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Eagles

2021-06-30T02:54:34Z

172.69.14.143: /* Flying the Ring to Mount Doom */

{{cleanup}}
{{race infobox
| name=Eagles
| image=[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| origin=Animals sung and created by [[Manwë]] and [[Yavanna]]
| location=[[Taniquetil]] [[Crissaegrim]] [[Eagle's Eyrie]]
| affiliation=[[Manwë]]
| rivalry=
| language=At least [[Valarin]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Westron]]
| people=
| members=[[Thorondor]], [[Great Eagle]], [[Gwaihir]], [[Landroval]], [[Meneldor]]
| lifespan=Unknown, but obviously very longeval<ref name=P1>{{WJ|P1}} p. 68</ref><ref group=note>Since Gwaihir and Landroval were said to have helped Thorondor in the escape of Beren and Lúthien ({{FA|466}}) and they were both alive at the time of the War of the Ring ({{TA|3019}}) that would make them at least 6,584 years old.</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
The '''Eagles''' were birds that served as messengers of [[Manwë]]. Among those were the '''Great Eagles''', immense birds who were sentient, immortal{{fact}}, capable of speech, and often helped [[Men]], [[Elves]] and [[Wizards]] in their quests to defeat evil. They were "devised" by Manwë Súlimo, King of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''.

They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Noldor|Ñoldor]], and on their foe, the evil Vala [[Morgoth]].

===First Age===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety.jpg|thumb|''Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At a command of Manwë, the Lord of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of the [[Thangorodrim]], the volcanoes above [[Angband]], for a time<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref><ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>. While he lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and he carried Fingolfin's body to the Echoriath, where he was buried by Fingon. Years later, three of the Great Eagles came to the aid of [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]], bearing them away from Thangorodrim after both had drained their strength in the [[Quest for the Silmaril]].<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] about [[Gondolin]]. There they became friends of [[Turgon]], bringing him news and keeping spies off their borders. Because of their guardianship, [[Orcs]] were unable to approach either the nearby mountains<ref name="Silm-TFG">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> or the important ford of [[Brithiach]] to the south. <ref name="Tuor">{{UT|Tuor}}</ref> They redoubled their watch after the coming of [[Tuor]],<ref>{{S|Doriath}}</ref> enabling Gondolin to remain undiscovered for the longest of all [[Elves|Elven]] realms. When the city [[Fall of Gondolin|fell]] at last, the eagles of Thorondor protected the [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]], driving away the orcs that ambushed them at [[Cirith Thoronath]], the Eagles' Cleft north of Gondolin.<ref name="Silm-TFG"/>

The Eagles fought alongside the [[Host of the Valar|army]] of the Valar, the [[Elves]], and the [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]]. After the appearance of winged [[dragons]], all the great birds gathered under Thorondor and aided [[Eärendil]], destroying the majority of the dragons.<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

===Second Age (Númenor)===
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]], when the [[Kings of Númenor]] became hostile to the Valar.

The [[Númenóreans]] believed that three eagles, "the Witnesses of Manwë", were sent by Manwë to guard the summit of [[Meneltarma]]; these appeared whenever one approached the hallow and stayed in the sky during the [[Three Prayers]].

Many eagles lived upon the hills around [[Sorontil]] in the north of the island.<ref>{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Eagles of Manwë.jpg|thumb|left|''The Eagles of Manwë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason with or threaten the Númenóreans.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

===Third Age===
{{quote|- Farewell! wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end! - May the wind under your wings bear you where the [[sun]] sails and the [[moon]] walks.|Polite way to exchange good-bye with an Eagle|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[Queer Lodgings]]"}}
By the end of the [[Third Age]], a colony of eagles under the [[Great Eagle]] lived in the northern parts of the [[Misty Mountains]] who mostly nested upon the eastward slopes not far from the [[High Pass]] leading from [[Rivendell]], and thus in the direct vicinity of the [[Goblin-town]] beneath; they often afflicted the goblins and disrupted their plans.

These Eagles helped the [[Radagast]] and the Elves of [[Rivendell]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref><ref>{{FR|South}}</ref>. As a result of feeding on the sheep of the local [[Woodmen]] of [[Mirkwood]], their relationship was not good and the Eagles were afraid of the men's bows.

The eagles rescued [[Thorin and Company]] from a band of [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and [[Wargs]] and carried them to the [[Carrock]]<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>. Some days later, they espied the mustering of goblins all over the Mountains to be gathered under the Great Eagle in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] near [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. It was only with their help that the [[Dwarves]], [[Men]] and Elves managed to defeat the goblins.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref> The Great Eagle became known as the [[King of All Birds]].

The Eagles appeared in great numbers at the [[Battle of the Morannon]], helping to fight against the [[Nazgûl]]. Several of them rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] after [[the One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref>

==Other names==
'''''Thoron''''' is "eagle" in both [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]] (''soron'' in a Quenya without the [[Shibboleth of Fëanor]]).<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''thoron''</ref>

In [[Gnomish]], one of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s early conceptions of an [[Elvish|Elven]] language, a word for "eagle" is ''ioroth'' (poetic form ''ior''). A cognate of the same meaning in [[Qenya]] is the poetic ''ea(r)'' or ''earen''. Another Gnomish word for "an eagle" is ''thorn''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, pp. 51, 73</ref> The '''''Thornhoth''''' was the name for the eagle-folk in this early version.<ref name="Fall">{{LT2|III}}, p. 103</ref>

==Origin and nature==
For some time Tolkien considered the Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>{{MR|Annals}} p. 138</ref> From this stage comes this excerpt from [[The Silmarillion]]:<ref>{{S|Days}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Ainu}}</ref><ref>{{MR|P1a}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world.}}

The same used to be applied to certain intelligent animals, like [[Huan]]:<ref>{{MR|P5VIII}}. Note 4.</ref>

{{blockquote|Living things in Aman. As the Valar would robe themselves like the Children, many of the Maiar robed themselves like other lesser living things, as trees, flowers, beasts. (Huan.)}}

However, the notion of a "Maia" like Thorondor having descendants contradicted later concepts. Therefore, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles, Huan and other intelligent animals were just animals, despite being "higher level" ones.<ref name="MR409-11">{{MR|Myths}} pp. 409-11</ref>

{{blockquote|But true 'rational' creatures, 'speaking peoples', are all of human / 'humanoid' form. Only the Valar and Maiar are intelligences that can assume forms of Arda at will. Huan and [[Sorontar]] could be Maiar - emissaries of Manwe. But unfortunately in The Lord of the Rings Gwaehir and Landroval are said to be descendants of Sorontar.
(...)
In summary: I think it must be assumed that 'talking' is not necessarily the sign of the possession of a 'rational soul' or [[fëa]]. (...)
The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.}}

In a later text, the Eagles were first envisioned by Manwë during the Music of the Ainur, and appeared before the awakening of the Elves.<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref><ref name=Ents>{{WJ|Ents}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Then Manwë awoke, and he went down to Yavanna upon Ezellohar, and he sat beside her beneath the Two Trees. And Manwë said: 'O Kementári, Eru hath spoken, saying: "Do then any of the Valar suppose that I did not hear all the Song, even the least sound of the least voice? Behold! When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein, and be held in reverence, and their just anger shall be feared. For a time: while the Firstborn are in their power, and while the Secondborn are young." But dost them not now remember, Kementári, that thy thought sang not always alone? Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.'}}

In the text Tolkien stresses the fact that the Eagles appeared "before the Children awake", whereas the "spirits from afar" that would give rise to the Ents only would appear "when the Children awake". Therefore, there is no strong indication that Tolkien could have changed his mind and abandoned the notion that the Eagles have no fëar. Indeed, to the Ents, in turn, a very special origin is given, which can be compared to the origin of the [[Dwarves]]:<ref name=Ents></ref><ref>{{L|247}}</ref>

{{blockquote|No one knew whence they (Ents) came or first appeared. The High Elves said that the Valar did not mention them in the 'Music'. But some (Galadriel) were [of the] opinion that when Yavanna discovered the mercy of Eru to Aule in the matter of the Dwarves, she besought Eru (through Manwe) asking him to give life to things made of living things not stone, and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees.}}

It is quite remarkable that this contrast between the Ents and their "humanoid" or free nature, on one side, and the Eagles and their animal or conditioned nature, on the other side, can already be intuited in the Treebeard's song in The Lord of the Rings:<ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>

{{blockquote|''Learn now the lore of Living Creatures! 
''First name the four, the free peoples 
''Eldest of all, the Elf children 
''Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses 
''Ent the earthborn, old as mountains 
''Man the mortal, master of horses; 
 
''Hm, hm, hm. 
 
''Beaver the builder, buck the leaper 
''Bear bee hunter, boar the fighter 
''Hound is hungry, hare is fearful... 
 
''Hm, hm. 
 
''Eagle in eyrie, ox in pasture, 
''Hart horn crowned; hawk is swiftest 
''Swan the whitest, serpent coldest...}}

==Flying the Ring to Mount Doom==
{{quote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness. |[[Letter 210]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]}}
Some skeptical readers have wondered why the Eagles simply didn't carry Frodo and [[the One Ring]] into Mordor and drop the Ring in Mount Doom, or at least aid the Fellowship at some part of the journey, such as helping them avoiding the [[Redhorn Gate]] and [[Moria]]. At first glance this seems incredibly easy compared to what actually happened.

These readers also take issue that the possibility of using the Eagles was not mentioned at all during the [[Council of Elrond]]. Although many flawed proposals are made during it (destroy the Ring, guard it, send it to the West, give it to [[Tom Bombadil]]),<ref>{{HM|FR}}, Book II</ref> none of the participants thought to propose this seemingly obvious solution, especially after Gandalf described his escape with Gwaihir; even if only to be deemed unfeasible like the ones above.

===Official explanations ===
Some of [[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's letters]] shed light onto his views relating to these alleged issues, and why he did not see them as issues himself.

In a letter concerning a possible adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'' into an animated movie, Tolkien said that the Eagles were "not taxis", and reiterated that the Fellowship's mission depended upon secrecy, so depicting a long arduous journey on foot was required to maintain the credibility of their stealthy approach.<ref name="letter210">{{L|210}}</ref>

Many readers have thus concluded from this and/or independently reasoned that the Eagles coming from the air, especially going straight to Mordor and Mt. Doom as is often joked about, would be the opposite of being stealthy, the importance of which the books emphasize a lot by themselves, as Sauron did not expect anyone would ever try to destroy the Ring. The huge Eagles would have been fairly obvious and defenseless to Sauron, who would thus have seen them coming from a distance and deduced the plan fairly quickly; his Ringwraiths and their [[Fell beasts]] and/or his legions of archers and his siege machines would most likely have stopped the attempt. Therefore a small party was needed to go on foot all the way as to minimize the risk of attracting notice.

Peter Jackson and [[Fran Walsh]] joke around the issue on the writer-director DVD commentary track; writing partner [[Philippa Boyens]] then bursts out and angrily declares one of the common explanations: "Why does everyone always say that?! The flying Nazgûl on their Fell Beasts would have stopped them! How more obvious does that need to be?! Mordor has flying creatures too!"

The topic is also brought up in the video game ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', where the heroes (who have experience working with the Great Eagles) suggest having one fly Frodo and the Ring to Mount Doom. Gandalf, however, explains that Sauron would anticipate such an intrusion and how dangerous the attempt would be.

In the letter, Tolkien further says that Eagles should be used carefully as a plot device, showing he was self-aware whenever he used them, and he described them as a "dangerous 'machine'" that he used sparingly, yet already at "the absolute limit of their credibility and usefulness".<ref name="letter210" />

He likened the proposed shortening of the Fellowship's journey via Eagles to "introducing helicopters" to the first ascent of Mt. Everest "to take the climbers halfway up (in defiance of probability)", and said that this would make "a farce" out of "the arduous journey". He wrote that this "achieves nothing but incredibility", and that it makes stale "the device of the Eagles when at last they are really needed".<ref name="letter210" />

These last words in particular have led fans to connect the Eagles to his concept of "[[eucatastrophe]]" which he writes about elsewhere - the unexpected, sudden hand of providence showing itself and leading to a turn for the better, often realized at the climax and averting a sad ending but also appearing elsewhere in story structure. Since eucatastrophe is by nature unexpected, the Eagles by design could not have been considered as available or feasible options to take. Fans note that the live-action movies contributed to the controversy because Gandalf explicitly summons Gwaihir through a moth, while in the books he was saved by chance when Gwaihir flew by.

