Unfinished Tales - Part Two - II - Aldarion and Erendis

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This is one of the most fascinating stories written by Tolkien! It is a wonderful character study of the two title persons, as well as a deep look at a marriage that went awry.

To understand it, I think it is important to know at what time of his life Tolkien wrote the tale. Hammond and Scull date it around 1960, so the author was in his late 60s by then, and retired from teaching at the university. He had experienced his own marriage, which according to Carpenter's biography was not always blissful, and presumably seen enough of others to be realistic. That contrasts sharply with the romanticism of his youthful writing.

Those readers who considered him sexist for neglecting female roles in his published works (Hobbit and LotR, mostly) see a very insightful and sympathetic depiction of a woman's soul in his description of Erendis. However, he does not take sides with either character, and we come to understand Aldarion's reasons for his actions as well.

No black or white in this story, just lots of shades of grey! I think the author is at the very best of his abilities at this time and in this account.

Shippey compares the tale to that of Njorthr and Skathi in the Prose Edda as well as to a Breton lay by Marie de France. I'm not familiar with either, but perhaps someone else is and can add insight on that thought.

We see how a conflict carries on from one generation to the next, paving the way for later tragedy. We also get a glimpse of what was happening in Middle-earth at the time and how the characters' actions affected the events of LotR.

I look forward to reading your thoughts on this chapter!

[Formendacil]

I was diligently rereading yesterday and the thing that struck me more than anything else was Christopher Tolkien's editorial hand. To be clear, I don't mean this in a bad way; I simply mean that, more so than "Of Tuor" and the Narn, this tale needed editing to be presentable, and we're able to see it here.

The reason this fascinates me is because Christopher Tolkien takes quite a different tack in Unfinished Tales than he will later in the HoME. In the second "half" of "Aldarion and Erendis," after the completed narrative has ended, his account of where the story could have gone, based on his father's notes, is a lot more "in-world" voice. I enjoyed this approach, but it is a lot closer to his father's Appendices than his own work later. If "Aldarion and Erendis" had appeared in the HoME, we wouldn't have had a narrative account of where the story would have gone; we would probably have been given each of the outlines (barring any substantial repetitions) with some clearly distinguished commentary.

While the latter is more useful, perhaps, to scholars, I'm not sure which approach I actually prefer...


EDIT: Since the ball still seems to be in my corner, I'll add the other thoughts that occurred to me since the above: Time. Years are frittered away willy-nilly in "Aldarion and Erendis." Part of this is due, no doubt, to the "annalistic" style out of which it was composed (cf. Christopher Tolkien's introduction to Unfinished Tales, if I remember the place right), and it is no doubt worth considering that Tolkien had to move things along YEARS at a time, simply to accommodate the 400 years of Tar-Aldarion's life, which were already established in the LotR Appendices. Obviously, if the action of a normal human lifetime were accomplished in the normal number of human years, the story would be over before Aldarion was even proclaimed King's Heir. Nonetheless, the references to "normal" timeframes for the Númenóreans is fascinating: King's Heir at 100, 3 years for a betrothal, majority at 25. These are the sorts of logistical things that come up when you invent a race of people who live a few times longer than normal humans and it's interesting to watch Tolkien work at some of it in the course of the text.

The other thing that occurred to me is nomenclature--an always important thing for Tolkien scholars to take note of. Meneldur, Aldarion, and Ancalimë all become "the King's Heir of Númenor." Although I think the word prince/princess is used in the text (I am most dangerously not referring to it as I add this edit), I believe it is used more as a descriptor than as a title. Certainly, there is no "Crown Prince" of Númenor. This is interesting, because there ARE princes in the later Númenórean realms of Gondor and Arnor, all of whom are Princes-regnant: Prince of Dol-Amroth, Prince of Cardolan, Prince of Ithilien. Tolkien seems to shy away from the use of "prince" to denote the sons of princes (the sense in which "prince" is used of any monarch).

