Belegaer: Difference between revisions

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{{location
{{cleanup}}{{sources}}
| image=[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Sea.jpg|300px|]]
{{location infobox
| name=Belegaer
| name=Belegaer
| othernames=The Great Sea, Sundering Seas, ''Alatairë''
| image=[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Sea.jpg|250px]]
| etymology= [[S.]] ''[[beleg]]'' + ''[[aer]]''
| caption="The Sea" by [[Ted Nasmith]]
| pronun=
| othernames=''Alatairë'' ([[Quenya|Q]]), The Great Sea, Sundering Seas, Western Sea
| location=East of [[Aman]], west of [[Middle-earth]]
| type=Ocean
| type=Ocean
| location=East of [[Aman]], west of [[Endor]]
| description=
| regions=[[Bay of Balar]], [[Great Gulf]], [[Forochel]], [[Gulf of Lune]], [[Bay of Belfalas]]
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| inhabitants=
| realms=
| created=
| description=
| destroyed=
| events=The [[War of Wrath]] & [[Akallabêth]]
| events=[[War of Wrath]] & [[Downfall of Númenor]]
| references=
}}
|}}
 
'''Belegaer''', the '''Great Sea''' or the '''Sundering Seas''', is the sea of [[Arda]] that is west of [[Middle-earth]].


Before the [[Second Age]], Belegaer stretched from the Gap of [[Ilmen]] in the far north, where a bridge made of ice known as the [[Helcaraxë]] connected [[Middle-earth]] and [[Aman]], to the far south, where it also connected with Ilmen and froze, although no strait was formed there. Belegaer was narrower in the north than in the south, with its widest part near the equator of Arda.
{{quote|The Sea! Alas! I have not yet beheld it. But deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir. Alas! for the gulls. No peace shall I have again under beech or under elm.|[[Legolas]] in ''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[The Last Debate]]"}}


The full extent of Belegaer after the [[Akallabêth]] is never made clear, but it reaches far enough to the north to be ice-covered, and far to the south. Belegaer corresponds with (and is intended to ''be'') the Atlantic Ocean.
'''Belegaer''', the '''Great Sea''', or the '''Sundering Seas''', also the '''Western Sea''',<ref>Quite often also "the western sea" in small letters.</ref> was the sea of [[Arda]] that was west of [[Middle-earth]].


==History==
==History==
Before the [[Second Age]], Belegaer stretched from the Gap of [[Ilmen]] in the far north, where a bridge made of ice known as the [[Helcaraxë]] connected [[Middle-earth]] and [[Aman]], to the far south, where it also connected with Ilmen and froze, although no strait was formed there. Belegaer was narrower in the north than in the south, with its widest part near the equator of Arda.


Before the end of the Second Age, the continent of Aman, home of the [[Valar]], formed the western edge of Belegaer.  Before the ruin of [[Beleriand]] at the end of the [[First Age]], the sea was narrow and ice-filled in the north, forming the strait of Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice. It was thus possible to cross from Aman to Middle-earth on foot, though with difficulty, as did [[Fingolfin]] and his people of the [[Ñoldor]] when fleeing [[Valinor]].
The full extent of Belegaer after the [[Akallabêth]] is never made clear, but it reached far enough to the north to be ice-covered, and far to the south.


After the [[War of Wrath]] Belegaer was widened by the drowning of a large part of Middle-earth, and possibly parts of Aman. The bridge of ice in the north was removed, removing land access to the western continent. During the Akallebêth in the Second Age, the seas were bent and the world was made round. Aman was removed from the world, Belegaer washed "new lands", and only the chosen could find the "Straight Road" to [[Valinor]]. The new western end of Belegaer is never described in the narrative, although there are indications that Númenórean refugees reached them in search for Valinor.
Before the end of the Second Age, the continent of Aman, home of the [[Valar]], formed the western edge of Belegaer.  Before the ruin of [[Beleriand]] at the end of the [[First Age]], the sea was narrow and ice-filled in the north, forming the strait of Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice. It was thus possible to cross from Aman to Middle-earth on foot, though with difficulty, as did [[Fingolfin]] and his people of the [[Noldor]] when fleeing [[Valinor]].


==Etymology==
After the [[War of Wrath]] Belegaer was widened by the drowning of a large part of Middle-earth, and possibly parts of Aman. The bridge of ice in the north was removed, removing land access to the western continent. During the Akallabêth in the Second Age, the seas were bent and the world was made round. Aman was removed from the world, Belegaer washed "new lands", and only the chosen could find the "Straight Road" to [[Valinor]]. The new western end of Belegaer is never described in the narrative, although there are indications that Númenórean refugees reached them in search for Valinor.


