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#1 | ||||||
Overshadowed Eagle
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: The north-west of the Old World, east of the Sea
Posts: 3,857
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So far as I can tell, the Downs doesn't seem to have a thread devoted to this topic (though this one over in Movies touches on it), and I've just uncovered not one, but two 'new' pieces of information to inform our picture of how the Eldar married. So here we go...
It's customary in this discussion to begin by quoting Laws and Customs among the Eldar, as found in HoME X: Morgoth's Ring, and I am not one to break with tradition: Quote:
Except... does it? Look again at Tolkien's wording: "It was the act of bodily union that achieved marriage, and after which the indissoluble bond was complete." "...without ceremony or witness (save blessings exchanged and the naming of the Name); and the union so joined was alike indissoluble." Tolkien is actually very, very clear here: a marriage is formed by two things. The 'act of bodily union' is one of them - but the other, which appears to come first, is a formal blessing by the Name of the One. This can be given by relatives, or by the bride and groom to each other - but it's a definite part of making the 'indissoluble bond'. What, then, would be the Elvish view of pre-marital sex? Like most people, I've always assumed it was an impossibility - that the 'act of bodily union' is automatically a wedding. But on closer reading, Tolkien actually doesn't say that. Are there other parts of LaCE which touch on this? We read that "their spirits being masters of their bodies, [elves] are seldom swayed by the desires of the body only, but are by nature continent and steadfast", but this doesn't say that they didn't have and express 'desires of the body', just that they weren't driven by them (in this case, into inappropriate marriages). Probably the biggest indicator is the discussion of the bearing of children, which tells us this: Quote:
Quote:
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In summary, then:
So far, so old hat; I'd be surprised if people hadn't argued this before. But I also found something else - not in LaCE, but in the new Fall of Gondolin: Quote:
-There is a dedicated 'Place of Wedding' in the holiest part of the city of Gondolin. The first passage implies that Tuor and Idril being married in Gar Ainion is special, but the second makes it clear: this is where many weddings take place. Confirmation, if it was needed, that marriage is deeply holy among the Eldar. -Idril wore her hair unbraided at her wedding. Further, this is implied to be unusual for her. Now, yes, it's dangerous to extrapolate from one example, but to my knowledge this is the only description of a wedding in all the Legendarium (Aragorn and Arwen just get a day named, for example). So what can we deduce from this brief passage? In a word: simplicity. An Elvish wedding isn't a showy affair. There is no expensive dress, no mass of decorations - indeed, the whole 'groom doesn't see the bride beforehand' concept is impossible; they're both at a feast prior to the marriage! They wear simple clothes, which in Valinor - wealthy, blessed Valinor - is going to dramatically mark them out. When everyone around you has their hair elaborately done, simple unbraided locks are as much a marker as a white dress is to us. It's also worth noting this context, from HoME XII: The People of Middle-earth: Quote:
As I say, it's a huge house of cards to build on one comment. But it's all I've found, and I don't think it's something anyone has spotted before. hS |
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#2 |
Spirit of Nen Lalaith
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Meneltarma
Posts: 5,376
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Tuor: Yeah, it was me who broke [Morleg's] arm. With a wrench. Specifically, this wrench. I am suffering from Maeglinomaniacal Maeglinophilia. |
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#3 | ||
Overshadowed Eagle
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: The north-west of the Old World, east of the Sea
Posts: 3,857
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#4 |
Loremaster of Annúminas
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,307
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I'm not sure there was one single custom. I suspect it was different among the Sindar, the Exiled Noldor, in Valinor, and probably very different between the First and Third ages.
I could see the Noldor of Gondolin going for the bling. This culture revolved around the works of their hands almost as much as that of Eregion. The Sindar, something much simpler and nature oriented. The chastened Noldor of Frodo's time, possibly a back-to-basics ethos (like we saw with Gildor's company- although Gildor apologized for his "rustic" hospitality).
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The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it. |
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#5 | ||
Overshadowed Eagle
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: The north-west of the Old World, east of the Sea
Posts: 3,857
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hS |
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