Glorfindel
Jarl Benzon portrays Glorfindel in a Decipher Card
Noble of Gondolin in the First Age; noble of Rivendell in the Third Age. Glorfindel was originally an Elf of the Undying Lands who was sent to retrieve the Silmarils from Morgoth. Glorfindel was killed, but it is said that in the Halls of Mandos, it was decided that his task had not been completed and he was sent back to the world to live again.
Glorfindel was born in the Undying Lands sometime in the early First Age or late Years of the Trees. Glorfindel joined a quest, disobeying the Valar, to go to Middle-Earth with a number of Elves in order to retrieve the Silmarils that had been taken from them. Though the group that Glorfindel had joined was one of rebels who sought only wealth, Glorfindel remained loyal to King Turgon of Gondolin, and it is said that the only reason Glorfindel joined the quest was because he wanted to go to Middle-Earth to aid in the war against Morgoth.
Glorfindel made his home in the hidden city of Gondolin, and he obeyed the command of King Turgon. Glorfindel headed a House which became known as the House of the Golden Flower.
In year 472 of the First Age, Glorfindel fought in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears under the command of Turgon. The battle was lost due to the treacheries of the sons of Ulfang, but Glorfindel and his lord Turgon survived, and Glorfindel helped Turgon retreat safely back to Gondolin without being seen by the enemy.
In 510, an Elf named Maeglin betray the Elves of Gondolin and gave the whereabouts of Gondolin to Morgoth. Morgoth attacked Gondolin that same year, and his forces ruined the city. There were few survivors, and among them was Turgon's daughter Idril, her husband Tuor, and their son Earendil. Glorfindel had survived the initial downfall of Gondolin, but he was held up battling a Balrog to allow the refugees from Gondolin to escape. Glorfindel battled the Balrog until they both fell off of the Eagle's Cleft into the abyss and died. Glorfindel's body was retrieved by Thorondir, Lord of Eagles, and he was buried nearby and covered by yellow flowers.
Naturally, Elves were immortal and could live forever unless, of course, they were killed. Since Glorfindel was killed, his dead spirit was sent to the Halls of the Waiting where Mandos, Vala of the slain, welcomed him to the afterlife. But it may be that Mandos decided that Glorfindel's role in life was not over, and he had another important part to play. If this was the case, Glorfindel may have been reborn, or he may have simply been placed directly back onto the world by Mandos himself. It is not known how long this process would have taken, so it is therefore not known when exactly Glorfindel would have returned to the world of Arda. But it had most definitely happened by the early Third Age.
Though most of the rebels who had disobeyed the Valar and gone to Middle-Earth to seek the Silmarils were forever banished from the Undying Lands, an exception was made in Glorfindel's case because of his relentless loyalty to the Elves of Gondolin. He was reincarnated in the Undying Lands, and he lived nearby the Maia Olorin for a time. Olorin went to Middle-Earth as an old wizard named Gandalf to oppose Sauron around 1000 of the Third Age, though it is thought that Glorfindel returned to Middle-Earth much earlier. Glorfindel may have passed over the Sea to Middle-Earth around the time of the forging of the Three Rings, circa 1590 of the Second Age, in order to help Elrond and Gil-galad oppose the growing power of Sauron and possibly to help the Elven-smiths of Eregion understand who Sauron really was.
Glorfindel came to live with Elrond in Rivendell. In response to the Witch-King's invasion of Arnor in 1974 of the Third Age, Glorfindel led an army from Rivendell north to fight the forces of the Witch-King in the Battle of Fornost. In 1975, the forces of men and Elves won victory over the forces of the Witch-King, and he was driven out of Arnor.
During the Battle of Fornost, the Witch-King challenged Earnur, heir to the throne of Gondor. When the Witch-King mimicked and mocked Earnur, Glorfindel walked towards the Witch-King and he fled into the night. Earnur tried to follow, but Glorfindel stopped him, telling him that the Witch-King's doom lay far off into the future, and it would not be a man who slew him. This was a foreshadowing of the fact that it would be Eowyn, a woman of Rohan, and Merry, a Hobbit of the Shire, who slew the Witch-King during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
In October of 3018 of the Third Age, word came to Rivendell from Gildor Inglorion that the Hobbit Frodo Baggins had set out on his quest pursued by Nazgul. Glorfindel volunteered to help Frodo because he was strong enough to face the Nazgul, for their leader the Witch-King had been very afraid of him in the past. On October 9, Glorfindel set out from Rivendell. Glorfindel rode his horse Asfaloth along the Great East Road until he reached the Last Bridge on October 11.
The Last Bridge was a bridge over the River Hoarwell, and there Glorfindel found three Nazgul including Khamul. The Nazgul were very afraid of Glorfindel and they fled from him. To signify the safety of the bridge, Glorfindel left a green stone. He chased the Nazgul westward and then southward. Among the Nazgul fleeing from him was the Witch-King.
