The Silmarillion: Analysis of Major Characters

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien

First published: 1977

Genre: Novel

Locale: Valinor and Middle-earth, in the world of Arda

Plot: Fantasy

Time: A mythical past

Ilúvatar, also known as Eru (the one), his name meaning “father of all.” He is the creator of Ea (the universe) and of Arda (the earth). He first sang into being the Ainur, a race of angelic beings who then helped him to sing into existence the universe and finally the earth. Although all the Ainur (except Melkor the rebel) know part of his thoughts, no single Ainu knows them all; their amazement at his creativity and compassion never ceases, and they love best his newest creation, the Children of Ilúvatar: humanity. All things involving Arda are woven into the ultimate design of Ilúvatar; nothing, not even Melkor's rebellion, happens without Ilúvatar's foreknowledge or permission.

Manwë, the chief of the Valar (those Ainur who came to dwell on earth either permanently or temporarily) and ruler of Arda. His special delights are winds, clouds, and the regions of the air. He takes no kingly power in the sense of forcing humans or Elves (created before humans on earth and therefore called the Firstborn) to serve him, but he is the wisest of the Valar, so they seek his counsel. He submits always to the will of Ilúvatar. From his mountaintop home, he can behold almost everything that occurs in Arda.

Varda, Manwë's spouse, also called Elbereth (lady of the stars), one of the Valar. She knows all regions of Ea and loves light above all creations of Ilúvatar. With his blessing, she creates the stars and is often invoked by both Elves and humans, who revere her above all other Valar. She creates the mighty lamps that first light Middle-earth (where humans and Elves dwell) and places several especially bright constellations in the sky when those lamps are thrown down by Melkor. He fears her power above that of her peers because his strength lies in darkness.

Melkor (he who arises in might), originally the mightiest and most favored of the Ainur, renamed Morgoth (dark enemy) after his theft of the Silmarils. Lucifer-like, he turns his power to selfish ends and eventually loses his surpassing beauty, rebelling against Ilúvatar and seeking to destroy the Music. After eons of undermining and perverting the works of the Valar, he is taken captive and imprisoned for centuries in the halls of Mandos, the realm of Namo, keeper of the houses of the dead. When he eventually “repents,” he is paroled by Manwë, who is incapable of understanding evil; eventually he escapes, enlists the aid of the ferocious spider-creature Ungoliant, and destroys the Two Trees that light the Blessed Lands of Valimar. After he steals the Silmarils, jewels of incredible beauty in which the light of the Trees is preserved, the Valar join forces with Elves and humans to overthrow his kingdom at tremendous cost: Ainur, Maiar, Elves, and men die, and the earth itself is rent and twisted by the tremendous forces unleashed in the battle. Melkor has corrupted others of the Ainur and multitudes of the Maiar, a lesser order of angelic beings, in addition to seducing many humans, so his evil cannot be fully eradicated from Arda. Able only to pollute or to imitate, he perverts captured Elves into Orcs, which become some of Sauron's most terrible servants. His most terrible “creations” are the ferocious demons called Balrogs, which may be twisted Maiar. His most powerful and deadly convert is Sauron.

Sauron, one of the Maiar perverted by Melkor. Originally the lieutenant of Morgoth (the Valar refuse to call Melkor by any other name), he becomes a Dark Lord himself after the downfall of Melkor, taking the Black Land of Mordor for his own and building the mighty Barad-dur (Dark Tower) as his chief fortress. Desiring to rule all Middle-earth, he seduces many humans and a few Maiar, as well as drawing to himself sundry dark creatures devised by Melkor in imitation of Ilúvatar's true powers. Sauron's deadliest weapon is the One Ring, which he forges in the fires of Orodruin (Mount Doom), pouring into the ring much of his own power. It controls the nine rings, which he gives to mortal men to enslave them, and exerts some power over the seven rings of the Dwarves and the three rings of the Elves. Cut from his hand by Isildur during the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, it is lost for an age in the river Anduin, then found by Gollum and taken by Bilbo Baggins, and finally destroyed by Frodo, Bilbo's heir, thus casting down Sauron and bringing the Third Agetoanend.

Ulmo, one of the Valar, the lord of waters. Close to Manwë in might, he seldom goes to the councils of the Valar, preferring to roam the seas, streams, lakes, fountains, and rivers of Arda. Because water is ubiquitous, all the news, needs, and griefs of earth come to Ulmo, who conveys what might be otherwise hidden to Manwë. Earth dwellers say that the sound of his great horns, the Ulumuri, can be heard during storms and high tides; once heard, it implants the sea-longing forever in the heart of the hearer.

Aule, one of the Valar, the lord of all substances of which earth is made. He is a smith and master of all crafts. Melkor, envious of his skill, takes special delight in marring his works. Weary of battling Melkor and desiring to make something marvelous, Aule creates the hardy race of Dwarves, unwittingly usurping the prerogative of Ilúvatar. When he humbly submits his creation to Ilúvatar and repents of his audacity, offering to destroy his creations, Ilúvatar forgives him and casts the Dwarves into a deep sleep until their proper time to join the other races.

