Research Notes: Valinor and the Undying Lands

Overview

Valinor—the Land of the Valar—stands as Tolkien's vision of paradise within Arda, a realm "beyond the sea" where the immortal powers dwell. Located on the continent of Aman far to the west of Middle-earth, Valinor represents both a physical paradise and a theological concept central to Tolkien's exploration of mortality, immortality, and the relationship between the divine and the created. The Undying Lands (a term encompassing both Valinor and the larger continent of Aman) serve as the dwelling place of the Valar (godlike beings), the Maiar (their servants), and the Elves who answered the summons to cross the sea.

The significance of Valinor in Tolkien's legendarium cannot be overstated: it is where the Two Trees provided the first light before the Sun and Moon existed, where the Elves reached the pinnacle of their culture and craft, and where the greatest tragedy of the Elder Days began with Melkor's destruction and the Noldor's rebellion. It is also the destination denied to mortals—a ban that led to the catastrophic downfall of Númenor and the literal reshaping of the world.

Primary Sources

The Silmarillion

#### Creation and Establishment of Valinor - "When Valinor was full-wrought and the mansions of the Valar were established, in the midst of the plain beyond the mountains they built their city, Valmar of many bells. Before its western gate there was a green mound, Ezellohar, that is named also Corollairë; and Yavanna hallowed it, and she sat there long upon the green grass and sang a song of power." (The Silmarillion, "Of the Beginning of Days")

- After Melkor destroyed the Two Lamps in Year of the Valar 3450, ending the Spring of Arda: "The Valar departed from Middle-earth and settled in Aman, where they established the realm of Valinor."

#### The Two Trees of Valinor - "Upon the mound there came forth two slender shoots; and silence was over all the world in that hour, nor was there any other sound save the chanting of Yavanna. Under her song the saplings grew and became fair and tall, and came to flower; and thus there awoke in the world the Two Trees of Valinor." (The Silmarillion, "Of the Beginning of Days")

- Description of Telperion: "The one had leaves of dark green that beneath were as shining silver, and from each of his countless flowers a dew of silver light was ever falling, and the earth beneath was dappled with the shadow of his fluttering leaves."

- Description of Laurelin: "The other bore leaves of a young green like the new-opened beech; their edges were of glittering gold. Flowers swung upon her branches in clusters of yellow flame, formed each to a glowing horn that spilled a golden rain upon the ground."

- "Telperion the one was called in Valinor, and Silpion, and Ninquelótë, and many other names; but Laurelin the other was, and Malinalda, and Culúrien, and many names in song beside."

- The cycle of light: "At the sixth hour of the First Day, and of all the joyful days thereafter, until the Darkening of Valinor, Telperion ceased his time of flower; and at the twelfth hour Laurelin her blossoming. And each day of the Valar in Aman contained twelve hours, and ended with the second mingling of the lights, in which Laurelin was waning but Telperion was waxing."

- "The dews of Telperion and the rain that fell from Laurelin were hoarded by Varda in great vats like shining lakes, that were to all the land of the Valar as wells of water and of light."

#### The Darkening of Valinor - "Concealed in a cloud of darkness, the two of them [Melkor and Ungoliant] struck during a high feast. The Unlight of Ungoliant devoured the roots, while Melkor came onto Ezellohar, striking both Trees with his black spear. The sap of the Two Trees poured like blood upon Ezellohar where insatiable Ungoliant sucked it up."

- After the destruction: "The Two Trees were destroyed by Melkor and Ungoliant, but their last flower and fruit were made by the Valar into the Moon and the Sun."

#### The Noldor's Exile - Fëanor's speech and oath drove the first rebellion against the Valar: "He swore a terrible oath, as did his sons, to pursue Melkor and reclaim the Silmarils at all costs."

- The Kinslaying: "The first fruit of their fall was in Paradise [Valinor], the slaying of Elves by Elves"—referring to the kinslaying at Alqualondë when Fëanor's host took the Teleri's ships by force.

- The Doom of Mandos: "A messenger from the Valar came later and delivered the Doom of Mandos, pronouncing judgement on the Noldor for the Kinslaying and rebellion and warning that if they proceeded their oath would betray them, and moreover they would be slain or tormented by grief."

#### The Ban of the Valar - Manwë's messengers to Númenor: "For it is not the land of Manwë that makes its people deathless, but the Deathless that dwell therein have hallowed the land; and there you would but wither and grow weary the sooner, as moths in a light too strong and steadfast." (The Silmarillion, Akallabêth)

- "The Doom of the World,' they said, 'One alone can change who made it. And were you so to voyage that escaping all deceits and snares you came indeed to Aman, the Blessed Realm, little would it profit you." (The Silmarillion, Akallabêth)

#### The Downfall of Númenor and the Changing of the World - Ar-Pharazôn's invasion: "He prepared then the greatest armament that the world had seen, and when all was ready he sounded his trumpets and set sail; and he broke the Ban of the Valar, going up with war to wrest everlasting life from the Lords of the West."

