Also its form strongly suggests that it is in origin a proper name and not a common noun. When first studying A-S professionally (1913 –) – I had done so as a boyish hobby when supposed to be learning Greek and Latin – I was struck by the great beauty of this word (or name), entirely coherent with the normal style of A-S, but euphonic to a peculiar degree in that pleasing but not 'delectable' language. This name is in fact (as is obvious) derived from A-S éarendel. The most important name in this connexion is Eärendil. Perhaps like Tolkien himself when he was in the trenches in World War I, Sam saw the star above and concluded that "In the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." Sam himself is comforted by a star in Mordor - perhaps this very star, perhaps Eärendil himself! Which would be fitting since he held a bit of Eärendil's light in Galadriel's vial. ![]() Indeed, he may have come up with the phrase first, and then built the mythos to justify the greeting! In particular, the stars were a comfort to some of the soldiers in World War I, stuck in trenches where all you could see was the trench around you and the stars above. One can imagine Tolkien himself uttering this greeting when he sees Venus in the sky. Eärendil/Venus, therefore, comes unawares, bears its light before the Sun and Moon, is a star in the darkness, a jewel in the sunset, and radiant in the morning! After the War of Wrath, Eärendil with the Silmaril on his brow in his flying ship wanders across the sky, and the Silmaril shines so brightly that it can be seen even at sunset and sunrise. And later Eönwë leads the army of the Valar in the War of Wrath, while Eärendil assists him in his flying ship (how it was made to fly is unclear) with the Silmaril on his brow and, along with the Great Eagles, fights Morgoth's secret weapon, the flying dragons.Įönwë's greeting may contain some foresight or judgment, because it foreshadows Eärendil's association with Venus in Tolkien's mythos. It is the turning of the tide, after a long history of nothing but disaster. The whole of The Silmarillion leads up to that moment, the moment when Eönwë, herald of Manwë, greets Eärendil. ![]() Someone posted this quote three days ago and then deleted his or her post, I wanted to re-post my comment on the quote. of mariners most renowned, the looked for that cometh at unawares, the longed for that cometh beyond hope! Hail Eärendil, bearer of light before the Sun and Moon! Splendour of the Children of Earth, star in the darkness, jewel in the sunset, radiant in the morning!"
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