Elwing

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Revision as of 14:36, 11 February 2014 by 207.28.249.114 (talk) (→‎History)
Elwing
Half-elf
File:Tania Weil - Elwing.jpg
Biographical Information
LocationHavens of Sirion, Eldamar
LanguageSindarin
BirthF.A. 503
near Lanthir Lamath
Family
HouseHouse of Dior
HeritageHalf-elven father, Elf mother
ParentageDior & Nimloth
SiblingsEluréd and Elurín
SpouseEärendil
ChildrenElrond and Elros
Physical Description
GenderFemale
GalleryImages of Elwing

Elwing the White was the daughter of Dior Eluchíl and Nimloth, and wife of Eärendil. It is said that she could speak with birds.

History

When Elwing was very young, her father inherited the throne of Doriath, along with the Silmaril reclaimed by Beren, and she moved with her parents to the caves of Menegroth. In F.A. 506, the sons of Fëanor, driven by their terrible Oath, attacked Menegroth and slew her parents and left her twin brothers to starve in the wild. She escaped the Sack of Doriath with the Silmaril and fled to the Havens of Sirion. There she met and married Eärendil and gave birth to twins Elrond and Elros.

In F.A. 538 the remaining sons of Fëanor attacked the Havens of Sirion to reclaim the Silmaril in her possession. 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 Falmari (who, as Teleri, where of Thingol's kin) there about the tumultuous history of Beleriand, and later persuaded them to sail their ships for the Host of Valinor. 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.

Earendil and Elwing by Roger Garland.

Elwing was given a tower to live in by the shores of Eldamar, and there she fed seabirds that came to her windows. Eventually she learned their language, and was able to transform into a swan, flying to meet Eärendil whenever 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. Elenwinga is a possible alternate Quenya form of her name; she is not a Noldo, but Quenya was the native language of her husband Eärendil from Gondolin.

Genealogy

 
Elu Thingol
 
Melian
 
Bëor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lúthien
 
 
 
Beren
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dior Eluchíl
 
Nimloth
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eärendil
 
ELWING
 
Eluréd
 
Elurín
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elrond
 
Elros
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


See Also