- The divine response: "Manwë called upon Ilúvatar, and for that time the Valar laid down their government of Arda." "A great chasm opened between Valinor and Númenor, and the ships of the Númenóreans were swallowed, and the trembling of the earth buried Ar-Pharazôn and his men beneath the falling mountains. Aman and Eressëa were removed from the world, and Númenor toppled into the great chasm and was lost."

- "After the drowning of Númenor, Ilúvatar removes Valinor from the physical world, leaving it accessible only to elves via the Straight Road."

Tolkien's Letters

#### Letter to Naomi Mitchison (September 1954) - On mortals in Valinor: "The mythical idea underlying is that for mortals, since their 'kind' cannot be changed for ever, this is strictly only a temporary reward: a healing and redress of suffering. They cannot abide for ever, and though they cannot return to mortal earth, they can and will 'die' - of free will, and leave the world."

- "As for Frodo or other mortals, they could only dwell in Aman for a limited time – whether brief or long. The Valar had neither the power nor the right to confer 'immortality' upon them. Their sojourn was a 'purgatory', but one of peace and healing."

#### The Waldman Letter (1951) - On the Elves vs. Men: "The doom of the Elves is to be immortal, to love the beauty of the world, to bring it to full flower with their gifts of delicacy and perfection, to last while it lasts, never leaving it even when 'slain', but returning."

- On mortality: "The Doom (or Gift) of Men is mortality, freedom from the circles of the world."

- "The three major themes of his works are Fall, Mortality, and Machine."

#### On Valinor as Earthly Paradise (November 1954) - Tolkien himself termed the home of the Valar "an earthly Elvish paradise" (his emphasis), commenting that for mortals this is "strictly only a temporary reward: a healing and redress of suffering."

#### On Frodo's Journey - "Frodo was sent or allowed to pass over Sea to heal him - if that could be done, before he died. He would have eventually to 'pass away': no mortal could, or can, abide for ever on earth, or within Time. So he went both to a purgatory and to a reward, for a while: a period of reflection and peace and a gaining of a truer understanding of his position in littleness and in greatness, spent still in Time amid the natural beauty of 'Arda Unmarred', the Earth unspoiled by evil."

The Lord of the Rings

- At the Grey Havens: "Two years after the destruction of the One Ring and the fall of Sauron, the Hobbits Frodo Baggins and Bilbo Baggins were permitted to go to Valinor since they had borne Sauron's One Ring, marking the end of the Third Age."

- Gandalf's presence on the ship: As one of the Maiar, Gandalf returns to Valinor after completing his mission in Middle-earth.

Unfinished Tales

- Material on the geography of Aman, the history of the Númenóreans, and additional details about the voyages to Valinor.

- Further elaboration on the fate of the Istari (Wizards) and their relationship to Valinor.

The History of Middle-earth

#### The Shaping of Middle-earth (Volume IV) - Contains The Ambarkanta ("Shape of the World"), a collection of maps and diagrams showing Tolkien's evolving cosmology.

- "Diagram III of the Ambarkanta maps details the shape of Arda after the Changing of the World. The entirety of Ambar is made round: the Old Lands of the flat Arda now make up one half of Arda made round, and the New Lands form the other half. Vista becomes the lower atmospheres, while Ilmen becomes the upper atmospheres and the regions of outer space. Valinor and Eressëa are shown here to dwell within Ilmen. Passing away from the curvature of the earth and into Valinor within Ilmen is the Straight Path."

#### The Book of Lost Tales (Volume I) - Chapter III: "The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor" contains early versions of the mythology.

#### Morgoth's Ring (Volume X) - Contains later revisions and theological discussions of the nature of the Valar, evil, and the fate of Elves and Men.

- "Myths Transformed" section: Tolkien came to the view that Middle-earth's cosmology is legend handed down from ancient times—similar to our own creation legends. In these later writings, Arda was a round world from its beginning, and the idea of a flat world was instead an invention of the Númenóreans.

Key Facts & Timeline

Years of the Valar (Before the First Age)

- YV 3450: Melkor destroys the Two Lamps (Illuin and Ormal), ending the Spring of Arda. The Valar depart from Middle-earth and settle in Aman, establishing Valinor.

- After settlement: The Valar raise the Pelóri Mountains as a defensive barrier against Melkor. Manwë and Varda establish their halls of Ilmarin atop Taniquetil, the highest peak.

- Early Valinor: Yavanna sings the Two Trees into being upon the green mound of Ezellohar, watered by the tears of Nienna. The Trees provide light for Valinor on a twelve-hour cycle.

- YT 1050: The Awakening of the Elves at Cuiviénen in Middle-earth. Oromë discovers them during his hunts and reports back to Valinor.

- After YT 1050: The Valar wage war against Melkor to protect the newly awakened Elves. The Battle of the Powers results in Melkor's capture and imprisonment.

- The Great Journey begins: Three ambassadors (Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë) are brought to Valinor by Oromë. Upon returning, they convince their people to make the journey west.

- The Elves arrive: Ulmo ferries the Elves across the sea using the island that would become Tol Eressëa. The Vanyar, Noldor, and (eventually) some Teleri settle in Valinor and Eldamar.

