What connection between Goldberry and Ulmo?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

In researching for the subject of music in Middle-earth, I have covered a wide range of Tolkien's works within a relatively short time. That means I notice similarities that are otherwise not close enough to each other to be connected. So it is with Ulmo and Goldberry. The connecting elements are water and music.

We read in the Sil that the echo of the Music of the Ainur lives on in water, which is Ulmo's particular element. He has (an) instrument(s), the Ulumúri, horns made of shell, which awakens the hearts of Elves and Men to a longing for the sea. He speaks through the music of water - fountains, streams, etc. He taught the Elves, especially the Teleri, music.

Goldberry is titled "River-daughter", an interesting epithet that makes her as much an enigma as her spouse Tom is. She also sings many songs, and they are closely connected with water - rain, especially, as we read of her rain-song and Tom's description of "Goldberry's washing day". She inspires Frodo, who seldom makes songs, to his own in praise of her.

I realize that we have no information of any connection between the two characters, and this could be another futile attempt to explain an enigma, but perhaps we can come up with some interesting ideas of our own. Could there be some connection between the two? What could it be?


Here's a real crackpot theory to start us off - what if "River" stands for Ulmo himself? Then Goldberry would be his daughter!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Fascinating topic! Very interesting. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to come up with any good contributions right now, but I will just say what I can think of right at the moment.

The connection of water-music is overall apparent in Tolkien's works, and it doesn't even have to be necessary personalised by anyone or anything. We know from Ainulindalë that the Ainur and Children of Ilúvatar praised water the most of all... materials, because the echo of the Music remained the strongest in it. And so, despite water is Ulmo's "invention", it's possible that anyone/anything connected with it has similar attributes.

Ultimately, this is the question of Goldberry's identity, of course. If she has anything to do with water, is the "River-daughter", or the daughter of a (the?) River-woman (Adventures of TB), then her connection with the water is undeniable. Now, what does that mean? Is she some "byproduct" of water? Is she to be counted among the strange beasts living in the water? Is she some spirit sent there specifically by Ulmo, similar to the Ents sent by Yavanna? Is she simply a "spirit of the outside" (this strange kind of... creatures???) who joined the water of her own free will? Now she seems to be begotten in the already existing world, from water - so the most probable of these options would be the first I named.

The well-known heretic David Day in his "Tolkien's Bestiary", classifies Goldberry without a twinkling of an eye as a Maia of Ulmo (and he classifies Tom as Maia, too ). However, even this theory falls if we hold to the interpretation of the words "River-daughter" (or "Daughter of the River-woman") as that she was "begotten by water". However, what goes for Goldberry does not necessarily have to apply for her mother, the River-woman. However, the explicite referrences to River-woman could be eventually thrown away as an invention of the Hobbit folklore, and the fact that any River-woman really existed as concrete individual can be ignored - and we'll be back just at the mysterious term "River-daughter".

Well, these are more like questions to pose to think of, but not questions; however, this is what this is about - and the best I can come up with at the moment, anyway. So, I would like to see what others think

[Groin Redbeard]

Goldberry reminds me of the nymphs, the stewards of nature, in Greek mythology. As far as I know nymphs loved music and dancing; that would explain her singing and love for Tom Bombadil. So I think that she would have more of a connection with Yavvana than with Ulmo. What do you think?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

Goldberry reminds me of the nymphs, the stewards of nature, in Greek mythology. As far as I know nymphs loved music and dancing; that would explain her singing and love for Tom Bombadil. So I think that she would have more of a connection with Yavvana than with Ulmo. What do you think?

Good point, however I think nymph-like creatures don't need to have anything to do with Yavanna more than with Ulmo (and if anything, I would consider them being connected with Vána - just look at her description in Valaquenta: she would be the one to have anything to do with nymphs and such). However, first: let us not forget that whatever Goldberry may resemble, she is first of all the River-daugher, and only then something resembling a nymph or whatever. Second, there are water-nymphs as well, you know, and if there's anything that Goldberry resembles, then it's them. And I would like to point out one thing, not sure where else this appears, but in Slavic mythology there are water-nymphs (rusalka) who are very similar to Goldberry, and in Czech translation at least, the words "River-woman" are translated as "říční žínka", which is another word just for this water-nymph. So I naturally pre-determinedly imagined Goldberry always like something of that kind. However, this does not explain her nature, and where she came from, and what has she to do with Ulmo (if anything), any further.

[Eönwë]

Ooh! another interesting topic about Goldberry. She is almost as much of an enigma as Tom. I always imagined her more earthy (maybe earthly) than a Maia, as she looks more...(I don't have the quote but I think it was something about her being mroe human than the elves, and if so, that probably rules out the possibility of Maia, since they are more celestial and high, and such).

She could be part of the music, which might be why she sings a lot. She sort of uses the music (rather than creating it, like Ainur), and because water is the one place where the Music still lives, this might be easier for her, or maybe it is what made her.

Also, I have a question. Do you think that Goldberry could be Ulmo's last contact with ME? She definitely is connected with water, which Ulmo just happens to control. Is it just coinciedence? Maybe she knows much more than she says.


PS. I can tell you like this subject Legate, especially the bits about Ulmo, which I'm sure doesn't have anything to do with your title (The Voice that Gainsayeth?)... Hmm?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

Also, I have a question. Do you think that Goldberry could be Ulmo's last contact with ME? She definitely is connected with water, which Ulmo just happens to control. Is it just coinciedence? Maybe she knows much more than she says.

This is actually very interesting idea. Ulmo's power was leaving the streams and rivers of Middle-Earth even during the First Age, and then of course, when the Valar laid down their power over Arda after the Fall of Númenor, he would leave M-E to itself like they did. However, I wonder whether Ulmo would not, as it has been his habit, still remain a little more active than the other Valar (more than just sending in the Istari, which was the only thing we know the Valar did by the time of Third Age) - one of these manifestations of his interest in the affairs of Third Age Middle-Earth being Goldberry. Still, there would be the question what is her presence supposed to mean, or what is the purpose of her being there (maybe just a spirit of water as a side effect of the "informator" status of the waters? I certainly don't think Goldberry would be a true "informator" herself - or not in the plain sense, at least).

PS. I can tell you like this subject Legate, especially the bits about Ulmo, which I'm sure doesn't have anything to do with your title (The Voice that Gainsayeth?)... Hmm?

Ulmo is the Vala I always liked the most, and among other things, the choice of my personal title was influenced by this. So you can make the picture out of it