Melian (Middle-earth)
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Melian is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.
She is a Maia of the race of the Ainur, akin to Yavanna. Early in the First Age she left the gardens of Lórien and went to Middle-earth, and there she fell in love with the Elven-king Elu Thingol, King Greymantle, and with him ruled the kingdom of Doriath. She is the only Ainu known to have had children (though an argument can be made for Ungoliant as well, if one assumes Ungoliant is an Ainu also); Melian's main line of descent is of the half-elven.
When Thingol (also called Elwë) met Melian, he lost track of the passage of time (which seems to have in some way altered at their meeting), and as a result all but his followers, staying behind to search for him, left for Valinor. Melian and Thingol thereby founded the kingdom of Doriath in Middle-earth. They had one daughter, Lúthien Tinúviel, who married the man Beren; as a result Melian's Maian blood passed to both Elves and Men.
In Doriath she used her powers to guard and defend it with a protection called the Girdle of Melian, which prevented anyone less powerful than Melian from entering the kingdom; however, she predicted that one day someone whose doom (fate) was more powerful than she was would enter. When Beren arrived as foretold, she counselled Thingol against sending Beren for a Silmaril, a quest which would eventually lead to Doriath's ruin. This is one of many instances in which she proves, through her wisdom and powers of foresight, to be wiser than her husband, and an effective queen of her land. In Doriath she also became a friend and tutor of Galadriel. After the departure of Lúthien, she aided Túrin and his mother and sister, and provided Beleg with Lembas when he went looking for Túrin. One might assume she taught Galadriel the art of Lembas-baking. When Húrin returned she was the one to lift the spell of Morgoth from him.
After Thingol's death, she allowed her body to "die", leaving Middle-earth for Valinor, where she mourned the loss of her husband to the Halls of Mandos and daughter to the unknown fate of human death.
In the early legendarium Melian is defined as a fay, making her somewhat more sinister than in her later appearance.
[edit] Line of the Half-elven
Ainur from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium | |
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Ainulindalë (Music of the Ainur) | |
Lords of the Valar: | Manwë | Ulmo | Aulë | Oromë | Námo (Mandos) | Irmo (Lórien) | Tulkas |
Queens of the Valar (The Valier): | Varda | Yavanna | Nienna | Estë | Vairë | Vána | Nessa |
The Enemy: | Morgoth (a.k.a. Melkor) |
Maiar: | Eönwë | Ilmarë | Ossë | Uinen | Salmar | Sauron | Melian | Arien | Tilion | Gothmog Curumo (Saruman) | Olórin (Gandalf) | Aiwendil (Radagast) | Alatar and Pallando | Durin's Bane |