Tulkas

Revision as of 08:42, 18 August 2011

Tulkas was a Vala. He was the spouse of Nessa.

Tulkas was the most warlike of the Valar and the last of them to descend into Arda, coming to the aid of the others when he heard of their war with Melkor. Melkor fled before him, and the Spring of Arda was begun.

After the Two Lamps were erected and the Valar had made their first dwelling at Almaren, Tulkas wedded Nessa in a great feast. Being weary and content he slept, and Melkor decided his hour to retaliate had come.

Tulkas is described as delighting in wrestling and contests of strength. He wielded no weapon, and rode no steed. As he cared little about either past or future, he was not a good councillor, but nonetheless a very hardy friend. He is described as being slow to wrath, but also slow to forgive—for that reason, he was one of the Valar that opposed the release of Melkor.

Tulkas also tended to be impatient; before the Awakening of the Elves he urged the other Valar to wage war against Melkor. After the Darkening of Valinor he also hurried Fëanor to take a decision about surrendering the Silmarils.

Etymology

The name Tulkas (pron. [ˈtulkas]) means in Quenya "strong, steadfast".^[source?] Tulukhastāz ("the golden-haried")^{[note 1]} was the original Valarin name for Tulkas.^[1]

He was also called Astaldo (Q: "the Valiant", pron. [asˈtaldo]).^[2]Astaldo replaced the earlier name Poldórëa.^[3][4]

In Noldorin, his name is Tulcus ([ˈtulkus]).^[source?]

In Eriol's Old English translations, Tulkas is referred as Afodfrea "Strength-ruler".^[5]

Notes

References

1. ↑ , p. 399
2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Account of the Valar and Maiar According to the Lore of the Eldar"
3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The History of Middle-earth Index, p. 361
4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 181 (forms: Poldórea, Poldor, Poldomo)
5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: Appendix 1: Fragments of a translation of The Quenta Noldorinwa into Old English, made by Ælfwine or Eriol; together with Old English equivalents of Elvish names"