Elwing: Difference between revisions

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| age=Immortal.
| age=Immortal.
| gender=Female.
| gender=Female.
| parentage=[[Dior Eluchíl|Dior]] and [[Nimloth of Doriath|Nimloth]].
| parentage=[[Dior Eluchíl|Dior]] + [[Nimloth of Doriath|Nimloth]].
| heritage=[[Half-elven]] father, [[Elf]] mother.
| heritage=[[Half-elven]] father, [[Elf]] mother.
| spouse=[[Eärendil]].
| spouse=[[Eärendil]].

Revision as of 01:52, 11 April 2008

Elwing
Half-elf
File:Anya Valle - Elwing.jpg
Biographical Information
BirthFirst Age 503, near Lanthir Lamath.
Death(aged Immortal.)
Family
HeritageHalf-elven father, Elf mother.
ParentageDior + Nimloth.
SpouseEärendil.
ChildrenElrond and Elros.
Physical Description
GenderFemale.
Hair colorDark.
GalleryImages of Elwing

Elwing was the daughter of Dior Eluchíl and Nimloth. When she was very young her father inherited the throne of Doriath, along with the Silmaril recaptured by Beren, and she moved with her parents to the caves of Menegroth. In First Age 505, three of the sons of Fëanor, driven by their terrible Oath, attacked Menegroth and slew her parents and two brothers. She escaped the Sack of Doriath with the Silmaril and fled to the Havens of Sirion. There she met and married Eärendil the Mariner and gave birth to twins Elrond and Elros.

In 529 the remaining sons of Fëanor attacked the Havens of Sirion to take the Silmaril. They captured Elwing's sons but as they came for her she cast herself into the Great Sea. Through the power of the Vala Ulmo, she took the form of a white bird and came to her husband in his ship Vingilótë with the Silmaril upon her breast.

Elwing sailed with her husband on his great voyage to the West and, unlike the crew of his ship, refused to be separated from him when he sought the Valar in Valinor. While he spoke to them, she went to Alqualondë and told the Teleri there about the tumultuous history of Beleriand. When the Valar allowed Eärendil and Elwing, both being Half-elven, to choose which of the races they would be members of, Eärendil let her make the choice for them. Because of what had happened to her grandmother Lúthien, Elwing decided to be counted among the Elves, as did her husband for her sake. They still dwell in Aman; Elwing lives in a tower by the shores of Eldamar, and from it she can still fly in her swan form to meet Eärendil when he returns from his voyages through the sky.

Etymology

Elwing means "Star-spray" in Sindarin (from êl = "star" and gwing = "foam, spray"). Her name comes from the waterfall of Lanthir Lamath, which lay near the home of her parents when she was born.

See Also