Elwing
Wife to Earendil the Mariner, mother of Elrond and Elros. Elwing was born in year 503 of the First Age. She had two brothers named Elured and Elurin. Elwing was the daughter of Dior and Nimloth. Though both of her parents were counted amongst the race of Elves, Dior's father Beren was a man of the Edain and his mother Luthien was the daughter of King Thingol of Doraith, an Elf, and Queen Melian, a Maia of the Undying Lands. Though Elwing was mostly Elven, she was considered Peredhil, or Half-Elven, among her kin, and would come to a choice between an immortal life with the Elves or a mortal life with men.
Elwing's family lived near the waterfall of Lanthir Lamath on the Andurant in Ossiriand in eastern Beleriand at the time of Elwing's birth, but they soon relocated to Menegroth in Doriath to live with their kin. Elwing's grandfather King Thingol was killed by Dwarves who sought his Silmaril, and thus Dior became King of Doriath.
Prior to Luthien's death, she gave the Silmaril to Dior. But at Yule in 506 and 507, the sons of Feanor attacked Doriath in the Second Kinslaying because they had sworn an oath to recover the Silmarils that had been created by their father. Both of Elwing's parents were killed and her brothers were kidnapped but abandoned in the woods and it is not known what became of them.
Left without a family, Elwing escaped with her people and the Silmaril to the Mouths of the Sirion that overlooked the Great Sea. Another group of refugees, the survivors of the fall of Gondolin, arrived in the Havens of the Sirion and they allied themselves with the refugees from Doriath. A man of the House of Hador named Tuor and his Elven wife Idril were named leaders of the refugees who inhabited the Mouths of the Sirion. When they passed over the Sea to the Undying Lands in 525, their son Earendil became leader of the refugees of the Mouths of the Sirion. Earendil was a great mariner who loved the Sea. He and Elwing fell in love and were married around 525 and, while Earendil was at sea in 532, Elwing gave birth to twin sons named Elrond and Elros.
While Earendil was at sea, he sought the Undying Lands. Once there, he hope to seek aid from the Valar in the war that was going on in Middle-Earth against Morgoth.
In 538, the sons of Feanor requested that Elwing give them the Silmaril which they believed to be theirs. When Elwing did not give them the Silmaril, the sons of Feanor attacked the Havens of Sirion in the Third Kinslaying. AfterElornd and Elros were captured by Maglor. Elwing dove into the Sea with her Silmaril and Ulmo, Vala of waters, turned her into a bird. Elwing flew with the Silmaril to Vingilot, the ship of her husband, and there she threw herself on the deck and she was turned back into an Elf.
Earendil initially wanted to return the Middle-Earth when he heard that his sons had been captured by the sons of Feanor, but Elwing persuaded him to sail onward to the Undying Lands. She believed that in the Undying Lands, they could receive aid from the Valar.
Earendil and Elwing reached the Undying Lands in 542. Earendil got off of his ship and advised Elwing to remain on board until he returned, but Elwing followed in secret. Earendil, followed by Elwing, walked for many miles, seeing no one. He was, however, summoned by Manwe, leader of the Valar. Again Elwing followed. Earendil explained to Manwe the war going on in Middle-Earth, and he informed Manwe of the hardships that both men and Elves had to face. Manwe and the other Valar agreed that this was indeed a problem, and they agreed to come to the aid of the free peoples against Morgoth.
But then Manwe realized that Earendil and Elwing were only Half-Elven, for they were also part man. Manwe stated that they each needed to choose between the life of a mortal man or the immortal life as an Elf. Either way, they were forbidden to leave the Undying Lands. Elwing was given a choice first. She chose immortality with the Elves, and her husband picked the same.
Earendil helped the Valar win the War of Wrath against Morgoth. The Valar placed Vingilot in the heavens and Earendil flew it over Middle-Earth. He wore the Silmaril on his brow, and it shined so brightly that Earendil became a star in the sky.
Elwing did not accompany her husband to war. She instead remained in the Undying Lands, waiting for her husband in a large white tower on the northern coast of the Undying Lands. Elwing became friendly with many Sea-birds, who came to visit her tower and taught her their languages among other things. Elwing herself grew white, silver, and grey wings. She flew to greet her husband when he returned to the Undying Lands.
Presumably, Elwing lived until the ending of the world, when the Ainur would sing their second song that would be greater than the first.
Elwing's family lived near the waterfall of Lanthir Lamath on the Andurant in Ossiriand in eastern Beleriand at the time of Elwing's birth, but they soon relocated to Menegroth in Doriath to live with their kin. Elwing's grandfather King Thingol was killed by Dwarves who sought his Silmaril, and thus Dior became King of Doriath.