On similar lines, what is the precise status of the "Lords" of Andúnië? Or of the other preeminent descendents of Elros, such as Hallatan of Hyarnastorni? Tolkien never uses "duke" or "earl" or "baron" in Middle-earth--well, earl comes closes with "Eorl" (a proper name, mind you), but he is of Rohan, not Gondor. All we have are lords. Obviously, Númenor is not feudal--does this nomenclature simply reflect that?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

EDIT: Since the ball still seems to be in my corner, I'll add the other thoughts that occurred to me since the above: Time.

You make a good point. Time something very important to this story. The years fly by, as you said, but also most of them are spent in waiting. Both Aldarion and Erendis wait for the other to move, and this waiting is prolonged for the better part of their lives.

I can't comment much on this, I'm afraid, since I've read the story quite a while ago and do not have UT with me anymore to refresh my memory. But I'll say this about the ending: between Uinen and Erendis, the former clearly had the upper hand. If I remember correctly, Erendis threw herself into the Sea (right?), so she accepts her utter loss. For me this is the absolute best moment in the whole story, when the proud Erendis, lonely, rejected, and forgotten, admits her defeat - which makes her loss all the more bitter. I suppose Aldarion isn't in a better position, as Ancalime does not continue his work, and all that he had accomplished at the Sea was thrown away, until generations later when Numenorians begun redeveloping their seamanship.

[Dilettante]

Aldarion and Erendis! A pair of lovers doomed to never be happy. In that it rather reminds me of Tristan and Isolde. Although here, rather than being kept apart, these two can't seem to stay together. They want to be together and yet they are afraid to and they are afraid in being together they will have to surrender what they love.

I love the tale of Aldarion and Erendis, despite it's sadness. Back when I first read it, a friend and I were discussing which one of them was at fault. I decided they were both at fault. Aldarion could have not run off to sea for years at a time, flagrantly rebelled against his father, or chopped down trees in the sight of Erendis when he knew it pained her. But then, he was plagued by sea-longing, so he may have been fated to fail from the beginning.

Erendis, on the other hand, could have tried harder to be interested in the things that pleased Aldarion rather than stomping off every time he did something she did not approve of. Relationships work best when both parties at least attempt to be interested in what the other person enjoys. Neither Aldarion nor Erendis did this. They just went along their happy way and it was just too bad if the other one didn't like it. Also, Erendis' almost pathological fear of the sea is a bit silly. What did the sea ever do to her? Especially considering the Valar protected the ships of the Numenoreans. She could have tried harder to love Aldarion and the things he loved rather than loving "herself with Numenor as a setting". Which she very much did. While I think Aldarion loved the sea more than Erendis, Erendis loved herself more than Aldarion and more than she claimed to love Numenor.

The most poignant thing to me, was when the tale described how Aldarion was following Erendis around Numenor and tending to the land and planting trees was the time he had been most content. And that he did not realize how happy he was then until many years later when he was old and looking back on his life.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Dilettante

Back when I first read it, a friend and I were discussing which one of them was at fault. I decided they were both at fault.

This time I'll try to stay calm and collected and not stick my head too far into this argument that will eventually go into the consequences of pride and vanity, but as in the previous chapters I don't fault either of the proud people, or the humble, or anyone at all. No, really. Like you, I have this more neutral stance, but we're still on opposite ends. Both make their mistakes, certainly, I wouldn't deny that. But both are forgiven by me from my reader's position...in a way.

It's hard to explain. I guess that I love tragic heroes of any literary work too much to blame them for anything.

Also, Erendis' almost pathological fear of the sea is a bit silly. What did the sea ever do to her?

She had some foreshadowing/foresight that the sea will be her match and will eventually defeat her. It needed to be done to create contrast between her and Aldarion from a literary perspective. She is a "land" person. It just has to be so.


EDIT: That made me think of something. The Numenorians had a custom that before a ship leaves a woman has to place a bough of a certain tree (which one was it? Can't remember) on the prow. But one of Aldarion's branches froze during his voyages - and I believe it was the one given to him by Erendis? If so, it's your perfect symbolism of their relationship - frozen before it could reach it's potential. Also, when Aldarion becomes king he puts an eagle on his ship and gets rid of this tradition. Does he prefer dead wood that would remain as it is to living, that can grow or die? Could that also reflect how he was afraid of what changes could happen with his relationship with Erendis, and preffered none to a compromise?


