Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife: Difference between revisions

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==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The chapter begins with a description of Aldarion's father, [[Tar-Meneldur]], a rightful king devoted to the Island of [[Númenor]], but whose true passion was the study of the stars. He had two daughters and one son, [[Anardil of Númenor|Anardil]], who would be known among the Kings of Númenor as Tar-Aldarion.
The chapter begins with a description of Aldarion's father, [[Tar-Meneldur]], a rightful king devoted to the Island of [[Númenor]], but whose true passion was the study of the stars. He had two daughters and one son, [[Anardil of Númenor|Anardil]], who would be known among the Kings of Númenor as Tar-Aldarion.


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When he finally courted her, it was Erendis who avoided the union, for she did not want to share Aldarion with the sea. Only after many years they were engaged, and even more passed until they were married. As husband and wife they did not manage to reconcile their differences. A few years after their only child was born, named [[Tar-Ancalimë|Ancalimë]], Aldarion continued his explorations in Middle-earth. Erendis grew bitter of the waiting until finally she left their home in [[Armenelos]], taking their young daughter with her into the heart of [[Emerië]].
When he finally courted her, it was Erendis who avoided the union, for she did not want to share Aldarion with the sea. Only after many years they were engaged, and even more passed until they were married. As husband and wife they did not manage to reconcile their differences. A few years after their only child was born, named [[Tar-Ancalimë|Ancalimë]], Aldarion continued his explorations in Middle-earth. Erendis grew bitter of the waiting until finally she left their home in [[Armenelos]], taking their young daughter with her into the heart of [[Emerië]].


Upon his return, Aldarion found his home locked and his father even more cold towards him. It was the same with his wife, when he pursued her to her new home. But here the tale takes un unexpected turn, as it is revealed in a letter that Gil-galad wrote towards king Meneldur. There it is  explained that Aldarion did not leave his home out of selfishness, but rather his voyages were caused by the threat from [[Sauron]], which he had long seen and tried to prevent by building the outpost called [[Vinyalondë]] at the mouth of the [[Gwathló]] river in Middle-earth. Tar-Meneldur, realizing that he did not share the visionary mind of his son, nor his capacity to face upcoming events, announced his abdication and proclaimed Aldarion as the next ruler of Númenor.
Upon his return, Aldarion found his home locked and his father even more cold towards him. It was the same with his wife, when he pursued her to her new home. But here the tale takes un unexpected turn, as it is revealed in a letter that Gil-galad wrote towards king Meneldur. There it is  explained that Aldarion did not leave his home out of selfishness, but rather his voyages were caused by the threat from [[Sauron]], which he had long seen and tried to prevent by building the outpost called [[Vinyalondë]] at the mouth of the [[Gwathló]] river in Middle-earth. Tar-Meneldur, realizing that he did not share the visionary mind of his son, nor his capacity to face upcoming events, announced his abdication and proclaimed Aldarion as the next ruler of Númenor.<ref>{{UT|Wife}}</ref>


==Notes==
==Notes==
After this twist in the tale, the detailed writing stops, for the story was not completed during the author's life. What follows next is a compilation of notes, pulled together by his son, Christopher Tolkien. These scattered writings talk mostly of Erendis and how her bitter vision of men was implemented upon her daughter. Ancalimë shared most of her mother's behavior and went to such lengths as to direct her female servants never to get married. She did however rule, due to the fact that her father had changed the [[Law of Succession in Númenor]].  Her husband was [[Hallacar]], but their marriage was far from happy.
After this twist in the tale, the detailed writing stops, for the story was not completed during the author's life. What follows next is a compilation of notes, pulled together by his son, Christopher Tolkien. These scattered writings talk mostly of Erendis and how her bitter vision of men was implemented upon her daughter. Ancalimë shared most of her mother's behavior and went to such lengths as to direct her female servants never to get married. She did however rule, due to the fact that her father had changed the [[Law of Succession in Númenor]].  Her husband was [[Hallacar]], but their marriage was far from happy.


The notes speak little of the fleet which Aldarion, as King of Númenor, has sent to the aid of Gil-galad, as he requested in the above mentioned letter, while much of his fort at Vinyalondë had crumbled into ruin, though parts of it did survive into the Third Age as the port of [[Lond Daer]]. But his efforts would be the base of [[Tar-Minastir]]'s accomplishments many years later, in the first war with Sauron.
The notes speak little of the fleet which Aldarion, as King of Númenor, has sent to the aid of Gil-galad, as he requested in the above mentioned letter, while much of his fort at Vinyalondë had crumbled into ruin, though parts of it did survive into the Third Age as the port of [[Lond Daer]]. But his efforts would be the base of [[Tar-Minastir]]'s accomplishments many years later, in the first war with Sauron.<ref>{{UT|Wife}}, ''The Further course of the Narrative''</ref>