Prior to Luthien's death, she gave the Silmaril to Dior. But at Yule in 506 and 507, the sons of Feanor attacked Doriath in the Second Kinslaying because they had sworn an oath to recover the Silmarils that had been created by their father. Both of Elwing's parents were killed and her brothers were kidnapped but abandoned in the woods and it is not known what became of them.
Left without a family, Elwing escaped with her people and the Silmaril to the Mouths of the Sirion that overlooked the Great Sea. Another group of refugees, the survivors of the fall of Gondolin, arrived in the Havens of the Sirion and they allied themselves with the refugees from Doriath. A man of the House of Hador named Tuor and his Elven wife Idril were named leaders of the refugees who inhabited the Mouths of the Sirion. When they passed over the Sea to the Undying Lands in 525, their son Earendil became leader of the refugees of the Mouths of the Sirion. Earendil was a great mariner who loved the Sea. He and Elwing fell in love and were married around 525 and, while Earendil was at sea in 532, Elwing gave birth to twin sons named Elrond and Elros.
While Earendil was at sea, he sought the Undying Lands. Once there, he hope to seek aid from the Valar in the war that was going on in Middle-Earth against Morgoth.
In 538, the sons of Feanor requested that Elwing give them the Silmaril which they believed to be theirs. When Elwing did not give them the Silmaril, the sons of Feanor attacked the Havens of Sirion in the Third Kinslaying. AfterElornd and Elros were captured by Maglor. Elwing dove into the Sea with her Silmaril and Ulmo, Vala of waters, turned her into a bird. Elwing flew with the Silmaril to Vingilot, the ship of her husband, and there she threw herself on the deck and she was turned back into an Elf.
Earendil initially wanted to return the Middle-Earth when he heard that his sons had been captured by the sons of Feanor, but Elwing persuaded him to sail onward to the Undying Lands. She believed that in the Undying Lands, they could receive aid from the Valar.
Earendil and Elwing reached the Undying Lands in 542. Earendil got off of his ship and advised Elwing to remain on board until he returned, but Elwing followed in secret. Earendil, followed by Elwing, walked for many miles, seeing no one. He was, however, summoned by Manwe, leader of the Valar. Again Elwing followed. Earendil explained to Manwe the war going on in Middle-Earth, and he informed Manwe of the hardships that both men and Elves had to face. Manwe and the other Valar agreed that this was indeed a problem, and they agreed to come to the aid of the free peoples against Morgoth.
But then Manwe realized that Earendil and Elwing were only Half-Elven, for they were also part man. Manwe stated that they each needed to choose between the life of a mortal man or the immortal life as an Elf. Either way, they were forbidden to leave the Undying Lands. Elwing was given a choice first. She chose immortality with the Elves, and her husband picked the same.
Earendil helped the Valar win the War of Wrath against Morgoth. The Valar placed Vingilot in the heavens and Earendil flew it over Middle-Earth. He wore the Silmaril on his brow, and it shined so brightly that Earendil became a star in the sky.
Elwing did not accompany her husband to war. She instead remained in the Undying Lands, waiting for her husband in a large white tower on the northern coast of the Undying Lands. Elwing became friendly with many Sea-birds, who came to visit her tower and taught her their languages among other things. Elwing herself grew white, silver, and grey wings. She flew to greet her husband when he returned to the Undying Lands.
Presumably, Elwing lived until the ending of the world, when the Ainur would sing their second song that would be greater than the first.
Names & Meanings
Elwing is Sindarin for "star spray." It can be derived from the Sindarin elements el, "star," and wing, "spray." Her parents chose this name because of the starlight that shone on the Lanthir Lamath waterfall, which was located near Elwing's home at birth. Because of her beautiful white wings, Elwing was called Elwing the White while she lived in the Undying Lands.
References
The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring: "A Knife in the Dark," page 206; "Many Meetings," page 247; "The Council of Elrond," page 256
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Numenorean Kings," page 314
The Silmarillion: "Of Men, page 105; "Of the Coming of Men into the West," page 148; "Of the Ruin of Doriath," pages 235-237; "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," page 244; "Of the Voyage of Earendil," passim; "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
The Unfinished Tales: "A Description of the Island of Numenor," page 171
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Tale of Years," pages 348-352
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "The Numenorean Kings," page 314
The Silmarillion: "Of Men, page 105; "Of the Coming of Men into the West," page 148; "Of the Ruin of Doriath," pages 235-237; "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," page 244; "Of the Voyage of Earendil," passim; "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
The Unfinished Tales: "A Description of the Island of Numenor," page 171
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "The Tale of Years," pages 348-352
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