Tolkien on the Elves - California State University, Northridge

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Tolkien on the Elves

from Letter 144

[Letter 144 (April 1954) was written in response to questions
posed by Naomi Mitchison, who had been reading page-proofs of
the first two volumes of The Lord of the Rings. The following is an
extract.]

…Two of the Elvish tongues appear in this book. They have some
sort of existence, since I have composed them in some
completeness, as well as their history and account of their
relationship. They are intended (a) to be definitely of a European
kind in style and structure (not in detail); and (b) to be specially
pleasant. The former is not difficult to achieve; but the latter is
more difficult, since individuals’ personal predilections, especially
in the phonetic structure of languages, varies widely, even when
modified by the imposed languages (including their so-called
‘native’ tongue). I have therefore pleased myself. The archaic
language of lore is meant to be a kind of ‘Elven-latin’, and by
transcribing it into a spelling closely resembling that of Latin
(except that y is only used as a consonant, as y in E. Yes) the
similarity to Latin has been increased ocularly. Actually it might
be said to be composed on a Latin basis with two other (main)
ingredients that happen to give me ‘phonaesthetic’ pleasure:
Finnish and Greek. It is however less consonantal than any of the
three. This language is High-elven or in its own terms Quenya
(Elvish). The living language of the Western Elves (Sindarin or
Grey-elven) is the one usually met, especially in names. This
derived from an origin common to it and Quenya; but the changes
have been deliberately devised to give it a linguistic character very
like (though not identical with) British-Welsh: because that

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character is one that I find, in some linguistic moods, very
attractive; and because it seems to fit the rather ‘Celtic’ type of
legends and stories told of its speakers. ‘Elves’ is a translation, not
perhaps now very suitable, but originally good enough, of Quendi.
They are represented as a race similar in appearance (and more so
the further back) to Men, and in former days of the same stature. I
will not here go into their differences from Men! But I suppose that
the Quendi are in fact in these histories very little akin to the Elves
and Fairies of Europe; and if I were pressed to rationalize, I should
say that they represent really Men with greatly enhanced aesthetic
and creative faculties, greater beauty and longer life, and
nobility—the Elder Children, doomed to fade before the Followers
(Men), and to live ultimately only by the thin line of their blood
that was mingled with that of Men, among whom it was the only
real claim to ‘nobility’. They are represented as having become
early divided in to two, or three, varieties. 1. The Eldar who heard
the summons of the Valar or Powers to pass from Middle-earth
over the Sea to the West; and 2. the Lesser Elves who did not
answer it. Most of the Eldar after a great march reached the
Western Shores and passed over Sea; these were the High Elves,
who became immensely enhanced in powers and knowledge. But
part of them in the event remained in the coast-lands of the North-
west: these were the Sindar or Grey-elves. The lesser Elves hardly
appear, except as part of the people of the Elf-realm; of Northern
Mirkwood, and of Lórien, ruled by Eldar; their languages do not
appear. The High Elves met in this book are Exiles, returned back
over Sea to Middle-earth, after events which are the main matter of
the Silmarillion, part of one of the main kindreds of the Eldar: the
Noldor* (Masters of Lore). Or rather a last remnant of these. For
the Silmarillion proper and the First Age ended with the
destruction of the primeval Dark Power (of whom Sauron was a
mere lieutenant), and the rehabilitation of the Exiles, who returned
again over Sea. Those who lingered were those who were
enamoured of Middle-earth and yet desired the unchanging beauty
of the Land of the Valar. Hence the making of the Rings; for the

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Three Rings were precisely endowed with the power of
preservation, not of birth. Though unsullied, because they were not
made by Sauron nor touched by him, they were nonetheless partly
products of his instruction, and ultimately under the control of the
One. Thus, as you will see, when the One goes, the last defenders
of High-elven lore and beauty are shorn of power to hold back
time, and depart.

* N = ng as in ding.