On October 13, Aragorn found the green stone and deemed the Last Bridge safe. Three days later, Glorfindel began following Frodo and his companions, and on October 18 he caught up with them. Glorfindel touched Frodo's wound from the Morgul-blade, and it immediately began to heal. But Frodo needed the care of Elrond, and Glorfindel rode Frodo to Rivendell with haste.
The Nine Nazgul confronted Glorfindel at the Ford of Bruinen on October 20. Glorfindel revealed himself to be a Lord among Elves, and from him shone a great white light. Then Elrond made the waters of the Bruinen rise, and the Nazgul were washed away. They were somehow able to survive and return to Mordor. Glorfindel brought an unconscious Frodo to the Last Homely House, the home of Elrond in Rivendell.
On October 25, Glorfindel attended the Council of Elrond. The Council discussed what was to become of the One Ring. Erestor suggested that the Ring be given to Tom Bombadil, but Glorfindel said that Tom Bombadil would not be able to keep the Ring safe from Sauron forever despite the fact that he did not seem impacted by its power. Glorfindel decided that they had three options: they could cast the Ring into the Sea, they could take it over the Sea to the Undying Lands, or they could destroy it in Mount Doom in Mordor, the fiery pitt where it was made. The Council chose the third option, and Frodo Baggins volunteered to destroy the Ring. He would be accompanied by a fellowship of nine companions.
When Gandalf and Elrond were deciding upon the nine companions who would accompany Frodo to destroy the Ring, Elrond did not think it wise for Merry and Pippin to be in members of the Fellowship, but Gandalf pointed out that even Glorfindel could not storm into Barad-dur and confront Sauron, so Elrond should not expect this of Merry and Pippin either.
After the War of the Ring was won by the free peoples and Sauron was defeated, Glorfindel attended the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen in Minas Tirith on Mid-year's day in 3019. It is thought that sometime after 3019, Glorfindel returned to the Undying Lands from whence he had come.
Notice:
Tolkien himself confirmed that Glorfindel of the First Age and Glorfindel of the Third Age were one in the same Elf in several essays published by Christopher Tolkien in The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth.
Glorfindel was born in the Undying Lands sometime in the early First Age or late Years of the Trees. Glorfindel joined a quest, disobeying the Valar, to go to Middle-Earth with a number of Elves in order to retrieve the Silmarils that had been taken from them. Though the group that Glorfindel had joined was one of rebels who sought only wealth, Glorfindel remained loyal to King Turgon of Gondolin, and it is said that the only reason Glorfindel joined the quest was because he wanted to go to Middle-Earth to aid in the war against Morgoth.
Glorfindel made his home in the hidden city of Gondolin, and he obeyed the command of King Turgon. Glorfindel headed a House which became known as the House of the Golden Flower.
In year 472 of the First Age, Glorfindel fought in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears under the command of Turgon. The battle was lost due to the treacheries of the sons of Ulfang, but Glorfindel and his lord Turgon survived, and Glorfindel helped Turgon retreat safely back to Gondolin without being seen by the enemy.
In 510, an Elf named Maeglin betray the Elves of Gondolin and gave the whereabouts of Gondolin to Morgoth. Morgoth attacked Gondolin that same year, and his forces ruined the city. There were few survivors, and among them was Turgon's daughter Idril, her husband Tuor, and their son Earendil. Glorfindel had survived the initial downfall of Gondolin, but he was held up battling a Balrog to allow the refugees from Gondolin to escape. Glorfindel battled the Balrog until they both fell off of the Eagle's Cleft into the abyss and died. Glorfindel's body was retrieved by Thorondir, Lord of Eagles, and he was buried nearby and covered by yellow flowers.
Naturally, Elves were immortal and could live forever unless, of course, they were killed. Since Glorfindel was killed, his dead spirit was sent to the Halls of the Waiting where Mandos, Vala of the slain, welcomed him to the afterlife. But it may be that Mandos decided that Glorfindel's role in life was not over, and he had another important part to play. If this was the case, Glorfindel may have been reborn, or he may have simply been placed directly back onto the world by Mandos himself. It is not known how long this process would have taken, so it is therefore not known when exactly Glorfindel would have returned to the world of Arda. But it had most definitely happened by the early Third Age.
Though most of the rebels who had disobeyed the Valar and gone to Middle-Earth to seek the Silmarils were forever banished from the Undying Lands, an exception was made in Glorfindel's case because of his relentless loyalty to the Elves of Gondolin. He was reincarnated in the Undying Lands, and he lived nearby the Maia Olorin for a time. Olorin went to Middle-Earth as an old wizard named Gandalf to oppose Sauron around 1000 of the Third Age, though it is thought that Glorfindel returned to Middle-Earth much earlier. Glorfindel may have passed over the Sea to Middle-Earth around the time of the forging of the Three Rings, circa 1590 of the Second Age, in order to help Elrond and Gil-galad oppose the growing power of Sauron and possibly to help the Elven-smiths of Eregion understand who Sauron really was.
