Galadriel
Galadriel, who opened the Lord of the Rings trilogy with her secluded voice, has many adventures before she comes to the forests of Lothlorien. She is one of the most extraordinary characters in the universe, not only because she is a woman, but in general, was a character Tolkien was particularly interested in and fell upon. Born in Aman, Galadriel was on everyone’s lips with her beauty at the time of the Two Trees of Valinor. Feanor wanted a strand of her hair, but unfortunately, he wasn’t as lucky as Gimli. It is said that the rejected Feanor made the Silmarils inspired by the hair of Galadriel.
Galadriel was one of the Noldor Elves who went to Middle-earth when Feanor declared war on Melko. As much as she disliked Feanor, she did not want to leave her cousins alone in the battle. Likewise, her interest in Middle-earth, combined with her love for governing, became an adventure for her to embark on a difficult journey. Although we do not have much information about what Galadriel did after she came to Middle-earth, we can say that she traveled a lot. We do not know whether she participated in any war, especially as in the series.
Following Fingolfin’s footsteps, Galadriel and the other Elves, who had crossed into Middle-earth through the formidable Helcaraxe, had arrived first at the gates of Angband, but when they realized they could not enter, they dispersed around Lake Mithrim. Galadriel first wanted to visit relatives in Doriath with her brother Finrod. Her visit to Doriath had caused King Thingol to learn of the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. At the same time, Galadriel met Celeborn, with whom she would spend thousands of years.
Although we do not know where she spent the whole first age, Galadriel spent a particular part of the second age in Lindon, then went east and founded Eregion with her husband, Celeborn. Here they ruled under the auspices of Gil-Galad. It is precisely for this reason that she becomes a part of the Annatar story, who came there at that time and tried to deceive the Elves. After Eregion, Galadriel passed through Khazad-dum to Anduin and settled in Lothlorien, her last place. Then they became the leader of this place with Celeborn.
To describe Galadriel as a warrior would be to misidentify. Galadriel turns into one of the most remarkable beings in the universe, with her beauty and the powers many do not have.
Arwen
Third child of Celebrian and Elrond. Celebrian is the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn. This makes Galadriel Arwen’s grandmother. We know Arwen for her love for Aragorn. Arwen meets Aragorn, who came to Imladris as a child, and they fall in love. Although Elrond was sad in himself that his daughter fell in love with a human, he treated Aragorn like a father and paved the way for the relationship between them. But Aragorn’s journey was causing them to never untie the knot of their relationship. Though his journey to become king of Gondor has caused problems in their relationship, Arwen has shown how determined she is. She put aside her very chance to go to the undying lands for Aragorn. There are 4 human and Elf relationships recorded in the thousands of years of Middle-earth history. But the relationship between Arwen and Aragorn can be compared to the archetypes Beren and Luthien. For this reason, Aragorn sings their song during the breaks he takes on his journeys. Beren had gone on an impossible mission to retrieve Luthien from her father. Unwilling to let her go, Luthien went after him and embarked on an adventure with the man she loved, even to death. Although Arwen does not embark on an adventure for Aragorn, she gives up her immortality for Aragorn. In fact, we can say that this is a decision equivalent to “at the cost of dying.”
Eowyn
Eowyn was the second child of Eomund and Theowyn. When her mother dies from illness and father dies from war, Eowyn comes under the care of King Théoden. Théoden loves Eomer and Eowyn as his child, just like in the movie.
Eowyn has a stubborn personality. She doesn’t like to stay in the background. She was one of the leaders who led the people of Edoras to Helms Deep when Gandalf came and freed King Theoden from the spell. Eowyn, who had tried to explain her interest in Aragorn along the way, had buried it after sweet rejection. But her stubbornness comes out when it comes to fighting. Eowyn, who tells her father that she wants to fight on the field, gets rejected and goes to war by dressing like a man. And she achieves what no man can: She kills the Witch-King. The Witch-King, which has haunted the kingdom of Andor since the beginning of the Third Age, dies with Eowyn’s final blow. Of course, this also causes her death, but Eowyn dies at least as a hero.
