Elves
“The
Elves far back in the Elder Days became divided into two main branches: the West-elves
(the Eldar) and the East-elves. Of
the latter kind were most of the elven-folk of Mirkwood and Lórien…” The Return of the King, p.468
The Eldar were
those who lived beyond the Sea in the realm of Valinor. There were three kindreds of
Eldar, the Vanyar, the Noldor, and the Teleri. The Grey-elves were those Eldar who, “coming to the shores
of Middle-earth, had not passed over the Sea, but had lingered on the coasts.” (ROTK 468)
The most important
of the Grey-elves was Galadriel. She was the sister of Finrod Felagund, the King of Nargothrond. (ROTK 468)
Lúthien: She was the
daughter of the great king Thingol Greycloak of Doriath. With Beren she wrested the Silmaril from the crown of Morgoth.
She was of all the Elves most fair. But she chose a mortal life and followed Beren, who she loved. Her son was
Dior. She was the ancestor of Elros and Elrond, and so of Aragorn and of Arwen, who it is said resembled her. (Silmarillion 339)
Galadriel:
She was the sister of Finrod Felagund, the King of Nargothrond. She was the Lady of Lothlórien and the wife of Celeborn. Her daughter was Celebrían, the mother of Arwen and the wife of Elrond. She was the bearer of the Ring Nenya. (331)
Arwen: She was the daughter of Elrond and
Celebrían. (RotK 383) It is said that she greatly
resembled her ancestor, Lúthien.
(383) She wedded
Aragorn Elessar and chose a mortal life. (280) She died in the ruins of Lothlórien in the year 121 of the Fourth Age. (390)
Fëanor: He was the greatest of the Noldor.
He was a craftsman and devised the Fëanorian script. He was also the maker of the Silmarils, which were filled with the light of the Trees of Valinor.
His name meant 'spirit of fire.' (Silmarillion 329)
Celebrimbor:
He was the grandson of Fëanor
and the greatest smith of the Noldor. He made the Three Rings and was the first to perceive Sauron's purpose.
He was slain by Sauron. His name meant 'hand of silver.' (321)
Thingol: He
was the leader of the host of the Teleri. He was the husband of the Maia Melian and the father of Lúthien. He was the king of Doriath, a hidden city. (350)
Gil-galad: Gil-galad's name means 'star of radiance,' although Frodo
says it means 'starlight.' (FotR 235) His true name was Ereinion. He was the last High King of the Noldor. He
was slain in the battle of the Last Alliance. (Silmarillion 331-2)
Círdan: His name means 'the shipwright.' He was the keeper of the Grey Havens and the original
keeper of the Ring of Fire, Narya. (322)
Eärendil: He was half-elven,
the son of Idril and Tuor. He was wedded to Elwing and he was the father of Elros and Elrond. He sailed to Valinor
to enlist the Valar in the war against Sauron. He sails the sky with the Silmaril which Lúthien and Beren stole from Morgoth's crown.(325)
Turgon: He was the king of the hidden city of Gondolin. He was
the father of Idril and the grandfather of Eärendil. He was counted as most wise. He perished when the orcs sacked Gondolin. (352)
Elrond:
He was the son of Eärendil and Elwing.
He was the father of Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir. He was the standard-bearer of Gil-galad and carried Vilya, the Ring
of Air, after him. He was the Master of Imladris, or Rivendell. His name means 'star-dome.' (327)
Men
It is
surprising to us, who often think of Men as "the measure of all things", to note that in Tolkien's mythology Men occupy
a somewhat subordinate position. They are not the worst, but neither are they the best. The hierarchy of Middle-earth
places them below the Elves but above the Dwarves.
They
are also mortal. The Elves are practically immortal, but Tolkien ponders mortality and wonders if it is "a gift or a
curse."
Men
are much more easily corrupted than Elves. They have the potential for great deeds, but they also have the potential
for great evil. There are heroic Men, but the Men in general are not heroic. The kings of Men were given nine Rings
because they were easily perverted.
Perhaps
Tolkien was influenced by his Catholicism. The Christian "hierarchy of the universe" does not put men on top.
They are a little lower than the angels, though they have the potential to become higher.
