Unfinished Tales - Part Two - II - Aldarion and Erendis

[Snowdog]

In the early 1980's I was at a sort of hippy tea house where they conducted readings of books followed by discussion. Imagine my surprise when the evening I wandered in, they were starting a reading of Aldarion and Erendis. I had only recently read through the chapter and I loved the actual insights into Numenor. Anyway, the discussion led to some interesting hypothesis on their relationship. Some of what I remember is touched on in some of this discussion here.

Originally Posted by Dilettante

What I find interesting is that Erendis surrounds herself with women. Her house in Emerie has no male servants and the closest man is several miles away, so it appears. She then proceeds to teach her daughter that men are evil, vile creatures and all females are better off without them. If this were a modern story, the first thing Erendis would do after Aldarion had been gone for a year would be to start an affair with one of the household staff or a handsome squire from the estate next door. Instead here, she turns her hatred of Aldarion into a hatred of all men in general.

There was a thought expressed that The White Lady of Emerie was possibly a lesbian and enjoyed the company of women in her house. Her reasoning for marrying Aldarion had to do more with acquiring power than love, but the relationship may of had its beginnings in brief but intense lustful period which didn't carry over to their marriage.

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I can't help feeling Aldarion and Erendis would have been happier if they hadn't married after all, and it's a very sad conclusion to make from a love story. The story of Aldarion and Erendis is, for me, a lot about the sacrifices you make for love, and whether they are worth it in the end or not. I'm also wondering if what happens in the end could be called a divorce, and if any kind of divorce existed in Númenór or Middle-Earth.

I never really saw it as a love story but more of a tragic tale if a married couple. They were in essence 'separated' for years on end while Aldarion was in Middle Earth. One f the hypothesis that came up was the possibility that Aldarion had a 2nd family in Middle Earth. Anyway, the consensus, then and now, is the reader at first feels for Erendis, but by the end, feels more for Aldarion.

I always liked this chapter for its showing the Numenoreans off exploring in their tall ships, and the brief expansion of Gil Galad with his letter.

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Snowdog

There was a thought expressed that The White Lady of Emerie was possibly a lesbian and enjoyed the company of women in her house.

She did say to him he had been neglecting their bed, and he said in reply that he had the feeling she did not want him there [UT, p. 201]. I'm not sure if that necessarily implies her having a thing for women because it seems she did want to be with him and hoped that because they did not have a son he'd stay with her longer.

I do think she was a bit unfair and created a bad situation for herself. Aldarion did try to compromise with her and told her that she could live with him on the ship and they could go to lands where there were great forests. She would have none of it and rejected the sea. Although he kept breaking promises, staying away longer than promised like when after they had their daughter. She tried to keep him from what he loved to do, he was willing to make some compromise but she was like only the trees on Númenor were good enough for her.

I'm not sure if Aldarion had much time for women. He knew Erendis for 70 years before they even got together and her beauty is described as "a kind seldom seen in Númenor" [p. 185]. I think he did a lot of exploring while away, sometimes getting caught up in bad weather, and at times working with Gil-galad or building ties with him. Maybe a stronger case could be made for Aldarion's homo-sexuality, but I do think they were both straight and that he was not a slave of the desires of his 2nd head as men are in our world. He was held in esteem by Gil-galad and where his father felt overwhelmed by the news he received from the Elven-king this was not the case with Aldarion and his father felt he had to give the Kingship to him for this reason.

I think the relationship was forced. Aldarion felt the weight of the ball and chain of marriage. He did not really want that. They liked each other to be sure, but marriage was not the best thing for them, especially with Aldarion's mood and her own uncompromising one. I'd say if you want to blame anyone for the whole situation blame his grandfather Vëantur, hahaha

[NogrodtheGreat]

I've always found Aldarion and Erendis a fascinating little tale. Coming from reading the Lord of the Rings, one would never anticipate that Tolkien would've written something even remotely as, well, Jane Austen-esque. Of course Tolkien is here even more pessimistic about the possibilities of monogamous relationships that Austen, but like her he depicts the strictures of society acting as buffers for two people who in another social situation might actually function as a couple.

I've always thought it would make an excellent "period-piece" film. It would certainly be the most unusual fantasy movie ever made, but I think it would do very well, and it would certainly change perceptions of Tolkien as an author and as a writer! If only we could convince Adam Tolkien to hire Michael Arndt to write a good screenplay from the Unfinished Tales fragments once Christopher paces into the Netherworld! Of course marketing such a film would be a nightmare!

Numenorean society here is really delicately evoked here, on a social level, more completely than, say, Gondorian society in the Third Age (we only see it there though the eyes of a hobbit and during wartime).

As to the possible homosexual take re. Erendis - I think this is a very legitimate reading. She certainly seems to be reacting against all those things that the men have appropriated to themselves in Numenorean society - adventure, the sea, etc. Perhaps there is a sexual element in this rebellion as well.