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Tengwar

2025-11-02T04:23:08Z

Shadowfax90: /* Classical Quenya mode */

{{short description|Writing system used for a variety of languages}}
{{disambig-more|Fëanorian|[[Fëanorian (disambiguation)]]}}
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - The Tengwar.jpeg|thumb|"The Tengwar" table by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] in [[Appendix E]]: "The table shows, informal book-hand shape, all the letters that were commonly used in the West-lands in the Third Age".]]
The '''''Tengwar''''' (pron. [{{IPA|ˈteŋɡʷar}}], [[Quenya]] for “letters”, singular ''tengwa'' [{{IPA|ˈteŋɡʷa}}], [[Sindarin]] ''tîw''<ref name="App|E2">{{App|E2}}</ref>) was a writing system invented by [[Fëanor]] (and was therefore also called the '''Fëanorian alphabet'''<ref>{{L|25}}</ref> or '''script'''<ref>{{L|168}}</ref>). It was used for a variety of languages among the [[Free peoples]] and became perhaps the most prominent writing system of [[Arda]], used by a variety of [[:Portal:Characters|Races]] through the [[Ages]].

==History==
[[Fëanor]] invented the Tengwar in {{YT|1250}} of the [[First Age|First Age of Arda]], strongly influenced by the [[Sarati]] of [[Rúmil (elf of Tirion)|Rúmil the Loremaster]].<ref>{{WJ|P4}}</ref><ref name="ApD">{{VT|39a}}</ref> Fëanor both constructed the Tengwar as a general phonetic alphabet and devised special arrangements to fit the characteristics of all languages of [[Valinor]].<ref>{{TI|Runes}}</ref> Over the course of the First Age, three different modes of Tengwar emerged: [[Quenya]], [[Beleriand]], and [[Sindarin]]. Sindarin is written in one of two modes, the mode of Beleriand, or the mode of Gondor (also known as [http://www.tecendil.com/tengwar-handbook/ Omatehtar] Mode).

===Classical Quenya mode===
[[File:Ryszard Derdziński - Feanor.jpg|thumb|[[Fëanor]] designs the first Tengwar. Art by [[Ryszard Derdziński]]]]
{{main|Quenya mode}}
Unlike Rúmil, Fëanor considered vowels as independent sounds and not just “colours” of the consonants, so he devised the “full writing” ([[Quanta Sarmë]]).<ref name="ApD" />

However, Fëanor also used a more 'conservative' system which seemed to have proved far more popular; he also held Rúmil's idea of syllabic analysis of the words by the Sarati and made use of [[tehtar]] instead of the full letters.<ref name="ApD" />

The classical Quenya mode of the Tengwar may have originated from Fëanor's own arrangement. There is no direct evidence for this hypothesis, but the use of the Quenya names for the individual letters hints to a primate of the Quenya mode. Another hint to a very old age of the classical Quenya mode is that it uses the [[Calmatéma]] as a k-series, like the mode of Beleriand which we can assume to have originated in the First Age.

===Mode of Beleriand===
{{main|Mode of Beleriand}}
When the [[Noldor]] rebelled and came to [[Middle-earth]], they adapted their writing for the new languages they learned. Quanta Sarmë was used for languages where the tehtar were not useful<ref name="ApD" /> which could have been the origin for the Mode of Beleriand.

It is also possible that the Tengwar influenced the evolution of the [[Cirth]] of [[Daeron]] in Beleriand, mainly in their shape and arrangement.

We know from the inscription on the [[West-gate of Moria]] that a Tengwar mode called the [[Mode of Beleriand]] was used in [[Eregion]]. This name allows for the assumption that the same mode was used already in the [[First Age]].

At the end of the [[Third Age]], the Elves of [[Rivendell]] probably still used that mode, since a transcription of the Rivendell [[aerlinn]] ''[[A Elbereth Gilthoniel]]'' features it.<ref>{{RGEO|7}}</ref> Frodo, however, even though literate in Sindarin, was apparently unable to read this mode.

