Do Ainur have wings?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

"Of course not!" I can hear indignant voices and thoughts saying. And of course I know Tolkien's works well enough to realize that there is no mention of winged Ainur in any of them. And though the thread title is a tongue-in-cheek parody on the Balrog wings discussion, the topic is a serious one. Please bear with me while I explain my thoughts.

The Ainur are similar to Judaic/Christian angels, with some elements of mythological heathen gods thrown in. Angels are generally perceived as winged, though there is little (perhaps even no? I'd have to look it up to be sure...) actual mention of that in the Bible. The reason for that notion is their ability to travel quickly, going back and forth from heaven to earth, or location to location, in almost no time. As to the mythological gods, there are some who are winged, most notably Mercury/Hermes. I assume that fast, airborne transportation would be the reason for that as well.

Both Christian and mythological elements being the background for Tolkien's Ainur, why do none of them have wings? And which method of transportation do they then use? A brief skim through "The Istari" in UT did not give me any information about how they traveled; it only says that they came to Middle-earth.

I assume that Ulmo, Ossë and Uinen swam, since the waters were their domain. Tulkas "can outrun all things that go on foot", and Oromë rides a horse. Other than that, no other methods of transportation occur to me at the moment. (I do hope that those more knowledgeable in the Legendarium will add more references if they know of any.)

Now, if they originally travelled throughout Middle-earth, how? Perhaps their non-meddling policy in the latter times was due to the fact that they could not easily get 'there and back again'? Or did they, as spirit-beings, take on their forms after arrival?

Both source information and speculative thoughts are welcome here!

[mark12_30]

Cherubim: Ezekiel 1:11 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above: each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies.

Seraphim: Isaiah 6:2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with tw he flew.

Other orders, it's hard to tell.

Interesting, Esty!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thanks for those Biblical references, mark! I didn't take the time to look them up, but if I remember correctly, those are the only definitive ones.

[Gurthang]

I've also thought of the Ainur being somewhat akin to angels. Although I've never pondered whether they had wings or not.

So, here's my thought. The Maiar, at least, could change their physical shapes to resemble another body. Sauron did this numerous times, and Gandalf appeared as a man. It would make sense to me then that the Ainur would also have this ability, since they are a step up from the Maiar. Now, I don't know what they would look like in their natural states, but it is entirely possible that they could have wings. Even that they would have wings if they wanted to. They could just 'become' a creature with wings.

Hope that helps a little. BTW, good references, mark.

[Maédhros]

A brief skim through "The Istari" in UT did not give me any information about how they traveled; it only says that they came to Middle-earth.

From Unfinished Tales: The Istari

Yet they were not so. For they came from over the Sea out of the Uttermost West; though this was for long known only to Círdan, Guardian of the Third Ring, master of the Grey Havens, who saw their landings upon the western shores. Emissaries they were from Lords of the West, the Valar, who still took counsel for the governance of Middle-earth, and when the shadow of Sauron began first to stir again took this means of resisting him. For with the consent of Eru they sent members of their own high order, but clad in bodies of as of Men, real and not feigned, but subject to the fears and pains and weariness of earth, able to hunger and thirst and be slain; though because of their noble spirits they did not die, and aged only by the cares and labours of many long years. And this the Valar did, desiring to amend the errors of old, especially that they had attempted to guard and seclude the Eldar by their own might and glory fully revealed; whereas now their emissaries were forbidden to reveal themselves in forms of majesty, or to seek to rule the wills of Men and Elves by open display of power, but coming in shapes weak and humble were bidden to advise and persuade Men and Elves to good,

If Círdan saw the landings of the Istari, and the Istari were forbidden to reveal their true forms, then I would think that the Istari travelled to ME from Valinórë they had already their incarnate shapes and travelled in a Telerin ship.

The Ainur are similar to Judaic/Christian angels, with some elements of mythological heathen gods thrown in. Angels are generally perceived as winged, though there is little (perhaps even no? I'd have to look it up to be sure...) actual mention of that in the Bible. The reason for that notion is their ability to travel quickly, going back and forth from heaven to earth, or location to location, in almost no time. As to the mythological gods, there are some who are winged, most notably Mercury/Hermes. I assume that fast, airborne transportation would be the reason for that as well.

If the Ainur are by their nature ëalars, why would they need wings to travel with wings instead of just "moving as spirits". What I concur from this, is that the Valar and the Maiar clothed themselves in certain situations to interact with the Mirröanwi, why would they need wings?
To me the question would be, why would they need for if they can travel with their "spirits". (Like Sauron did when his hröa was destroyed in Númenórë)

[davem]

As I recall, the reason Angels are depicted (or visualised) with wings is because they are spiritual beings & travel 'vertically' (speaking metaphorically) between Heaven & Earth.

