About Tol Eressea

[zxcvbn]

Are my eyes playing tricks on me? A reply to this thread that I had taken to be dead!

Originally Posted by Ghazi

This is an interesting topic that I have wondered about myself. Unfortunately, I don't know the answer to this question. I would think that they would be allowed to move on to Aman, but I don't have any information to provide that would support my opinion.

My thoughts exactly. There seems to be absolutely nothing on this matter in the published works, which is why I started this thread. I thought some of the lore experts on these forums could clear my ignorance.

Originally Posted by Ghazi

They were banned from entering Aman.

So they were not simply banned from residing there? Where does it say?

[William Cloud Hicklin]

It's worth noting that we know two Noldorin Exiles by name who lived in Valinor itself: Finrod and Glorfindel. Of course, having died and gone through Mandos they were considered 'cleansed.'

[zxcvbn]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

It's worth noting that we know two Noldorin Exiles by name who lived in Valinor itself: Finrod and Glorfindel. Of course, having died and gone through Mandos they were considered 'cleansed.'

If dying would earn you a free pass to Aman why didn't the remaining exiles commit suicide, then?

[Mithadan]

Suicide is considered a severe flaw or disease of the Fea or spirit that would require a significantly longer stay in Mandos.

I recall a passage about Tol Eressea that states that from their dwellings there the Elves might even come to Valinor. I will look for it. The implication seems to be that they may visit but may not dwell there.

[Galin]

'And when they came into the West the Gnomes for the most part inhabited the Lonely Isle, that looks both West and East; and that land became very fair, and so remains. But some returned even to Valinor, as all were free to do who willed; and there the Gnomes were admitted again to the love of Manwe and the pardon of the Valar; and the Teleri forgave their ancient grief, and the curse was laid to rest.' Quenta Silmarillion, § 27 The Lost Road

That was the version written before The Lord of the Rings (and according to The War of the Jewels Tolkien made no cursory correction to this section -- though see Christopher Tolkien's commentary on this). However, 'probably' late in 1951 Tolkien wrote a letter to Milton Waldman, explaining:

'We learn that the Exiled Elves were, if not commanded, at least sternly counseled to return into the West, and there be at peace. They were not to dwell permanently in Valinor again, but in the Lonely Isle of Eressea within sight of the Blessed Realm.'

In 1954 in a letter to Naomi Mitchison: 'But the promise made to the Eldar (the High Elves -- not to other varieties, they had long before made their irrevocable choice, preferring Middle-earth to paradise) for their sufferings in the struggle with the prime Dark Lord had still to be fulfilled: that they should always be able to leave Middle-earth, if they wished, and pass over Sea to the True West, by the Straight Road, and so come to Eressea -- but so pass out of time and history, never to return.'

In Author's note 4 on the Commentary to the Athrabeth (itself thought to be dated around 1959 by CJRT): 'The passing 'oversea' to Eressea (an Isle within sight of Aman) was permitted to, and indeed urged upon, all Elves remaining in Middle-earth after the downfall of Morgoth in Angband.' In August 1967, in drafts for a letter to Mr. Rang Tolkien refers to the ban on Aman of the Exiled Noldor, but that the Exiles were allowed to return except a few chief actors in the rebellion (Galadriel), and in a footnote notes that Galadriel wished that Frodo may be granted a sojourn in Eressea, an Isle in sight of Aman.

In 1971 Tolkien writes to Roger Lancelyn Green and seems to use Aman as if including Tol Eressea, and says Frodo or other mortals could only dwell in Aman for a limited time: 'The 'immortals' who were permitted to leave Middle-earth and seek Aman -- the undying lands of Valinor and Eressea, and Island assigned to the Eldar -- set sail in ships specially made and hallowed for this voyage,...'