The name is [[Sindarin]], and has the elements ''[[Beleg]]'' or "Might" and ''[[Aer]]'' or ''[[Eär]]'', an element meaning "Sea" which is also present in the name ''[[Eärendil]]'' (sea-lover).
==Oceanography==
The [[Quenya]] name of Belegaer, never used in published writing, is '''''Alatairë'''''.
[[File:Angelo Montanini - Belegaer.jpg|thumb|''Belegaer'' by [[Angelo Montanini]]]]
 
===Islands===
 
Belegaer had several islands and island chains:
Belegaer has and had several islands and island chains:
* [[Tol Eressëa]], the Lonely Isle close to the shore of Aman
* [[Tol Eressëa]], the Lonely Isle close to the shore of Aman
* the Twilit Isles or [[Enchanted Isles]] seaward of Tol Eressëa
* the Twilit Isles or [[Enchanted Isles]] seaward of Tol Eressëa
Line 40: Line 42:
** [[Himling]]
** [[Himling]]
* [[Isle of Balar | Balar]], in the Bay of Balar (First Age only)
* [[Isle of Balar | Balar]], in the Bay of Balar (First Age only)
* [[Tolfalas]], in the Bay of Belfalas{{Pronounce|Belegaer.mp3|Ardamir}}
* [[Tolfalas]], in the Bay of Belfalas
 
===Bays and inlets===
Other features of Belegaer:
Other features of Belegaer:
* Bay of [[Eldamar]]
* Bay of [[Eldamar]]
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* [[Bay of Belfalas]] (after First Age)
* [[Bay of Belfalas]] (after First Age)


[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
==Etymology==
[[Category:Oceans]]
{{Pronounce|Belegaer.mp3|Ardamir}}
[[Category:Sindarin words]]
''Belegaer'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Great Sea", from ''[[Beleg (word)|beleg]]''  ("mighty") + ''[[aer]]'' ("sea").<ref name="SilApp">{{S|Appendix}}, entries ''beleg'', ''eär''</ref> The [[Quenya]] name of Belegaer, never used in primary writing, is '''''Alatairë'''''.<ref name="etym">{{LR|Etymologies}}, entry "[[AY]]", see also "[[AYA(R)]]"</ref>
 
==Comment==
[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] has noted that "Belegaer was comparable to the Atlantic".<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', p. 194</ref>
 
{{references}}
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]
[[Category:Seas and oceans]]
 
[[de:Belegaer]]
[[de:Belegaer]]
[[fi:Belegaer]]
[[fi:Belegaer]]
[[fr:encyclo:geographie:eaux:belegaer]]

Revision as of 19:00, 1 October 2020

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Belegaer
Ocean
Ted Nasmith - The Sea.jpg
"The Sea" by Ted Nasmith
General Information
Other namesAlatairë (Q), The Great Sea, Sundering Seas, Western Sea
LocationEast of Aman, west of Middle-earth
TypeOcean
RegionsBay of Balar, Great Gulf, Forochel, Gulf of Lune, Bay of Belfalas
History
EventsWar of Wrath & Downfall of Númenor
GalleryImages of Belegaer
"The Sea! Alas! I have not yet beheld it. But deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir. Alas! for the gulls. No peace shall I have again under beech or under elm."
Legolas in The Return of the King, "The Last Debate"

Belegaer, the Great Sea, or the Sundering Seas, also the Western Sea,[1] was the sea of Arda that was west of Middle-earth.

History

Before the Second Age, Belegaer stretched from the Gap of Ilmen in the far north, where a bridge made of ice known as the Helcaraxë connected Middle-earth and Aman, to the far south, where it also connected with Ilmen and froze, although no strait was formed there. Belegaer was narrower in the north than in the south, with its widest part near the equator of Arda.

The full extent of Belegaer after the Akallabêth is never made clear, but it reached far enough to the north to be ice-covered, and far to the south.

Before the end of the Second Age, the continent of Aman, home of the Valar, formed the western edge of Belegaer. Before the ruin of Beleriand at the end of the First Age, the sea was narrow and ice-filled in the north, forming the strait of Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice. It was thus possible to cross from Aman to Middle-earth on foot, though with difficulty, as did Fingolfin and his people of the Noldor when fleeing Valinor.

After the War of Wrath Belegaer was widened by the drowning of a large part of Middle-earth, and possibly parts of Aman. The bridge of ice in the north was removed, removing land access to the western continent. During the Akallabêth in the Second Age, the seas were bent and the world was made round. Aman was removed from the world, Belegaer washed "new lands", and only the chosen could find the "Straight Road" to Valinor. The new western end of Belegaer is never described in the narrative, although there are indications that Númenórean refugees reached them in search for Valinor.

Oceanography

Belegaer by Angelo Montanini

Islands

Belegaer had several islands and island chains:

Bays and inlets

Other features of Belegaer:

Etymology

Belegaer is Sindarin for "Great Sea", from beleg ("mighty") + aer ("sea").[2] The Quenya name of Belegaer, never used in primary writing, is Alatairë.[3]

Comment

Karen Wynn Fonstad has noted that "Belegaer was comparable to the Atlantic".[4]

References

  1. Quite often also "the western sea" in small letters.
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entries beleg, eär
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry "AY", see also "AYA(R)"
  4. Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, p. 194