- Establishment of Elvish cities: - Tirion built by the Noldor (and initially Vanyar) in the Calacirya pass - Alqualondë built by the Teleri on the shores - Valimar (Valmar) as the city of the Valar - Tol Eressëa becomes home to many Teleri

- The Darkening of Valinor: Melkor, released from captivity, allies with Ungoliant. During a festival, they destroy the Two Trees. Melkor also slays Finwë and steals the Silmarils.

- The Flight of the Noldor: Fëanor swears his oath and leads most of the Noldor in rebellion. The Kinslaying at Alqualondë occurs. The Doom of Mandos is pronounced. The Noldor are exiled from Valinor.

- Creation of the Sun and Moon: From the last flower and fruit of the Two Trees, the Valar create the Moon (from Telperion) and Sun (from Laurelin), establishing the count of days.

Second Age

- SA 32: Elros and many of the Edain sail to Númenor, the island kingdom gifted to Men by the Valar, positioned between Middle-earth and Aman (but closer to Middle-earth).

- SA 600: The first ships from Númenor return to Middle-earth, beginning their period of exploration and dominion.

- Throughout the Second Age: The Ban of the Valar forbids Númenóreans from sailing west out of sight of Númenor.

- SA 3262: Ar-Pharazôn, last king of Númenor, captures Sauron and brings him to Númenor. Sauron corrupts the King and the people.

- SA 3310: Preparations begin for the invasion of Valinor.

- SA 3319: Ar-Pharazôn's armada reaches the shores of Valinor. Manwë calls upon Ilúvatar. The world is changed: Númenor is drowned, Aman is removed from the physical world, and Arda is made round. The Straight Road is established for the Elves.

Third Age

- Throughout the Third Age: Elves periodically sail west to Valinor via the Straight Road.

- TA 3021 (September 29): Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond sail from the Grey Havens to Valinor, marking the end of the Third Age.

Fourth Age

- Early Fourth Age: Samwise Gamgee, after the death of his wife Rosie, sails to Valinor as the last Ring-bearer (around FO 61).

- FO 120: Legolas and Gimli sail to Valinor together. Gimli becomes the only Dwarf to reach the Undying Lands.

Geographic Locations

Aman (The Blessed Realm)

According to The Silmarillion's Index: "Aman is 'the name of the land in the West, beyond the Great Sea, in which the Valar dwelt' while Valinor is 'The land of the Valar in Aman, beyond the mountains of the Pelóri.'"

Ekkaia, the Encircling Sea, surrounds both Aman and Middle-earth in the original flat-world cosmology.

The Pelóri Mountains

Raised by the Valar after Melkor's destruction of Almaren to protect their new home from attack. The range runs along the east coast of Aman, protecting Valinor on three sides (excluding the north, which was protected by ice flows).

Calacirya (The Pass of Light)

It is said that many jewels were embedded in the rocks of its walls. The pass looked out onto the Bay of Eldamar and illuminated the isle of Tol Eressëa. After the Hiding of Valinor following the Noldor's exile, this remained the only gap through the mountains—the Valar kept it open so the remaining Elves could breathe outside air and see the stars, and to maintain connection between the inland Elves and the Teleri on the coast.

Ezellohar (Corollairë)

Valimar (Valmar)

Tirion

A scion of Telperion, called Galathilion, grew in Tirion—a pale imitation of the original but still radiating silver light.

Alqualondë (Haven of the Swans)

Tol Eressëa (The Lonely Isle)

Many Teleri lived here for ages before eventually building ships to reach the shores of Aman proper. After the First Age, it became home to many Eldar returning from Middle-earth. The principal city is Avallónë on the eastern shore. Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, and Gimli spent their final mortal years here.

The Bay of Eldamar

Other Regions of Valinor

The Straight Road

The Straight Road follows "the old path across Belegaer from before the Akallabêth and Change of the World."

Significant Characters

The Valar (The Powers)

The Enemy

The Elves

The Mortals

Themes & Symbolism

Paradise and the Fall

Valinor functions as Tolkien's "Earthly Paradise," directly comparable to the Garden of Eden. Scholar Matthew Dickerson notes the parallel of the Two Trees to the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge. Just as Eden witnessed the Fall of Man, Valinor witnessed the fall of the Elves.

Tolkien himself wrote: "The first fruit of their fall was in Paradise [Valinor], the slaying of Elves by Elves"—the Kinslaying at Alqualondë representing the original sin of the Eldar. Pride drove this fall: Fëanor's pride in his own creations (the Silmarils), his grief transmuted into wrath, and his refusal to submit to the counsel of the Valar.

The parallel extends to expulsion: just as Adam and Eve were driven from Eden, the Noldor were exiled from Valinor, with the Doom of Mandos serving as their curse, predicting grief and betrayal.

Light as Divine Presence

The Two Trees represent the physical manifestation of divine grace and beauty. Verlyn Flieger has described "the progressive splintering of the light of the Two Trees through Middle-earth's troubled history," noting that light represents the Christian Logos—the Word made manifest.

