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Thread: Creation of Elves


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So, I don't have my copy of the Silamrillion wiht me and the library's is checked out. I need to know if trees had anything to do with the creation of Elves. How did they come about? I know the stars had something to do with it. I need it for a research paper due tomorrow haha. I'm cutting it short.
I don't know exactly what way you want to take this paper, so i'll just give you this site- it is pretty good, but I have not had time to see exactly how accurate it really is. What I have been able to read, though, is pretty good.

http://www.glyphweb.com/ARDA/default.asp

It is called the "Encyclopedia of Arda" There is a lot there. If anyone knows anything more about it, let me know. I don't want to be referring people to a bad site...
Ah, another one of those "do my homework for me," eh? The Silmarillion has very little to say on the subject, largely because, as I understand it, it's not very well defined, and where it IS defined there are conflicting accounts in the Professors notes. No creation account is present in the Silm; the closest thing is in the opening pages of the chapter you'd expect to contain all such data. For competing origin theories you'll have to turn to HoME, but I can't tell you which ones. Nor do I think I strictly speaking should. The only connection I know of between the early Quendi and trees is in Treebeards statement the Elves taught the Ents speech; the term "Eldar" stems from those same few pages in the Silm. Best I can do; good luck.

Edit: I suppose I can't fault you for not reading a book to which you don't have access; the Silm says Varda created the stars because Mandos foretold these would be the first sight to greet the waking eyes of the Eldar, and that this was so, and from their first glimpse of Arda by the shores of Cuivienen comes their name "Eldar" though this would later be restricted (wrongly, IMHO,) to the Elves of the great journey. Treebeard tells Pippin and Merry in TT when they meet that it was the Elves who taught the Ents speech, a great debt owed by the latter to the former. The only other stong connection of which I know is the Nandor and the forest homes of Thingols and later Thranduils folk, and of course the Galdhrim of Lothlorien so closely associated with their arboreal homes that in later times the name of their queen was sometimes corrupted to "Galadhriel" though this was of course not her name.
Trees had nothing to do with the creation of the Elves. Il’vatar created the Elves from the same matter Arda was made of, and poised them at Cuivi’nen - 144 pairs, 72 men and women, according to HoME.

Orom’, who found them, named them 'Eldar' = the people of the Stars. They themselves originally referred to each other as 'Quendi'= speakers.

Later on, the term 'Eldar' was only used for Quendi going into the West, for the Avari ('Unwilling') did not wish to join, and even more later 'Eldar' was only used for Elves who had made it to Valinor, all others were named 'Moriquendi' (Elves of Darkness), being the Avari and Elves who forsook the march into the West : the Sindar (the ppl of Elw’ Singollo), the Falmari (the ppl of C’rdan) and the Nandor (some of these later entered Beleriand too, where they dwelled in Ossiriand and became known as the Laiquendi).
I know this is an old thread, but a small point of correction is necessary.

The people of Cirdan that you call "Falmari" are actually called the Falathrim, or the Elves of the Falas. As the remaining Teleri, led by Olwe waited at the mouth of the Sirion where the Vanyar and Noldor had crossed to Aman, they were befriended by Osse. Finwe and the Noldor wished for the Teleri to come to Aman so they beseeched Ulmo to bring them. Osse was unhappy that they were leaving and convinced many to stay. These were the Falathrim, the Elves of the Falas of whom Cirdan the Shipwright was their lord.

Now, those of the Teleri who left for Aman with Olwe boarded the island that Ulmo used to bring the others across the sea. Loth to see them go, Osse called to them and they begged Ulmo to stop and Osse anchored the island to the floor of the sea where it remained thereafter known as Tol Eressea, the Lonely Isle. Here the Teleri remained for many years and learned from Osse. Eventually they desired to see the light of Valinor, so Osse, though he grieved it, taught them to build ships and gave them many great swans to pull them to Aman.

These were the Falmari, or Sea-Elves who came to Eldamar and lived on the Bay of Elvenhome at Alqualonde, the Haven of the Swans. They were the only Teleri, save Elwe who were counted among the Calaquendi, because they came to Amon and beheld the Light of the Two Tree, though much later than the Vanyar and Noldor, and they were sundered from them in many ways.
But it is said that Illuvatar begot his children like how one would normally beget his...he didn't think of them and they just appeared...they were not spirits like the Ainur...but the life of flesh and blood was bestowed upon them...they were probably part of him...not his physical self but his inner self,the power,or even the light...example:they could even be sparks of his light...they could be any part of him...
Quote:
'... comes their name "Eldar" though this would later be restricted (wrongly, IMHO,) to the Elves of the great journey.'


It seems to have become further narrowed too, but in any case this nicely illustrates how terms can change over time. On the Eru-begotten...

Quote:
'While their first bodies were being made from the 'flesh of Arda' the Quendi slept 'in the womb of the Earth', beneath the green sward, and awoke when they were full-grown.' JRRT


From the Cuivienyarna, The Legend of the Awakening of the Quendi, written in style and simple notions to be a surviving Elvish 'fairytale' or child's tale mingled with counting lore.