In
the beginning of Eä there were three houses of Men known to the Eldar. These
were known as the Atani in Quenya and the Edain in Sindarin. They were considered
the High Men and were honored above those who became known to the Eldar later. From them came the Númenoreans and the Men
of Gondor and Rohan. (Silmarillion 318)
Beren:
He loved Lúthien Tinúviel. For her sake he travelled
to Angband and cut the Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. He lost his hand there. He and Lúthien died but were allowed to return to Arda and share their lives and
their fates. (320)
Elros: He was the son of Eärendil and Elwing and the brother of Elrond. He was the
first King of Númenor. He lived
to a very old age, yet he was mortal and his descendents sometimes cursed him for his choice. His name means 'star-foam.'
(327)
Aragorn:
He was the son of Arathorn and the Heir of Isildur. After his father’s death he was sent to live with Elrond where he was given
the name Estel or “hope”. He was told his true name and lineage when
he was twenty. (RotK 383) He took
the throne in 3019 T.A., when he was 88 and wedded Arwen Undomíel that same year. (430) He was the father of Eldarion and several daughters.
He died in Minas Tirith in 120 of the Fourth Age. (435) He was also called:
Estel
Elessar-the
Elfstone
Telcontar-Strider
(This was his family name after he took the throne)
Strider
Dunadan-Man
of the West
Thorongil-Eagle
of the Star
Wingfoot
(487-495)
Tuor:
He was the son of Huor and Rían. He was sent by Ulmo to warn Turgon of the approaching doom, but Turgon did not listen. He wedded Idril,
Turgon's daughter. He was the father of Eärendil. (Silmarillion 352)
Elendil: He was descended from Eärendil and Elwing, though not in a direct line. He escaped from the Drowning of Númenor and founded the two realms
of Gondor and Arnor. He was killed by Sauron at the battle of the Last Alliance. (326)
Isildur: He
was the elder son of Elendil and the Lord of Minas Tirith. He cut the Ring from Sauron's finger and became the second
Ringbearer (after Sauron). He was slain by Orcs in the Gladden Fields when the Ring betrayed him. (327)
Denethor: He
was Steward of Gondor. He was also the father of Boromir and Faramir. He was a great and learned lore-master.
He died when he tried to set himself and Faramir on fire. (380-1)
Boromir: He
was the more beloved of his father though they were unalike. He was a great captain and warrior of Gondor and delighted
in strength of arms. He was killed by Orcs above the Falls of Rauros. (380-1)
Faramir: He
was the gentler brother. He was well loved by the people, especially Beregond. He was learned and kind.
Gandalf taught him much. (380-1) After the crowning of King Elessar he was made Prince of Ithilien and wedded the Lady Éowyn of Rohan. (263-69) He was Steward of Gondor.
The Rohirrim
The Rohirrim, or 'horse-masters' were Men from the lands in the central north of Middle-earth.
They were descended from the Edain. They came to the aid of Gondor in 2510 of the Third Age. They then settled in Calenardhon
and renamed it Rohan. (RotK 395-6)
Eorl: He was called 'the Young' because his hair remained yellow, even
when he was an old man. He was the first leader of the Rohirrim known to the Gondorans. He won the Battle of Celebrant
and saved Gondor. (396)
Éowyn:
She was the daughter of Théodwyn
and Éomund. She killed
the Chief Nazûl at the Battle of Pelennor
Fields. She wedded Faramir, son of Denethor and became the Lady of Ithilien. (398-9)
Éomer: He was
the son of Théodwyn and Éomund. He was the King of Rohan after Théoden. He wedded Lothíriel, daughter of Imrahil of Dol Amroth. He was the father of Elfwine. He ruled
for sixty-five years, the second-longest reign in the history of Rohan. (398-9)
Théoden: He was the son of Thengel, King of Rohan and Morwen of Lossarnach. He had one son, Théodred, who died in 3019 T.A.
He was poisoned by Saruman and Wormtongue but restored to clarity and health by Gandalf. He died in the Battle of Pelennor
Fields. (398)
Hobbits
'Hobbits are an unobrtusive but very ancient people, more numerous
formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside
was their favorite haunt...they are a little peole, smaller than Dwarves, less stout and stocky, that is, even when they are
not actually much shorter. Their height is variable, ranging between two and four feet of our measure...in the days
of their peace and prosperity they were a merry folk. They dressed in bright colors, being noticably fond of yellow
and green; but they seldom wore shoes, since their feet had tough leathery soles and were clad in a thick curling hair." The
Fellowship of the Ring, p. 19-20
Hobbits
were generally unknown among the lore-masters and great ones of Middle-earth. Gandalf was the first to appreciate them
fully.