Indeed, Tolkien wrote of the Eagles in explicit terms of eucatastrophe in another letter, where he describes their coming to save the day in ''The Hobbit''.<ref name="letter89">{{L|89}}</ref>

===Other explanations===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Foot of Mount Doom.jpg|thumb|According to ''[[The Field of Cormallen]]'', some Eagles flew to Mount Doom, rescued Frodo and Sam and carried them back. Critics say that they could as well had carried them there in the first place. Art by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Besides Tolkien's own remarks about the need for stealth and [[eucatastrophe]] in the story, several speculative theories have been proposed by critics.<ref>[[Tolkien FAQ]]</ref><ref>[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?]</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Martinez]]|articlename=Is There An In-story Explanation For Why the Eagles Rarely Participate in Great Events?|articleurl=http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/10/11/is-there-an-in-story-explanation-for-why-the-eagles-rarely-participate-in-great-events/|website=[http://middle-earth.xenite.org Xenite.org]}}</ref>

* The Eagles expressed fear in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' about going into the Lands of Men because of their bows. After the Ring is destroyed (along with all of Sauron's forces), the Eagles met no resistance from evil forces; thus, they were able to rescue Frodo and Sam.

*The Eagles could have possibly become corrupted by the power of the Ring and would have most likely attempted to prevent the destruction. Gandalf himself not only knew that ''anyone'' might and would refuse to throw in the Ring, but he was also afraid of it; the Eagles, as Maiar, could have been corruptive and dangerous.

*As emissaries of the Valar, the Eagles may have been somehow limited in how they intervened to great events, which the Valar perhaps considered matters between the Elves and Sauron;<ref>Cf. {{FR|Council}}, Elrond: "for good or ill [the Ring] belongs to Middle-earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it".</ref> for example, they had sent the [[Wizards]], who were prohibited to directly fight Sauron by physical or supernatural force, and the Eagles did aid the [[free peoples]] and even participated in battles. But otherwise, the Eagles would had been either afraid, unwilling, incapable, or (like the Wizards) forbidden to take any greater part.

*The Eagles's availability and power must have been limited. Gwaihir only arrives at Isengard because he is sent by Radagast. Once he rescues Gandalf, the Wizard asks him how far he can bear him, to which the Eagle replies "...not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens." He took Gandalf just to Edoras, so he could find a horse to ride, and then departed.

*With the War of the Ring expanding to all the western realms of Middle-earth, the Eagles would need to protect their own lands in the event that Sauron's forces invade, and thus would be unable to spare any resources to assist the Fellowship.

==Inspiration==
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by T.A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest version of the fall of Gondolin, the king of the eagles, Thorndor (later Thorondor), had no love for Melko (later Melkor) because he had caught many eagles and tortured them for the magic words that would enable him to fly (in order to challenge Manwë for command of the air). When the eagles refused to reveal the magic words Melko cut off their wings in order to fashion a pair for himself, "but it availed not".<ref name="Fall"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The Eagles are associated with [[moths]]; while Gandalf is trapped on the summit of Orthanc, he whispers to a moth and lets it go. Later, when confronted by Saruman, the moth reappears; an Eagle (supposedly Gwaihir) arrives and Gandalf escapes on its back.
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Right before the Battle of the Morannon, Gandalf notices a moth flies near him. Then the Eagles appear and fly against the [[fell beasts]]. They pick up Frodo and Sam from the slopes of Orodruin.
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:As [[Thorin and Company]] are trapped in a falling tree by the band of [[Azog]] and their [[Wargs]], Gandalf uses a moth to summon them to his aid. They grasp the wargs and drop them onto the rocks or in the fire, pick up an unconscious Thorin, and save the protagonists from falling. Unlike in the book, they drop the characters on the [[Carrock]] and leave; as in the other film adaptations, the Eagles don't appear sentient and there is no dialogue between them and the characters.
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:The Eagles participate in the battle, and upon their arrival one drops [[Beorn]] in bear-form into the field of battle.

==External links==
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/History.html#Eagles Tolkien FAQ] question and possible answer
*[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?] a discussion investigating a possible battle plan that would help the eagles.

==Notes==

{{references}}

[[Category:Races]]

[[de:Adler]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/faune/aigles]]
[[fi:Kotkat]]

Eagles

2021-06-30T02:51:24Z

172.69.14.143: /* Flying the Ring to Mount Doom */

{{cleanup}}
{{race infobox
| name=Eagles
| image=[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| origin=Animals sung and created by [[Manwë]] and [[Yavanna]]
| location=[[Taniquetil]] [[Crissaegrim]] [[Eagle's Eyrie]]
| affiliation=[[Manwë]]
| rivalry=
| language=At least [[Valarin]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Westron]]
| people=
| members=[[Thorondor]], [[Great Eagle]], [[Gwaihir]], [[Landroval]], [[Meneldor]]
| lifespan=Unknown, but obviously very longeval<ref name=P1>{{WJ|P1}} p. 68</ref><ref group=note>Since Gwaihir and Landroval were said to have helped Thorondor in the escape of Beren and Lúthien ({{FA|466}}) and they were both alive at the time of the War of the Ring ({{TA|3019}}) that would make them at least 6,584 years old.</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
The '''Eagles''' were birds that served as messengers of [[Manwë]]. Among those were the '''Great Eagles''', immense birds who were sentient, immortal{{fact}}, capable of speech, and often helped [[Men]], [[Elves]] and [[Wizards]] in their quests to defeat evil. They were "devised" by Manwë Súlimo, King of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''.

They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Noldor|Ñoldor]], and on their foe, the evil Vala [[Morgoth]].

===First Age===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety.jpg|thumb|''Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At a command of Manwë, the Lord of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of the [[Thangorodrim]], the volcanoes above [[Angband]], for a time<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref><ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>. While he lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and he carried Fingolfin's body to the Echoriath, where he was buried by Fingon. Years later, three of the Great Eagles came to the aid of [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]], bearing them away from Thangorodrim after both had drained their strength in the [[Quest for the Silmaril]].<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] about [[Gondolin]]. There they became friends of [[Turgon]], bringing him news and keeping spies off their borders. Because of their guardianship, [[Orcs]] were unable to approach either the nearby mountains<ref name="Silm-TFG">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> or the important ford of [[Brithiach]] to the south. <ref name="Tuor">{{UT|Tuor}}</ref> They redoubled their watch after the coming of [[Tuor]],<ref>{{S|Doriath}}</ref> enabling Gondolin to remain undiscovered for the longest of all [[Elves|Elven]] realms. When the city [[Fall of Gondolin|fell]] at last, the eagles of Thorondor protected the [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]], driving away the orcs that ambushed them at [[Cirith Thoronath]], the Eagles' Cleft north of Gondolin.<ref name="Silm-TFG"/>

The Eagles fought alongside the [[Host of the Valar|army]] of the Valar, the [[Elves]], and the [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]]. After the appearance of winged [[dragons]], all the great birds gathered under Thorondor and aided [[Eärendil]], destroying the majority of the dragons.<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

===Second Age (Númenor)===
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]], when the [[Kings of Númenor]] became hostile to the Valar.

The [[Númenóreans]] believed that three eagles, "the Witnesses of Manwë", were sent by Manwë to guard the summit of [[Meneltarma]]; these appeared whenever one approached the hallow and stayed in the sky during the [[Three Prayers]].

Many eagles lived upon the hills around [[Sorontil]] in the north of the island.<ref>{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Eagles of Manwë.jpg|thumb|left|''The Eagles of Manwë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason with or threaten the Númenóreans.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

===Third Age===
{{quote|- Farewell! wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end! - May the wind under your wings bear you where the [[sun]] sails and the [[moon]] walks.|Polite way to exchange good-bye with an Eagle|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[Queer Lodgings]]"}}
By the end of the [[Third Age]], a colony of eagles under the [[Great Eagle]] lived in the northern parts of the [[Misty Mountains]] who mostly nested upon the eastward slopes not far from the [[High Pass]] leading from [[Rivendell]], and thus in the direct vicinity of the [[Goblin-town]] beneath; they often afflicted the goblins and disrupted their plans.

These Eagles helped the [[Radagast]] and the Elves of [[Rivendell]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref><ref>{{FR|South}}</ref>. As a result of feeding on the sheep of the local [[Woodmen]] of [[Mirkwood]], their relationship was not good and the Eagles were afraid of the men's bows.

The eagles rescued [[Thorin and Company]] from a band of [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and [[Wargs]] and carried them to the [[Carrock]]<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>. Some days later, they espied the mustering of goblins all over the Mountains to be gathered under the Great Eagle in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] near [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. It was only with their help that the [[Dwarves]], [[Men]] and Elves managed to defeat the goblins.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref> The Great Eagle became known as the [[King of All Birds]].

The Eagles appeared in great numbers at the [[Battle of the Morannon]], helping to fight against the [[Nazgûl]]. Several of them rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] after [[the One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref>

==Other names==
'''''Thoron''''' is "eagle" in both [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]] (''soron'' in a Quenya without the [[Shibboleth of Fëanor]]).<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''thoron''</ref>

In [[Gnomish]], one of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s early conceptions of an [[Elvish|Elven]] language, a word for "eagle" is ''ioroth'' (poetic form ''ior''). A cognate of the same meaning in [[Qenya]] is the poetic ''ea(r)'' or ''earen''. Another Gnomish word for "an eagle" is ''thorn''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, pp. 51, 73</ref> The '''''Thornhoth''''' was the name for the eagle-folk in this early version.<ref name="Fall">{{LT2|III}}, p. 103</ref>

==Origin and nature==
For some time Tolkien considered the Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>{{MR|Annals}} p. 138</ref> From this stage comes this excerpt from [[The Silmarillion]]:<ref>{{S|Days}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Ainu}}</ref><ref>{{MR|P1a}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world.}}

The same used to be applied to certain intelligent animals, like [[Huan]]:<ref>{{MR|P5VIII}}. Note 4.</ref>

{{blockquote|Living things in Aman. As the Valar would robe themselves like the Children, many of the Maiar robed themselves like other lesser living things, as trees, flowers, beasts. (Huan.)}}

However, the notion of a "Maia" like Thorondor having descendants contradicted later concepts. Therefore, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles, Huan and other intelligent animals were just animals, despite being "higher level" ones.<ref name="MR409-11">{{MR|Myths}} pp. 409-11</ref>

{{blockquote|But true 'rational' creatures, 'speaking peoples', are all of human / 'humanoid' form. Only the Valar and Maiar are intelligences that can assume forms of Arda at will. Huan and [[Sorontar]] could be Maiar - emissaries of Manwe. But unfortunately in The Lord of the Rings Gwaehir and Landroval are said to be descendants of Sorontar.
(...)
In summary: I think it must be assumed that 'talking' is not necessarily the sign of the possession of a 'rational soul' or [[fëa]]. (...)
The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.}}

In a later text, the Eagles were first envisioned by Manwë during the Music of the Ainur, and appeared before the awakening of the Elves.<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref><ref name=Ents>{{WJ|Ents}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Then Manwë awoke, and he went down to Yavanna upon Ezellohar, and he sat beside her beneath the Two Trees. And Manwë said: 'O Kementári, Eru hath spoken, saying: "Do then any of the Valar suppose that I did not hear all the Song, even the least sound of the least voice? Behold! When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein, and be held in reverence, and their just anger shall be feared. For a time: while the Firstborn are in their power, and while the Secondborn are young." But dost them not now remember, Kementári, that thy thought sang not always alone? Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.'}}

In the text Tolkien stresses the fact that the Eagles appeared "before the Children awake", whereas the "spirits from afar" that would give rise to the Ents only would appear "when the Children awake". Therefore, there is no strong indication that Tolkien could have changed his mind and abandoned the notion that the Eagles have no fëar. Indeed, to the Ents, in turn, a very special origin is given, which can be compared to the origin of the [[Dwarves]]:<ref name=Ents></ref><ref>{{L|247}}</ref>

{{blockquote|No one knew whence they (Ents) came or first appeared. The High Elves said that the Valar did not mention them in the 'Music'. But some (Galadriel) were [of the] opinion that when Yavanna discovered the mercy of Eru to Aule in the matter of the Dwarves, she besought Eru (through Manwe) asking him to give life to things made of living things not stone, and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees.}}

It is quite remarkable that this contrast between the Ents and their "humanoid" or free nature, on one side, and the Eagles and their animal or conditioned nature, on the other side, can already be intuited in the Treebeard's song in The Lord of the Rings:<ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>

{{blockquote|''Learn now the lore of Living Creatures! 
''First name the four, the free peoples 
''Eldest of all, the Elf children 
''Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses 
''Ent the earthborn, old as mountains 
''Man the mortal, master of horses; 
 
''Hm, hm, hm. 
 