Glorfindel came to live with Elrond in Rivendell. In response to the Witch-King's invasion of Arnor in 1974 of the Third Age, Glorfindel led an army from Rivendell north to fight the forces of the Witch-King in the Battle of Fornost. In 1975, the forces of men and Elves won victory over the forces of the Witch-King, and he was driven out of Arnor.
During the Battle of Fornost, the Witch-King challenged Earnur, heir to the throne of Gondor. When the Witch-King mimicked and mocked Earnur, Glorfindel walked towards the Witch-King and he fled into the night. Earnur tried to follow, but Glorfindel stopped him, telling him that the Witch-King's doom lay far off into the future, and it would not be a man who slew him. This was a foreshadowing of the fact that it would be Eowyn, a woman of Rohan, and Merry, a Hobbit of the Shire, who slew the Witch-King during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
In October of 3018 of the Third Age, word came to Rivendell from Gildor Inglorion that the Hobbit Frodo Baggins had set out on his quest pursued by Nazgul. Glorfindel volunteered to help Frodo because he was strong enough to face the Nazgul, for their leader the Witch-King had been very afraid of him in the past. On October 9, Glorfindel set out from Rivendell. Glorfindel rode his horse Asfaloth along the Great East Road until he reached the Last Bridge on October 11.
The Last Bridge was a bridge over the River Hoarwell, and there Glorfindel found three Nazgul including Khamul. The Nazgul were very afraid of Glorfindel and they fled from him. To signify the safety of the bridge, Glorfindel left a green stone. He chased the Nazgul westward and then southward. Among the Nazgul fleeing from him was the Witch-King.
On October 13, Aragorn found the green stone and deemed the Last Bridge safe. Three days later, Glorfindel began following Frodo and his companions, and on October 18 he caught up with them. Glorfindel touched Frodo's wound from the Morgul-blade, and it immediately began to heal. But Frodo needed the care of Elrond, and Glorfindel rode Frodo to Rivendell with haste.
The Nine Nazgul confronted Glorfindel at the Ford of Bruinen on October 20. Glorfindel revealed himself to be a Lord among Elves, and from him shone a great white light. Then Elrond made the waters of the Bruinen rise, and the Nazgul were washed away. They were somehow able to survive and return to Mordor. Glorfindel brought an unconscious Frodo to the Last Homely House, the home of Elrond in Rivendell.
On October 25, Glorfindel attended the Council of Elrond. The Council discussed what was to become of the One Ring. Erestor suggested that the Ring be given to Tom Bombadil, but Glorfindel said that Tom Bombadil would not be able to keep the Ring safe from Sauron forever despite the fact that he did not seem impacted by its power. Glorfindel decided that they had three options: they could cast the Ring into the Sea, they could take it over the Sea to the Undying Lands, or they could destroy it in Mount Doom in Mordor, the fiery pitt where it was made. The Council chose the third option, and Frodo Baggins volunteered to destroy the Ring. He would be accompanied by a fellowship of nine companions.
When Gandalf and Elrond were deciding upon the nine companions who would accompany Frodo to destroy the Ring, Elrond did not think it wise for Merry and Pippin to be in members of the Fellowship, but Gandalf pointed out that even Glorfindel could not storm into Barad-dur and confront Sauron, so Elrond should not expect this of Merry and Pippin either.
After the War of the Ring was won by the free peoples and Sauron was defeated, Glorfindel attended the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen in Minas Tirith on Mid-year's day in 3019. It is thought that sometime after 3019, Glorfindel returned to the Undying Lands from whence he had come.
Notice:
Tolkien himself confirmed that Glorfindel of the First Age and Glorfindel of the Third Age were one in the same Elf in several essays published by Christopher Tolkien in The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth.
Names & Meanings
Glorfindel derives from the elements glor meaning "golden" and fin meaning "hair." The element del represents the suffix -ed. Thus, Glorfindel translates as "golden haired."
References
The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring: "Flight to the Ford," pages 213-227; "Many Meetings," pages 232-237; "The Council of Elrond," pages 252-253, 279-282; "The Ring Goes South," page 289
The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King: "The Steward and the King," page 250
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," pages 331-335
The Silmarillion: "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad," page 194; "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," pages 243-244; "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume II, The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two: "The Fall of Gondolin," pages 173-175, 182-186, 192-196, 211-216
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," entry for GLAW(R)
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - Glorfindel," passim
The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull: "Flight to the Ford," page 194
The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King: "The Steward and the King," page 250
The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion," pages 331-335
The Silmarillion: "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad," page 194; "Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin," pages 243-244; "Appendix - Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
The History of Middle-earth, Volume II, The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two: "The Fall of Gondolin," pages 173-175, 182-186, 192-196, 211-216
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," entry for GLAW(R)
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth: "Last Writings - Glorfindel," passim
The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull: "Flight to the Ford," page 194
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