Sylphs: Difference between revisions

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<small><poem><center>''sylphine maidens of the Air''
<center>{{quote|sylphine maidens of the Air<br>whose wings in [[Varda]]'s heavenly hall<br>in rythmic movement beat and fall|[[The Lay of Leithian]], 4077-9}}</center>
''whose wings in Varda's heavenly hall''
'''Sylphs''' were creatures only mentioned fleetingly in the earliest versions of the tales of [[Arda]] and nomenclature by the [[Eldar]].<ref name=LT1-66>{{LT1|III}}, p. 66</ref><ref>{{LB|C13}}, pp. 301, 306 (§4077-9)</ref>
''in rythmic movement beat and fall''
([[The Lay of Leithian]], 4077-9)
</small></poem></center>
'''Sylphs''' were creatures only mentioned fleetingly in the earliest versions of the tales of [[Arda]] and linguistic writings of the [[Eldar]].<ref name=LT1-66>{{LT1|III}}, p. 66</ref><ref>{{LB|C13}}, pp. 301, 306 (§4077-9)</ref>


==Characteristics and divisions==
==Characteristics and divisions==
{{stub}}


The sylphs were part of what apparently was a three-fold division of the lesser [[Ainur|Ainu]] spirits: sylphs (spirits of the air), [[sprites|sprites]] (spirits of the earth), and [[mermaids|water spirits]].<ref name=LT1-66/>
The sylphs were part of what apparently was a three-fold division of the lesser [[Ainur|Ainu]] spirits: sylphs (spirits of the air), [[sprites|sprites]] (spirits of the earth), and [[mermaids|water spirits]].<ref name=LT1-66/>
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*[[Qenya]] '''''Súruli'''''/''Sūruli'', also ''Suluthrim'') (sing. ''Sūru''): "spirits of the winds"; [[Gnomish]] ''Sulus'' (pl. ''Sulussin'')<ref name=PE11/><ref name=LT1Index/>
*[[Qenya]] '''''Súruli'''''/''Sūruli'', also ''Suluthrim'') (sing. ''Sūru''): "spirits of the winds"; [[Gnomish]] ''Sulus'' (pl. ''Sulussin'')<ref name=PE11/><ref name=LT1Index/>


An individual Súruli mentioned by name was '''Ilinsor''', steersman of the [[Moon]]. Ilinsor "''loved the snows and the starlight and aided [[Varda]] in many of her works''".<ref>{{LT1|VIII}}, pp. 192-5</ref>
An individual Súru mentioned by name was '''[[Ilinsor]]''', steersman of the [[Moon]]. Ilinsor "''loved the snows and the starlight and aided [[Varda]] in many of her works''".<ref>{{LT1|VIII}}, pp. 192-5</ref>
 
==Commentary==
 
It has been suggested that the concept "air spirits" is used "metaphorically [...] for the winds that these spirits govern".<ref>{{PE|16}}, p. 59</ref>
 
==The later legendarium==
==The later legendarium==


As the sylphs are not mentioned in later versions of the [[legendarium]], it might be that [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] envisioned these creatures as the "''servants and helpers''" of the [[Maiar]] (mentioned in later versions of [[Elves|Elven]] chronicles)<ref>{{S|IIc}}</ref> — lesser spirits that would have remained in [[Middle-earth]] (and would thus perhaps be equivalent to the [[Faeries]]). As Tolkien never cared to elaborate much on these "lesser Maiar" in the texts used by his son [[Christopher Tolkien|Christopher]] when preparing the published ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', one could speculate on how much Tolkien would have retained or rejected of this earlier conception.
Sylphs are not mentioned in the later versions of the [[legendarium]]. Many of the classes of beings references in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'' were superseded by the concept of the [[Maiar]], which were not introduced until the reworking of the [[Annals of Valinor]] into the [[Annals of Aman]].<ref name="MRP2b">{{MR|P2b}}</ref>
 
==Inspiration==
 
[[Patrick H. Wynne]] and [[Christopher Gilson]] have noted that Tolkien's use of sylphs (and related spirits) is likely influenced by [[Wikipedia:Paracelsus|Paracelsus]]'s chart of four elementals: ''sylphs'' (air), ''pygmies'' or ''gnomes'' (earth), ''nymphs'' (water), and ''salamanders'' (fire).<ref>{{PE|14}}, p. 8</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 18:54, 21 July 2016

"sylphine maidens of the Air
whose wings in Varda's heavenly hall
in rythmic movement beat and fall"
― The Lay of Leithian, 4077-9

Sylphs were creatures only mentioned fleetingly in the earliest versions of the tales of Arda and nomenclature by the Eldar.[1][2]

Characteristics and divisions

The sylphs were part of what apparently was a three-fold division of the lesser Ainu spirits: sylphs (spirits of the air), sprites (spirits of the earth), and water spirits.[1]

Manwë had "two clans of air-spirits",[3] a basic division of two groups of sylphs which, with their Elvish names, are given as follow:

An individual Súru mentioned by name was Ilinsor, steersman of the Moon. Ilinsor "loved the snows and the starlight and aided Varda in many of her works".[6]

Commentary

It has been suggested that the concept "air spirits" is used "metaphorically [...] for the winds that these spirits govern".[7]

The later legendarium

Sylphs are not mentioned in the later versions of the legendarium. Many of the classes of beings references in The Book of Lost Tales were superseded by the concept of the Maiar, which were not introduced until the reworking of the Annals of Valinor into the Annals of Aman.[8]

Inspiration

Patrick H. Wynne and Christopher Gilson have noted that Tolkien's use of sylphs (and related spirits) is likely influenced by Paracelsus's chart of four elementals: sylphs (air), pygmies or gnomes (earth), nymphs (water), and salamanders (fire).[9]

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "III. The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor", p. 66
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian: Canto XIII (Beren and Lúthien in Angband)", pp. 301, 306 (§4077-9)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), pp. 57, 68
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 31
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Index
  6. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "VIII. The Tale of the Sun and Moon", pp. 192-5
  7. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Early Elvish Poetry and Pre-Fëanorian Alphabets", in Parma Eldalamberon XVI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, Carl F. Hostetter and Bill Welden), p. 59
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Two. The Annals of Aman: Notes [on Section 1]"
  9. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Early Qenya and The Valmaric Script", in Parma Eldalamberon XIV (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), p. 8
Legendary races of Arda
 Animals:  Dumbledors · Gorcrows · Hummerhorns · Pards · Swans of Gorbelgod · Turtle-fish
Dragon-kind:  Sea-serpents · Spark-dragons · Were-worms
Evil Races:  Ettens · Giants · Half-trolls · Hobgoblins · Ogres · Snow-trolls · Two-headed Trolls
Other:  Badger-folk · Great beasts · Lintips · Mewlips · Nameless things · Spectres
Individuals:  Talking Gurthang · Talking purse · The Hunter · Lady of the Sun · Lonely Troll · Man in the Moon · The Rider · River-woman · Tarlang · Tim · Tom · White cow
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