''Beaver the builder, buck the leaper 
''Bear bee hunter, boar the fighter 
''Hound is hungry, hare is fearful... 
 
''Hm, hm. 
 
''Eagle in eyrie, ox in pasture, 
''Hart horn crowned; hawk is swiftest 
''Swan the whitest, serpent coldest...}}

==Flying the Ring to Mount Doom==
{{quote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness. |[[Letter 210]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]}}
Some skeptical readers have wondered why the Eagles simply didn't carry Frodo and [[the One Ring]] into Mordor and drop the Ring in Mount Doom, or at least aid the Fellowship at some part of the journey, such as helping them avoiding the [[Redhorn Gate]] and [[Moria]]. At first glance this seems incredibly easy compared to what actually happened.

These readers also take issue that the possibility of using the Eagles was not mentioned at all during the [[Council of Elrond]]. Although many flawed proposals are made during it (destroy the Ring, guard it, send it to the West, give it to [[Tom Bombadil]]), none of the participants thought to propose this seemingly obvious solution, especially after Gandalf described his escape with Gwaihir; even if only to be deemed unfeasible like the ones above.<ref>{{HM|FR}}, Book II</ref>

===Official explanations ===
Some of [[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's letters]] shed light onto his views relating to these alleged issues, and why he did not see them as issues himself.

In a letter concerning a possible adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'' into an animated movie, Tolkien said that the Eagles were "not taxis", and reiterated that the Fellowship's mission depended upon secrecy, so depicting a long arduous journey on foot was required to maintain the credibility of their stealthy approach.<ref name="letter210">{{L|210}}</ref>

Many readers have thus concluded from this and/or independently reasoned that the Eagles coming from the air, especially going straight to Mordor and Mt. Doom as is often joked about, would be the opposite of being stealthy, the importance of which the books emphasize a lot by themselves, as Sauron did not expect anyone would ever try to destroy the Ring. The huge Eagles would have been fairly obvious and defenseless to Sauron, who would thus have seen them coming from a distance and deduced the plan fairly quickly; his Ringwraiths and their [[Fell beasts]] and/or his legions of archers and his siege machines would most likely have stopped the attempt. Therefore a small party was needed to go on foot all the way as to minimize the risk of attracting notice.

Peter Jackson and [[Fran Walsh]] joke around the issue on the writer-director DVD commentary track; writing partner [[Philippa Boyens]] then bursts out and angrily declares one of the common explanations: "Why does everyone always say that?! The flying Nazgûl on their Fell Beasts would have stopped them! How more obvious does that need to be?! Mordor has flying creatures too!"

The topic is also brought up in the video game ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', where the heroes (who have experience working with the Great Eagles) suggest having one fly Frodo and the Ring to Mount Doom. Gandalf, however, explains that Sauron would anticipate such an intrusion and how dangerous the attempt would be.

In the letter, Tolkien further says that Eagles should be used carefully as a plot device, showing he was self-aware whenever he used them, and he described them as a "dangerous 'machine'" that he used sparingly, yet already at "the absolute limit of their credibility and usefulness".<ref name="letter210" />

He likened the proposed shortening of the Fellowship's journey via Eagles to "introducing helicopters" to the first ascent of Mt. Everest "to take the climbers halfway up (in defiance of probability)", and said that this would make "a farce" out of "the arduous journey". He wrote that this "achieves nothing but incredibility", and that it makes stale "the device of the Eagles when at last they are really needed".<ref name="letter210" />

These last words in particular have led fans to connect the Eagles to his concept of "[[eucatastrophe]]" which he writes about elsewhere - the unexpected, sudden hand of providence showing itself and leading to a turn for the better, often realized at the climax and averting a sad ending but also appearing elsewhere in story structure. Since eucatastrophe is by nature unexpected, the Eagles by design could not have been considered as available or feasible options to take. Fans note that the live-action movies contributed to the controversy because Gandalf explicitly summons Gwaihir through a moth, while in the books he was saved by chance when Gwaihir flew by.

Fans also note that Tolkien wrote of the Eagles in explicit terms of eucatastrophe in another letter, where he describes their coming to save the day in ''The Hobbit''.<ref name="letter89">{{L|89}}</ref>

===Other explanations===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Foot of Mount Doom.jpg|thumb|According to ''[[The Field of Cormallen]]'', some Eagles flew to Mount Doom, rescued Frodo and Sam and carried them back. Critics say that they could as well had carried them there in the first place. Art by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Besides Tolkien's own remarks about the need for stealth and [[eucatastrophe]] in the story, several speculative theories have been proposed by critics.<ref>[[Tolkien FAQ]]</ref><ref>[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?]</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Martinez]]|articlename=Is There An In-story Explanation For Why the Eagles Rarely Participate in Great Events?|articleurl=http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/10/11/is-there-an-in-story-explanation-for-why-the-eagles-rarely-participate-in-great-events/|website=[http://middle-earth.xenite.org Xenite.org]}}</ref>

* The Eagles expressed fear in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' about going into the Lands of Men because of their bows. After the Ring is destroyed (along with all of Sauron's forces), the Eagles met no resistance from evil forces; thus, they were able to rescue Frodo and Sam.

*The Eagles could have possibly become corrupted by the power of the Ring and would have most likely attempted to prevent the destruction. Gandalf himself not only knew that ''anyone'' might and would refuse to throw in the Ring, but he was also afraid of it; the Eagles, as Maiar, could have been corruptive and dangerous.

*As emissaries of the Valar, the Eagles may have been somehow limited in how they intervened to great events, which the Valar perhaps considered matters between the Elves and Sauron;<ref>Cf. {{FR|Council}}, Elrond: "for good or ill [the Ring] belongs to Middle-earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it".</ref> for example, they had sent the [[Wizards]], who were prohibited to directly fight Sauron by physical or supernatural force, and the Eagles did aid the [[free peoples]] and even participated in battles. But otherwise, the Eagles would had been either afraid, unwilling, incapable, or (like the Wizards) forbidden to take any greater part.

*The Eagles's availability and power must have been limited. Gwaihir only arrives at Isengard because he is sent by Radagast. Once he rescues Gandalf, the Wizard asks him how far he can bear him, to which the Eagle replies "...not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens." He took Gandalf just to Edoras, so he could find a horse to ride, and then departed.

*With the War of the Ring expanding to all the western realms of Middle-earth, the Eagles would need to protect their own lands in the event that Sauron's forces invade, and thus would be unable to spare any resources to assist the Fellowship.

==Inspiration==
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by T.A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest version of the fall of Gondolin, the king of the eagles, Thorndor (later Thorondor), had no love for Melko (later Melkor) because he had caught many eagles and tortured them for the magic words that would enable him to fly (in order to challenge Manwë for command of the air). When the eagles refused to reveal the magic words Melko cut off their wings in order to fashion a pair for himself, "but it availed not".<ref name="Fall"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The Eagles are associated with [[moths]]; while Gandalf is trapped on the summit of Orthanc, he whispers to a moth and lets it go. Later, when confronted by Saruman, the moth reappears; an Eagle (supposedly Gwaihir) arrives and Gandalf escapes on its back.
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Right before the Battle of the Morannon, Gandalf notices a moth flies near him. Then the Eagles appear and fly against the [[fell beasts]]. They pick up Frodo and Sam from the slopes of Orodruin.
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:As [[Thorin and Company]] are trapped in a falling tree by the band of [[Azog]] and their [[Wargs]], Gandalf uses a moth to summon them to his aid. They grasp the wargs and drop them onto the rocks or in the fire, pick up an unconscious Thorin, and save the protagonists from falling. Unlike in the book, they drop the characters on the [[Carrock]] and leave; as in the other film adaptations, the Eagles don't appear sentient and there is no dialogue between them and the characters.
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:The Eagles participate in the battle, and upon their arrival one drops [[Beorn]] in bear-form into the field of battle.

==External links==
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/History.html#Eagles Tolkien FAQ] question and possible answer
*[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?] a discussion investigating a possible battle plan that would help the eagles.

==Notes==

{{references}}

[[Category:Races]]

[[de:Adler]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/faune/aigles]]
[[fi:Kotkat]]

Eagles

2021-06-30T01:35:39Z

172.69.14.143: /* Official explanations */

{{cleanup}}
{{race infobox
| name=Eagles
| image=[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| origin=Animals sung and created by [[Manwë]] and [[Yavanna]]
| location=[[Taniquetil]] [[Crissaegrim]] [[Eagle's Eyrie]]
| affiliation=[[Manwë]]
| rivalry=
| language=At least [[Valarin]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Westron]]
| people=
| members=[[Thorondor]], [[Great Eagle]], [[Gwaihir]], [[Landroval]], [[Meneldor]]
| lifespan=Unknown, but obviously very longeval<ref name=P1>{{WJ|P1}} p. 68</ref><ref group=note>Since Gwaihir and Landroval were said to have helped Thorondor in the escape of Beren and Lúthien ({{FA|466}}) and they were both alive at the time of the War of the Ring ({{TA|3019}}) that would make them at least 6,584 years old.</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
The '''Eagles''' were birds that served as messengers of [[Manwë]]. Among those were the '''Great Eagles''', immense birds who were sentient, immortal{{fact}}, capable of speech, and often helped [[Men]], [[Elves]] and [[Wizards]] in their quests to defeat evil. They were "devised" by Manwë Súlimo, King of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''.

They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Noldor|Ñoldor]], and on their foe, the evil Vala [[Morgoth]].

===First Age===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety.jpg|thumb|''Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At a command of Manwë, the Lord of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of the [[Thangorodrim]], the volcanoes above [[Angband]], for a time<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref><ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>. While he lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and he carried Fingolfin's body to the Echoriath, where he was buried by Fingon. Years later, three of the Great Eagles came to the aid of [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]], bearing them away from Thangorodrim after both had drained their strength in the [[Quest for the Silmaril]].<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] about [[Gondolin]]. There they became friends of [[Turgon]], bringing him news and keeping spies off their borders. Because of their guardianship, [[Orcs]] were unable to approach either the nearby mountains<ref name="Silm-TFG">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> or the important ford of [[Brithiach]] to the south. <ref name="Tuor">{{UT|Tuor}}</ref> They redoubled their watch after the coming of [[Tuor]],<ref>{{S|Doriath}}</ref> enabling Gondolin to remain undiscovered for the longest of all [[Elves|Elven]] realms. When the city [[Fall of Gondolin|fell]] at last, the eagles of Thorondor protected the [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]], driving away the orcs that ambushed them at [[Cirith Thoronath]], the Eagles' Cleft north of Gondolin.<ref name="Silm-TFG"/>

The Eagles fought alongside the [[Host of the Valar|army]] of the Valar, the [[Elves]], and the [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]]. After the appearance of winged [[dragons]], all the great birds gathered under Thorondor and aided [[Eärendil]], destroying the majority of the dragons.<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

===Second Age (Númenor)===
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]], when the [[Kings of Númenor]] became hostile to the Valar.

The [[Númenóreans]] believed that three eagles, "the Witnesses of Manwë", were sent by Manwë to guard the summit of [[Meneltarma]]; these appeared whenever one approached the hallow and stayed in the sky during the [[Three Prayers]].

Many eagles lived upon the hills around [[Sorontil]] in the north of the island.<ref>{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Eagles of Manwë.jpg|thumb|left|''The Eagles of Manwë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason with or threaten the Númenóreans.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

===Third Age===
{{quote|- Farewell! wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end! - May the wind under your wings bear you where the [[sun]] sails and the [[moon]] walks.|Polite way to exchange good-bye with an Eagle|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[Queer Lodgings]]"}}
By the end of the [[Third Age]], a colony of eagles under the [[Great Eagle]] lived in the northern parts of the [[Misty Mountains]] who mostly nested upon the eastward slopes not far from the [[High Pass]] leading from [[Rivendell]], and thus in the direct vicinity of the [[Goblin-town]] beneath; they often afflicted the goblins and disrupted their plans.

These Eagles helped the [[Radagast]] and the Elves of [[Rivendell]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref><ref>{{FR|South}}</ref>. As a result of feeding on the sheep of the local [[Woodmen]] of [[Mirkwood]], their relationship was not good and the Eagles were afraid of the men's bows.

The eagles rescued [[Thorin and Company]] from a band of [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and [[Wargs]] and carried them to the [[Carrock]]<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>. Some days later, they espied the mustering of goblins all over the Mountains to be gathered under the Great Eagle in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] near [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. It was only with their help that the [[Dwarves]], [[Men]] and Elves managed to defeat the goblins.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref> The Great Eagle became known as the [[King of All Birds]].