Melian
Melian, an Ainur, settled in Aman like the other Valar before the first age. But Melian, bored in time, left Aman and crossed into Middle-earth when the Elves awoke around the lake of Cuiviénen. She sang songs in the silence of the Endor and spent the time until she met Elwe, later named Elu Thingol. Orome came to Middle-earth and told the Elves that the Valar had invited them to Aman. After this invitation, the Elves were divided into three. Some set out for Aman, some had to stop on their way out, and some never set out. The Teleri Elves were among those who had to set off and stop. Thingol, the leader of his own people, encountered the singing Melian when he went alone into the forest during the journey. Thingol, fascinated by her song, approached her, and as soon as their hands touched, they both froze.
The journey came to a halt when the king did not return for his people. While some Elves continued their journey, others chose to stay behind to find Thingol. When the great journey was over, Melian and Thingol awoke. Realizing that they were in love, Melian and Thingol chose to stay instead of going to Aman and founded Doriath in the forest of Meldoreth. Melian used her magic to keep Doriath safe and protected Doriath’s surroundings with a ring called the Girdle of Melian. No one could enter this circle unless Thingol or Melian allowed.
Melian remained in Middle-earth until Doriath fell. She, who lived in Menegroth until Doriath was scattered and Thingol died by the attack of the Nogrod Dwarves, had to participate in many events that would affect the second age in this process. She hosted Turin, the son of Hurin. Melian, who is also the mother of Luthien in the book Beren and Luthien, actually has an important place in the history of the Legendarium.
Luthien
Daughter of Melian and Thingol, an Elven girl in love. Coincidentally, she fell in love with a man she met in the forest, just like her mother: Beren. But her father, Thingol, did not want to give her beautiful Elf daughter to a human. And he gave Beren a task that he could never fulfill. He said he would give his daughter to him if he could bring a Silmaril from Melkor’s crown. Beren succumbed to his fate because of the greatness of his love and set out. Seeking support, in turn, to go to Melkor, Beren eventually went to Nogrothrond and showed Finrod the Ring of Barahir. Finrod kept his family promise and set out with Beren for Angband. But on the way, they were caught by Sauron and imprisoned. Feeling that he was in a bad situation, Luthien set out secretly from her family. She came to the island of Minas Tirith, where Beren and Finrod were imprisoned. Upon her arrival, Luthien, who found Finrod dead and Beren weak, breathed her love into Beren and lifted him to his feet, enabling him to continue his mission.
Luthien entered Angband with Beren and put Melkor to sleep with her magic so Beren could complete the mission. Beren managed to rip out one of the Silmarils from Melkor’s crown with his blade. But Beren did not stop and tried to dismantle the second one. The blade broke, and the shard cut off Melkor’s cheek, causing him to awaken. Luthien and Beren tried to escape from there. But before them, there was the werewolf Carcharoth. Beren tried to frighten Carcharoth by showing the Silmaril, but the werewolf bit off Beren’s arm instead. Yet the werewolf, who had also swallowed Silmaril, ran away in agony. At that time, the eagles from Doriath came and took Beren and Luthien and went away.
Although Beren is unable to complete his impossible task, Thingol is impressed by his courage and allows him to marry his daughter Luthien. Doriath then forms a party of soldiers and pursues Carcharoth. While trying to find and take Silmaril from his stomach, the wolf desperately jumps on Beren and seriously injures him. Beren, who dies of his wounds, goes to the Halls of Mandos. But Luthien does not leave the man she loves and follows him to the Halls of Mandos. In the halls of Mandos, she begins to sing such a bitter song that the Valar are so mesmerized by the song and offer Luthien a choice. Either she would become immortal like the Elves and go back, or abandon her immortality and accept a short life with Beren. Of course, Luthien put her immortality aside and chose to live with Beren in Middle-earth. And they lived happily, as in fairy tales.
Ungloliant
The most fearsome creature of the before ages, uncertain whether it was an evil spirit from the void infiltrated to Arda or another Maia, came to earth. Ungoliant, who lives south of Aman and looks like a spider, is actually a female. Ungoliant, who later became the mother of many spiders like her, was a prisoner of hunger. When Melko came to her and said that he would feed her with jewels, she believed and went with him secretly to Valinor and attacked the trees. When all the Elven people were in the festival, Melko came secretly to the trees of Valinor and, with his spear, wounded the trees. And Ungoliant drank the trees to the last drop and dried them up.