The sequence of light's diminishment tracks the Fall: 1. Original Light: The Two Trees in their full glory, seen only in Valinor 2. The Silmarils: The light captured and preserved by Fëanor, but fought over and causing endless grief 3. The Sun and Moon: Made from the Trees' last fruit and flower, lesser lights for a fallen world 4. The stars: Varda's first creation, pale and distant but still reflecting divine beauty 5. Darkness: The absence of light, Melkor's domain, represented by Ungoliant's "Unlight" that devours rather than merely obscures

In biblical terms, "light has always been a symbol of holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom, grace, hope, and God's revelation," while "darkness has been associated with evil, sin, and despair." Tolkien, a devout Catholic, employed light in this same symbolic framework.

Mortality vs. Immortality: The Gift and the Doom

Valinor crystallizes Tolkien's meditation on mortality and immortality. The Elves are bound to Arda—even when "slain," their spirits return to the Halls of Mandos and may be re-embodied. They will last as long as Arda lasts, but are bound to it.

Men, by contrast, possess the "Gift of Ilúvatar"—death, which allows them to depart beyond the Circles of the World. As The Silmarillion states: "Death is their fate, the gift of Iluvatar, which as Time wears even the Powers shall envy."

The tragedy of Númenor stems from rejecting this gift, seeing it instead as a curse. The Ban of the Valar was not cruelty but recognition of metaphysical reality: Valinor cannot make mortals immortal because immortality is not in the power of the Valar to grant. As Manwë's messengers said: "It is not the land of Manwë that makes its people deathless, but the Deathless that dwell therein have hallowed the land."

Mortals who entered Valinor—Frodo, Bilbo, Sam, Gimli—did not become immortal. They found healing and peace, but eventually died natural deaths. Their sojourn was "a purgatory and a reward," a preparation for whatever lay beyond the world, just as the Earthly Paradise prepares souls for the Celestial Paradise in Catholic theology.

The Gift became corrupted by Melkor's shadow: Men came to fear death rather than embrace it. Only the wise—the early Kings of Númenor and Aragorn—treated death as the gift it was meant to be, accepting it freely when their time came.

Separation and Inaccessibility

After the Downfall of Númenor, Valinor becomes literally unreachable for mortals. The world is made round, but Aman exists outside the circles of the world, accessible only via the Straight Road that departs from the curvature of the earth.

This represents loss—the severing of direct connection between the mortal and immortal, the divine and the material. Paradise exists but cannot be stormed, cannot be reached by force or presumption. Only by grace (for the Elves) or special dispensation (for the few mortals) can one reach it.

The memory of the Straight Road persists in human myth and legend—Atlantis, the Blessed Isles, Avalon, Hy Brasil, Saint Brendan's Island. These are cultural echoes of the true path that once existed but is now hidden. As Tolkien wrote: "The 'Atlantis' part of the legendarium explores the theme of the memory of a 'straight road' into the West, which now only exists in memory or myth, because the physical world has been changed."

The Dwelling of the Gods: Divine Immanence

Valinor represents the dwelling place of divine powers within the created world—not Heaven itself, but a place where the angelic beings live in physical form. This allows Tolkien to explore divine action within history while maintaining the transcendence of Eru Ilúvatar, the One God who dwells beyond the world.

The Valar are sub-creators who entered Eä (the created universe) to shape it according to the Music of the Ainur. Valinor is where they rest from their labors and where their power is most concentrated. Yet even here, they are limited: they cannot kill Men (having no authority over them), cannot grant immortality, and must ultimately call upon Eru when faced with Ar-Pharazôn's invasion.

This hierarchy—Eru above all, the Valar as governors of Arda, Elves and Men as the Children of Ilúvatar with their own destinies—mirrors Catholic angelology while remaining distinctly Tolkien's own creation.

Exile and Longing

The Noldor's exile from Valinor creates the central tension of The Silmarillion. Having seen the Blessed Realm, they can never be fully content in Middle-earth. Their works are magnificent but tinged with sorrow—Gondolin and Nargothrond are attempts to recreate Tirion's beauty, but they are doomed.

This longing extends to all Elves in Middle-earth. The "Sea-longing" that comes upon them is the call of Valinor, the desire to return to the Blessed Realm. As the ages pass, more and more Elves answer this call, diminishing in Middle-earth and sailing west.

For those who rebelled, the longing is joined with guilt and the weight of the Doom of Mandos. Only after the War of Wrath and the defeat of Morgoth is the Ban lifted, allowing even the exiled Noldor to return. But by then, millennia have passed, and many choose to remain in Middle-earth for love of the lands and people.

Scholarly Interpretations & Theories

Catholic Theology and Medieval Cosmology

In Catholic and medieval cosmography, there are two paradises: an Earthly Paradise and a Celestial Paradise. The Earthly Paradise is theoretically describable and exists within the created world—Eden before the Fall, or the mountaintop paradise of Dante's Purgatorio. The Celestial Paradise is Heaven itself, beyond human description.

Tolkien, both a medievalist and a devout Catholic, structured his cosmology along these lines. Valinor is the Earthly Paradise—beautiful, holy, but still within the circles of the world (until the Changing). It is not Heaven but a preparation for it. A mortal's stay there is "only temporary, not conferring immortality, just as, in medieval Christian theology, the Earthly Paradise is only a preparation for the Celestial Paradise that is above."

