Elves

2009-10-15T15:58:13Z

80.192.242.97:

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{{race
| image=[[Image:Jenny Dolfen - Glorfindel and Ecthelion.jpg|300px]]
| name= Elves
| dominions= Most prominently [[Doriath]], [[Nargothrond]], [[Gondolin]], [[Hithlum]], [[Lindon]], [[Eregion]], [[Lothlórien]], and [[Rivendell]]
| languages= [[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]], with various other dialects
| height=
| length=
| skincolor= Pale to tan
| haircolor= Blonde, black, brown, red, and ocassionally silver
| distinctions= Almost immortal, inventors of writing and other arts
| lifespan= [[Arda]]'s existence
| members= [[Ingwë]], [[Thingol]], [[Finwë]], [[Fëanor]], [[Galadriel]]
|}}
The '''Elves''' (''[[Eldar]]'') were the first of the races of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]], known also as the [[Firstborn]] for that reason. The Elves are distinguished from the other two races, the [[Men]] and the [[Dwarves]], especially by the fact of their near immortality.

==History==

===Awakening===
:''Main article: [[Awakening of the Elves]]''

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - The Dawn of the Firstborn Elves.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''The Dawn of the Firstborn Elves,'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]] About the same time that [[Varda]], Queen of the [[Valier]], ended her labors in creating the [[Stars]], the Elves awoke beside the lake [[Cuiviénen]]. The first thing they saw were the stars, and henceforth adored them. The first sound they heard was the flowing of water, and henceforth they loved water as well.

They made speech then, and called themselves the ''[[Quendi]]''. [[Melkor]] was the first to be aware of them, and he caused evil spirits to go about among them. When one or a small group wandered abroad, they would often vanish. It is believed that Melkor may have created [[orcs]] with the elves he captured.

[[Oromë]], the Huntsman of the [[Valar]], happened upon them when he heard their singing far-off. He was amazed to see them, and called them the ''Eldar'', “People of the Stars”.

===Sundering===
:''Main article: [[Sundering of the Elves]]''

[[Image:Anke Eissmann - Oromë espies the first Elves.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''Oromë spies the first Elves,'' drawn by [[Anke Eissmann]].]] Though at first the Quendi were afraid of Oromë, the noblest among them saw that he was no dark horseman such as the lies of Melkor spread among them said. He had the light of [[Aman]] in his eyes and face, and they were drawn to him.

After spending a while among the Quendi, Oromë returned to [[Valinor]] and took council with the other Valar and Valier. At the counsel of [[Ilúvatar]], [[Manwë]], King of the Valar, decided that they must go to war against Melkor to protect the Quendi from him. After a great battle and [[Siege of Utumno]], which reshaped the earth itself, Melkor was bound and cast into the prison of [[Mandos]]. Then the Valar, pleased with the outcome, summoned the Elves to Valinor, seeking fellowship with them.

At Oromë’s urging, many of the Elves (especially the kindreds of [[Ingwë]], [[Finwë]], and [[Elwë]]) agreed. But others, henceforth called the [[Avari]], declared that they preferred starlight and the wide spaces of [[Middle-earth]]. So the Elves were first sundered. During the journey to [[Belegaer]], gradually the number of the Elves began to lessen as various groups dropped away. Some of the [[Teleri]] (kindred of Elwë) refused to cross the [[Misty Mountains]], and settled in [[Anduin]] under the leadership of [[Lenwë]], to be called later the [[Nandor]]. Elwë then went missing, and in dismay the rest of the Teleri remained behind, while the [[Noldor]] (kindred of Finwë) and [[Vanyar]] (kindred of Ingwë) used an island as a ship, and found at last Aman and Valinor.

After several years, Oromë returned to search for the Teleri. Some, under [[Olwë]], relented and followed. Others remained to continue to search for Elwë. Still others, under [[Círdan]], remained because in that time they had become devoted to [[Ossë]] and the Sea. Those Teleri that chose to remain were called the [[Sindar]]. Elwë, who had fallen asleep due to his enchantment with [[Melian]], returned to claim lordship and establish them in [[Doriath]]. The Noldor and some of the Teleri, however, built the great cities of [[Tirion]] and [[Alqualondë]] (respectively) in Aman. The Vanyar dwelt in [[Valmar]], for they were closest to the Valar of the kindreds.

===Exile of the Noldor===
:''Main article: [[Exile of the Noldor]]''

[[Image:Jenny Dolfen - The Coming of Fingolfin.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''The Coming of Fingolfin'', as drawn by [[Jenny Dolfen]].]] Melkor, having been released on the promise of good behavior, spread lies about the Valar among the Noldor. [[Fëanor]], the eldest son of Finwë and one of the greatest Elves to have ever lived, hated Melkor more than all the other Noldor, but was paradoxically one of the most influenced by his lies. He forged weapons, and his greatest works, the [[Silmarils]], captured the light of the [[Two Trees]] – and his own heart. After Melkor stole the Silmarils and killed Finwë, Fëanor stirred the Noldor to open disobedience to the Valar. In an epic journey filled with treachery, death, and deceit, the Noldor entered in to Exile, crossing over into [[Beleriand]].

