Spirits (creatures)

The name Spirit refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Spirit (disambiguation).

Spirits refers to beings whose nature in essence were of non-corporeality.

[edit] Groups

[edit] Ainur

• Main article: Ainur

Before Eä, Eru created the spirits known as the Ainur, the Holy Ones. The greater were called Valar and the lesser Maiar.^[1]

Some of the spirits were associated with a certain element, or physical phenomenon:

• Air spirits: Spirits shaped like hawks and eagles delivered messages to Manwë as he sat in his throne in Ilmarin upon Taniquetil.^[2]
• Fire spirits: The Maia Arien is said to have been "from the beginning a spirit of fire".^[3] Melkor seduced some of the fire spirits, which became known as the Balrogs.^[4]
• Water spirits: A host of spirits followed Ulmo to maintain the waters of Arda, of whom the Maiar Ossë and Uinen were the greatest.^[5] Perhaps Salmar, and Goldberry and the River-woman were such water spirits.
• Shadow spirits: It is told that Morgoth sent "spirits of shadow" against Tilion, as he hated the light of the Sun and Moon.^[3]

[edit] Evil spirits

All Ainur originally adhered to Eru, but the Vala Melkor became corrupted and fell from the grace of Eru.^[1] Melkor "gathered to himself spirits out of the voids of Eä that he had perverted to his service", and these became known as the Úmaiar or demons.^[6]

In the late Third Age, spirits of "evil vigilance" are said to have abode in the Two Watchers.^[7] The Barrow-wights are furthermore said to be evil spirits who had entered in deserted mounds, stirring the bones of the dead.^[8]

[edit] Other

Tom Bombadil was probably a "spirit" (of some sorts) of the earth.^[9] Goldberry and the River-woman would perhaps belong to such an order.^[10]

[edit] Other names

In Quenya, a collective name for the spirits is ëalar.^[11]

[edit] Other versions of the legendarium

In an early version of Tolkien's mythology, tiny, gleaming spirits appear dancing in a poem about Tavrobel.^[12]

[edit] See also

• Sprites

[edit] External links

• Who Were the Spirits From Afar That Yavanna Summoned? by Michael Martinez

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Account of the Valar and Maiar According to the Lore of the Eldar"
2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Beginning of Days"
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor"
4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Of the Enemies"
5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Beginning of Days" ("Salmar came with [Ulmo] to Arda, [...] and Ossë and Uinen also, to whom he gave the government of the waves and the movements of the Inner Seas, and many other spirits beside.")
6. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Two. The Annals of Aman", pp. 53 (§17), 79 (commentary to §30)
7. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur"
9. ↑ Tolkien described Tom as "The spirit of the this earth made aware of itself": Letter to Nevill Coghill (Excerpt reproduced here
10. ↑ Steuard Jensen, "What is Tom Bombadil? Viable Theories: A Nature Spirit?", Tolkien FAQ (accessed 3 March 2021)
11. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (I) The First Phase: 3. Of the Coming of the Elves", p. 165 (commentary on § 18)
12. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien; Christina Scull & Wayne G. Hammond (eds), The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, "Once upon a Time and An Evening in Tavrobel", pp. 284-5>