This tale is full to the brim of these traditions that have such deep meaning when put into this context!

[Thinlómien]

I reread UT two years ago, and I remember the story of Aldarion and Erendis provoked a myriad of thoughts and I'm now leafing through it and trying to remember.

In a way, I like the story of Aldarion and Erendis. It's very different from other stuff Tolkien wrote, and it shows clearly his potential as a writer of complicated relationships, something that is not so much in the spotlight in his main works. I'm kind of sad it was left unfinished - I would have liked to hear more about what happened! Aldarion and Erendis are sad characters, and I can't like them, but I can't really dislike them either. In the beginning my sympathies are on Erenbdis's side, but in the end more on Aldarion's. It is quite tricky to take sides in this story.

There's one thing that bothers me in all the stuff about Númenór. As a woman who loves the sea, I find it annoying most of the women hate or dislike it, or at best they have no feelings towards it. It's difficult to say why exactly it's so annoying. Maybe because it kind of restricts women to their homes and gardens and makes it seem none of them ever felt any longing to be elsewhere, to see the world, to be free.

I can't help feeling Aldarion and Erendis would have been happier if they hadn't married after all, and it's a very sad conclusion to make from a love story. The story of Aldarion and Erendis is, for me, a lot about the sacrifices you make for love, and whether they are worth it in the end or not. I'm also wondering if what happens in the end could be called a divorce, and if any kind of divorce existed in Númenór or Middle-Earth.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This story is full of interesting details, and I'd like to continue the discussion for another week before we move on to the next. Here are some things that stood out to me:

Aldarion's father, Meneldur, also longed for something beyond his kingdom, and his great passion was astronomy. However, he did not let that keep him from being "a good and wise king", and (at least in the beginning) he let his son follow his own very different interests despite his prophetic misgivings. The later estrangement came when he lost interest in his son's endeavours, to the point of actively opposing them. The communication between them stopped.

Lack of ability to compromise has been mentioned as a cause of the tragedy of Aldarion and Erendis' marriage, and I find one passage particularly interesting:

Never would Erendis take less, that she might not lose all; and fearing the Sea, and begrudging to all ships the felling of trees which she loved, she determined that she must utterly defeat the Sea and the ships, or else be herself defeated utterly.

That shows her pride, and as so often in Tolkien's stories, pride brings downfall.

Another interesting detail - Erendis is called "the Lady of the Star-brow" - Smith of Wootton Major is also called "Starbrow"! I'm not sure there's a connection, but the word made me pause and think.

What do you think was the significance of the Elven birds? They are quite the opposite of Erendis and Aldarion:

...if one were separated from the other, at once they flew together, and they would not sing apart.

[Dilettante]

Thinlomien stated....

There's one thing that bothers me in all the stuff about Númenór. As a woman who loves the sea, I find it annoying most of the women hate or dislike it, or at best they have no feelings towards it. It's difficult to say why exactly it's so annoying. Maybe because it kind of restricts women to their homes and gardens and makes it seem none of them ever felt any longing to be elsewhere, to see the world, to be free.

I wonder about this myself. One would think that as much as the sea is emphasized among the Numenoreans, and that they are renowned as great seafarers and even called Sea-Kings if I remember correctly, that their women would like the sea as much as they do. Perhaps this is the providence of the Valar, knowing that if both men and women loved the sea they would all go out roaming and abandon Numenor entirely. Perhaps the women desiring to stay on land keeps their men coming back to the Land of Gift. Just a thought.

Still, it does seem strange that all the women hate and fear the sea. Certainly at least one or two women every generation or so would like to be a seafarer and adventurer as well? Tying into this is the fact that the women of Numenor also make no music. "For in Numenor in those days it was the part of men to play upon instruments." So, women don't go to sea and they don't play music? What's left for them to do then? Tend sheep (there appear to be a lot of shepherdesses) and garden and knit I suppose. Seems kind of a boring life. I know I would be bored.