===Battles of Beleriand===
:''Main article: [[Battles of Beleriand]]''

There were five great battles fought in Beleriand. The [[First Battle]] was the result of an attack by Melkor on Círdan and Elwë (now known as [[Thingol]]). Though the Elves managed to resist the attack successfully, this left Melkor essentially with full reign of Beleriand. Upon the sudden and unanticipated [[Return of the Noldor]], the tables were reversed in the [[Dagor-nuin-Giliath]]. The third battle (“[[Dagor Aglareb]]”) occurred when Melkor tried unsuccessfully to destroy the Elves, breaking forth from [[Angband]]. This only resulted in the vigilant [[Siege of Angband]]. Morgoth was more successful in the next battle, [[Dagor Bragollach]], which ended in the deaths of many Elven princes, among them [[Fingolfin]], [[High King of the Noldor]]. The siege was broken. Several decades later, [[Maedhros]], eldest son of Fëanor, counterattacked in the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]]. Although at first very successful, the tide turned against the Elves, and ended in the destruction of [[Hithlum]]. It was not half a century later that [[Gondolin]], the last real stronghold of the Noldor, was [[The Fall of Gondolin|destroyed]]. [[Doriath]], the center of the [[Sindar]]in realm, was sacked by [[Dwarves]].[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Eärendil and the Battle of Eagles and Dragons.jpg|left|150px|thumb|''Eärendil - The Battle of Eagles and Dragons,'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]

===Salvation of the Elves===
:''Main article: [[War of Wrath]]''

With the near destruction of the Elves, the last survivors were at the [[Mouths of the Sirion]] and [[Balar]]. Their lord was [[Eärendil]], the son of [[Tuor]] and [[Idril]]. Eärendil made a miraculous voyage to [[Valinor]] to beg the pardon of the Valar. His request was granted. The Valar came across the Sea to [[Middle-earth]], and in the [[War of Wrath]] thrust Morgoth into the [[Void]] and purged Beleriand. They offered to let the Elves return with them to Valinor; many accepted, but others, under [[Gil-galad]], chose to remain.

===Decline of the Elves===

[[Image:Angus McBride - Celebrimbor.gif|thumb|right|150px|''Celebrimbor'', by [[Angus McBride]].]] Though Morgoth was gone to trouble the world no longer, [[Sauron]], his greatest servant, was still there, and he made war on the remaining Elves who chose not to depart Middle-earth. Throughout the [[Second Age|Second]] and [[Third Age]]s he fought them. During this time the Elves realized how [[Men]] were rising to take their place, but [[Celebrimbor]], the grandson of Fëanor, wrought the [[Rings of Power]], especially the [[Three Rings]] to preserve the Elves. But Sauron under the guise of [[Annatar]] also forged a ring – the [[One Ring]]. It was not until the end of the Third Age that this last ring was destroyed, marring the Three Rings at the same time. In the years that followed the last of the Elves departed across the Sea to Valinor, their mission against Sauron complete, never to return.

Eventually, their immortal spirits will overwhelm and consume their bodies, rendering them "bodiless", whether they opt to go to Valinor or remain in Middle-earth. At the end of the world, all Elves will have become invisible to mortal eyes, known as [[Lingerers]]; except to those to whom they wish to manifest themselves.

==Life and Customs of the Elves==
:''Main articles: [[Elven Characteristics]], [[Elven Life cycle]], and [[Elven Customs]]''

Besides being considered more beautiful than men, Elves were also generally taller. Their hair color varied; but the basic rules were that the [[Noldor]] generally had dark hair (brown or black), the [[Vanyar]] golden, and the [[Teleri]] silver or dark. Their eyes are usually described as gray. Their most distinguishing characteristic from the [[Mortals|Mortal]] races was the fact that they were invulnerable to age or disease; unless they were killed by sword or sorrow they would live to the end of the world.

Their lives were counted to begin at conception rather than birth, and though their minds sharpened much earlier in life than in the race of Men, their bodies grew more slowly. They were considered fully-grown at about a century. They married usually only once in their lives, and their children were often few and far-between.

==Languages==
(''Main article:[[Elvish]]'')

[[Image:Donato Giancola - Lore.jpeg|thumb|right|200px|''Lore,'' by [[Donato Giancola]].]] Because [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] developed the Elves almost for his languages, those he developed are of special interest to many Tolkien scholars. His primary languages are [[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]], but these have many variants and dialects as is seen in the table below. They were generally written in the [[Cirth]] and [[Tengwar]] scripts.

*'''[[Primitive Quendian]]'''
**'''[[Avari]]n'''
***'''Various Avarin languages''' (some later merged with Nandorin)
**'''[[Common Eldarin]]''' (the early language of all the [[Eldar]])
***'''[[Quenya]]''' (the language of the [[Noldor]] and the [[Vanyar]])
****''' ''Quendya'' (also ''Vanyarin Quenya'') ''' (daily tongue of the Vanyar: closest to archaic Quenya)
****''' ''Noldorin Quenya'' (also ''Exilic Quenya'') ''' (the "Elven Latin" of Middle-earth)
***'''[[Common Telerin]]''' (the early language of all the [[Lindar]])
****'''[[Teleri]]n''' (the language of the [[Teleri]] who reached the [[Undying Lands]])
****'''[[Nandor]]in''' (languages of the [[Nandor]] — some were influenced by Avarin)
*****'''Original language of [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]]'''
*****'''Original language of [[Lothlórien|Lórinand]]'''
****'''[[Sindarin]]''' (language of the [[Sindar]])
*****'''[[Doriathrin]]''' (dialect of [[Doriath]])
*****'''[[Falathrin]]''' (dialect of the [[Falas]] and [[Nargothrond]])
*****'''[[North Sindarin]]''' (dialects of [[Dorthonion]] and [[Hithlum]])

== See Also ==
* '''[[:Category:Images of Elves|Images of Elves]]'''

[[Category:Races]]
[[Category:Elves]]
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]

[[de:Elben]]
[[fi:Haltiat]]
[[fr:encyclo/peuples/elfes/elfes]]

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Elves