Yavanna, also called Kementari (queen of the earth), the spouse of Aule. She loves all growing things, especially trees. She sings into being the Two Trees that light Valinor until Melkor destroys them. At her request, Ilúvatar creates the Ents, giant shepherds of trees, to protect the forests.

Fëanor (spirit of fire), the son of the Elven king Finwë and Miriel, who fades into death soon after his birth. He is greatest among the race of Elves called Noldor, skillful craftsmen whom he later leads into rebellion. He creates the Silmarils, the three most beautiful jewels in the universe, and the Palantiri, the “seeing stones” of Numenor. Corrupted by Melkor, he is used to destroy the bliss of the Elves who have migrated from Middle-earth to Valinor.

Thingol (grey-cloak), also called Elwë, an Elven lord who marries the Maia Melian, the father of Luthien. His Hidden Kingdom of Doriath is one of the few refuges for Elves in Middle-earth during the depredations of Melkor.

Luthien Tinuviel (nightingale), the daughter of Thingol, the most beautiful of Elvenkind. She relinquishes immortality for love of Beren, a human, so that she can join him in the afterlife. They help to overthrow Melkor and rescue one Silmaril from his iron crown.

Beren One-hand, a mortal, the husband of Luthien Tinuviel. After helping to overthrow Melkor, he loses a hand to Carcharoth, a demon-wolf from Angband, who bites it off to devour the Silmaril, which Beren holds. Eventually slain by the same wolf, which has been driven mad by the power of the Silmaril (and from whose body the Silmaril is recovered), he alone of mortal men is allowed to return from the dead to help in later battles. He and Luthien are the ancestors of Elrond, Elros, and the Kings of Numenor.

Eärendil (lover of the sea) the Mariner, a half-elven who weds Elwing, the granddaughter of Beren and Luthien. His doom is to sail the heavens forever with the one remaining Silmaril on his brow, as a light and a hope for earth dwellers.

Ar-Pharazôn (the golden), the last king of Numenor, a great island within sight of Valinor prepared by the Valar to be the dwelling of the Edain (men of the west) as a reward for their struggles against Sauron. Captor of Sauron, by whom he is seduced, he leads a great fleet in rebellion against the Valar, seeking eternal life. At the moment when his fleet touches the Blessed Lands, it is removed forever from the confines of earth; the fleet is swallowed by a huge abyss. Numenor is destroyed by a gigantic tidal wave from which only nine ships of loyal Numenoreans, led by Isildur, escape.

Elrond Half-elven, a descendant of Beren and Luthien who chooses to belong to the Elven kindred. Wise and revered, he rules Imladris (Rivendell), in which the heirs of Isildur dwell until the time for the final battle with Sauron. He is the keeper of Vilya, the Ring of Air, bequeathed to him by Gil-galad the Elven king, and is the father of Arwen Undomiel, the “Evenstar” of her people, in whom the likeness of her great-grandmother, Luthien, has come again to Middle-earth. To Elrond's grief, she also chooses mortality to marry Aragorn, heir of Isildur.

Gandalf, also called Mithrandir (the grey pilgrim), a Maia, one of the Istari (wizards) sent by the Valar to battle Sauron. Ancient, wise, and fearless, he is the keeper of the Elven ring Narya, the Ring of Fire, which he wields in his long struggle against Sauron. Long aware that the One Ring resides in the Shire with Bilbo Baggins, he is instrumental in preserving it until Frodo can undertake the quest to destroy it.

Cirdan, the Lord of the Havens, from which homesick Elves may depart Middle-earth for Valinor. A shipwright, he was keeper of the Elven ring Narya, which he surrenders to Gandalf for use in the war against Sauron.

Elendil (star lover), who is descended from Eärendil and Elwing but not of the direct line of the Kings of Numenor. He leads the fleet of the faithful who escape the downfall of Numenor and founds the realms of the Numenoreans in Middle-earth. Although he is slain in the overthrow of Sauron at the end of the Second Age, the shards of his sword, Narsil, which broke beneath him when he fell, are preserved by his heirs throughout the Third Age until the time for their reforging for the final battle against Sauron.

Isildur, the son of Elendil. He cuts the One Ring from Sauron's hand at the end of the Second Age and keeps it as weregild for his father and brother instead of throwing it into the fires of Orodruin to destroy it.

Aragorn, called Elfstone and Estel (hope) by the Elves, the son of Arathorn. Disguised as a Ranger of the North, he has been reared in Rivendell, where he falls in love with the Elven maiden Arwen Evenstar. Isildur's heir through generations unbroken, he inherits the shards of Narsil and bears the sword reforged into the final battle against Sauron to inherit his kingship and earn his right to wed Arwen. He becomes the first king of the Fourth Age, the age of humans.

Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit, who inherits the One Ring from Bilbo. He and his servant Samwise help to bring about the final downfall of Sauron as well as the fading of the three Elven rings. As a reward for valor, he is allowed to join the last Elves who sail from the Havens.