The Eagles appeared in great numbers at the [[Battle of the Morannon]], helping to fight against the [[Nazgûl]]. Several of them rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] after [[the One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref>

==Other names==
'''''Thoron''''' is "eagle" in both [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]] (''soron'' in a Quenya without the [[Shibboleth of Fëanor]]).<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''thoron''</ref>

In [[Gnomish]], one of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s early conceptions of an [[Elvish|Elven]] language, a word for "eagle" is ''ioroth'' (poetic form ''ior''). A cognate of the same meaning in [[Qenya]] is the poetic ''ea(r)'' or ''earen''. Another Gnomish word for "an eagle" is ''thorn''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, pp. 51, 73</ref> The '''''Thornhoth''''' was the name for the eagle-folk in this early version.<ref name="Fall">{{LT2|III}}, p. 103</ref>

==Origin and nature==
For some time Tolkien considered the Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>{{MR|Annals}} p. 138</ref> From this stage comes this excerpt from [[The Silmarillion]]:<ref>{{S|Days}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Ainu}}</ref><ref>{{MR|P1a}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world.}}

The same used to be applied to certain intelligent animals, like [[Huan]]:<ref>{{MR|P5VIII}}. Note 4.</ref>

{{blockquote|Living things in Aman. As the Valar would robe themselves like the Children, many of the Maiar robed themselves like other lesser living things, as trees, flowers, beasts. (Huan.)}}

However, the notion of a "Maia" like Thorondor having descendants contradicted later concepts. Therefore, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles, Huan and other intelligent animals were just animals, despite being "higher level" ones.<ref name="MR409-11">{{MR|Myths}} pp. 409-11</ref>

{{blockquote|But true 'rational' creatures, 'speaking peoples', are all of human / 'humanoid' form. Only the Valar and Maiar are intelligences that can assume forms of Arda at will. Huan and [[Sorontar]] could be Maiar - emissaries of Manwe. But unfortunately in The Lord of the Rings Gwaehir and Landroval are said to be descendants of Sorontar.
(...)
In summary: I think it must be assumed that 'talking' is not necessarily the sign of the possession of a 'rational soul' or [[fëa]]. (...)
The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.}}

In a later text, the Eagles were first envisioned by Manwë during the Music of the Ainur, and appeared before the awakening of the Elves.<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref><ref name=Ents>{{WJ|Ents}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Then Manwë awoke, and he went down to Yavanna upon Ezellohar, and he sat beside her beneath the Two Trees. And Manwë said: 'O Kementári, Eru hath spoken, saying: "Do then any of the Valar suppose that I did not hear all the Song, even the least sound of the least voice? Behold! When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein, and be held in reverence, and their just anger shall be feared. For a time: while the Firstborn are in their power, and while the Secondborn are young." But dost them not now remember, Kementári, that thy thought sang not always alone? Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.'}}

In the text Tolkien stresses the fact that the Eagles appeared "before the Children awake", whereas the "spirits from afar" that would give rise to the Ents only would appear "when the Children awake". Therefore, there is no strong indication that Tolkien could have changed his mind and abandoned the notion that the Eagles have no fëar. Indeed, to the Ents, in turn, a very special origin is given, which can be compared to the origin of the [[Dwarves]]:<ref name=Ents></ref><ref>{{L|247}}</ref>

{{blockquote|No one knew whence they (Ents) came or first appeared. The High Elves said that the Valar did not mention them in the 'Music'. But some (Galadriel) were [of the] opinion that when Yavanna discovered the mercy of Eru to Aule in the matter of the Dwarves, she besought Eru (through Manwe) asking him to give life to things made of living things not stone, and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees.}}

It is quite remarkable that this contrast between the Ents and their "humanoid" or free nature, on one side, and the Eagles and their animal or conditioned nature, on the other side, can already be intuited in the Treebeard's song in The Lord of the Rings:<ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>

{{blockquote|''Learn now the lore of Living Creatures! 
''First name the four, the free peoples 
''Eldest of all, the Elf children 
''Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses 
''Ent the earthborn, old as mountains 
''Man the mortal, master of horses; 
 
''Hm, hm, hm. 
 
''Beaver the builder, buck the leaper 
''Bear bee hunter, boar the fighter 
''Hound is hungry, hare is fearful... 
 
''Hm, hm. 
 
''Eagle in eyrie, ox in pasture, 
''Hart horn crowned; hawk is swiftest 
''Swan the whitest, serpent coldest...}}

==Flying the Ring to Mount Doom==
{{quote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness. |[[Letter 210]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]}}
Many skeptical readers have wondered why the Eagles simply didn't carry Frodo and [[the One Ring]] into Mordor and drop the Ring in Mount Doom, or at least aid the Fellowship at some part of the journey, such as helping them avoiding the [[Redhorn Gate]] and [[Moria]].

At first glance this seems incredibly easy compared to what actually happened (and it would have made a boring book).

The party of Tolkienists that accepts this as a [[wikipedia:plot hole|plot hole]] usually respond that in any book there are usually plot holes. In a larger, far more detailed and realistic book we expect fewer (if any) plot holes, when in reality there is a far greater chance.

===Considering the Eagles===
Strangely, the possibility of using the Eagles has not been mentioned at all during the [[Council of Elrond]]. Although many flawed proposals are made during it (destroy the Ring, guard it, send it to the West, give it to [[Tom Bombadil]]), none of the participants thought to propose this seemingly obvious solution, especially after Gandalf described his escape with Gwaihir; even if the Eagle plan was to be countered or dismissed implausible later for some reason (like the ones above), it would be only logical to be mentioned.

On the other hand, the Council was seen deciding the fate of the Ring, not the manner; this was left to the discretion of the Fellowship. Indeed, during its existence, the Fellowship had not even decided whether they should go directly to Mordor or to seek aid from Gondor, let alone the manner to do so, before decisively being [[Breaking of the Fellowship|broken]] at [[Amon Hen]]. If Gandalf ever considered requesting the help of the Eagles after some point (eg. after passing the Misty Mountains) it's not mentioned in the narrative.<ref>{{HM|FR}}, Book II</ref>

===Official explanations ===
Some of [[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's letters]] shed light onto his views relating to this alleged issue, and why he did not see it as an issue himself.

In a letter concerning a possible adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'' into an animated movie, Tolkien said that the Eagles were "not taxis", and reiterated that the Fellowship's mission depended upon secrecy, so depicting a long arduous journey on foot was required to maintain the credibility of their stealthy approach.<ref name="letter210">{{L|210}}</ref>

Many readers have thus concluded from this and/or independently reasoned that the Eagles coming from the air, especially going straight to Mordor as is often joked about, would be the opposite of being stealthy, the importance of which the books emphasize a lot by themselves, as Sauron did not expect anyone would ever try to destroy the Ring. The huge Eagles would have been fairly obvious and defenseless to Sauron, who would thus have seen them coming from a distance and deduced the plan fairly quickly; his Ringwraiths and their [[Fell beasts]] and/or his legions of archers and his siege machines would most likely have stopped the attempt. Therefore a small party was needed to go on foot all the way as to minimize the risk of attracting notice.

Peter Jackson and [[Fran Walsh]] joke around the issue on the writer-director DVD commentary track; writing partner [[Philippa Boyens]] then bursts out and angrily declares one of the common explanations: "Why does everyone always say that?! The flying Nazgûl on their Fell Beasts would have stopped them! How more obvious does that need to be?! Mordor has flying creatures too!"

The topic is also brought up in the video game ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', where the heroes (who have experience working with the Great Eagles) suggest having one fly Frodo and the Ring to Mount Doom. Gandalf, however, explains that Sauron would anticipate such an intrusion and how dangerous the attempt would be.

In the letter, Tolkien further says that Eagles should be used carefully as a plot device, showing he was self-aware whenever he used them, and he described them as a "dangerous 'machine'" that he used sparingly, yet already at "the absolute limit of their credibility and usefulness".<ref name="letter210" />

He likened the proposed shortening of the Fellowship's journey via Eagles to "introducing helicopters" to the first ascent of Mt. Everest, "to take the climbers halfway up", and said that this would make "a farce" out of "the arduous journey". He wrote that this "achieves nothing but incredibility", and that it makes stale "the device of the Eagles when at last they are really needed".<ref name="letter210" />

These last words in particular have led fans to connect the Eagles to his concept of "[[eucatastrophe]]" which he writes about elsewhere - the unexpected, sudden hand of providence showing itself and leading to a turn for the better, often realized at the climax and averting a sad ending but also appearing elsewhere in story structure.

Fans note that Tolkien wrote of the Eagles in explicit terms of eucatastrophe in another letter, where he describes their coming to save the day in ''The Hobbit''.<ref name="letter89">{{L|89}}</ref>

===Other explanations===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Foot of Mount Doom.jpg|thumb|According to ''[[The Field of Cormallen]]'', some Eagles flew to Mount Doom, rescued Frodo and Sam and carried them back. Critics say that they could as well had carried them there in the first place. Art by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Besides Tolkien's own remarks about the need for stealth and [[eucatastrophe]] in the story, several speculative theories have been proposed by critics.<ref>[[Tolkien FAQ]]</ref><ref>[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?]</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Martinez]]|articlename=Is There An In-story Explanation For Why the Eagles Rarely Participate in Great Events?|articleurl=http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/10/11/is-there-an-in-story-explanation-for-why-the-eagles-rarely-participate-in-great-events/|website=[http://middle-earth.xenite.org Xenite.org]}}</ref>

* The Eagles expressed fear in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' about going into the Lands of Men because of their bows. After the Ring is destroyed (along with all of Sauron's forces), the Eagles met no resistance from evil forces; thus, they were able to rescue Frodo and Sam.

*The Eagles could have possibly become corrupted by the power of the Ring and would have most likely attempted to prevent the destruction. Gandalf himself not only knew that ''anyone'' might and would refuse to throw in the Ring, but he was also afraid of it; the Eagles, as Maiar, could have been corruptive and dangerous.

*As emissaries of the Valar, the Eagles may have been somehow limited in how they intervened to great events, which the Valar perhaps considered matters between the Elves and Sauron;<ref>Cf. {{FR|Council}}, Elrond: "for good or ill [the Ring] belongs to Middle-earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it".</ref> for example, they had sent the [[Wizards]], who were prohibited to directly fight Sauron by physical or supernatural force, and the Eagles did aid the [[free peoples]] and even participated in battles. But otherwise, the Eagles would had been either afraid, unwilling, incapable, or (like the Wizards) forbidden to take any greater part.

*The Eagles's availability and power must have been limited. Gwaihir only arrives at Isengard because he is sent by Radagast. Once he rescues Gandalf, the Wizard asks him how far he can bear him, to which the Eagle replies "...not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens." He took Gandalf just to Edoras, so he could find a horse to ride, and then departed.

*With the War of the Ring expanding to all the western realms of Middle-earth, the Eagles would need to protect their own lands in the event that Sauron's forces invade, and thus would be unable to spare any resources to assist the Fellowship.

==Inspiration==
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by T.A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest version of the fall of Gondolin, the king of the eagles, Thorndor (later Thorondor), had no love for Melko (later Melkor) because he had caught many eagles and tortured them for the magic words that would enable him to fly (in order to challenge Manwë for command of the air). When the eagles refused to reveal the magic words Melko cut off their wings in order to fashion a pair for himself, "but it availed not".<ref name="Fall"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The Eagles are associated with [[moths]]; while Gandalf is trapped on the summit of Orthanc, he whispers to a moth and lets it go. Later, when confronted by Saruman, the moth reappears; an Eagle (supposedly Gwaihir) arrives and Gandalf escapes on its back.
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Right before the Battle of the Morannon, Gandalf notices a moth flies near him. Then the Eagles appear and fly against the [[fell beasts]]. They pick up Frodo and Sam from the slopes of Orodruin.
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:As [[Thorin and Company]] are trapped in a falling tree by the band of [[Azog]] and their [[Wargs]], Gandalf uses a moth to summon them to his aid. They grasp the wargs and drop them onto the rocks or in the fire, pick up an unconscious Thorin, and save the protagonists from falling. Unlike in the book, they drop the characters on the [[Carrock]] and leave; as in the other film adaptations, the Eagles don't appear sentient and there is no dialogue between them and the characters.
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:The Eagles participate in the battle, and upon their arrival one drops [[Beorn]] in bear-form into the field of battle.

==External links==
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/History.html#Eagles Tolkien FAQ] question and possible answer
*[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?] a discussion investigating a possible battle plan that would help the eagles.