Then, fleeing with Melko through Helcaraxe, Ungoliant stopped at Angband, thinking that Melko would deceive her, and she was right, demanding that he keep his word. Melko was giving her the jewels with one hand, but Ungoliant said to him, “You promised to give with both hands.” Holding the Silmarils in his other hand, Melko did not want to give the stones to her. Drinking the sap of the trees of Valinor, Ungoliant had grown too strong and mighty enough to overthrow even Melko. Just as Ungoliant, who had captured and overthrown Melko, was about to defeat him, the Balrogs, catching up with Melko’s cries, came and drove away Ungoliant. The spider that escaped from there was never seen again. Legend has it that her hunger was so great that she died by eating herself.
Aredhel
The white lady of the Noldor, child of Fingolfin and Anaire; sibling of Fingon, Turgon, and Argon. Aredhel was one of those who came to Middle-earth through Helcaraxe with Galadriel and her group. When Turgon completed Gondolin, she settled with him in this secret kingdom. But she got bored in the last 200 years and wanted to leave. No matter how badly Turgon approached this request, he finally had to accept it. And Aredhel went out of Gondolin and threw herself into the woods. Afterward, she wanted to see her brothers, whom she missed.
Accompanied by Glorfindel, Ecthelion, and Egalmoth, Aredhel’s entry into Doriath was denied by king Thingol, and she turned her way to Nan Dungortheb, which was considered dangerous. But here, the paths of Aredhel and the Elves accompanying her diverged. They lost Aredhel and lived through it with sadness for many years.
While Aredhel is wandering through the forest of Nan Elmoth, Eöl, a Dark Elf, sees her and casts a spell on her; fascinated by her beauty, he makes her fall in love with him. Eöl was originally an Elf, like Aredhel, who left Doriath because he was bored too. He lived in the dark forest of Nan Elmoth, where the sunlight did not touch the ground. Eöl, who fascinated Aredhel, married her, and they had a child named Maeglin, the Elf who caused Gondolin to fall, which you will encounter in the next Idril title.
Aredhel and Maeglin had lived with Eöl for a time, but now the darkness was darkening them. They wanted to see the sun, but Eöl’s intention was the opposite. Therefore, Aredhel took her son Maeglin and fled back to Gondolin. Then, of course, Turgon embraced them. But Eöl could not bear it, and he came to Gondolin to find his wife and child. King Turgon told Eöl that, having entered Gondolin, he could no longer leave, where he could live happily with his wife and child. But Eöl’s hatred had dazed him once. He cursed them all there. He stole one of the soldiers’ spears and threw it at his treacherous son, whom he thought had convinced his mother. But the spear pierced the intervening Aredhel. The poisoned spear caused Aredhel’s death after a while. Thereafter Eöl was sentenced to death by Turgon for doing this.
Idril
Daughter of the great Noldor king Turgon and his wife, Elenwe. She is the only person who saved dozens of innocent Elves in Gondolin. While Tuor, an Edain, wanders around Nevrast, Ulmo shows up and tells him that he must find Gondolin. On the way, Tuor meets Voronwe on the river path. Voronwe, the Noldor Elf, leads him to Gondolin through secret passages. When Tuor arrives at the gates of Gondolin, King Turgon greets him, and at that moment, Tuor speaks with Ulmo’s mouth and gives a prophecy of the future. Tuor is then invited to Gondolin and begins to live there. Over time, Tuor, who falls in love with the king’s daughter, marries her. The two have a child named Earendil, who will later play a significant role in the closing of the first age. Earendil is also the father of Elrond and Elros.
Although Idril is a loving mother, she asks for a secret passage under the city of Gondolin out of fear of the increasing darkness. After a severe struggle for this gate, Idril finally gets what she wants. The fears that make her doubtful will be justified in the future. Gondolin becomes the target of one of the most formidable attacks in middle-earth because of Maeglin, who falls in love with Idril and, out of jealousy, betrays Gondolin’s place to Melko. One night, suddenly, Melko and his creatures destroy the city. Idril saves the people caught between Balrogs, Dragons, and burning buildings. The tunnel she built as security allows many Elves to escape from there. For this reason, Idril’s place in history is quite large. Although Gondolin fell that night, Idril and Tuor managed to escape with many Elves with them. After a long time, when Tuor gets old, they set out for Valinor and settle there.