What I find interesting is that Erendis surrounds herself with women. Her house in Emerie has no male servants and the closest man is several miles away, so it appears. She then proceeds to teach her daughter that men are evil, vile creatures and all females are better off without them. If this were a modern story, the first thing Erendis would do after Aldarion had been gone for a year would be to start an affair with one of the household staff or a handsome squire from the estate next door. Instead here, she turns her hatred of Aldarion into a hatred of all men in general.

As for the elven birds, I find them most interesting. They are truly the opposite of Aldarion and Erendis. They cannot bear to be apart and will only sing if they are together. Did the Eldar give them to Erendis in hopes that the two of them would be like these birds? Or perhaps to be a lesson to both of them: You should be like these birds, not happy unless together.

One more thing that perhaps should be touched on. Erendis seems to often, if not always, dressed in white and is called "the White Lady of Emerie." Is there a significance to this white? Is she in white because she is cold? Rather like Eowyn being the White Lady of Rohan and she is also as a frosted flower.

[Guinevere]

Though tragedies are usually just too sad for me to read, I have become fond of this story. Aldarion and Erendis seem very much alive and "real" for me!

The story of their relationship in its "other time" setting, contains much timeless truth. And here again we find many poignant quotes and applicable wise sayings, coming from both sides of the conflict.

Same as Thinlómien said, in the beginning my sympathies are more on Erendis's side, but towards the end more on Aldarion's.

It also struck me, like Formendacil said, how much time was “frittered away” because of the longevity of the Númenoreans . All those years that Erendis spent waiting for Aldarion to make up his mind, and when he finally wooed her in earnest, she “held back nigh twelve years”! She had a lot of patience and forgave him many times, but how could she believe he would stop voyaging after they were married? I think those two were just too different from each other, had hardly any common interests and failed to make compromises. Though they were in love they did not really understand each other.

I cannot relate to Erendis anymore in the end, how she retreated completely from society, and hated not only her husband but all men (why?) and what is worse, how she isolated her child from all normal company and taught her to despise men. (Though that example of her teaching that is preserved has a lot of insight!)

My favourite character in this story however, is king Meneldur! I can relate very much to his conflict after reading Gil-Galad’s letter.
"When either way may lead to evil, of what worth is choice?"

And I was so thrilled when I first saw Gil-Galads letter! Up to now he had only been the mythic Elven King "of whom the harpers sadly sing" – and here we get to read a letter from him! Such a pity there was not more about him!

I see the birds that were given by the Elves of Eressea as a symbol of conjugal love.

I also think that the different attitudes of Men and Elves towards the tree that the Elves gave at the wedding are typical! Aldarion said "The wood of such a tree must be precious." And the Elves answered "Maybe, we know not. None has ever been hewn. It bears cool leaves in summer and lowers in winter. It is for this that we prize it."

Originally posted by Thinlomien:
As a woman who loves the sea, I find it annoying most of the women hate or dislike it, or at best they have no feelings towards it.

We know only about Erendis and queen Almarian. Were there any others mentioned?

As far as I recall, in medeaval times, sailing was an exclusively male domain. Were there any woman actively sailing in medeaval times ? I can only recall male Vikings for example.

Originally posted by Galadriel55
"Erendis threw herself into the Sea (right?)"

That’s not exactly what was stated. In old age she longed once more for Aldarion and went incognito to Rómenna to seek him.
"There, it seems, she met her fate; but only the words "Erendis perished in water in the year 985" remain to suggest how it came to pass."

Btw I just remembered a statement that Philip Pullman made some years ago (and that enraged me)

“Tolkien is not interested in the way grownup, adult human beings interact with each other. He’s interested in maps and plans and languages and codes.”

If Pullman had read "Aldarion and Erendis" he would have had to revise this opinion!!

[Snowdog]

In the early 1980's I was at a sort of hippy tea house where they conducted readings of books followed by discussion. Imagine my surprise when the evening I wandered in, they were starting a reading of Aldarion and Erendis. I had only recently read through the chapter and I loved the actual insights into Numenor. Anyway, the discussion led to some interesting hypothesis on their relationship. Some of what I remember is touched on in some of this discussion here.