==Timeline==
==Timeline==
Years of the main events in Aldarion and Erendis' life:
Years of the main events<ref>{{UT|Wife}}, ''Chronology''</ref> in Aldarion and Erendis' life:


*{{SA|700}} - Aldarion is born
*{{SA|700}} - Aldarion is born
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*{{SA|1075}} - Ancalimë becomes the first ruling queen of Númenor
*{{SA|1075}} - Ancalimë becomes the first ruling queen of Númenor
*{{SA|1098}} - Aldarion dies
*{{SA|1098}} - Aldarion dies
==Preservation of the Story==
[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] explained in a letter sent to [[Dick Plotz]] in [[1965]] that while the [[Akallabêth]] was fully written the rest of the history of Númenor was only in annal form, except for one long tale, the story of The Mariner's Wife.  Tolkien stated that the reason that this one tale had been preserved when so much other Númenórean lore had been lost was because it told how Númenor had become involved in the politics of [[Middle-earth]].<ref>{{L|276}}</ref>


== See Also ==
== See Also ==
* [[Númenor]]
* [[Númenor]]
* [[King of Númenor]]
* [[King of Númenor]]


{{references}}
[[fi:Aldarion ja Erendis (KTK)]]
[[fi:Aldarion ja Erendis (KTK)]]

Revision as of 18:43, 19 April 2013

Unfinished Tales
of Númenor and Middle-earth
Part One: The First Age
Part Two: The Second Age
Part Three: The Third Age
Part Four

Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife is a chapter belonging to the book Unfinished Tales, which was written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published posthumously by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Its main characters are Tar-Aldarion, the sixth King of Númenor and his wife, Erendis, also called Tar-Elestirnë, which meant "Lady of the Star-brow".

Synopsis

The chapter begins with a description of Aldarion's father, Tar-Meneldur, a rightful king devoted to the Island of Númenor, but whose true passion was the study of the stars. He had two daughters and one son, Anardil, who would be known among the Kings of Númenor as Tar-Aldarion.

The main cause of disagreement between father and son proved to be the sea, for Aldarion loved it ever since he was a child. The first voyage towards the Middle-earth was made in the years S.A. 725, under the guidance of Vëantur, his own grandfather and in that journey bonds of friendship with Círdan and Ereinion Gil-galad were established.

More sea voyages followed afterwards, against the wish of his father, and in-between them, he founded the Guild of Venturers.In the 100th year of his life Aldarion was proclaimed heir to the throne and at the celebration of this event he met Erendis, daughter of Beregar. Though she seemed beautiful to him, Aldarion did not pursued her until later on, as he continued to follow the mariner life he much loved.

When he finally courted her, it was Erendis who avoided the union, for she did not want to share Aldarion with the sea. Only after many years they were engaged, and even more passed until they were married. As husband and wife they did not manage to reconcile their differences. A few years after their only child was born, named Ancalimë, Aldarion continued his explorations in Middle-earth. Erendis grew bitter of the waiting until finally she left their home in Armenelos, taking their young daughter with her into the heart of Emerië.

Upon his return, Aldarion found his home locked and his father even more cold towards him. It was the same with his wife, when he pursued her to her new home. But here the tale takes un unexpected turn, as it is revealed in a letter that Gil-galad wrote towards king Meneldur. There it is explained that Aldarion did not leave his home out of selfishness, but rather his voyages were caused by the threat from Sauron, which he had long seen and tried to prevent by building the outpost called Vinyalondë at the mouth of the Gwathló river in Middle-earth. Tar-Meneldur, realizing that he did not share the visionary mind of his son, nor his capacity to face upcoming events, announced his abdication and proclaimed Aldarion as the next ruler of Númenor.[1]

Notes

After this twist in the tale, the detailed writing stops, for the story was not completed during the author's life. What follows next is a compilation of notes, pulled together by his son, Christopher Tolkien. These scattered writings talk mostly of Erendis and how her bitter vision of men was implemented upon her daughter. Ancalimë shared most of her mother's behavior and went to such lengths as to direct her female servants never to get married. She did however rule, due to the fact that her father had changed the Law of Succession in Númenor. Her husband was Hallacar, but their marriage was far from happy.

The notes speak little of the fleet which Aldarion, as King of Númenor, has sent to the aid of Gil-galad, as he requested in the above mentioned letter, while much of his fort at Vinyalondë had crumbled into ruin, though parts of it did survive into the Third Age as the port of Lond Daer. But his efforts would be the base of Tar-Minastir's accomplishments many years later, in the first war with Sauron.[2]

Timeline

Years of the main events[3] in Aldarion and Erendis' life:

Preservation of the Story

J.R.R. Tolkien explained in a letter sent to Dick Plotz in 1965 that while the Akallabêth was fully written the rest of the history of Númenor was only in annal form, except for one long tale, the story of The Mariner's Wife. Tolkien stated that the reason that this one tale had been preserved when so much other Númenórean lore had been lost was because it told how Númenor had become involved in the politics of Middle-earth.[4]

See Also

References