===General use===
By the end of the Third Age, there was a ''general use'' that could be used for a variety of languages including Quenya, Sindarin and the Common Speech.<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]], "[[Letter to Anthony D. Howlett]] (letter); see also [http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html#DTS58 DTS58]</ref> This use could have evolved during the [[Second Age]] in [[Eregion]] or even in [[Númenor]].
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - One Ring inscription.png|thumb|left|The [[Ring-inscription]] on [[the One Ring]].]]
The same mode appears on the [[Ring-inscription]]<ref>{{FR|Shadow}}</ref> that the [[Númenorean]] [[Isildur]] observed it to be "fashioned in an elven-script of Eregion".<ref>{{FR|Council}}</ref>

It is not certain whether the whole ''mode'' itself was from Eregion or simply just the ''script'' was of an Elvish fashion. Some [[Adûnaic]] words use this mode.<ref>{{HM|SD}}, Lowdham's Inscription</ref>

Another mode that was based on the "general use" but used full letters for the representation of vowels was used in the Northern part of the [[Westron]]-speaking regions, perhaps by influence of the Elves of [[Rivendell]]. This might explain why Frodo was unable to read either the Mode of Beleriand or the Ring Inscription.

==Spelling and pronunciation==
===Structure===
The most notable characteristic of the Tengwar script is that the shapes of the letters correspond to the features of the sounds they represent.

The shape of the Tengwar uniformly consisted of two elements, the ''[[telco]]'' (stem) to which is attached a ''[[lúva]]'' (bow).
It is noticeable that some of the letters of the [[Sarati]] resembled the telco/lúva shape seen on the Tengwar. Therefore it is possible that those particular letters influenced stylistically the Tengwar.

The telco could be normal, raised, shortened or heightened. The lúva would be single or doubled, and these could be open or closed.

All the above combinations can create 32 to 40 different shapes of letters. These shapes mirrored phonological significances: the basic form of a tengwa was used for the [[patakar]], the voiceless stops; telcor determined how the sound was articulated, and the lúvar where in the mouth it was made:
*Doubling the bow turns the voiceless consonant into a voiced one.
*Raising the stem above the line turns it into the corresponding fricative or a corresponding voiced version of it.
*Shortening it (so it is only the height of the bow) indicates the corresponding nasal or, mostly, the approximants.

According to their shape, the 32 different glyphs could be arranged and presented consistently on a table. The principal letters are divided into series (''témar'') that correspond to the main places of articulation and into six rows (''tyeller'') that correspond to the main manners of articulation. Both vary among modes.

The table below gives the '''theoretical'''<ref>Observations made by [[Jim Allan]]'s ''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'', The Evolution of the Tengwar</ref> values of the Tengwar based consistently on the above-mentioned rules. Note that no language possessed all these sounds and the following does not represent an actual table of values of a particular language. In actuality, the languages used modifications or variations of them.

{| style="text-align:center; height:30em; margin-left: 20%; margin-right: auto;"
! style="width:6em" |
! colspan="2" style="width:6em" |Labial
! colspan="2" style="width:6em" |Dental
! colspan="2" style="width:6em" |Velar
! colspan="2" style="width:6em" |Labiovelar
|-
|'''Voiceless plosives'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|q}}
|<big>p</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|1}}
|<big>t</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|a}}
|<big>k</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|z}}
|<big>kʷ</big>
|-
|'''Voiced plosives'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|w}}
|<big>b</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|2}}
|<big>d</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|s}}
|<big>g</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|x}}
|<big>gʷ</big>
|-
|'''Aspirated plosives'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|Q}}
|<big>pʰ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|!}}
|<big>tʰ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|A}}
|<big>kʰ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|Z}}
|<big>kʰʷ</big>
|-
|'''Breathy plosives'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|W}}
|<big>bʱ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|@}}
|<big>dʱ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|S}}
|<big>gʱ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|X}}
|<big>gʱʷ</big>
|-
|'''Voiceless fricatives'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|e}}
|<big>f</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|3}}
|<big>θ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|d}}
|<big>x</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|c}}
|<big>xʷ</big>
|-
|'''Voiced fricatives'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|r}}
|<big>v</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|4}}
|<big>ð</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|f}}
|<big>ɣ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|v}}
|<big>ɣʷ</big>
|-
|'''Voiceless nasals'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|y}}
|<big>m̥</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|6}}
|<big>n̥</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|h}}
|<big>ŋ̊</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|n}}
|<big>ŋ̊ʷ</big>
|-
|'''Nasals'''
|{{tg|mode=smith|t}}
|<big>m</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|5}}
|<big>n</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|g}}
|<big>ŋ</big>
|{{tg|mode=smith|b}}
|<big>ŋʷ</big>
|-
|}