==Notes==

{{references}}

[[Category:Races]]

[[de:Adler]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/faune/aigles]]
[[fi:Kotkat]]

Eagles

2021-06-30T01:34:57Z

172.69.14.143: /* Official explanation */

{{cleanup}}
{{race infobox
| name=Eagles
| image=[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| origin=Animals sung and created by [[Manwë]] and [[Yavanna]]
| location=[[Taniquetil]] [[Crissaegrim]] [[Eagle's Eyrie]]
| affiliation=[[Manwë]]
| rivalry=
| language=At least [[Valarin]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Westron]]
| people=
| members=[[Thorondor]], [[Great Eagle]], [[Gwaihir]], [[Landroval]], [[Meneldor]]
| lifespan=Unknown, but obviously very longeval<ref name=P1>{{WJ|P1}} p. 68</ref><ref group=note>Since Gwaihir and Landroval were said to have helped Thorondor in the escape of Beren and Lúthien ({{FA|466}}) and they were both alive at the time of the War of the Ring ({{TA|3019}}) that would make them at least 6,584 years old.</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
The '''Eagles''' were birds that served as messengers of [[Manwë]]. Among those were the '''Great Eagles''', immense birds who were sentient, immortal{{fact}}, capable of speech, and often helped [[Men]], [[Elves]] and [[Wizards]] in their quests to defeat evil. They were "devised" by Manwë Súlimo, King of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''.

They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Noldor|Ñoldor]], and on their foe, the evil Vala [[Morgoth]].

===First Age===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety.jpg|thumb|''Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At a command of Manwë, the Lord of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of the [[Thangorodrim]], the volcanoes above [[Angband]], for a time<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref><ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>. While he lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and he carried Fingolfin's body to the Echoriath, where he was buried by Fingon. Years later, three of the Great Eagles came to the aid of [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]], bearing them away from Thangorodrim after both had drained their strength in the [[Quest for the Silmaril]].<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] about [[Gondolin]]. There they became friends of [[Turgon]], bringing him news and keeping spies off their borders. Because of their guardianship, [[Orcs]] were unable to approach either the nearby mountains<ref name="Silm-TFG">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> or the important ford of [[Brithiach]] to the south. <ref name="Tuor">{{UT|Tuor}}</ref> They redoubled their watch after the coming of [[Tuor]],<ref>{{S|Doriath}}</ref> enabling Gondolin to remain undiscovered for the longest of all [[Elves|Elven]] realms. When the city [[Fall of Gondolin|fell]] at last, the eagles of Thorondor protected the [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]], driving away the orcs that ambushed them at [[Cirith Thoronath]], the Eagles' Cleft north of Gondolin.<ref name="Silm-TFG"/>

The Eagles fought alongside the [[Host of the Valar|army]] of the Valar, the [[Elves]], and the [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]]. After the appearance of winged [[dragons]], all the great birds gathered under Thorondor and aided [[Eärendil]], destroying the majority of the dragons.<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

===Second Age (Númenor)===
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]], when the [[Kings of Númenor]] became hostile to the Valar.

The [[Númenóreans]] believed that three eagles, "the Witnesses of Manwë", were sent by Manwë to guard the summit of [[Meneltarma]]; these appeared whenever one approached the hallow and stayed in the sky during the [[Three Prayers]].

Many eagles lived upon the hills around [[Sorontil]] in the north of the island.<ref>{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Eagles of Manwë.jpg|thumb|left|''The Eagles of Manwë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason with or threaten the Númenóreans.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

===Third Age===
{{quote|- Farewell! wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end! - May the wind under your wings bear you where the [[sun]] sails and the [[moon]] walks.|Polite way to exchange good-bye with an Eagle|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[Queer Lodgings]]"}}
By the end of the [[Third Age]], a colony of eagles under the [[Great Eagle]] lived in the northern parts of the [[Misty Mountains]] who mostly nested upon the eastward slopes not far from the [[High Pass]] leading from [[Rivendell]], and thus in the direct vicinity of the [[Goblin-town]] beneath; they often afflicted the goblins and disrupted their plans.

These Eagles helped the [[Radagast]] and the Elves of [[Rivendell]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref><ref>{{FR|South}}</ref>. As a result of feeding on the sheep of the local [[Woodmen]] of [[Mirkwood]], their relationship was not good and the Eagles were afraid of the men's bows.

The eagles rescued [[Thorin and Company]] from a band of [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and [[Wargs]] and carried them to the [[Carrock]]<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>. Some days later, they espied the mustering of goblins all over the Mountains to be gathered under the Great Eagle in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] near [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. It was only with their help that the [[Dwarves]], [[Men]] and Elves managed to defeat the goblins.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref> The Great Eagle became known as the [[King of All Birds]].

The Eagles appeared in great numbers at the [[Battle of the Morannon]], helping to fight against the [[Nazgûl]]. Several of them rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] after [[the One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref>

==Other names==
'''''Thoron''''' is "eagle" in both [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]] (''soron'' in a Quenya without the [[Shibboleth of Fëanor]]).<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''thoron''</ref>

In [[Gnomish]], one of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s early conceptions of an [[Elvish|Elven]] language, a word for "eagle" is ''ioroth'' (poetic form ''ior''). A cognate of the same meaning in [[Qenya]] is the poetic ''ea(r)'' or ''earen''. Another Gnomish word for "an eagle" is ''thorn''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, pp. 51, 73</ref> The '''''Thornhoth''''' was the name for the eagle-folk in this early version.<ref name="Fall">{{LT2|III}}, p. 103</ref>

==Origin and nature==
For some time Tolkien considered the Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>{{MR|Annals}} p. 138</ref> From this stage comes this excerpt from [[The Silmarillion]]:<ref>{{S|Days}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Ainu}}</ref><ref>{{MR|P1a}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world.}}

The same used to be applied to certain intelligent animals, like [[Huan]]:<ref>{{MR|P5VIII}}. Note 4.</ref>

{{blockquote|Living things in Aman. As the Valar would robe themselves like the Children, many of the Maiar robed themselves like other lesser living things, as trees, flowers, beasts. (Huan.)}}

However, the notion of a "Maia" like Thorondor having descendants contradicted later concepts. Therefore, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles, Huan and other intelligent animals were just animals, despite being "higher level" ones.<ref name="MR409-11">{{MR|Myths}} pp. 409-11</ref>

{{blockquote|But true 'rational' creatures, 'speaking peoples', are all of human / 'humanoid' form. Only the Valar and Maiar are intelligences that can assume forms of Arda at will. Huan and [[Sorontar]] could be Maiar - emissaries of Manwe. But unfortunately in The Lord of the Rings Gwaehir and Landroval are said to be descendants of Sorontar.
(...)
In summary: I think it must be assumed that 'talking' is not necessarily the sign of the possession of a 'rational soul' or [[fëa]]. (...)
The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.}}

In a later text, the Eagles were first envisioned by Manwë during the Music of the Ainur, and appeared before the awakening of the Elves.<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref><ref name=Ents>{{WJ|Ents}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Then Manwë awoke, and he went down to Yavanna upon Ezellohar, and he sat beside her beneath the Two Trees. And Manwë said: 'O Kementári, Eru hath spoken, saying: "Do then any of the Valar suppose that I did not hear all the Song, even the least sound of the least voice? Behold! When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein, and be held in reverence, and their just anger shall be feared. For a time: while the Firstborn are in their power, and while the Secondborn are young." But dost them not now remember, Kementári, that thy thought sang not always alone? Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.'}}

In the text Tolkien stresses the fact that the Eagles appeared "before the Children awake", whereas the "spirits from afar" that would give rise to the Ents only would appear "when the Children awake". Therefore, there is no strong indication that Tolkien could have changed his mind and abandoned the notion that the Eagles have no fëar. Indeed, to the Ents, in turn, a very special origin is given, which can be compared to the origin of the [[Dwarves]]:<ref name=Ents></ref><ref>{{L|247}}</ref>

{{blockquote|No one knew whence they (Ents) came or first appeared. The High Elves said that the Valar did not mention them in the 'Music'. But some (Galadriel) were [of the] opinion that when Yavanna discovered the mercy of Eru to Aule in the matter of the Dwarves, she besought Eru (through Manwe) asking him to give life to things made of living things not stone, and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees.}}

It is quite remarkable that this contrast between the Ents and their "humanoid" or free nature, on one side, and the Eagles and their animal or conditioned nature, on the other side, can already be intuited in the Treebeard's song in The Lord of the Rings:<ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>

{{blockquote|''Learn now the lore of Living Creatures! 
''First name the four, the free peoples 
''Eldest of all, the Elf children 
''Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses 
''Ent the earthborn, old as mountains 
''Man the mortal, master of horses; 
 
''Hm, hm, hm. 
 
''Beaver the builder, buck the leaper 
''Bear bee hunter, boar the fighter 
''Hound is hungry, hare is fearful... 
 
''Hm, hm. 
 
''Eagle in eyrie, ox in pasture, 
''Hart horn crowned; hawk is swiftest 
''Swan the whitest, serpent coldest...}}

==Flying the Ring to Mount Doom==
{{quote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness. |[[Letter 210]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]}}
Many skeptical readers have wondered why the Eagles simply didn't carry Frodo and [[the One Ring]] into Mordor and drop the Ring in Mount Doom, or at least aid the Fellowship at some part of the journey, such as helping them avoiding the [[Redhorn Gate]] and [[Moria]].

At first glance this seems incredibly easy compared to what actually happened (and it would have made a boring book).

The party of Tolkienists that accepts this as a [[wikipedia:plot hole|plot hole]] usually respond that in any book there are usually plot holes. In a larger, far more detailed and realistic book we expect fewer (if any) plot holes, when in reality there is a far greater chance.

===Considering the Eagles===
Strangely, the possibility of using the Eagles has not been mentioned at all during the [[Council of Elrond]]. Although many flawed proposals are made during it (destroy the Ring, guard it, send it to the West, give it to [[Tom Bombadil]]), none of the participants thought to propose this seemingly obvious solution, especially after Gandalf described his escape with Gwaihir; even if the Eagle plan was to be countered or dismissed implausible later for some reason (like the ones above), it would be only logical to be mentioned.

On the other hand, the Council was seen deciding the fate of the Ring, not the manner; this was left to the discretion of the Fellowship. Indeed, during its existence, the Fellowship had not even decided whether they should go directly to Mordor or to seek aid from Gondor, let alone the manner to do so, before decisively being [[Breaking of the Fellowship|broken]] at [[Amon Hen]]. If Gandalf ever considered requesting the help of the Eagles after some point (eg. after passing the Misty Mountains) it's not mentioned in the narrative.<ref>{{HM|FR}}, Book II</ref>

===Official explanations ===
Some of [[The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien's letters]] shed light onto his views relating to this alleged issue, and why he did not see it as an issue himself.

In a letter concerning a possible adaptation of ''The Lord of the Rings'' into an animated movie, Tolkien said that the Eagles were "not taxis", and reiterated that the Fellowship's mission depended upon secrecy, so depicting a long arduous journey on foot was required to maintain the credibility of their stealthy approach.<ref name="letter210">{{L|210}}</ref>

Many readers have thus concluded from this and/or independently reasoned that the Eagles coming from the air, especially going straight to Mordor as is often joked about, would be the opposite of being stealthy, the importance of which the books emphasize a lot by themselves, as Sauron did not expect anyone would ever try to destroy the Ring. The huge Eagles would have been fairly obvious and defenseless to Sauron, who would thus have seen them coming from a distance and deduced the plan fairly quickly; his Ringwraiths and their [[Fell beasts]] and/or his legions of archers and his siege machines would most likely have stopped the attempt. Therefore a small party was needed to go on foot all the way as to minimize the risk of attracting notice.

Peter Jackson and [[Fran Walsh]] joke around the issue on the writer-director DVD commentary track; writing partner [[Philippa Boyens]] then bursts out and angrily declares one of the common explanations: "Why does everyone always say that?! The flying Nazgûl on their Fell Beasts would have stopped them! How more obvious does that need to be?! Mordor has flying creatures too!"

The topic is also brought up in the video game ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', where the heroes (who have experience working with the Great Eagles) suggest having one fly Frodo and the Ring to Mount Doom. Gandalf, however, explains that Sauron would anticipate such an intrusion and how dangerous the attempt would be.

