Yavanna

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Yavanna
Vala
Jenny Dolfen - Yavanna, Giver of Fruits.jpg
"Yavanna, Giver of Fruits" by Jenny Dolfen
Biographical Information
PronunciationQuenya [jaˈvanːa ˌkemenˈtaːri]
Other namesKementári (Q)
Ivon/Ivann (S)
PositionGiver of Fruits, protector of plants, ordaining the harvests
LocationPastures of Yavanna
AffiliationAiwendil, Melian
Family
SiblingsVána
SpouseAulë
Physical Description
GenderFemale
HeightTall[1]
ClothingGreen[1]
GalleryImages of Yavanna
"She is the lover of all things that grow in the earth, and all their countless forms she holds in her mind, from the trees like towers in forests long ago to the moss upon stones or the small and secret things in the mould."
The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Of the Valar"

Yavanna Kementári was a Valië, the Queen of Earth. Also known as Giver of Fruits, she was responsible for all growing things.

Attributes[edit | edit source]

Yavanna was one of the Aratar and was next to Varda in reverence. She was the elder "sister" of Vána and the spouse of Aulë. She was responsible for all things that grew in the earth, from the moss on the rocks to the tallest trees.

Her usual form was that of a tall woman robed in green. She has also been seen in the form of a tall tree growing from the waters of Ulmo to the winds of Manwë spilling golden dew from her branches, which made the barren earth green with corn.[1]

Melian of the Maiar was of her kin.[2]

History[edit | edit source]

Yavanna's Trees by Jacek Kopalski

In the Song of the Ainur Yavanna sung of branches of great trees that would receive the rain of Manwë and Ulmo, and some trees sang to Ilúvatar. This is said to be the conception of the Shepherds of the Trees. Her thought also met with Manwë's, setting the arrival of the Great Eagles.[3]

In the beginning of days, Yavanna planted the first seeds of Arda and watched over the olvar and all growing things. As Morgoth was corrupting her beloved creatures, she contended with him and supported all the plans against him. After his expulsion from Arda she planted the seeds that she had long devised and life came to Middle-earth during the Spring of Arda, although in the beginning no flowers bloomed.[4] When the Two Lamps were destroyed much of the life on Middle-earth slumbered in the Sleep of Yavanna[5] that lasted until the rising of the Moon and the Sun.[6]

After the destruction of the Two Lamps the Valar withdrew to Aman and created Valinor. Upon the green mound of Ezellohar Yavanna sat and sang while the other Valar sat and listened. Her song, with the aid of the tears of Nienna brought forth the Two Trees, her greatest creation, which gave light to the land. However, Yavanna did not forsake the Outer Lands; at times she would come there and heal the hurts of Morgoth and urged the other Valar to wage war on him before the Awakening of the Elves.[4]

After Ilúvatar allowed Aulë's creations, the Dwarves, to survive, Yavanna feared that they would cut down all the trees in Middle-earth. Aulë, in reply, told her that even Elves and Men, the true Children of Ilúvatar would have need of her trees as well. Yavanna lamented to Manwë, questioning whether anything she had made would be free from the dominion of others. Manwë brought her concerns before Ilúvatar in prayer, and Eru did indeed have pity upon Yavanna: He answered her plea by creating the Ents to protect the trees.[3]

When the Elves built Tirion upon Tol Eressëa Yavanna fashioned the tree Galathilion, a lesser image of Telperion, for the court beneath the Mindon.[7]

After the destruction of the Two Trees Yavanna examined their remains and told the other Valar that if she could use the light of the Silmarils she could heal them. For Yavanna confessed that even as a Valar, who are mighty under Eru, she could never conjure the same light again in this world. Fëanor[8] refused to give up the Silmarils, although Morgoth had already taken them when he made this decision. Doing what she and Nienna could, they managed to bring forth one silver flower from Telperion and one golden fruit from Laurelin. She gave these to her husband Aulë, who fashioned vessels for them and thus created the Moon and the Sun.[6]

For the Men who had stood with the Valar in the War of Wrath the land of Andor was raised by Ossë, established by Aulë, and enriched by Yavanna. When the Edain came to this island they created the realm of Númenor.[9] In the later centuries, when the Valar decided to send emissaries to the mortal lands, Yavanna begged the Maia Curumo to take her servant, Aiwendil, with him.[10]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Yavanna means "Giver of Fruits" in Quenya. The name is a compound of yávë ("fruit") and anna ("gift"). Her epithet Kementári means "Queen of the Earth".[1]

Her Sindarin name appears to be Ivon, only attested in the compound Ivonwin ("Maidens of Yavanna").[note 1] Another form is Ivann,[11] also seen in the Sindarin month-name Ivanneth (Quenya: Yavannië).

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aulë
 
YAVANNA
 
Vána
 
Oromë
 
Nessa
 
Tulkas
 
 
 
 


Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

Yavanna's surname was Palúrien ([paˈluːri.en]) ("bosom of earth"), a Qenya name,[12] at an earlier stage of writing of The Silmarillion.[13]. Kementári first appeared as Kémi from root KEME (Gnomish Címir).[14][15][16]

Variations of the name were Palurin ("the wide world"), Belaurin, B(a)laurin, Bladorwen.[17]

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes

  1. The name Ivon (variant form Ifon) was also the Gnomish form of Qenya Yavanna. Cf. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I, p. 273.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Valaquenta: Of the Valar"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Thingol and Melian"
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Aulë and Yavanna"
  4. 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Beginning of Days"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
  6. 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor"
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Darkening of Valinor"
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth: The Downfall of Númenor"
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Istari"
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XV. Of Lembas", pp. 404-5, where it is glossed as Noldorin
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Early Qenya and The Valmaric Script", in Parma Eldalamberon XIV (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), p. 61 (footnote 6)
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: The Last Chapters of the Quenta Silmarillion", p. 246
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "III. The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor"
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "III. The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor": "Notes and Commentary"
  16. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I, entry "Kémi"
  17. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I, p. 264, entry "Palúrien"
Ainur
Valar Lords Manwë · Ulmo · Aulë · Oromë · Mandos · Irmo · Tulkas · Melkor
Valier Varda · Yavanna · Nienna · Estë · Vairë · Vána · Nessa
Maiar Arien · Blue Wizards · Eönwë · Gandalf · Ilmarë · Melian · Ossë · Radagast · Salmar · Saruman · Tilion · Uinen
Úmaiar Sauron · Balrogs (Gothmog · Durin's Bane) · Boldogs
Concepts and locations Almaren · Aratar (indicated in italics) · Creation of the Ainur · Fana · Máhanaxar · Ainulindalë · Order of Wizards (indicated in bold) · Second Music of the Ainur · Timeless Halls · Valarin · Valinor · Valimar