The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Created after the destruction of the Two Trees, the event that brought the Years of the Trees to an end
Location
Written in Aman1
Origins
Created by the Elf Elemmírë
Race
Division
Culture
Pronunciation
aldoonee'eh
Meaning
Other names

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 11 August 2019
  • This entry is complete

Aldudénië

Lament for the Two Trees

A work created by the Vanya Elemmírë to commemorate the destruction of the Two Trees and the Darkening of Valinor, as well as the other fateful deeds of that pivotal day in the world's history. The sad tale, whose name translates from Quenya as 'Lament for the Two Trees', was said to be known by all the Eldar.2

It is not known for sure whether Elemmírë witnessed the Darkening with his own eyes, but as a Vanya he was most likely present on the slopes of Taniquetil when the light of Valinor was extinguished.


Notes

1

Elemmírë was one of the Vanyar, a people who had originally dwelt in the city of Tirion alongside the Noldor. At the time of the fall of the Trees, however, most of the Vanyar had removed from Tirion to dwell on the slopes of Taniquetil beneath the halls of Manwë and Varda. As a poet of the Vanyar (it is specifically noted that the gift of poetry was granted to the Vanyar by Manwë) Elemmírë was likely one of those who dwelt on the Holy Mountain, and therefore the Aldudénië was probably written there. However, we know of a few Vanyar who wandered more widely across Valinor, and it is not therefore impossible that Elemmírë created his work in some other part of Aman.

2

Given that many of the Eldar left Aman almost immediately after the destruction of the Trees, it is not entirely clear how they could all know of Elemmírë's work: the Exiles must surely have left before it was complete. Perhaps Tolkien simply means that all the Eldar who remained in Aman knew of the lament, or perhaps it later found its way across the Great Sea by some other means - for example, with the armies of the Valar at the end of the First Age.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 11 August 2019
  • This entry is complete

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