===Arrangement===
By the end of the [[Third Age]], the Tengwar were somehow standardized. Their Quenya names became standard for all modes, and less used ones were not included (although still used), such as those of the extended stems and the [[Tyelpetéma]]. The table displayed 36 letters: the 24 standard Tengwar, plus 12 of the additional Tengwar.

Also, the Tengwar were assigned numeric values.

{| class="wikitable"
!
! colspan="2" |Tincotéma
! colspan="2" |Parmatéma
! colspan="2" |Calmatéma
! colspan="2" |Quessetéma
|-
|Grade I
|{{tg|mode=smith|1}}
|[[Tinco]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|q}}
|[[Parma]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|a}}
|[[Calma]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|z}}
|[[Quesse]]
|-
|Grade II
|{{tg|mode=smith|2}}
|[[Ando]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|w}}
|[[Umbar (word)|Umbar]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|s}}
|[[Anga]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|x}}
|[[Ungwe]]
|-
|Grade III
|{{tg|mode=smith|3}}
|[[Súlë]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|e}}
|[[Formen]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|d}}
|[[Aha]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|c}}
|[[Hwesta]]
|-
|Grade IV
|{{tg|mode=smith|4}}
|[[Anto]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|r}}
|[[Ampa]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|f}}
|[[Anca]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|v}}
|[[Unque]]
|-
|Grade V
|{{tg|mode=smith|5}}
|[[Númen]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|t}}
|[[Malta]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|g}}
|[[Noldo]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|b}}
|[[Nwalme]]
|-
|Grade VI
|{{tg|mode=smith|6}}
|[[Óre]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|y}}
|[[Vala]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|h}}
|[[Anna]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|n}}
|[[Vilya (word)|Vilya]]
|-
!
! colspan="8" |'''Additional Tengwar:'''
|-
|
|{{tg|mode=smith|7}}
|[[Rómen]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|u}}
|[[Arda]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|j}}
|[[Lambe]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|m}}
|[[Alda]]
|-
|
|{{tg|mode=smith|8}}
|[[Silme]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|i}}
|[[Silme nuquerna]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|k}}
|[[Essë]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|,}}
|[[Esse nuquerna]]
|-
|
|{{tg|mode=smith|9}}
|[[Hyarmen]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|l}}
|[[Yanta]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|o}}
|[[Hwesta Sindarinwa]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|.}}
|[[Úrë]]
|-
|
|{{tg|mode=smith|½}}
|[[Halla]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|`}}
|[[Telco]]
|{{tg|mode=smith|~}}
|[[Ára]]
|
|Osse
|-
|}

==Values==
As mentioned, the Tengwar had a generic mode that covered a wide range of phonemes. This mode perhaps originated in [[Eregion]] and exemplified in the verse of [[the One Ring]] and other Westron Tengwar texts. It could be used for both Quenya and Sindarin.

The following table gives both the formal Quenya and Numenian<ref>[[Jim Allan]]'s ''[[Report from Marquette]]''</ref> names of the Tengwar. When two values are given (separated with a '''/''' slash), the first refers to the Elvish variation and the second to the [[Mannish]] or Westron variation.

Note that the dashes indicate when the letter is used initially or finally and/or as a diphthong element.