In the letter, Tolkien further says that Eagles should be used carefully as a plot device, showing he was self-aware whenever he used them, and he described them as a "dangerous 'machine'" that he used sparingly, yet already at "the absolute limit of their credibility and usefulness".<ref name="letter210" />

He likened the proposed shortening of the Fellowship's journey via Eagles to "introducing helicopters" to the first ascent of Mt. Everest, "to take the climbers halfway up", and said that this would make "a farce" out of "the arduous journey". He wrote that this "achieves nothing but incredibility", and that it makes stale "the device of the Eagles when at last they are really needed".<ref name="letter210" />

These last words in particular have led fans to connect the Eagles to his concept of "[[eucatastrophe]]" which he writes about elsewhere - the unexpected, sudden hand of providence showing itself and leading to a turn for the better, often realized at the climax and averting a sad ending but also appearing elsewhere in story structure.

Fans note that Tolkien wrote of the Eagles in explicit terms of eucatastrophe in another letter, where he describes their coming to save the day in ''The Hobbit''.<ref name="letter89">{{L|89}}</ref>

===Other explanations===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Foot of Mount Doom.jpg|thumb|According to ''[[The Field of Cormallen]]'', some Eagles flew to Mount Doom, rescued Frodo and Sam and carried them back. Critics say that they could as well had carried them there in the first place. Art by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Besides Tolkien's own remarks about the need for stealth and [[eucatastrophe]] in the story, several speculative theories have been proposed by critics.<ref>[[Tolkien FAQ]]</ref><ref>[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?]</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Martinez]]|articlename=Is There An In-story Explanation For Why the Eagles Rarely Participate in Great Events?|articleurl=http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/10/11/is-there-an-in-story-explanation-for-why-the-eagles-rarely-participate-in-great-events/|website=[http://middle-earth.xenite.org Xenite.org]}}</ref>

* The Eagles expressed fear in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' about going into the Lands of Men because of their bows. After the Ring is destroyed (along with all of Sauron's forces), the Eagles met no resistance from evil forces; thus, they were able to rescue Frodo and Sam.

*The Eagles could have possibly become corrupted by the power of the Ring and would have most likely attempted to prevent the destruction. Gandalf himself not only knew that ''anyone'' might and would refuse to throw in the Ring, but he was also afraid of it; the Eagles, as Maiar, could have been corruptive and dangerous.

*As emissaries of the Valar, the Eagles may have been somehow limited in how they intervened to great events, which the Valar perhaps considered matters between the Elves and Sauron;<ref>Cf. {{FR|Council}}, Elrond: "for good or ill [the Ring] belongs to Middle-earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it".</ref> for example, they had sent the [[Wizards]], who were prohibited to directly fight Sauron by physical or supernatural force, and the Eagles did aid the [[free peoples]] and even participated in battles. But otherwise, the Eagles would had been either afraid, unwilling, incapable, or (like the Wizards) forbidden to take any greater part.

*The Eagles's availability and power must have been limited. Gwaihir only arrives at Isengard because he is sent by Radagast. Once he rescues Gandalf, the Wizard asks him how far he can bear him, to which the Eagle replies "...not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens." He took Gandalf just to Edoras, so he could find a horse to ride, and then departed.

*With the War of the Ring expanding to all the western realms of Middle-earth, the Eagles would need to protect their own lands in the event that Sauron's forces invade, and thus would be unable to spare any resources to assist the Fellowship.

==Inspiration==
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by T.A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest version of the fall of Gondolin, the king of the eagles, Thorndor (later Thorondor), had no love for Melko (later Melkor) because he had caught many eagles and tortured them for the magic words that would enable him to fly (in order to challenge Manwë for command of the air). When the eagles refused to reveal the magic words Melko cut off their wings in order to fashion a pair for himself, "but it availed not".<ref name="Fall"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The Eagles are associated with [[moths]]; while Gandalf is trapped on the summit of Orthanc, he whispers to a moth and lets it go. Later, when confronted by Saruman, the moth reappears; an Eagle (supposedly Gwaihir) arrives and Gandalf escapes on its back.
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Right before the Battle of the Morannon, Gandalf notices a moth flies near him. Then the Eagles appear and fly against the [[fell beasts]]. They pick up Frodo and Sam from the slopes of Orodruin.
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:As [[Thorin and Company]] are trapped in a falling tree by the band of [[Azog]] and their [[Wargs]], Gandalf uses a moth to summon them to his aid. They grasp the wargs and drop them onto the rocks or in the fire, pick up an unconscious Thorin, and save the protagonists from falling. Unlike in the book, they drop the characters on the [[Carrock]] and leave; as in the other film adaptations, the Eagles don't appear sentient and there is no dialogue between them and the characters.
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:The Eagles participate in the battle, and upon their arrival one drops [[Beorn]] in bear-form into the field of battle.

==External links==
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/History.html#Eagles Tolkien FAQ] question and possible answer
*[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?] a discussion investigating a possible battle plan that would help the eagles.

==Notes==

{{references}}

[[Category:Races]]

[[de:Adler]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/faune/aigles]]
[[fi:Kotkat]]

Eagles

2021-06-30T00:13:02Z

172.69.14.143: /* Other explanations */ moving up

{{cleanup}}
{{race infobox
| name=Eagles
| image=[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Bilbo woke with the early sun in his eyes" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| origin=Animals sung and created by [[Manwë]] and [[Yavanna]]
| location=[[Taniquetil]] [[Crissaegrim]] [[Eagle's Eyrie]]
| affiliation=[[Manwë]]
| rivalry=
| language=At least [[Valarin]], [[Quenya]], [[Sindarin]], [[Westron]]
| people=
| members=[[Thorondor]], [[Great Eagle]], [[Gwaihir]], [[Landroval]], [[Meneldor]]
| lifespan=Unknown, but obviously very longeval<ref name=P1>{{WJ|P1}} p. 68</ref><ref group=note>Since Gwaihir and Landroval were said to have helped Thorondor in the escape of Beren and Lúthien ({{FA|466}}) and they were both alive at the time of the War of the Ring ({{TA|3019}}) that would make them at least 6,584 years old.</ref>
| distinctions=
| height=
| hair=
| skin=
| clothing=
| weapons=
}}
The '''Eagles''' were birds that served as messengers of [[Manwë]]. Among those were the '''Great Eagles''', immense birds who were sentient, immortal{{fact}}, capable of speech, and often helped [[Men]], [[Elves]] and [[Wizards]] in their quests to defeat evil. They were "devised" by Manwë Súlimo, King of the [[Valar]], and were often called the '''Eagles of Manwë'''.

They were sent from [[Valinor]] to [[Middle-earth]] to keep an eye on the exiled [[Noldor|Ñoldor]], and on their foe, the evil Vala [[Morgoth]].

===First Age===
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety.jpg|thumb|''Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At a command of Manwë, the Lord of the Eagles, [[Thorondor]], kept his eyries at the top of the [[Thangorodrim]], the volcanoes above [[Angband]], for a time<ref>{{S|Noldor}}</ref><ref>{{S|Fingolfin}}</ref>. While he lived there, Thorondor helped [[Fingon]] rescue [[Maedhros]].

Thorondor wounded Morgoth in the face after Morgoth's battle with [[Fingolfin]], and he carried Fingolfin's body to the Echoriath, where he was buried by Fingon. Years later, three of the Great Eagles came to the aid of [[Beren]] and [[Lúthien]], bearing them away from Thangorodrim after both had drained their strength in the [[Quest for the Silmaril]].<ref>{{S|Beren}}</ref> Thorondor's folk later removed their eyries to the [[Crissaegrim]], part of the [[Echoriad]] about [[Gondolin]]. There they became friends of [[Turgon]], bringing him news and keeping spies off their borders. Because of their guardianship, [[Orcs]] were unable to approach either the nearby mountains<ref name="Silm-TFG">{{S|Gondolin}}</ref> or the important ford of [[Brithiach]] to the south. <ref name="Tuor">{{UT|Tuor}}</ref> They redoubled their watch after the coming of [[Tuor]],<ref>{{S|Doriath}}</ref> enabling Gondolin to remain undiscovered for the longest of all [[Elves|Elven]] realms. When the city [[Fall of Gondolin|fell]] at last, the eagles of Thorondor protected the [[Exiles of Gondolin|survivors]], driving away the orcs that ambushed them at [[Cirith Thoronath]], the Eagles' Cleft north of Gondolin.<ref name="Silm-TFG"/>

The Eagles fought alongside the [[Host of the Valar|army]] of the Valar, the [[Elves]], and the [[Edain]] during the [[War of Wrath]] at the end of the [[First Age]]. After the appearance of winged [[dragons]], all the great birds gathered under Thorondor and aided [[Eärendil]], destroying the majority of the dragons.<ref>{{S|Earendil}}</ref>

===Second Age (Númenor)===
In the [[Second Age]], a pair of Eagles had an eyrie in the King's House in [[Armenelos]], the capital of [[Númenor]], until the reign of [[Tar-Ancalimon]], when the [[Kings of Númenor]] became hostile to the Valar.

The [[Númenóreans]] believed that three eagles, "the Witnesses of Manwë", were sent by Manwë to guard the summit of [[Meneltarma]]; these appeared whenever one approached the hallow and stayed in the sky during the [[Three Prayers]].

Many eagles lived upon the hills around [[Sorontil]] in the north of the island.<ref>{{UT|Numenor}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Eagles of Manwë.jpg|thumb|left|''The Eagles of Manwë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Eagle-shaped storm clouds, called the "Eagles of the Lords of the West", were sent by Manwë when he tried to reason with or threaten the Númenóreans.<ref>{{S|Akallabeth}}</ref>

===Third Age===
{{quote|- Farewell! wherever you fare, till your eyries receive you at the journey's end! - May the wind under your wings bear you where the [[sun]] sails and the [[moon]] walks.|Polite way to exchange good-bye with an Eagle|''[[The Hobbit]]'', "[[Queer Lodgings]]"}}
By the end of the [[Third Age]], a colony of eagles under the [[Great Eagle]] lived in the northern parts of the [[Misty Mountains]] who mostly nested upon the eastward slopes not far from the [[High Pass]] leading from [[Rivendell]], and thus in the direct vicinity of the [[Goblin-town]] beneath; they often afflicted the goblins and disrupted their plans.

These Eagles helped the [[Radagast]] and the Elves of [[Rivendell]] in watching the land and in gathering news about the Orcs.<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref><ref>{{FR|South}}</ref>. As a result of feeding on the sheep of the local [[Woodmen]] of [[Mirkwood]], their relationship was not good and the Eagles were afraid of the men's bows.

The eagles rescued [[Thorin and Company]] from a band of [[Orcs#Orcs and Goblins|Goblins]] and [[Wargs]] and carried them to the [[Carrock]]<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>. Some days later, they espied the mustering of goblins all over the Mountains to be gathered under the Great Eagle in the [[Battle of Five Armies]] near [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. It was only with their help that the [[Dwarves]], [[Men]] and Elves managed to defeat the goblins.<ref>{{H|Return}}</ref> The Great Eagle became known as the [[King of All Birds]].

The Eagles appeared in great numbers at the [[Battle of the Morannon]], helping to fight against the [[Nazgûl]]. Several of them rescued [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] from [[Mount Doom]] after [[the One Ring]] had been destroyed.<ref>{{RK|Cormallen}}</ref>

==Other names==
'''''Thoron''''' is "eagle" in both [[Sindarin]] and [[Quenya]] (''soron'' in a Quenya without the [[Shibboleth of Fëanor]]).<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''thoron''</ref>

In [[Gnomish]], one of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s early conceptions of an [[Elvish|Elven]] language, a word for "eagle" is ''ioroth'' (poetic form ''ior''). A cognate of the same meaning in [[Qenya]] is the poetic ''ea(r)'' or ''earen''. Another Gnomish word for "an eagle" is ''thorn''.<ref>{{PE|11}}, pp. 51, 73</ref> The '''''Thornhoth''''' was the name for the eagle-folk in this early version.<ref name="Fall">{{LT2|III}}, p. 103</ref>

==Origin and nature==
For some time Tolkien considered the Eagles as bird-shaped [[Maiar]].<ref>{{MR|Annals}} p. 138</ref> From this stage comes this excerpt from [[The Silmarillion]]:<ref>{{S|Days}}</ref><ref>{{LR|Ainu}}</ref><ref>{{MR|P1a}}</ref>

{{blockquote|Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world.}}

The same used to be applied to certain intelligent animals, like [[Huan]]:<ref>{{MR|P5VIII}}. Note 4.</ref>

{{blockquote|Living things in Aman. As the Valar would robe themselves like the Children, many of the Maiar robed themselves like other lesser living things, as trees, flowers, beasts. (Huan.)}}

However, the notion of a "Maia" like Thorondor having descendants contradicted later concepts. Therefore, Tolkien decided that the Great Eagles, Huan and other intelligent animals were just animals, despite being "higher level" ones.<ref name="MR409-11">{{MR|Myths}} pp. 409-11</ref>