This interpretation explains why Frodo's journey is described as both "purgatory and reward"—purgatory in the classical Catholic sense of purification and healing, reward in the sense of rest from earthly suffering.

Comparisons to Dante's Paradiso

Multiple scholars have drawn parallels between Valinor and Dante's vision of Paradise in the Divine Comedy. The progression from Middle-earth to Valinor mirrors the soul's ascent through Purgatorio to Paradiso. The hierarchies of being—mortals, Elves, Maiar, Valar, and ultimately Eru—echo Dante's ascending spheres of blessed souls, angels, and God.

The light imagery is particularly Dantean: Dante's Paradiso is structured around increasing intensities of divine light, culminating in a vision of the Trinity as three circles of light. Tolkien's progression from starlight to the light of the Trees to the unveiled presence of the Valar suggests a similar movement toward greater proximity to the divine.

Finnish and Celtic Mythological Influences

The Two Trees may have roots in the Sampo from the Finnish Kalevala—a mysterious object of power and prosperity. Himes suggests Tolkien "split its parts into desirable objects—its pillar became the Two Trees of Valinor with their Tree of Life aspect, illuminating the world."

Celtic mythology features several pairs of sacred trees, and the motif of western islands of the blessed (Tír na nÓg, Mag Mell) parallels Valinor's geography and function. The Celtic Otherworld—a realm of eternal youth and beauty, sometimes accessible by crossing the sea—provides a mythological template that Tolkien adapted and Christianized.

Norse Mythology: Bifröst and Asgard

The Straight Road has been compared to Bifröst, the rainbow bridge connecting Midgard (the world of men) to Asgard (dwelling of the gods) in Norse mythology. Both represent a path between mortal and divine realms, and both will fail at the end of the world (Ragnarök/Dagor Dagorath).

The Valar themselves resemble the Æsir—powerful beings who govern the world but are not the supreme creator (Odin is not the creator in Norse myth, just as the Valar did not create Eä). Both sets of beings have individual dominions: Manwë/Odin over the sky, Ulmo/Njörðr over the sea, etc.

Atlantis Mythology

The Downfall of Númenor consciously echoes the Atlantis legend, which fascinated Tolkien throughout his life. In his letters, he describes recurring dreams of a great wave coming over the land—dreams that influenced the Akallabêth.

But Tolkien inverts the typical moral: Atlantis in Plato's account becomes corrupt and attacks Athens, leading to divine punishment. In Tolkien's version, Númenor's corruption lies in attacking Valinor (the divine realm itself), driven by the very desire for immortality. The parallel to the Tower of Babel is noted by scholars—both represent human presumption, attempting to reach heaven by force, resulting in catastrophe and scattering.

The Silmarils as Central to Everything

Matthew Dickerson writes that the Two Trees "are the most important mythic symbols in all of the legendarium." He quotes Tolkien's own words in The Silmarillion: "About their fate all the tales of the Elder days are woven."

The Trees' light, captured in the Silmarils, becomes the MacGuffin of The Silmarillion—the object pursued at terrible cost. But the Silmarils are more than mere jewels; they contain the uncorrupted light of Valinor, representing beauty and holiness made tangible. The tragedy is that this beauty, once possessed, becomes an object of obsession rather than worship, leading to the Oath of Fëanor and all subsequent suffering.

The theological point: even holy things, if held with pride and possessiveness rather than reverence, become occasions for sin.

Modern Reinterpretations: Paradise Lost?

Some modern scholars question whether Valinor's establishment was entirely beneficial. By bringing the Elves to Valinor, did the Valar deprive Middle-earth of their presence? Would the Elves have been better served remaining in the lands of their awakening?

Ulmo argued against summoning the Elves, understanding their hearts. The subsequent history—the rebellion, the exile, the wars—all stem from the decision to call them to Aman. Some scholars see this as Tolkien exploring the ambiguity of authority: the Valar meant well, but their well-meaning interference had tragic consequences.

Counter-argument: Without Valinor, the Elves would have fallen more easily under Melkor's shadow. The Noldor who returned to Middle-earth, though exiled, brought skills and knowledge that ultimately helped defeat Morgoth.

Contradictions & Different Versions

The Flat Earth vs. Round Earth Problem

Tolkien struggled throughout his life with a fundamental contradiction: he wanted Middle-earth to be the ancient history of our world (which is round), but his mythology began with a flat earth that was later made round.

The Fate of Mortals in Valinor: Variations

The Number and Nature of the Valar

The published Silmarillion presents fourteen Valar (fifteen if Melkor is counted before his fall): seven "lords" and seven "queens."

Earlier versions in The Book of Lost Tales had more Valar and different arrangements. Tolkien revised the number and roles multiple times.

Some Valar are clearly developed (Manwë, Varda, Melkor, Ulmo, Yavanna) while others remain shadowy (Vána, Nessa, Estë). This likely reflects Tolkien's writing process—he developed characters as the stories needed them.