We know that the Silvan Elves sailed over Sea according to The Lord of the Rings. In a text dating '1969 or later' Amroth says to Nimrodel: 'It is said that the grace that the Valar gave to us to pass over the Sea is granted also now to any of those who made the Great Journey, even if they did not come in ages past to the shores and have not yet beheld the Blessed Land.' Amroth is of Sindarin descent, thus Eldarin. Nimrodel was a Silvan Elf who regretted the incoming of the Elves from the West (West-elves or Eldar) but is still allowed to pass OverSea.

From this much at least, I think that the Sindar and the Silvan Elves could sail to Tol Eressea or lands West. It would seem that the Exiled Noldor were supposed to reside in Eressea, at least 'permanently' anyway (suggesting they might visit lands West), according to the letter to Waldman in 1951 (and also noting that upon death it seems possible to live again in lands West of Eressea). As an interesting comparison to the version of Quenta Silmarillion quoted above, I note the constructed Silmarillion here:

'And when they came into the West the Elves of Beleriand dwelt upon Tol Eressea, the Lonely Isle, that looks both west and east; whence they might come even to Valinor. They were admitted again to the love of Manwe and the pardon of the Valar; and the Teleri forgave their ancient grief, and the curse was laid to rest.'


These citations are not exhaustive however (and are not meant to be) so if anyone has texts or opinions to add, please do!

[zxcvbn]

Thanks, a lot, Galin. That's the kind of reply I was waiting for. I, too, came to the same conclusion(that the Noldor could visit, but not dwell in Valinor) but it was mostly guesswork on my part and I could not find any definitive answer in the texts.

But my first question remains unanswered(a definite answer, anyway). Were the Sindar and Silvan Elves(who were Teleri in origin) allowed to dwell in Aman alongside their Teleri brethren or were they holed up in Tol Eressea with those weird Noldor?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Galin

That was the version written before The Lord of the Rings (and according to The War of the Jewels Tolkien made no cursory correction to this section -- though see Christopher Tolkien's commentary on this). However, 'probably' late in 1951 Tolkien wrote a letter to Milton Waldman, explaining:

'We learn that the Exiled Elves were, if not commanded, at least sternly counseled to return into the West, and there be at peace. They were not to dwell permanently in Valinor again, but in the Lonely Isle of Eressea within sight of the Blessed Realm.'

That sounds like a particularly nasty and fiendish version of Hell to me. Where's the "peace" if sight of Heaven/perfection/happiness is out there but beyond reach?

[zxcvbn]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

That sounds like a particularly nasty and fiendish version of Hell to me. Where's the "peace" if sight of Heaven/perfection/happiness is out there but beyond reach?

Yeah. The Noldor must have had it even worse than the Numenoreans. They were even closer to Valinor than Numenor was, but they couldn't go there. But they showed a lot more self-control than the Numenoreans did.

Of, course, they were probably allowed to atleast visit Valinor, so that would help ease their longing.

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

That sounds like a particularly nasty and fiendish version of Hell to me. Where's the "peace" if sight of Heaven/perfection/happiness is out there but beyond reach?

I agree. A ban that is worse than the Ban of the Valar against the Numenoreans sailing west. At least a Numenorean would eventually die. The Exiles have to endure such a ban for as long as their world continues to exist.

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by Galin

'In 1954 in a letter to Naomi Mitchison: 'But the promise made to the Eldar (the High Elves -- not to other varieties, they had long before made their irrevocable choice, preferring Middle-earth to paradise)

This is what I love about Tolkien's creation. Answers just create more questions and as Tolkien himself has written (I think) it just sheds a dim light on things still further in the distance that need to be explored. So the Avari, and the group of Elves that began the march but turned back soon after seeing the stars blotted out after the assault on Utumno, would have no choice about leaving ME and sailing to Tol Eressea or Aman? This would also seem to include any Elf that had made a choice to stay in ME, even if they chose to go to Aman initially.

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by zxcvbn

So they were not simply banned from residing there? Where does it say?

Somewhere in the books. Sorry, take a number Z.