosity they had for Fëanor and his sons. The deaths of the Two Trees and the departure of the Noldor out of the Undying Lands marked the end of the Years of the Trees, and the beginning of the Years of the Sun, when the Valar created the Moon and the Sun out of Telperion's last flower and Laurelin's last fruit. Fëanor's company was soon attacked by Morgoth in an event known as the Battle under Stars or ''Dagor-nuin-Giliath''. Fëanor himself was mortally wounded by several Balrogs, who had issued forth from Morgoth's fortress of Angband and captured his eldest son Maedhros.

Fingon, the eldest son of Fingolfin, saved Maedhros (his half-cousin) from captivity, which settled the rift between their houses for a time. Maedhros was due to succeed Fëanor, but he regretted his part in the Kinslaying as well as the abandonment of Fingolfin and left the leadership of the Noldor in Middle-earth to his uncle Fingolfin, who became High King of the Noldor. Maedhros's brothers dissented and began to refer to themselves as ''the Dispossessed'', paying little deference to Fingolfin or his successors, and were still determined to fulfill the oath they swore to recover the Silmarils on behalf of their father.

In Beleriand, in the north-west of Middle-earth, the Noldor made alliances with the Sindar and later with Men of the Three Houses of the Edain. Fingolfin reigned long in the land of Hithlum, and his younger son Turgon built the hidden city of Gondolin. The Sons of Fëanor ruled the lands in Eastern Beleriand, while Finrod Finarfin's son was the King of Nargothrond and his brothers Angrod and Aegnor held Dorthonion. Fingolfin's reign was marked by warfare against Morgoth and in the year 60 of the First Age after their victory in the battle of Dagor Aglareb the Noldor started the Siege of Angband, the great fortress of Morgoth. In the year 455 the Siege was broken by Morgoth in the Dagor Bragollach, or Battle of Sudden Flame, in which the north-eastern Elvish realms were conquered, with the exception of Maedhros' fortress at Himring. Fingolfin in despair rode to Angband and challenged Morgoth to single combat, dealing the Dark Lord seven wounds before perishing. Fingolfin was succeeded by his eldest son Fingon the Valiant, who became the second High King of the Noldor in Beleriand.

In the year 472, Maedhros organised an attack on Morgoth, which led to the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. The Noldor and their allies were utterly defeated when they were betrayed by the Easterlings and surrounded by Morgoth's forces. Fingon was killed by Gothmog the Lord of Balrogs, and was succeeded by his brother Turgon. Morgoth scattered the remaining forces led by the Sons of Fëanor,, ch. 20 "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad" and in 495 Nargothrond too was conquered. Turgon had withdrawn to Gondolin which had been kept hidden from both Morgoth and other Elves; his realm was betrayed to Morgoth by his nephew Maeglin in 510. Turgon died during the Fall of Gondolin, though his daughter Idril led many of his people to escape and find their way south. Gil-galad, son of Fingon, succeeded Turgon and became the fourth and last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth., ch. 23 "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin"

Between the years 545 and 583 the War of Wrath was fought between Morgoth and the host of the Valar. As the result of the cataclysmic destruction from the war, Beleriand sank into the sea, except for a part of Ossiriand later known as Lindon, and a few isles. The defeat of Morgoth marked the end of the First Age and the start of the Second, and most of the Noldor returned to Aman, though some like Galadriel or Celebrimbor, grandson of Fëanor, refused the pardon of the Valar and remained in Middle-earth., ch. 24 "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"

Second and Third Ages

Gil-galad founded a new kingdom at Lindon and ruled throughout the Second Age, longer than any of the High Kings before him. After Sauron re-emerged and manipulated Celebrimbor and the smiths of Eregion to forge the Rings of Power, he fortified Mordor and began the long war with the remaining Elves of Middle-earth. His forces attacked Eregion, destroying it, but were repelled in Rivendell and Lindon. With the aid of the Númenóreans, the Noldor managed to defeat him for a time. "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"

In the year 3319 of the Second Age, Númenor fell due to King Ar-Pharazôn's rebellion against the Valar, manipulated in part by Sauron, though Elendil escaped to the mainland with his sons Anárion and Isildur, who established the realms of Arnor and Gondor. Gil-galad set out for Mordor in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men with Elendil's forces and defeated Sauron in the Siege of Barad-dûr, though Gil-galad himself perished with no successors as High King of the Noldor. Among the lineal descendants of Finwë in Middle-earth, only Galadriel and some Half-elven remained., " Akallabêth"

In the Third Age, the Noldor in Middle-earth dwindled, and at the end of the Third Age the remaining Noldorin communities departed to Valinor. In '' The Fellowship of the Ring'' Frodo met a band of Elves led by Gildor Inglorion from the House of Finrod who were travelling to the Grey Havens., book 1, ch. 3 "Three is Company"

House of Finwë

The Sons of Fëanor were (in the order of their birth) Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Amras, and Amrod.

The Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey comments that the family tree of the House of Finwë is "essential", as Tolkien allocates character by ancestry; thus, Fëanor was pure Noldor, and so excellent as a craftsman, but his half-brothers Fingolfin and Finarfin had Vanyar blood from their mother, Indis. They were accordingly less skilful as craftsmen, but superior "in restraint and generosity".

Analysis

Tuatha Dé Danaan

Scholars including Dimitra Fimi, Anne Kinniburgh, and John Garth have connected the Noldor with the Irish Tuatha Dé Danaan as a possible influence. The parallels are both thematic and direct. In Irish mythology, the Tuatha Dé Danaan invade Ireland as a tall pale fair-haired race of immortal warriors and sorcerers. They have godlike attributes but human social organisation. They enter Ireland with what Kinniburgh calls a "historical trajectory", entering in triumph, living with a high status, and leaving diminished, just as the Noldor do in Middle-earth. They are semi-divine as Sons of Danu, just as the Noldor are counted among the first of the sentient races, the Children of Ilúvatar. Their immortality keeps them from disease and the frailty of age, but not from death in battle, an exact parallel with the Noldor. Nuada Airgetlám, the Tuatha Dé Danaan's first high king, is killed by Balor of the Evil Eye; Fëanor is killed by Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs. Celebrimbor's name means "Silver Hand" in Sindarin, the same meaning as Nuada's epithet Airgetlám in Irish Gaelic. Celebrimbor's making of powerful but dangerous rings, too, has been linked with the finding of a curse on a ring at the temple of Nodens, a Roman god whom Tolkien in his work as a philologist identified with Nuada.

Germanic influence

The Tolkien scholar Leslie A. Donovan notes that Tolkien's concept of exile, as principally exemplified by the Noldor, derives in part from Anglo-Saxon culture, in which he was an expert.

The medievalist Elizabeth Solopova makes a connection between Middle English and Tolkien's description of Finwë's first wife Míriel as the most skilful of the Noldor at weaving and needlework; Solopova notes that Tolkien had proposed an etymology for the Middle English term ''burde'', meaning lady or damsel, linking it to Old English ''borde'', embroidery, and that he had given examples from both Old English and Old Norse where women were called weavers or embroiderers.

Sub-creation

Shippey writes that Tolkien was himself fascinated with artefacts and their "sub-creation". He comments that in ''The Hobbit'', ''The Lord of the Rings'', and ''The Silmarillion'', Tolkien consistently chooses to write about the "restless desire to make things". This is not quite, he notes, the same as the Christian sin of avarice or possessiveness. This made sense in the case of the Noldor, as for consistency their besetting sin ought not to be the same as Adam and Eve's, which was pride. In Valinor, Shippey writes, the equivalent of the Fall "came when conscious creatures became 'more interested in their own creations than in God's'", with Fëanor's forging of the Silmarils. He adds that the smith-Vala Aulë is not only the patron of all craftsmen but the Vala most like Melkor, the first Dark Lord. The kinds of craftsmanship he encouraged among the Noldor was not only of physical things, but "'those that make not, but seek only for the understanding of what is' — the philologists, one might say", writes Shippey, including Tolkien's profession along with the Noldor's skill with letters and poetry.

Decline and fall

The Tolkien scholar Bradford Lee Eden states that in ''The Silmarillion'', Tolkien focused on the Noldor as their history was "filled with the doom and fate so typical of medieval literature that determines the entire history of Middle-earth from the First Age to the time of ''The Lord of the Rings''." He notes that in many "parallel stories and tales" the fates of Elves and Men are tightly interwoven, leading inexorably to the decline and fading of the Elves and the rise of Men as the dominant race in the modern Earth. The Tolkien scholar Matthew Dickerson writes that the theft of the Silmarils by Morgoth leads Fëanor and his sons into swearing their dreadful oath and leading the Noldor out of Valinor back to Middle-earth. This is, he comments, at once a free choice and a self-imposed exile.

In culture

'' Nightfall in Middle-Earth'', a 1998 studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian, contained multiple references to the Noldor and the events they experience within the narrative of '' The Silmarillion''. For example, "Face the Truth" has Fingolfin tell how he crossed the icy Helcaraxë, while in "Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)" he regrets having left Valinor; "Battle of Sudden Flame" recalls the battle of Dagor Bragollach, which marked the turning point of the Noldor's war against Morgoth in the Dark Lord's favour; "The Dark Elf" recounts the birth of Maeglin, the son of Fingolfin's daughter Aredhel and Eöl the titular Dark Elf; "Nom the Wise" is an elegy by Beren to his friend Finrod Felagund. Nightfall in Middle Earth: AllMusic Guide Review/ref> The Tolkien scholar Bradford Lee Eden writes that "although one can assume that Tolkien was not a headbanger", he finds that in the opinion of his students, the "driving energy" of the power metal sound is appropriate for the stories: "The music conveys rage and despair, which fits lyrics such as 'The doom of the Noldor drew near/ The words of a banished king, “I swear revenge!”'" Eden adds that this facilitates discussion of Tolkien's Christian view of the fall of man.

Notes

References

Primary

::''This list identifies each item's location in Tolkien's writings.''

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High Elves (Middle-earth)

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