Chronology Ambiguities

The Annals of Valinor and Annals of Beleriand (in The History of Middle-earth) contain multiple dating systems and contradictions. Christopher Tolkien worked to harmonize these for the published Silmarillion, but gaps and inconsistencies remain.

The timeline of the Elves' journey to Valinor, the duration of the Years of the Trees, and the exact dating of various events differ between sources. The published version represents Christopher's best attempt at a coherent chronology, not necessarily J.R.R. Tolkien's final word.

Cultural & Linguistic Context

Etymology of Key Names

Real-World Mythological Parallels

Tolkien's Catholic Context

Tolkien was a devout Roman Catholic who described The Lord of the Rings as "a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision."

Valinor embodies Catholic theological concepts: - Hierarchy of being: God (Eru) > Angels (Valar/Maiar) > Rational souls (Elves/Men) - Grace: The Valar cannot grant immortality; only Eru has such power - Purgatory: Frodo's sojourn as a temporary purification before death - The Fall: Pride leading to disobedience and exile - Mercy and judgment: The Doom of Mandos balanced against eventual forgiveness - Eucatastrophe: The "good catastrophe" of the Downfall preventing greater evil

The subcreation itself reflects Catholic sacramental theology: the material world made holy by divine presence, beauty as a reflection of God's glory, the physical and spiritual intertwined rather than opposed.

Questions & Mysteries

What exactly was Ungoliant?

Her origins remain deliberately mysterious. Was she a corrupted Maia? A primeval spirit from before Eä? Something that came "from beyond Arda" in the darkness? Tolkien never definitively answered this, leaving her as a figure of primal, inexplicable evil—worse in some ways than Melkor because less comprehensible.

Could Sauron have sailed to Valinor?

As a Maia, theoretically he could have taken the Straight Road. But would the Valar have permitted him to land? After his corruption, was he even capable of finding the path? The text never addresses this. The Ban applied to mortals, specifically to Men, but does not discuss fallen Maiar.

What happened to the other Dwarves who died?

Gimli went to Valinor and presumably to halls set aside by Aulë. But what about the rest of the Dwarves? Their fate is never fully explained. Tolkien mentions that Dwarves believe they will help Aulë rebuild the world after the Last Battle, but where their spirits wait is unclear.

Did any other mortals reach Valinor?

The documented cases are: Frodo, Bilbo, Sam, and Gimli (arguably mortal in the sense of not being Eldar). Are there others lost to legend? Might some Númenóreans have sailed west before the Ban was established? The text is silent, but leaves room for speculation.

What is the ultimate fate of Valinor?

At the Dagor Dagorath (the Last Battle), will Valinor be restored to Middle-earth? Will the separation between mortal and immortal realms be healed? Tolkien's eschatological writings are fragmentary and contradictory. The prophecy mentions Melkor's return, a final battle, and the remaking of Arda, but the details remain mythically vague.

Can Elves still sail to Valinor in the Fourth Age and beyond?

Yes, the Straight Road remains open to them throughout the ages. But as time passes and Elves fade in Middle-earth, fewer and fewer remain to take the journey. Eventually, the last Elves will sail, and Middle-earth will be fully the domain of Men. When this final departure occurs is not specified.

Why did the Valar not intervene more often in Middle-earth after the First Age?

After the catastrophic War of Wrath that ended the First Age and reshaped Beleriand, the Valar became more reluctant to directly intervene. They sent the Istari (Wizards) as advisors but did not personally march to war against Sauron. This represents either wisdom (learning that direct intervention causes as many problems as it solves) or a kind of divine withdrawal, allowing the Children of Ilúvatar to work out their own destinies.

What was daily life like in Valinor for ordinary Elves?

We see the great deeds and the mighty, but what did a typical Vanya or Noldo do day-to-day? Feasts and councils are mentioned, crafts and songs, but the mundane texture of paradise remains largely unwritten. This is partly because Tolkien's narratives focus on crisis and conflict, but also because perfection is harder to dramatize than loss.

Compelling Quotes for Narration

1. "When Valinor was full-wrought and the mansions of the Valar were established, in the midst of the plain beyond the mountains they built their city, Valmar of many bells." — The Silmarillion, "Of the Beginning of Days"

2. "Upon the mound there came forth two slender shoots; and silence was over all the world in that hour, nor was there any other sound save the chanting of Yavanna. Under her song the saplings grew and became fair and tall, and came to flower; and thus there awoke in the world the Two Trees of Valinor." — The Silmarillion, "Of the Beginning of Days"

3. "For it is not the land of Manwë that makes its people deathless, but the Deathless that dwell therein have hallowed the land; and there you would but wither and grow weary the sooner, as moths in a light too strong and steadfast." — The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth"

4. "The Doom (or Gift) of Men is mortality, freedom from the circles of the world." — Tolkien, Letter to Milton Waldman (1951)

5. "Death is their fate, the gift of Iluvatar, which as Time wears even the Powers shall envy." — The Silmarillion, "Of the Beginning of Days"

6. "The first fruit of their fall was in Paradise [Valinor], the slaying of Elves by Elves." — Tolkien on the Kinslaying

