Here’s part four of The Women Who Shaped Middle Earth (here’s where you can read parts one through three.) A five-part series, I’m looking at all the women who had a significant impact on Tolkien’s world. There’ll be some overlap (for example, Galadriel and Andreth appear in other segments as well), so if you feel I left something out, that might be why, but send me an ask anyway, as I’ll be editing all of this before offering the complete version for download as a .pdf.

This guide, as well as one other guide (to be released later this month) is part of my contribution to Legendarium Ladies April. If you don’t already know about the event, definitely check it out! And if you have any lady-centric questions or issues you’d like to see me make a post for, now’s the time to let me know!

And if you think this is interesting, check out my already completed Atanamili: The Women of the First Age series, which covers all the (mortal) women of the First Age.

Hello! Again, thanks for devoting yourself to such a great purpose as Tolkien lore :) I was sure there was a moment where Galadriel or Melian said something about the Oath changing the sons of Fëanor’s minds and moods, but I can’t find it anywhere. Do you know where to find it, or have I dreamed it ? Thank you very very much, o great master of old tales ! ;)

Unless a different conversation takes place in an older draft and I just haven’t found it, this is the only time Melian spoke about the sons of Feanor (though she was speaking to Thingol, not Galadriel): Beware of the sons of Feanor! The shadow of the wrath of the Valar lies upon them; and they…

Tolkien and the Virgin Mary

I automatically want to avoid the word “represents”, because it brings us into dangerous allegory territory (see this post about Tolkien and allegory.) But there are a few characters that I would definitely say are at least partly inspired by the Virgin Mary, and Elbereth/Varda is absolutely one of them. Part of Tolkien’s strong Catholic…

Archive Monday

Happy Archive Monday! If you’re waiting to see a question answered, be sure to check below to the cut to see if yours was a “repeat”! In the meantime, enjoy this list of posts from the archive (this week’s theme is Melian!): Morgoth and Melian Children of the Valar Gathering Food Before the Sun Hierarchy…