Originally Posted by Dilettante

What I find interesting is that Erendis surrounds herself with women. Her house in Emerie has no male servants and the closest man is several miles away, so it appears. She then proceeds to teach her daughter that men are evil, vile creatures and all females are better off without them. If this were a modern story, the first thing Erendis would do after Aldarion had been gone for a year would be to start an affair with one of the household staff or a handsome squire from the estate next door. Instead here, she turns her hatred of Aldarion into a hatred of all men in general.

There was a thought expressed that The White Lady of Emerie was possibly a lesbian and enjoyed the company of women in her house. Her reasoning for marrying Aldarion had to do more with acquiring power than love, but the relationship may of had its beginnings in brief but intense lustful period which didn't carry over to their marriage.

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I can't help feeling Aldarion and Erendis would have been happier if they hadn't married after all, and it's a very sad conclusion to make from a love story. The story of Aldarion and Erendis is, for me, a lot about the sacrifices you make for love, and whether they are worth it in the end or not. I'm also wondering if what happens in the end could be called a divorce, and if any kind of divorce existed in Númenór or Middle-Earth.

I never really saw it as a love story but more of a tragic tale if a married couple. They were in essence 'separated' for years on end while Aldarion was in Middle Earth. One f the hypothesis that came up was the possibility that Aldarion had a 2nd family in Middle Earth. Anyway, the consensus, then and now, is the reader at first feels for Erendis, but by the end, feels more for Aldarion.

I always liked this chapter for its showing the Numenoreans off exploring in their tall ships, and the brief expansion of Gil Galad with his letter.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Snowdog

There was a thought expressed that The White Lady of Emerie was possibly a lesbian and enjoyed the company of women in her house.

She did say to him he had been neglecting their bed, and he said in reply that he had the feeling she did not want him there [UT, p. 201]. I'm not sure if that necessarily implies her having a thing for women because it seems she did want to be with him and hoped that because they did not have a son he'd stay with her longer.

I do think she was a bit unfair and created a bad situation for herself. Aldarion did try to compromise with her and told her that she could live with him on the ship and they could go to lands where there were great forests. She would have none of it and rejected the sea. Although he kept breaking promises, staying away longer than promised like when after they had their daughter. She tried to keep him from what he loved to do, he was willing to make some compromise but she was like only the trees on Númenor were good enough for her.

I'm not sure if Aldarion had much time for women. He knew Erendis for 70 years before they even got together and her beauty is described as "a kind seldom seen in Númenor" [p. 185]. I think he did a lot of exploring while away, sometimes getting caught up in bad weather, and at times working with Gil-galad or building ties with him. Maybe a stronger case could be made for Aldarion's homo-sexuality, but I do think they were both straight and that he was not a slave of the desires of his 2nd head as men are in our world. He was held in esteem by Gil-galad and where his father felt overwhelmed by the news he received from the Elven-king this was not the case with Aldarion and his father felt he had to give the Kingship to him for this reason.

I think the relationship was forced. Aldarion felt the weight of the ball and chain of marriage. He did not really want that. They liked each other to be sure, but marriage was not the best thing for them, especially with Aldarion's mood and her own uncompromising one. I'd say if you want to blame anyone for the whole situation blame his grandfather Vëantur, hahaha

[NogrodtheGreat]

I've always found Aldarion and Erendis a fascinating little tale. Coming from reading the Lord of the Rings, one would never anticipate that Tolkien would've written something even remotely as, well, Jane Austen-esque. Of course Tolkien is here even more pessimistic about the possibilities of monogamous relationships that Austen, but like her he depicts the strictures of society acting as buffers for two people who in another social situation might actually function as a couple.

I've always thought it would make an excellent "period-piece" film. It would certainly be the most unusual fantasy movie ever made, but I think it would do very well, and it would certainly change perceptions of Tolkien as an author and as a writer! If only we could convince Adam Tolkien to hire Michael Arndt to write a good screenplay from the Unfinished Tales fragments once Christopher paces into the Netherworld! Of course marketing such a film would be a nightmare!

Numenorean society here is really delicately evoked here, on a social level, more completely than, say, Gondorian society in the Third Age (we only see it there though the eyes of a hobbit and during wartime).