7. "A great chasm opened between Valinor and Númenor, and the ships of the Númenóreans were swallowed, and the trembling of the earth buried Ar-Pharazôn and his men beneath the falling mountains. Aman and Eressëa were removed from the world, and Númenor toppled into the great chasm and was lost." — The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth"

8. "Frodo was sent or allowed to pass over Sea to heal him - if that could be done, before he died. He would have eventually to 'pass away': no mortal could, or can, abide for ever on earth, or within Time. So he went both to a purgatory and to a reward, for a while: a period of reflection and peace and a gaining of a truer understanding of his position in littleness and in greatness, spent still in Time amid the natural beauty of 'Arda Unmarred', the Earth unspoiled by evil." — Tolkien, Letter (1963)

9. "Valinor (or Paradise) and even Eressëa are removed, remaining only in the memory of the earth. Therefore the loremasters of Men said that a Straight Road must still be, for those that were permitted to find it. And they taught that, while the new world fell away, the old road and the path of the memory of the West still went on..." — The Silmarillion, "Akallabêth"

10. "The one had leaves of dark green that beneath were as shining silver, and from each of his countless flowers a dew of silver light was ever falling, and the earth beneath was dappled with the shadow of his fluttering leaves. The other bore leaves of a young green like the new-opened beech; their edges were of glittering gold." — The Silmarillion, describing Telperion and Laurelin

Visual Elements to Highlight

1. The Two Trees in full glory: Telperion with silver leaves and flowers dripping silver dew; Laurelin with golden edges and clusters of golden flame-flowers. The mingling of their lights at dawn and dusk creating a magical illumination unlike anything in our world.

2. Ezellohar, the Green Mound: A sacred hill before the gates of Valimar, with the Two Trees rising from it, their roots intertwined, watered by Nienna's tears.

3. Taniquetil rising above the clouds: The highest mountain in Arda, white-capped and shining, with the halls of Ilmarin at its peak where Manwë and Varda dwell.

4. The view through Calacirya: Standing in the pass looking westward to see the light of the Trees illuminating the plain of Valinor; looking eastward to see the Bay of Eldamar and Tol Eressëa touched by that same light.

5. Tirion upon Túna: The white-walled city of the Noldor with many towers, built on a hill in the pass, with Galathilion (the silver tree) growing before the king's halls.

6. Alqualondë, the Swan-haven: Pearl-white halls and mansions, the harbor with its natural stone arch, beaches strewn with gems, and the white ships of the Teleri.

7. The Darkening of Valinor: Ungoliant's shadow rising like a black cloud, Melkor striking the Trees with his spear, the sap pouring out like blood, Ungoliant drinking the light itself, the Unlight spreading and devouring sight and sound.

8. The hosts of the Noldor departing: Elves with torches and weapons marching north from Tirion, the grim determination on their faces, Fëanor leading with the Silmarils' light no longer visible.

9. The Kinslaying at Alqualondë: The terrible battle in the swan-harbor, Noldor seizing ships, Teleri defending their vessels, blood staining the white piers and pearl halls.

10. Ar-Pharazôn's armada approaching Valinor: The greatest fleet ever assembled, golden prows and sails filling the sea, the King in his pride standing at the forefront, the shores of the Undying Lands rising before them.

11. The Downfall: The earth cracking open, a great chasm forming, ships sliding into the abyss, mountains falling, Númenor sinking into the sea in a catastrophic wave.

12. The Straight Road: Depicted as a luminous path that leaves the surface of the spherical earth and continues straight through the void to Aman, which exists in a different dimension—perhaps shown as the curve of the earth falling away while the ship continues on a perfectly straight course through stars and space.

13. Frodo and the Ring-bearers aboard the white ship: The Grey Havens at sunset, the white ship setting sail, Frodo looking back at Middle-earth one last time before turning toward the western horizon, Gandalf and the Elves at peace.

14. Tol Eressëa in the Bay of Eldamar: The Lonely Isle with the light of Valinor shining upon it from the west through Calacirya, the city of Avallónë on its eastern shore, a place of peace where mortal Ring-bearers spend their final days.

15. Oromë discovering the Elves at Cuiviénen: The great huntsman on his white horse Nahar, horn in hand, coming upon the newly awakened Elves under the stars—the first meeting between the immortal powers and the Firstborn.

Discrete Analytical Themes

Theme 1: Valinor as Earthly Paradise — The Geography of Grace

Theme 2: The Two Trees and the Theology of Light

Theme 3: The Elven Summons and the Great Journey — Divine Invitation vs. Natural Belonging

Theme 4: Pride, Possessiveness, and the Fall from Paradise

Theme 5: Mortality vs. Immortality — The Gift Mistaken for a Curse

Theme 6: The Downfall and the Removal — Catastrophic Separation of Mortal and Immortal

Theme 7: The Straight Road and the Memory of Paradise — Myth, History, and Cultural Longing

Theme 8: Healing and Purgation — The Ring-bearers' Journey as Temporary Grace

Sources Consulted

All sources accessed December 22, 2025.