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Tincotéma
! colspan="2" |Parmatéma
! colspan="2" |Calmatéma
! colspan="2" |Quessetéma
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|1}}
|t Tinco/Tó
|{{tg|mode=smith|q}}
|p Parma/Pí
|{{tg|mode=smith|a}}
|ch (as in '''''ch'''ur'''ch''''') Calma/Ché
|{{tg|mode=smith|z}}
|k Quesse/Ká
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|2}}
|d Ando/Dó
|{{tg|mode=smith|w}}
|b Umbar/Bí
|{{tg|mode=smith|s}}
|j Anga/Jé
|{{tg|mode=smith|x}}
|g Ungwe/Gá
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|3}}
|th Súle/Thó
|{{tg|mode=smith|e}}
|f Formen/Fí
|{{tg|mode=smith|d}}
|sh Aha/Shé
|{{tg|mode=smith|c}}
|ch/h (as in ''lo'''ch''''') Hwesta/Aha (or Oha)
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|4}}
|dh Anto/Adhó
|{{tg|mode=smith|r}}
|v Ampa/Ví
|{{tg|mode=smith|f}}
|zh Anca/Izhe
|{{tg|mode=smith|v}}
|gh Unque/Agha
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|5}}
|n Númen/Nó
|{{tg|mode=smith|t}}
|m Malta/Mí
|{{tg|mode=smith|g}}
|ny Noldo/Nyé
|{{tg|mode=smith|b}}
|ng Nwalme/Ngá
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|6}}
| -r/r Óre/Ar
|{{tg|mode=smith|y}}
|w, -u/w Vala/Wí
|{{tg|mode=smith|h}}
| -i/y Anna/Yé
|{{tg|mode=smith|n}}
|’? ’á
|-
! colspan="8" |Additional Tengwar:
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|7}}
|r Rómen/Aro
|{{tg|mode=smith|u}}
|rh Arda/Rho
|{{tg|mode=smith|j}}
|l Lambe/Alo
|{{tg|mode=smith|m}}
|lh Alda/Lho
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|8}}
|s Silme/Só
|{{tg|mode=smith|i}}
|s Silme Nuquerna/Ós
|{{tg|mode=smith|k}}
|ss/z Esse/Azo
|{{tg|mode=smith|,}}
|z Oza
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|9}}
|h Hyarmen/Há
|{{tg|mode=smith|l}}
|i-, -e Yanta/Ai
|{{tg|mode=smith|o}}
|wh Hwesta Sindarinwa/Whí
|{{tg|mode=smith|.}}
| -u? Úre/Au
|}

The following is a full mode variety, related mainly to the north, and uses Tengwar (and carriers) as vowels. It was probably created in [[Arnor]], influenced from the Mode of Beleriand used in [[Rivendell]]. Even the [[Dwarves|dwarf]] [[Ori]] wrote in this hand in the [[Book of Mazarbul]].<ref>The second page of the Book of Mazarbul ([http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html#DTS13 DTS13]) said to be written by Ori, is categorized to belong to the Northern Variety [https://at.boktypografen.se/teng_modes.htm here]</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Tincotéma
! colspan="2" |Parmatéma
! colspan="2" |Calmatéma
! colspan="2" |Quessetéma
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|1}}
|t Tinco/Tó
|{{tg|mode=smith|q}}
|p Parma/Pí
|{{tg|mode=smith|a}}
|ch (as in '''''ch'''ur'''ch''''') Calma/Ché
|{{tg|mode=smith|z}}
|k Quesse/Ká
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|2}}
|d Ando/Dó
|{{tg|mode=smith|w}}
|b Umbar/Bí
|{{tg|mode=smith|s}}
|j AngaJé
|{{tg|mode=smith|x}}
|g Ungwe/Gá
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|3}}
|th Súle/Thó
|{{tg|mode=smith|e}}
|f Formen/Fí
|{{tg|mode=smith|d}}
|sh Aha/Shé
|{{tg|mode=smith|c}}
|ch/h (as in ''lo'''ch''''' Hwesta/Aha
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|4}}
|dh Anto/Adhó
|{{tg|mode=smith|r}}
|v Ampa/Ví
|{{tg|mode=smith|f}}
|zh Anca/Izhe
|{{tg|mode=smith|v}}
|gh Unque/Agha
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|5}}
|n Númen/Nó
|{{tg|mode=smith|t}}
|m Malta/Mí
|{{tg|mode=smith|g}}
|ny Noldo/Nyé
|{{tg|mode=smith|b}}
|ng Nwalme/Ngá
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|6}}
| -r/r Óre/Ar
|{{tg|mode=smith|y}}
|w, -u/u Vala/Wí
|{{tg|mode=smith|h}}
|o Anna/Yé
|{{tg|mode=smith|n}}
|a 'a
|-
! colspan="8" |Additional Tengwar:
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|7}}
|r Rómen/Aro
|{{tg|mode=smith|u}}
|rh Arda/Rho
|{{tg|mode=smith|j}}
|l Lambe/Alo
|{{tg|mode=smith|m}}
|lh Alda/Lho
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|8}}
|s Silme/Só
|{{tg|mode=smith|i}}
|s Silme Nuquerna/Ós
|{{tg|mode=smith|k}}
|ss/z Esse/Azo
|{{tg|mode=smith|,}}
|z Esse Nuquerna/Oza
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|9}}
|h Hyarmen/Há
|{{tg|mode=smith|l}}
|i-, -e/e Yanta/Ai
|{{tg|mode=smith|o}}
|wh Hwesta Sindarinwa/Whí
|{{tg|mode=smith|.}}
|w Úre/Au
|-
|{{tg|mode=smith|`B}}
|i
|{{tg|mode=smith|~B}}
|i-/y-
|{{tg|mode=smith|]}}
|a
|{{tg|mode=smith|š}}
|mh
|}