As to the possible homosexual take re. Erendis - I think this is a very legitimate reading. She certainly seems to be reacting against all those things that the men have appropriated to themselves in Numenorean society - adventure, the sea, etc. Perhaps there is a sexual element in this rebellion as well.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

On similar lines, what is the precise status of the "Lords" of Andúnië? Or of the other preeminent descendents of Elros, such as Hallatan of Hyarnastorni?

Like some non-descendants of Elros, they could be on the Council. Or they could be in line for the throne. It seems Tar-Aldarion sometimes used his cousin Hallatan, or his daughter as regent. I'd also say they were probably preferred as marriage partners, certainly Aldarion saw it this way after having married Erendis and figured her shorter life-span may have been at the root of their problems.

The only other thing I can remember about Men of the Line of Elros besides the Kings, were in Erendis' tirade against men. She claimed that the high men, "are neither one or the other" that is, neither Man nor Elf and that they "dally in the world" and "turn great matters into play" [UT, p. 216] and vice-versa. Another interesting thing she mentioned that reminds me of one of the last (or remaining few) of the High Men of the 3rd Age was when she mentioned, "They would be craftsmen and loremasters and heroes all at once;" [p. 216] which is almost exactly like one of the Gondorians described Faramir to be.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I suppose Aldarion isn't in a better position, as Ancalime does not continue his work, and all that he had accomplished at the Sea was thrown away, until generations later when Numenorians begun redeveloping their seamanship.

I suppose this is true, but he did seem to value her [Ancalimë's] independence and not want to take that away from her. Although it seems that while his father [Meneldur] thought he was the right man for the moment to be dealing with the issues Gil-galad had wrote to him about, apparently he was too early or late. I guess that they were at that time probably not strong enough to deal with Sauron? I'm not so sure.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Belegorn

I suppose this is true, but he did seem to value her [Ancalimë's] independence and not want to take that away from her.

I wonder if Aldarion's permissiveness toward Ancalimë wasn't due more to a desire to vex his ex-wife, than wanting to please his daughter.

Originally Posted by Belegorn

Although it seems that while his father [Meneldur] thought he was the right man for the moment to be dealing with the issues Gil-galad had wrote to him about, apparently he was too early or late. I guess that they were at that time probably not strong enough to deal with Sauron? I'm not so sure.

I think Meneldur's decision to cede rule to Aldarion was borne of a reluctance to make such momentous choices himself. He was afraid both of "warriorizing" his people on the one hand, and taking the xenophobic, head-in-the-sand stance on the other. Therefore, he passed the buck, knowing he'd be dead before any fruits of his son's kingly acts were likely to be evident.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I wonder if Aldarion's permissiveness toward Ancalimë wasn't due more to a desire to vex his ex-wife, than wanting to please his daughter.

Perhaps, but there is a piece of text which I'd like to quote. After having his men basically tear down the house and trees in Armenelos except the white Elven-tree which "recalled to him his daughter" he said, "I will call you also Ancalimë. May you and she stand so in long life, unbent by wind or will, and unclipped!" [UT, p. 213] I think his blow at Erendis was his change in the law of succession so that Ancalimë could be the ruling Queen.

It was this new law which Arvedui invoked when he tried to reclaim the high kingship. "Moreover, in Númenor of old the sceptre descended to the eldest child of the king, whether man or woman." [RotK, p. 371] So that instead of looking for the closest man of male descent, someone like Valandil [Meneldur's nephew from his sister] rather than Malantur [Meneldur's cousin who was Elendil's brother's grandson] could be Meneldur's successor. Just as Soronto had a case to be King even though he came from the female line, as his mom was Aldarion's sister.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I think Meneldur's decision to cede rule to Aldarion was borne of a reluctance to make such momentous choices himself. He was afraid both of "warriorizing" his people on the one hand, and taking the xenophobic, head-in-the-sand stance on the other. Therefore, he passed the buck, knowing he'd be dead before any fruits of his son's kingly acts were likely to be evident.

Good point and I agree. He seemed to be pretty unsettled when he received the news from Gil-galad. It seems he and Erendis were of the same mind on this point too. She taught Ancalimë that:

"Númenor was to be a rest after war. But if they are weary of rest and the plays of peace, soon they will go back to their great play, manslaying and war." [UT, p. 217]