Elwing
Speaking of Elrond, it is impossible not to mention his mother. Elwing was the daughter of Dior, son of Beren and Luthien, and his wife, Nimloth. She married Earendil, son of Idril and Tuor. She had two children, Elrond and Elros. Besides having two sons who completely changed the second and third ages, Elwing has 2 adventures that make her stand out. The first is the story of Silmaril, which Feanor’s sons mercilessly sought. As I explained above in the title of Melian, when Doriath is attacked by the Nogrod dwarves, and King Thingol is killed, Melian goes to Valinor, thus removing the shield surrounding Doriath. The absence of protection around Doriath meant all those still inside were in danger. And trouble quickly found them. Elwing held one of the Silmarils. Knowing this, the sons of Feanor attacked Doriath, causing the second kinslaying. But they did not find Silmaril.
Fleeing from Doriath, Elwing is chased by Feanor’s children. Capturing her on the seaside, they demand that she give the Silmaril. But she prefers to throw herself off the cliff instead of giving. But Vala Ulmo comes to Elwing’s aid and transforms her into a white bird. Elwing, who turns into a white bird, alights on Earendil’s ship, which passes by. Later, Elwing marries Earendil.
Then Earendil and Elwing make a decision. Instead of returning to Middle-earth, which has sailed into chaos, they decide to make their way to Valinor. Although Elwing knows they will die, she now thinks it is necessary, and they set out. They manage to reach these lands that no one has found. Earendil told the Valar everything about Middle-Earth. And so they lay the foundation for the final war called the War of Wrath.
Haleth
The leader of the Haladin of the 3 Edain branches, Haleth, who became the leader of Haladin after her father Haldad and her brother Haldar died in battle, made courageous decisions to ensure the survival of her people living in Thargelion. Haleth, who managed to keep her people together for 7 days until Caranthir expelled the orcs from Haladin’s surroundings, then received an invitation from Caranthir. Despite Caranthir’s suggestion, Haleth refused this invitation to remain independent, took her people, and set out for Estolad. But their grueling journey, which would lead to the death of many, passed through Estolad and ended in the forests of Brethil. Settled in the woods of Brethil, Haladin was later known as the House of Haleth. Leading her people to freedom and a much more favorable environment for life, Haleth never married. She rules them until her death.
Morwen
A woman, a mother, who owns one of the most painful stories in Middle-earth. Morwen, daughter of Baragund of the House of Beor, marries Hurin of the House of Hador. The two have children named Turin, Lalaith, and Nienor. Turin becomes one of the people who will change the fate of middle-earth in the future. Of course, it is his mother who determines his destiny first and foremost.
Morwen is left alone with her children when Hurin goes with Edain to fight alongside the Elves against Melko. As the war drags on and the bad news comes in, Morwen begins to worry, but she also wants to believe that Hurin is somehow still alive. In fact, Morwen was not wrong in her feelings. Hurin, not dead, was taken prisoner by Gothmog. But Morwen was about to lose hope when her husband did not return, and the rumors circulated that he was dead. After the big defeat against dark forces, the Easterlings’ invasion, and trying to take the lands, Morwen makes an important decision. Sending her son Turin to Thingol in Doriath with tears in her eyes, Morwen starts her adventure and lays the foundation of her own painful days.
Morwen, who had to stay in the region for a long time, took her daughter Nienor with her and set out for Doriath to find Turin. But Turin was long gone from there. Yet king Thingol does not let them go for a long time. Meanwhile, Turin was living in Nargothrond, making the wrong decisions that caused it to collapse. When Glaurung and the orc army set out for Nargothrond, Turin does not listen to the advice of the Valar and tells king Orodreth that they must wage the battle outside tooth for tooth. His advice causes a whole kingdom to fall. They bitterly lose the battle, Orodreth dies, and Nargothrond becomes Glaurung’s trophy.
Morwen could no longer sit still, longing and curious. For this reason, she sets out for Nargothrond with her daughter Nienor and Mablung, whom Thingol has assigned to accompany her. This journey was the beginning of the end. Unaware of what is going on, the company, which comes near Nargothrond, falls into Glaurung’s trap, remains in the mist, and separates. At that time, Glaurung, who saw Nienor and wiped her memory by looking into her eyes, parted ways with mother and daughter forever. Nienor flees into the woods while Morwen wanders, tired and restless with her painful fate.
Hurin was the last to see Morwen. Hurin, tortured and cursed by Melko and then released, meets Morwen at their children’s tomb. At that time, the sun was rising. Morwen looks at her husband, utters her last words, and passes away.