==Other modes==
Just as with any alphabetic writing system, every specific language written in Tengwar requires a specific orthography, depending on the phonology of that language. These Tengwar orthographies are usually called ''modes''. All of them use as a basis the "[[Tengwar#Structure|theoretical values]]" table above, corresponding the letters to the phonemes of each language's phonology, and even drop out the characters that would be useless.

All the modes can be divided into two large categories:
*Some represent vowels with diacritics called '''[[tehtar]]''' or ''[[ómatehtar]]'' ("vowel tehtar"), like the [[Quenya mode]].
*The "full writing" modes represent vowels by normal letters, such as the [[Quanta Sarmë]] or the [[Mode of Beleriand]].

Furthermore, some modes map the basic consonants to {{IPA|/t/}}, {{IPA|/p/}}, {{IPA|/k/}}, and {{IPA|/kʷ/}}, while others (generally [[Mannish]]) use them to represent {{IPA|/t/}}, {{IPA|/p/}}, {{IPA|/tʃ/}}, and {{IPA|/k/}}.

==External history==
The [[Sarati]], a script developed by Tolkien in the late 1910s that is described in ''[[Parma Eldalamberon 13|''Parma Eldalamberon'' 13]]'', anticipates many features of the Tengwar, especially the vowel representation by diacritics (which is found in many Tengwar varieties), different Tengwar shapes and a few correspondances between sound features and letter shape features (though inconsistent).

Even closer to the Tengwar is the [[Valmaric script]], described in [[Parma Eldalamberon 14|''Parma Eldalamberon'' 14]], which Tolkien used from about 1922 to 1925. It features many Tengwar shapes and the inherent vowel {{IPA|[a]}} found in some Tengwar varieties. The tables in the samples V12 and V13 show an arrangement that is very similar to the one of the primary Tengwar in the classical Quenya "mode".

The Tengwar were probably developed in the late 1920s or in the early 1930s. ''The Lonely Mountain Jar Inscription'', the first published Tengwar sample, dates to 1937 (''[[The Hobbit]]'', most editions). The full explanation of the Tengwar was published in Appendix E of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' in 1955.

==Inspiration==
Tengwar is a [[Wikipedia:Featural writing system|featural alphabet]], meaning there is correspondence between letter shape features and [[Wikipedia:place of articulation|place]] and [[Wikipedia:manner of articulation|manner of articulation]]. Perhaps the oldest and most famous featural system is the Korean [[Wikipedia:Hangul|Hangul alphabet]].

[[Jim Allan]] (''[[An Introduction to Elvish]]'', ISBN 0-905220-10-2) compared the Tengwar with the ''Universal Alphabet'' of [[Wikipedia:Francis Lodwick|Francis Lodwick]] of 1686, both on grounds of the feature factor, but also the actual letter shapes, and the use of vowels as diacritics.