{{blockquote|But true 'rational' creatures, 'speaking peoples', are all of human / 'humanoid' form. Only the Valar and Maiar are intelligences that can assume forms of Arda at will. Huan and [[Sorontar]] could be Maiar - emissaries of Manwe. But unfortunately in The Lord of the Rings Gwaehir and Landroval are said to be descendants of Sorontar.
(...)
In summary: I think it must be assumed that 'talking' is not necessarily the sign of the possession of a 'rational soul' or [[fëa]]. (...)
The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.}}

In a later text, the Eagles were first envisioned by Manwë during the Music of the Ainur, and appeared before the awakening of the Elves.<ref>{{S|Aule}}</ref><ref name=Ents>{{WJ|Ents}}</ref>
{{blockquote|Then Manwë awoke, and he went down to Yavanna upon Ezellohar, and he sat beside her beneath the Two Trees. And Manwë said: 'O Kementári, Eru hath spoken, saying: "Do then any of the Valar suppose that I did not hear all the Song, even the least sound of the least voice? Behold! When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein, and be held in reverence, and their just anger shall be feared. For a time: while the Firstborn are in their power, and while the Secondborn are young." But dost them not now remember, Kementári, that thy thought sang not always alone? Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.'}}

In the text Tolkien stresses the fact that the Eagles appeared "before the Children awake", whereas the "spirits from afar" that would give rise to the Ents only would appear "when the Children awake". Therefore, there is no strong indication that Tolkien could have changed his mind and abandoned the notion that the Eagles have no fëar. Indeed, to the Ents, in turn, a very special origin is given, which can be compared to the origin of the [[Dwarves]]:<ref name=Ents></ref><ref>{{L|247}}</ref>

{{blockquote|No one knew whence they (Ents) came or first appeared. The High Elves said that the Valar did not mention them in the 'Music'. But some (Galadriel) were [of the] opinion that when Yavanna discovered the mercy of Eru to Aule in the matter of the Dwarves, she besought Eru (through Manwe) asking him to give life to things made of living things not stone, and that the Ents were either souls sent to inhabit trees, or else that slowly took the likeness of trees owing to their inborn love of trees.}}

It is quite remarkable that this contrast between the Ents and their "humanoid" or free nature, on one side, and the Eagles and their animal or conditioned nature, on the other side, can already be intuited in the Treebeard's song in The Lord of the Rings:<ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>

{{blockquote|''Learn now the lore of Living Creatures! 
''First name the four, the free peoples 
''Eldest of all, the Elf children 
''Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses 
''Ent the earthborn, old as mountains 
''Man the mortal, master of horses; 
 
''Hm, hm, hm. 
 
''Beaver the builder, buck the leaper 
''Bear bee hunter, boar the fighter 
''Hound is hungry, hare is fearful... 
 
''Hm, hm. 
 
''Eagle in eyrie, ox in pasture, 
''Hart horn crowned; hawk is swiftest 
''Swan the whitest, serpent coldest...}}

==Flying the Ring to Mount Doom==
{{quote|The Eagles are a dangerous 'machine'. I have used them sparingly, and that is the absolute limit of their credibility or usefulness. |[[Letter 210]], [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]}}
Many skeptical readers have wondered why the Eagles simply didn't carry Frodo and [[the One Ring]] into Mordor and drop the Ring in Mount Doom, or at least aid the Fellowship at some part of the journey, such as helping them avoiding the [[Redhorn Gate]] and [[Moria]].

At first glance this seems incredibly easy compared to what actually happened (and it would have made a boring book).

The party of Tolkienists that accepts this as a [[wikipedia:plot hole|plot hole]] usually respond that in any book there are usually plot holes. In a larger, far more detailed and realistic book we expect fewer (if any) plot holes, when in reality there is a far greater chance.

===Considering the Eagles===
Strangely, the possibility of using the Eagles has not been mentioned at all during the [[Council of Elrond]]. Although many flawed proposals are made during it (destroy the Ring, guard it, send it to the West, give it to [[Tom Bombadil]]), none of the participants thought to propose this seemingly obvious solution, especially after Gandalf described his escape with Gwaihir; even if the Eagle plan was to be countered or dismissed implausible later for some reason (like the ones above), it would be only logical to be mentioned.

On the other hand, the Council was seen deciding the fate of the Ring, not the manner; this was left to the discretion of the Fellowship. Indeed, during its existence, the Fellowship had not even decided whether they should go directly to Mordor or to seek aid from Gondor, let alone the manner to do so, before decisively being [[Breaking of the Fellowship|broken]] at [[Amon Hen]]. If Gandalf ever considered requesting the help of the Eagles after some point (eg. after passing the Misty Mountains) it's not mentioned in the narrative.<ref>{{HM|FR}}, Book II</ref>

===Official explanation to the problem===
It seems that nobody noticed this alleged plot-hole during Tolkien's lifetime, as there is no surviving letter where Tolkien is inquired so. It is unknown whether Tolkien ever was aware of the issue while writing the book or later.

Tolkien's only relevant mention is concerning a possible adaptation of the ''Lord of the Rings'' into a movie, where he says that the Eagles were "not taxis", and that the Fellowship's mission depended on stealth and secrecy. He further says that Eagles represent the hand of providence in the story, and thus they should be used carefully as a plot device, showing he was self-aware whenever he used them, and he described them as already at "the absolute limits of [...] credibility". <ref>{{L|210}}</ref>

Peter Jackson and [[Fran Walsh]] joke around the issue on the writer-director DVD commentary track; writing partner [[Philippa Boyens]] then bursts out and angrily declares one of the common explanations: "Why does everyone always say that?! The flying Nazgûl on their Fell Beasts would have stopped them! How more obvious does that need to be?! Mordor has flying creatures too!"

The topic is also brought up in the video game ''[[The Lord of the Rings: War in the North]]'', where the heroes (who have experience working with the Great Eagles) suggest having one fly Frodo and the Ring to Mount Doom. Gandalf, however, explains that Sauron would anticipate such an intrusion and how dangerous the attempt would be.

===Other explanations===
[[File:Ted Nasmith - At the Foot of Mount Doom.jpg|thumb|According to ''[[The Field of Cormallen]]'', some Eagles flew to Mount Doom, rescued Frodo and Sam and carried them back. Critics say that they could as well had carried them there in the first place. Art by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Besides Tolkien's own remarks about the need for stealth and [[eucatastrophe]] in the story, several speculative theories have been proposed by critics.<ref>[[Tolkien FAQ]]</ref><ref>[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?]</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=[[Michael Martinez]]|articlename=Is There An In-story Explanation For Why the Eagles Rarely Participate in Great Events?|articleurl=http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/10/11/is-there-an-in-story-explanation-for-why-the-eagles-rarely-participate-in-great-events/|website=[http://middle-earth.xenite.org Xenite.org]}}</ref>

* The Eagles expressed fear in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' about going into the Lands of Men because of their bows. After the Ring is destroyed (along with all of Sauron's forces), the Eagles met no resistance from evil forces; thus, they were able to rescue Frodo and Sam.

*The Eagles could have possibly become corrupted by the power of the Ring and would have most likely attempted to prevent the destruction. Gandalf himself not only knew that ''anyone'' might and would refuse to throw in the Ring, but he was also afraid of it; the Eagles, as Maiar, could have been corruptive and dangerous.

*As emissaries of the Valar, the Eagles may have been somehow limited in how they intervened to great events, which the Valar perhaps considered matters between the Elves and Sauron;<ref>Cf. {{FR|Council}}, Elrond: "for good or ill [the Ring] belongs to Middle-earth; it is for us who still dwell here to deal with it".</ref> for example, they had sent the [[Wizards]], who were prohibited to directly fight Sauron by physical or supernatural force, and the Eagles did aid the [[free peoples]] and even participated in battles. But otherwise, the Eagles would had been either afraid, unwilling, incapable, or (like the Wizards) forbidden to take any greater part.

*The Eagles's availability and power must have been limited. Gwaihir only arrives at Isengard because he is sent by Radagast. Once he rescues Gandalf, the Wizard asks him how far he can bear him, to which the Eagle replies "...not to the ends of the earth. I was sent to bear tidings not burdens." He took Gandalf just to Edoras, so he could find a horse to ride, and then departed.

*With the War of the Ring expanding to all the western realms of Middle-earth, the Eagles would need to protect their own lands in the event that Sauron's forces invade, and thus would be unable to spare any resources to assist the Fellowship.

==Inspiration==
Tolkien's painting of an eagle on a crag appears in some editions of ''The Hobbit''. According to [[Christopher Tolkien]], the author based this picture on a painting by Archibald Thorburn of an immature Golden Eagle, which Christopher found for him in ''The Birds of the British Isles'' by T.A. Coward. However, Tolkien's use of this model does not necessarily mean that his birds were ordinary Golden Eagles.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In the earliest version of the fall of Gondolin, the king of the eagles, Thorndor (later Thorondor), had no love for Melko (later Melkor) because he had caught many eagles and tortured them for the magic words that would enable him to fly (in order to challenge Manwë for command of the air). When the eagles refused to reveal the magic words Melko cut off their wings in order to fashion a pair for himself, "but it availed not".<ref name="Fall"/>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The Eagles are associated with [[moths]]; while Gandalf is trapped on the summit of Orthanc, he whispers to a moth and lets it go. Later, when confronted by Saruman, the moth reappears; an Eagle (supposedly Gwaihir) arrives and Gandalf escapes on its back.
'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Right before the Battle of the Morannon, Gandalf notices a moth flies near him. Then the Eagles appear and fly against the [[fell beasts]]. They pick up Frodo and Sam from the slopes of Orodruin.
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:As [[Thorin and Company]] are trapped in a falling tree by the band of [[Azog]] and their [[Wargs]], Gandalf uses a moth to summon them to his aid. They grasp the wargs and drop them onto the rocks or in the fire, pick up an unconscious Thorin, and save the protagonists from falling. Unlike in the book, they drop the characters on the [[Carrock]] and leave; as in the other film adaptations, the Eagles don't appear sentient and there is no dialogue between them and the characters.
'''2014: ''[[The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies]]'':'''
:The Eagles participate in the battle, and upon their arrival one drops [[Beorn]] in bear-form into the field of battle.

==External links==
*[http://tolkien.slimy.com/faq/History.html#Eagles Tolkien FAQ] question and possible answer
*[http://www.sean-crist.com/personal/pages/eagles/index.html Could the eagles have flown Frodo into Mordor?] a discussion investigating a possible battle plan that would help the eagles.

==Notes==

{{references}}

[[Category:Races]]

[[de:Adler]]
[[fr:encyclo/biologie/faune/aigles]]
[[fi:Kotkat]]

Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin

2021-03-31T11:44:19Z

172.69.14.143: /* See also */

{{ut-chapters}}
'''''Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin''''' is a late work by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] found in the ''[[Unfinished Tales]]''. It begins as a rewrite of the older work, ''[[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)|The Fall of Gondolin]]'', but went unfinished. It tells of how [[Tuor]] was raised, came to [[Vinyamar]], found [[Voronwë]], travelled towards [[Gondolin]] and passed through the [[Seven Gates of Gondolin|Seven Gates]].

The true title of the work was '''''Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin''''', but [[Christopher Tolkien]] changed it for ''Unfinished Tales'' since it only reached that point. This title was reused for the story's equivalent chapter in ''[[The Silmarillion]]''. It was finally published under its original title in the ''[[The Fall of Gondolin|Fall of Gondolin]]'' compilation.

==Synopsis==
[[File:Steamey - Tuor and Voronwe.jpg|left|200px|thumb|"Tuor and Voronwe" by [[:Category:Images by Steamey|Steamey]]]]
[[Tuor]] was the son of [[Rían]] and [[Huor]], born in the year of the battle [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]. Upon finding the news of her husband's death, followed closely by her own, Rían left Tuor in the care of the [[Sindar]] of [[Mithrim]], specifically [[Annael]] who became his foster-father. Led by him, a small group sought refuge from the [[Easterlings]] in the caves of [[Androth]], where Tuor grew until he was 16, learning the elven lore and the mastering of weapons. Trying to leave [[Dor-lómin]], the group was attacked by the Easterlings and Tuor taken into slavery for 3 years, until he escaped and ran back to the caves of Androth, where he lived as an outlaw for another four.

Twenty-three years after Nirnaeth Arnoeadiad, in the first day of the new year Tuor began a journey west, towards the [[Ered Lómin]] mountains, in order to find the [[Gate of the Noldor]], following a small river which he considered to be a sign. With the help of [[Gelmir (messenger of Círdan)|Gelmir]] and [[Arminas]] he passed through the gate and entered the coast known as [[Lammoth]]. Further on, he entered [[Nevrast]] and became the first of the race of [[Men]] to have seen the Great Sea [[Belegaer]].

