Sylphs: Difference between revisions
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<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> | <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> | ||
'''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> | '''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> | ||
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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 | 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== | ==Commentary== | ||
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==The later legendarium== | ==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 Many of the classes of beings references in ''[[The Book of Lost Tales]]'' were superseded by the concept of the [[Maiar]], which were not introduced until the reworking of the [[Annals of Valinor]] into the [[Annals of Aman]].<ref name="MRP2b">{{MR|P2b}}</ref> | |||
==Inspiration== | ==Inspiration== |
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:
- Qenya Mánir (or Mānir[4]): "spirits of the air";[5] Gnomish môna or môni[3]
- Qenya Súruli/Sūruli, also Suluthrim) (sing. Sūru): "spirits of the winds"; Gnomish Sulus (pl. Sulussin)[3][5]
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
- ↑ 1.0 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
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ 3.0 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
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Index
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 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
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Two. The Annals of Aman: Notes [on Section 1]"
- ↑ 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 |