Frodo:
Frodo is probably the most famous hobbit. He was the son of Drogo and Primula Baggins. They drowned when
he was young and his cousin Bilbo adopted him because they had the same birthday. He was the master of Bag End after
Bilbo. He was the Ringbearer and took the Ring to Mordor to destroy it. (RotK 435) Because of this he was given Arwen's
place on the ships going to Valinor. (282) He passed over the Sea in 3021--the last day of the Third Age. (431)
Bilbo:
He was the son of Bungo and Belladona Baggins. (435) He was born in 2890 T.A. (422) He was the master of Bag End.
He was also the Ringfinder. He went with Gandalf and the Dwarves to the Lonely Mountain where he fought in the Battle
of Five Armies. He passed over the Sea because of his long friendship with the Elves. (345)
Sam:
He was the son of Hamfast and Bell Gamgee. (438) He was the gardener at Bag End and accompanied Frodo to Mordor. He later became seven-time
Mayor of the Shire. (453) He was born in 2983 T.A., the same year as Faramir. (424) He was last seen in 61 F.A. It is said
(Tolkien-speak for this happened) that he too passed over the Sea because he was a Ringbearer, however briefly. (433)
Merry:
His true name was Meriadoc, but he was known as Merry. He was the son of Esmeralda and Saradoc Brandybuck. (437) He
was one of the Fellowship. He followed in the train of Théoden of Rohan. He was at the Battle of Pelennor Fields where he helped Éowyn kill the Chief Nazgûl. (127)
He later married Estella Bolger and became the Master of Buckland. (432) He died in Gondor. (433)
Pippin:
His true name was Peregrin. He was the son of Paladin and Eglantine Took. (436) He was one of the Fellowship. He went to
Minas Tirith with Gandalf where he became a soldier in Gondor's army. (39-48) He later became the Took and Thain and married Diamond of Long Cleve. (437) His son Faramir
married Goldilocks Gamgee, Sam's daughter.
Ents
The
Ents were the most ancient people surviving in the Third Age. They were called Onodrim or Enyd--Ent
was their name in Rohan. (RotK 472) They were the "shepherds of the wood." There
were once Entwives and Entings, but the Entwives disappeared. (TTT
89)
Treebeard:
He is the best-known Ent. His Elvish name was Fangorn. He was the master of the forest of the same name.
He met Merry and Pippin there. He organized the seige of Isengard. (63-93)
Orcs
"But
of those unhappy ones who where ensnared by Melkor little is known...Yet this is held true by the wise...that all those [captured
by Melkor] were put there into prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and thus did Melkor breed
the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes. For
the Orcs had life and multiplied after the manner of the Children of Ilúvatar; and naught that had life of its own, nor the semblance of life, could ever Melkor
make...And deep in their hearts the Orcs loathed the Master whom they served in fear, the maker only of their misery." The
Silmarillion, p. 50
Trolls
"Maybe
you have heard of Trolls? They are mighty strong. But Trolls are only counterfeits, made by the Enemy in the Great
Darkness, in mockery of Ents, as Orcs were of Elves." The Two Towers, p.91
The
Three Trolls: These are the three trolls that we know most about. They caught the Dwarves and Bilbo
and were planning to cook them when Gandalf tricked them and turned them into stone when the sun rose. Frodo and the
Fellowship saw them. (FotR 252)
Dwarves
"They
are a tough, thrawn race for the most part, secretive, laborious, retentive of the memory of injuries (and of benefits), lovers
of stone, of gems, of things that take shape under the hands of the craftsmen rather than of things that live their own life."
The Return of the King, p. 474
They
are so secretive that they do not tell their true names to any except other Dwarves. Their names are not even written
on their tombs.
There
are not many Dwarf women which has given rise to the erroneous belief that they spring from rocks. (RotK 411)
Gimli:
He was Gloín's son. He was
also one of the Fellowship and the only Dwarf. (411) He was at the Battle of Pelennor Fields, Helm's Deep, and the Field of Comallen. (127)
It is said that he passed over the sea because of his great friendship with Legolas and because of his reverence for Galadriel,
the only Dwarf to do so. (433)
Gloín: He was one of the Dwarves who went with Thorin
Oakenshield to the Lonely Mountain. He was a cousin of Balin and Dwalin and died in 15 F.A. (413)
Durin:
He was
one of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves and lived for so long that he was called Durin the Deathless. After him there were other Dwarves that looked so like him that they
were called Durin as well. (413)