The Valar & Maiar, having entered into the World, are bound within its circles, & are unable to leave it & return to 'Heaven' as long as it exists. Hence, no wings.

Which brings up the question of whether there are any equivalents of Angelos within the Legendarium - spiritual beings who travel between Illuvatar & the Valar/Eruhini.

This is interesting - for me at least - in that while Tolkien describes the Valar & Maiar as 'Angelic' beings & speaks of the Istari as 'incarnate Angels' they have very little in common with Biblical Angels. Basically, they are the Pagan gods by another name & exist within the world - hence, no wings, as they do not pass out of this world into a 'higher' one & back. Hermes is a different case, as his 'wings' are on his heels, not his back, & merely permit him to move around with speed, not to fly.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thanks for all the interesting replies so far! Yes, Maédhros, I agree that a journey by ship is implied, but it is never said outright that the Istari came by ship. davem, you make an excellent point about the difference between Ainur and angels in that the Ainur who came to Middle-earth no longer have access to the heavens, so there is no need for travelling back and forth there.

Gurthang, your comments about the Ainur being able to take a shape, with or without wings, echo a chat conversation I had with Sharkû today. I have his permission to quote it, so here is what he said, summed up:

I can't really spend the time in good conscience to post today, but my opinion (which is after all 99% close to truth) about Ainur wings is: Since they were relatively free in the form they could choose, they definitely *were able * to have them... If you can be a friggin tree, you can have wings, right? However, they wouldn't necessarily need them to 'fly', unless incarnated to a higher degree (eagles???).

But it also says many liked to imitate forms of the Creation, so some might choose the form of a winged humanoid, or a big bird to travel in order to form a link to the children (and not just be invisible). Also there is one winged Ainu or at least Eala: Thuringwethil.

[Formendacil]

Well, the Balrogs were Ainur. So if you could conclusively prove that they had wings, then you could conclusively prove that Ainur had wings.

However, to bypass that, let's go straight to Thorondor and the Eagles of Manwe, who are said in Tolkien's later works that they must have been Maiar (aka lesser Ainur) in origin.

But it boils down to this fact:

Wings are a physical part of a body. The body of any Ainu depends on his choice (or, more likely in the Balrogs' cases, on the choice of the person they obey unquestioningly). Hence, it varies from Ainu to Ainu, a fact that is further complicated by the fact that a great number of the Ainur could change forms or not wear any at all.

Therefore, it follows logically, that there is no one general statement to be made, and must be evaluated on an Ainu-by-Ainu basis.

[Lalwendë]

Mythology does not tend to make use of Gods/Goddesses with wings, as they often simply manifest themselves wherever needed, or take on forms which we would not traditionally associate with angels in the Christian tradition. Some Gods are manifest as animals, as trees, or even as seemingly inanimate objects. There are instances of Gods becoming winged creatures, but not becoming 'men with wings' as angels are traditionally depicted.

I think that part of the nature of 'Gods' is that they do not need to consider issues which to us would be important such as travel - as they are manifest where they need to be. There is a good instance of one of the Valar taking on a non-human form:

In reverence Yavanna is next to Varda among the Queens of the Valar. In the form of a woman she is tall, and robed in green; but at times she takes other shapes. Some there are who have seen her standing like a tree under heaven, crowned with -the Sun; and from all its branches there spilled a golden dew upon the barren earth, and it grew green with corn; but the roots of the tree were in the waters of Ulmo, and the winds of Manwe spoke in its leaves.

Tolkien writes that the Maiar do not often take on a recognisable 'human' form:

in Middle-earth the Maiar have seldom appeared in form visible to Elves and Men.

and they often take on an intangible form:

But of Olorin that tale does not speak; for though he loved the Elves, he walked among them unseen, or in form as one of them, and they did not know whence came the fair visions or the promptings of wisdom that he put into their hearts. In later days he was the friend of all the Children of Iluvatar, and took pity on their sorrows; and those who listened to him awoke from despair and put away the imaginations of darkness.

I would imagine that if one of the Valar or Maiar chose to have wings then they could have them, but there would be no need for wings. In the case of the Eagles, they took on a recognisably animal form which happened to have wings; in the case of the Istari, wings would have been an encumbrance as they hoped to pass simply as old men among Middle Earth.