Niënor
The story of Nienor, which we also see in the Morwen title, ends differently from her mother. Nienor had fled to the forest after Glaurung had erased her memory. Wandering through the woods, she encounters Turin, who has escaped from Nargothrond and has found a new person with whom he will infect his curse. Turin does not realize that this girl walking naked in the forest is his sister. Nienor also does not recognize her brother because of her memory loss. They fall in love with each other and start living together. Turin names her Niniel. Niniel soon becomes pregnant. But the problems of middle-earth are still not over, and now they are at their doorstep.
When Turin learns that Glaurung is coming toward them, he sets out to kill him. Niniel stays behind. Just as their mother, Morwen, was left behind. Although Turin manages to slay Glaurung with his sword Guthrang, he faints on the spot. His failure to return worries Niniel. That’s why she sets out to look for Turin and finds him unconscious, near him with the dying Glaurung. Before she dies, Glaurung restores the memory of Niniel, originally Nienor, and makes her realize that she is actually pregnant with her brother. Hearing this, Nienor’s heart can’t take the pain, and she throws herself off the cliff with the baby in her belly. Awakening after a while, Turin, too, seeing Niniel dead, lays himself on his sword and ends his cursed journey there.
Tar-Ancalime
The seventh and first ruling queen of the legendary kingdom of Numenor. The daughter of the sixth king, Tar-Aldarion. Aldarion was having problems with his wife, Erendis. His constant travels had brought the two of them apart. Aldarion’s father was Meneldur, and he was fond of sailing, and this trait was evidently passed on to his son. Aldarion was the first to go to middle earth and meet Gil-Galad. The friendships he had made in Middle-earth had caught Aldarion’s attention, and because of that, he has begun to come and go.
When Ancalime was four years old, her father said goodbye to her and his wife and set off again. Erendis responded harshly to this journey and left the city with her daughter. All of Erendis’s servants in the house, whose anger towards men grew, were women. She was also advising her daughter against men. Let’s enjoy life before men kill us, she told her. She particularly added: Don’t bend over, if you bend down, they’ll ask you to bend more.
But after all, Ancalime was her father’s daughter. Although she did not know her father’s name, everything changed when she was 7. One day, a boy she met in the field told her that her father had set sail. Hearing this, Ancalime began to question. She asked her mother when her father would return; she probably never got her answer. But Aldarion returned one day and stood before them. But she did not tell Ancalime who he was. He simply told her she was the heir to the throne and set sail again. A short time later, Meneldur recalled Ancalime. Although Aldarion soon became king, his adventures continued as he set sail and did not return for long.
Tar-Aldarion, when Ancalime came to at the age of 19, changed the laws of Numenor and said that women could also sit on the throne. Thus Ancalime officially became the heir to Numenor. As such, grooms began to line up to marry her at the door. But Ancalime didn’t want anyone; she returned to her old farm life.
Dozens of glamorous sons-in-law passed by, but Ancalime found her loved one near where she lived. However, she later learned that this person was a noble pretending to be an ordinary citizen: Hallacar. As angry as Ancalime was, she married him. But it was clear that the foundations of marriage were political. Ancalime wanted to have children who would become heirs to the throne. Their relationship was no different from that of her father and mother. They were unhappy. But Ancalime continued despite everything. And years later, with the proclamation of her father, Alderion, she became the first ruling queen of Numenor. She reigned for 205 years.
It is said that while Ancalime was on the throne, she stopped aid to Gil-Galad and the Noldor. Years later, she left the throne to her son and passed away 5 years later.
Sources and Further Information
- Tolkien, J.R.R & Tolkien, Christopher. “The Silmarillion,” Houghton Mifflin Company (2004)
- Tolkien, J.R.R & İpek, Çiğdem Erkal “Translator”. “Yüzüklerin Efendisi,” Metis Yayınları (2007)
- Tolkien, J.R.R & Tolkien, Christopher. “The Children of Húrin,” HarperCollins (2007)
- Tolkien, J.R.R & Tolkien, Christopher. “Beren and Lúthien,” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2017)
- Tolkien, J.R.R & Tolkien, Christopher. “The Fall of Gondolin,” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2018)
- Orta Dünya – Legendarium Türkiye, YouTube
- Yüzüklerin Efendisi – Orta Dünya, YouTube
- Nerd of the Rings, YouTube