Primary Tolkien Sources Referenced

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (1981, ed. Humphrey Carpenter) - Letter to Milton Waldman (1951) - Letter to Naomi Mitchison (September 1954) - Letter on Frodo's journey (November 1954)

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth series (ed. Christopher Tolkien) - Volume I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One - Volume IV: The Shaping of Middle-earth (Ambarkanta maps and texts) - Volume X: Morgoth's Ring ("Myths Transformed" section)

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955) - J.R.R. Tolkien, Unfinished Tales (1980, ed. Christopher Tolkien)

Online Encyclopedias and Wikis

- The One Wiki to Rule Them All: Valinor - The One Wiki to Rule Them All: Undying Lands - The One Wiki to Rule Them All: Two Trees of Valinor

Wikipedia Articles

Scholarly and Analytical Articles

Catholic/Christian Theological Analysis

Silmarillion Writers' Guild Resources

Tea with Tolkien Guides

Forum Discussions and Fan Analysis

Additional Notes

Valinor's Evolution in Tolkien's Writing

Valinor underwent significant development throughout Tolkien's creative life. The earliest versions in The Book of Lost Tales present a somewhat different geography and cosmology than the published Silmarillion. Christopher Tolkien's editorial work involved harmonizing contradictory accounts and choosing among variants.

The "round world problem" particularly vexed Tolkien in his later years. He wanted Middle-earth to be ancient history of our world but had built his mythology on a flat earth made round after Númenor's fall. His later attempts to revise this (making Arda always round, with the "flat earth" being Númenórean myth) never reached completion, leaving both versions in his papers.

The Problem of Sub-creation and Authority

The Valar's decision to summon the Elves raises questions about benevolent authority. They meant well, seeking to protect the newly awakened Firstborn from Melkor's shadow. But in doing so, they uprooted the Elves from their birthplace, created divisions among them (those who went vs. those who stayed), and arguably set in motion the pride and possessiveness that led to the Noldor's fall.

Ulmo's dissent is significant. He understood the Elves' hearts and argued against the summons. When he did ferry them, he granted the Teleri's request to stop the island, respecting their desire to remain closer to Middle-earth. This suggests internal debate among the Valar about the rightness of intervention.

Modern readers might see this as Tolkien grappling with imperialism and colonialism—the "civilizing mission" that uproots peoples for their "own good." Whether Tolkien intended this reading is debatable, but the text supports it.

The Nature of Eucatastrophe in Valinor's History

Tolkien coined the term "eucatastrophe"—the sudden happy turn in a story that pierces with joy. But Valinor's history contains catastrophes without the "eu-" prefix: the Darkening, the Kinslaying, the Downfall of Númenor.

Yet each catastrophe contains seeds of later redemption: - The Darkening leads to the creation of the Sun and Moon - The Noldor's exile, though tragic, enables them to resist Morgoth in Middle-earth - The Downfall removes Valinor from reach, but establishes the clear separation between mortal and immortal that defines the world's final form

This is less eucatastrophe than "the long defeat" that Galadriel speaks of—a gradual diminishment that nevertheless contains hope.

Valinor and the Problem of Theodicy

If the Valar are good and powerful, why do they allow evil to persist? Why not unmake Melkor? Why not intervene constantly in Middle-earth?

The text suggests several answers: 1. Limited authority: The Valar are not omnipotent. They cannot kill the Children of Ilúvatar or fundamentally alter what Eru has decreed. 2. Respect for freedom: Both Melkor and the Children have free will. To override this would be to deny their nature. 3. Lessons learned: Direct intervention (the War of the Powers, the War of Wrath) causes massive collateral damage. The Valar become reluctant to repeat this. 4. Faith in the plan: The Valar trust that Eru's ultimate design will triumph, even through apparent defeat.

This mirrors Christian theodicy—the problem of evil in a world created by a good God—without being a simple allegory.

The Imagery of Valinor in Modern Adaptations

Peter Jackson's films never show Valinor, leaving it as a promised land beyond sight. This works for the films' focus but leaves moviegoers with little visual sense of what the Undying Lands are.

The challenge for any adaptation: How do you depict paradise without making it kitschy? How do you show perfection without making it boring? The lack of conflict in unfallen Valinor makes it difficult to dramatize, which is why Tolkien's narratives focus on Valinor in crisis (the Darkening, the rebellion) rather than Valinor at peace.

Connections to Other Topics

The Enduring Power of the Western Paradise

Why does the image of a blessed land in the west persist across so many cultures? Tolkien, as a scholar of medieval literature and mythology, would have noted the recurring motif: - Celtic: Tír na nÓg, Avalon - Greek: Elysian Fields, Isles of the Blessed - Christian: The Earthly Paradise, often placed in the far east or on a mountain, but sharing the "unreachable by normal means" quality - Norse: Ásgarðr (though north, not west) - Arthurian: Avalon specifically west

Perhaps it relates to the sunset—the daily journey of light into the western horizon, creating an association between west and the source of light. Perhaps it's older, rooted in migration patterns or prehistoric cultural memories.

Tolkien taps into this deep mythic resonance while giving it his own theological and narrative structure. Valinor feels ancient and true because it echoes patterns embedded in human storytelling across millennia.