Morwë

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Morwë
Avar
Biographical Information
PositionLeader of the Avari
LocationHills around Cuiviénen
LanguageAvarin
BirthBefore Y.T. 1085[note 1]
Cuiviénen
Rulefrom Y.T. 1105[note 2] to unknown date
Physical Description
GenderMale

Morwë was the leader of one of the kindreds of the Avari,[1] according to an abandoned version of the legendarium.[2]

History[edit | edit source]

The Elves of the kindred of Morwë dwelled with the kindred of Nurwë furthest away from the waters of Cuiviénen. They wandered among the hills and never saw Oromë when he first came to them.

During the first sundering of the Elves, the kindreds of Morwë and Nurwë had refused the summons of Oromë, as they preferred the starlight over the rumor of the Two Trees in Aman. Moreover, they feared the Valar, especially Oromë and his steed Nahar, considering Oromë a demon "that would devour them" - possibly because of the lies of Melkor.[3]

They remained at Cuiviénen with half of the Tatyar (the second clan who later became known as the Noldor) and a third of the Nelyar (the third clan, later known as the Teleri).[4][note 3]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name Morwë is in Quenya, but it is not glossed. It might have been composed of the root MOR- ("black, dark, darkness") + the suffix -wë, a common (if not always masculine) element in ancient Elvish names.[5]

Notes

  1. Oromë discovered the Elves in Y.T. 1085, while Morwë was still alive.
  2. This is the year in which the Avari split from the Eldar.
  3. In another text, found in The Nature of Middle-earth, all of the original 144 unbegotten Elves refuse the summons of the Valar and stayed at Cuiviénen, including all 14 unbegotten Minyar.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "The Annals of Aman": Note on §57, p. 88
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: Editorial Notes [to Quendi and Eldar]", Note 12, p. 418
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "The Annals of Aman": §57, pp. 81-2
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: C. The Clan-names, with notes on other names for divisions of the Eldar", pp. 380-1
  5. Paul Strack, "Q. Morwë m.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 6 August 2023)


Morwë
Born: Between Y.T. 1050 and 1085
None
New position
Leader of the Avari
Y.T. 1105 - unknown
Followed by:
unknown