Elentir: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
(still stubby)
(Expanded the text, added references)
(2 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Stub}}
{{Noncanon}}
In a late version of the [[legendarium]], '''Elentir''' was the son of [[Númendil]] and the brother of [[Amandil of Andúnië|Amandil]]. He was betrothed to [[Tar-Míriel|Míriel]], and abandoned by her in favour of [[Ar-Pharazôn]]. Since the published ''[[The Silmarillion|Silmarillion]]'' recounts a very different Míriel, it is unlikely that he was supposed to stay.  
'''Elentir''' was a character that [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] created and then abandoned during the writing of the ''[[Akallabêth]]''. Tolkien originally wrote that [[Tar-Míriel|Míriel]], the daughter of [[Tar-Palantir]], was forced to marry her cousin, [[Ar-Pharazôn]]. After completing and then expanding a second version of the ''Akallabêth'' Tolkien toyed with a different version of their relationship and introduced Elentir, the son of [[Númendil]] and the brother of [[Amandil (Lord of Andúnië)|Amandil]] as part of this new concept.<ref>{{PM|Akallabeth}}, ''Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn'', p. 159</ref>  In four separate texts, labeled ''(a)'' through ''(d)'', [[Christopher Tolkien]] set forth the "rise and fall" of Elentir:
==References==
* [[The Peoples of Middle-earth]]


* In text ''(a)'', Elentir was in love with Zimrahil (an early name for Míriel) but she became infatuated by Pharazôn's beauty and wealth.  Despite the laws of [[Númenor]] the two first cousins married.<ref>{{PM|Akallabeth}}, ''Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn'', p. 160</ref>
* In text ''(b)'', Elentir was betrothed to Zimrahil when she turned to Pharazôn.  This text was written in very poor handwriting so the course of the story was obscured.<ref>{{PM|Akallabeth}}, ''Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn'', p. 161</ref>
* In text ''(c)'', Elentir loved Zimrahil, she loved him, and they were about to be betrothed when...  At this point this abandoned text ended but it appeared that soon Zimrahil would have turned to Pharazôn.<ref name="Page162">{{PM|Akallabeth}}, ''Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn'', p. 162</ref>
* In text ''(d)'', Elentir and the story of Zimrahil's love for Pharazôn are absent.<ref name="Page162"/>


Christopher concluded that ''(b)'' and ''(c)'' were not expansions on ''(a)'' but simply repetitions, and that ''(d)'' represented a final abandonment of the alternate version of the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn.  With a return to the original concept of a forced marriage there was no need for the character Elentir and so he vanished.<ref>{{PM|Akallabeth}}, ''Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn'', p. 163</ref>
{{references}}
[[Category:Númenóreans]]
[[Category:Númenóreans]]

Revision as of 04:31, 5 March 2012

Template:Noncanon Elentir was a character that J.R.R. Tolkien created and then abandoned during the writing of the Akallabêth. Tolkien originally wrote that Míriel, the daughter of Tar-Palantir, was forced to marry her cousin, Ar-Pharazôn. After completing and then expanding a second version of the Akallabêth Tolkien toyed with a different version of their relationship and introduced Elentir, the son of Númendil and the brother of Amandil as part of this new concept.[1] In four separate texts, labeled (a) through (d), Christopher Tolkien set forth the "rise and fall" of Elentir:

  • In text (a), Elentir was in love with Zimrahil (an early name for Míriel) but she became infatuated by Pharazôn's beauty and wealth. Despite the laws of Númenor the two first cousins married.[2]
  • In text (b), Elentir was betrothed to Zimrahil when she turned to Pharazôn. This text was written in very poor handwriting so the course of the story was obscured.[3]
  • In text (c), Elentir loved Zimrahil, she loved him, and they were about to be betrothed when... At this point this abandoned text ended but it appeared that soon Zimrahil would have turned to Pharazôn.[4]
  • In text (d), Elentir and the story of Zimrahil's love for Pharazôn are absent.[4]

Christopher concluded that (b) and (c) were not expansions on (a) but simply repetitions, and that (d) represented a final abandonment of the alternate version of the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn. With a return to the original concept of a forced marriage there was no need for the character Elentir and so he vanished.[5]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn, p. 159
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn, p. 160
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn, p. 161
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn, p. 162
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "V. The History of the Akallabêth", Note on the marriage of Míriel and Pharazôn, p. 163