Trees

From Tolkien Gateway
Trees of the Dark Forest by Colin C. Throm.

Trees were the tallest of the olvar of Yavanna, plentiful throughout Middle-earth and formed forests. Although the trees were olver, some trees were animate, like the Huorns. There was also the race known as Ents, herders of the trees.

Trees, being living things, were never regarded as gender-neutral in the High-elven tongue.[1]

Inspiration[edit | edit source]

The last photograph of J.R.R. Tolkien
"During the first year of the boy’s [Tolkien’s] life Arthur Tolkien made a small grove of cypresses, firs, and cedars. Perhaps this had something to do with the deep love of trees that would develop in Ronald."
J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography

Trees were of special importance to Tolkien - in his short story "Leaf by Niggle", which in a sense was an elaborate allegory explaining his own creative process, the protagonist, Niggle, spends his life painting a single Tree.

See also[edit | edit source]

References

  1. 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), pp. 44, 73