Led by swans, Tuor found the city of [[Vinyamar]] on the slopes of [[Mount Taras]] and from the great halls he took the armour and weapons that [[Turgon]] had left, and then climbed down towards the sea once more. There, on the shores of Belegaer, the Vala [[Ulmo]] appeared before him and spoke of [[Gondolin]], where Tuor, with the help of the last sailor on the last ship to sail West at the command of [[Círdan]], would need to deliver a message on behalf of the Lord of the Waters.

The guide proved to be [[Voronwë]] and together they set towards East, making a stop at the [[Pools of Ivrin]] where they caught a glimpse of [[Túrin]], Tuor's cousin, set on a journey of his own. The two companions travelled further, to the tower [[Minas Tirith (Beleriand)|Minas Tirith]] built by [[Finrod|Finrod Felagund]] and from there went South, following the road which climbed down in the Valley of the [[Sirion]].

From the [[Encircling Mountains|Echoriath]] they crossed the [[Ford of Brithiach]] and on the 37th day of their journey they entered the kingdom of Turgon. The first one they encountered was [[Elemmakil]], a [[Noldor]]in Elf, captain of those who guarded the outer entranceway to Gondolin. Under close guard they passed through the [[Seven Gates of Gondolin|Seven Gates]]: [[Gate of Wood]], [[Gate of Stone]], [[Gate of Bronze]], [[Gate of Writhen Iron]], [[Gate of Silver]], [[Gate of Gold]] and the [[Gate of Steel]].

At the last one, [[Ecthelion]], lord of the [[People of the Fountain]] and keeper of the Great Gate at that time, appeared before their eyes.

==Incomplete Story==
Here, the detailed writing stops. In the published manuscript the tale is continued until Tuor is granted passage by Ecthelion and sets his eyes upon the [[Gondolin|Hidden City]], a passage taken from further incomplete notes of Tolkien, which would also contain a description of Gondolin and [[Turgon]], as well as the first meeting of Tuor and [[Idril]], who became his wife. However, a final version of the tale was never completed.

==Tuor and Voronwë's route towards the Hidden City==
# [[Nevrast]]: [[Vinyamar]], [[Mount Taras]]
# [[Falas]] : [[Núath]], [[Pools of Ivrin]], [[Taeglin|The 3 springs of Taeglin]], [[Malduin|Spring of Malduin]]
# [[Vales of Sirion|Sirion]]: [[Minas Tirith (Beleriand)|Minas Tirith]]
# [[Dimbar]]: [[Ford of Brithiach]], [[Echoriath]]
# [[Gondolin]] : [[Seven Gates of Gondolin]]

The entire journey took 37 days to complete and one more for the crossing of the gates.

== See also ==
* [[The Fall of Gondolin (chapter)]]
* [[Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin]]
* [[The Fall of Gondolin|The Fall of Gondolin (book)]]

[[Category:Manuscripts by J.R.R. Tolkien]]
[[Category:Unfinished Tales chapters]]
[[fr:tolkien/resumes/cli/de_tuor_et_de_sa_venue_a_gondolin]]
[[fi:Tuorista ja hänen tulostaan Gondoliniin (KTK)]]

Curufinwë

2021-03-26T23:28:21Z

172.69.14.143:

{{Pronounce|Curufinwe.mp3|Ardamir}}
'''Curufinwë''' was the [[father-name]] of the [[Noldor|Noldorin Elf]] [[Fëanor]]. It consisted on the noun ''[[curu]]'' ("skill") attached to the name of ''[[Finwë]]''.<ref>{{S|Index}}, entry "Fëanor"</ref>

Fëanor was first called ''Finwion'' ("Finwë's son"), but when he soon showed his talent, it was changed to ''Curufinwë''.<ref>{{MR|P3II3a}}, p. 217</ref> This name was also given to his son [[Curufin]], whose [[Sindarin]] name is a condensed form. The short form was '''''Curvo'''''.<ref>{{PM|Shibboleth}}, p. 352</ref>

{{references}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curufinwe}}
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Quenya names]]
[[de:Feanor]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:elfes:noldor:curufinwe]]
[[fi:Curufinwë]]

Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul

2021-03-04T05:38:27Z

172.69.14.143: /* Aftermath */

{{sources}}
{{unnamed}}
{{battle
|image=[[File:John Howe - Under His Blow.jpg|300px]]
|name=Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul
|conflict=[[War of the Ring]]
|date=15 January {{TA|3019}}
|place=The [[Chamber of Mazarbul]] and the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]] in [[Moria]]
|result=The [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] escapes, [[Gandalf]] and the [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]] continue to fight in the [[Battle of the Peak]]
|side1=The [[Fellowship of the Ring]]
|side2=The [[Orcs of Moria]] The [[Durin's Bane|Balrog of Moria]]
|commanders1=[[Gandalf]]
|commanders2=Unknown †
|forces1=[[Gandalf]] [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]] [[Boromir]] [[Gimli|Gimli Elf-friend]] [[Legolas]] [[Frodo Baggins]] [[Samwise Gamgee]] [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] [[Peregrin Took]]
|forces2=Unknown number of [[orcs]]. At least one [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]]. One [[Balrogs|Balrog]]
|casual1=[[Samwise Gamgee]], [[Boromir]], and [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]] lightly wounded
|casual2=Fourteen orcs killed
}}

The '''Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul''' was a skirmish between the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] and the [[Orcs of the Misty Mountains]] which took place on [[15 January]] {{TA|3019}}. It was a significant event in the [[Quest of the Ring]], resulting in the separation of [[Gandalf]] and the rest of the Fellowship.

== History ==
=== Prelude ===
After being turned back by a snowstorm at the [[Redhorn Pass]] and unwilling to risk the [[Gap of Rohan]] for fear of capture by [[Isengard]], the Fellowship attempted to cross the [[Misty Mountains]] through the abandoned [[Dwarves|dwarven]] city of [[Moria]]. [[Gimli]] hoped to encounter, or at least discover the fate of, [[Balin|Balin's]] expedition to re-establish [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] with which the Dwarves had lost contact. At the end of their third day in Moria the Fellowship took refuge in the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]]—the site of [[Balin's Tomb]]—and learnt of his failure from the [[Book of Mazarbul]]. Immediately afterwards they heard the sounds of drums and horn blasts. Gandalf was able to ascertain that a band of [[Orcs]], including several black [[Uruk-hai|Uruks]] of Mordor, and at least one [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] were approaching one of the chamber's two doors.<ref name=Bridge>{{FR|II5}}</ref>

=== Battle ===
Deep war drums reverberated throughout the chamber and shook the walls as the orcs approached. Gandalf attempted to frighten them, but was met with laughter in the dark. Shining a light outside the door, he briefly glimpsed them in the corridor, narrowly avoiding a volley of arrows in kind and deducing it impossible to escape via the western passage. Gandalf blamed himself aloud for the company falling into the orcs' trap.

The Fellowship intended to make an escape through the east door, which was to their knowledge clear of enemies; however, since the other door opened inwards and could not be locked or barred they were forced to hold their ground until they could put off pursuit. Boromir attempted to wedge the door with broken swords before the orcs arrived; however, a large cave-troll was able to break through with its foot. Boromir swung with all his might at the troll's arm, but his sword rang and glanced off, clattering to the ground with a notch in the blade. [[Frodo Baggins]] managed to force the troll to withdraw temporarily by stabbing its foot with [[Sting]], but the orcs were able to breach what remained of the doors and flooded in.

In the ensuing melee [[Gimli]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] are recorded as killing one orc each, [[Legolas]] two with his bow, while [[Aragorn]] and [[Boromir]] are said to have slain "many". Though the attack was vicious and the fighting sharp, the orcs had not been prepared for such fierce defence; thirteen orcs were slain in all, and Samwise suffered a cut to his scalp. The orcs briefly retreated, and Gandalf judged the time right to make an escape. However before the Fellowship could reach the door, a huge orc chieftain, nearly man-high and clad in black mail, leapt into the chamber alone. He bashed Boromir aside and threw him to the ground, swept past Aragorn with the speed of a snake, and stabbed at Frodo with a great spear, pinning him to the wall. Sam cut the shaft of the spear, and as the chieftain drew a scimitar, Aragorn struck him from behind and cleaved his skull, slaying him and routing the rest of the orcs.

As Aragorn picked up Frodo's body, Gandalf stayed behind to hold the door while the rest of the Fellowship fled down a dark and narrow stairway. As they reached its foot they saw a bright white light from the doorway and Gandalf swiftly descended the stairs to join them; he told them he had "met [[Durin's Bane|my match]], and nearly been destroyed" and then urged the company forward.

=== Aftermath ===
While they were running, Frodo was discovered to be alive to the astonishment of his companions, as Aragorn had thought him to be dead. As they would discover later outside Moria, his ''[[mithril]]'' shirt had saved him from serious injury, though he was left bruised. After a brief rest, where Gandalf discussed his encounter with what the Fellowship would later discover to be a [[Balrogs|balrog]], they continued their retreat towards the [[Bridge of Khazad-dûm]], along the way being occasionally fired upon by orc archers.

Upon reaching the bridge, the Fellowship turned to see the pursuing orcs behind them being blocked by a flaming fissure in the floor, as the Fellowship had entered the hall that led to the bridge through another direction. Trolls brought large slabs of stone to cross the flames, but before the orcs could surge forward, the balrog stepped forth and the orcs drew back as if they feared it themselves. The balrog leapt over the fissure and the orcs poured across the makeshift gangways. As the balrog closed in on them and they realised its nature, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf were all described as becoming physically distraught at the realisation. Boromir blew his [[Horn of Gondor|horn]] in challenge, which halted the balrog and the orcs in their tracks for a few moments, but then they pressed onward. Gandalf regained his composure and ordered the rest of the Fellowship to cross the bridge while he held the rear.

In order to secure the Fellowship's retreat, Gandalf confronted the balrog, breaking its flaming sword with his own Elven sword [[Glamdring]]. Aragorn and Boromir ran back onto the bridge to aid him, but at that moment Gandalf cried aloud and struck the bridge with his staff, sending up a sheet of white flame. The staff broke and fell from his hand, and the stone in front of him cracked and broke as well, sending the balrog falling into the chasm beneath. He too fell, however, as the balrog's whip caught his legs. The remaining members of the Fellowship assumed he perished in the fall and upon escaping Moria appointed Aragorn their new leader. In actuality both Gandalf and the Balrog survived the fall and continued their duel amongst the many caverns and tunnels underneath the mountain, eventually culminating in the [[Battle of the Peak]].<ref name=Bridge/>

== Portrayal in adaptations ==

'''1978: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (1978 film)]]'':'''
: Like the book, the [[cave-troll]] is only glimpsed when it tries to open the door, and Frodo drives it away when he stabs its foot. Then a large group of orcs break through the Chamber door. The fighting is short but sharp, though the orc-chieftain's attack on Frodo is in slow-motion.

:Following the victory, the Fellowship retreats towards the bridge with the orcs in pursuit. At the bridge the orcs halt, and Aragorn tells them to come no closer but then the Balrog appears. There is no flaming fissure and no other trolls.
[[File:The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Sam and cave-troll.jpg|thumb|The Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul as depicted in ''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'']]
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:The battle begins when a large group of orcs break through the Chamber door. The [[cave-troll]] enters early on, breaking into the Chamber and nearly killing [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]]. The fighting continues, with [[Legolas]], [[Aragorn]], [[Boromir]] and [[Gimli]] killing many orcs. At one point during the fight, Legolas climbs up onto the Cave-troll's shoulders and shoots its head with an arrow, but to no avail. While swinging madly around the chamber, the Cave-troll smashes [[Balin's Tomb]]. Despite Aragorn's attempt to protect the hobbit, the Cave-troll (rather than an orc-chieftain) hits Frodo with a spear.

:Following the victory, when most of the orcs have been killed or fled the Chamber, the Fellowship hears the sound of more orcs approaching and flees through a break in the eastern wall of the chamber, running back through the [[Twenty-first Hall]]. The action is extended further in the film, as the Fellowship are soon surrounded by hundreds of Moria orcs, before the Balrog enters the hall. There is no flaming fissure and no other trolls.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)]]'':'''
:The beginning of the battle is shown in a cutscene, but is abruptly skipped just as the Orcs are seen swarming into the chamber.

== See also ==
* [[Last Stand of Balin's Colony]]
* [[Battle of the Peak]]

{{References}}
[[Category:Conflicts of the War of the Ring]]