Linguist [[:wikipedia:Jerzy Kuryłowicz|Jerzy Kuryłowicz]] immediately recognised the resemblance of an ornamental variety of the [[Celtic]] script (perhaps referring to the [[Wikipedia:Insular script|Insular script]]).<ref>Reminisces of Prof. [[Przemyslaw Mroczkowski]] in an interview with Tomasz Fiałkowski in the pages of ''Tygodnik Powszechny'' (No. 14, 1994)</ref>

It is not known whether Tolkien was aware of these previous scripts. However, considering the sarati and the valmaric script that he already invented in his youth, it is conceivable that Tolkien developed the idea of featural notation by himself. However, in [[The Lord of the Rings]], Tolkien described it as not an alphabet, but a "haphazard series of letters," as they each had its own value.<ref name="App|E2" />

It is likewise not known whether the shapes of several Tengwar were inspired by the [[Wikipedia:Insular script|insular minuscule script]] (used to write [[Anglo-saxon]]) or the [[Wikipedia:blackletter|gothic textura]] and cursive scripts (used to write Middle English), with which Tolkien was familiar through reading medieval manuscripts in these languages in his professional capacity as a linguist.

==Tengwar study==
===Modes===
As the peoples of Middle-earth used various modes of Tengwar, and as Tolkien wrote English, [[Old English]] and [[Norse]] in Tengwar, [[fandom|fans]] have created Tengwar modes for real languages. There are modes to write French, Swedish, Latin, Italian or Spanish.

===Encoding schemes===
====Non-Unicode====
The contemporary de facto standard in the Tengwar user community maps the Tengwar characters onto the regular English character encoding following the example of the [http://www.gis.net/~dansmith/fonts/font_tengwar/ Tengwar typefaces] by [[Dan Smith]]. A drawback of the font solution is that, if no corresponding Tengwar font is installed, an awful string of [[wikipedia:Mojibake|nonsense characters]] appears.

Since there is not enough place for all the signs, certain signs are included in a "Tengwar A" font which also maps its characters on ISO 8859-1, overlapping with the first font.

For each Tengwar diacritic there are four different codepoints that are used depending on the width of the character which bears it.

Other Tengwar typefaces with Dan Smith's encoding include [http://home.student.uu.se/j/jowi4905/fonts/annatar.html Johan Winge's Tengwar Annatar], [https://at.boktypografen.se/parmaite.htm Måns Björkman's Tengwar Parmaite], [http://www.geocities.com/enrombell/Archivos.htm Enrique Mombello's Tengwar Élfica] or [http://www.limes.com.pl/~miszka/ Michal Nowakowski's Tengwar Formal] (note that most of these differ in details).

The following sample shows the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights written in English according to the traditional English orthography. If no Tengwar font is installed, it will look nonsense since the corresponding ISO 8859-1 characters (Roman letters, numbers and signs) will appear instead.

{{tg|mode=smith|<nowiki>j#¸ 9t&5# w`Vb%_ 6EO w6Y5 e7~V 2{( zèVj# 5% 2x%51T`Û 2{( 7v%1+º 4hR 7EO 2{$yYO2 y4% 7]F85^ 2{( z5^8i`B5$i( 2{( dyYj2 zE1 1`N ]Fa 4^(6 5% `C 8q7T1T W w74^(69~N2º</nowiki>}}

====Unicode====
A proposal has been made by Michael Everson to include the Tengwar in the [[Unicode]] standard. The codepoints are subject to change; the range U+016080 to U+0160FF in the Supplementary Multilingual Plane is tentatively allocated for Tengwar according to the current [http://www.unicode.org/roadmaps/smp/ Unicode roadmap].

Tengwar are currently included in the unofficial ConScript Unicode Registry, which assigns codepoints in the Private Use Area. Tengwar are mapped to the range U+E000 to U+E07F. The following Unicode sample (which repeats the one above) is meaningful when viewed under a typeface supporting Tengwar glyphs in the area defined in the ConScript Tengwar proposal. Some typefaces that support this proposal are [http://www.evertype.com/emono/ Everson Mono], [http://freetengwar.sourceforge.net/tengtelc.html Tengwar Telcontar], [http://www.kreativekorp.com/software/fonts/constructium.shtml Constructium], [http://freetengwar.sourceforge.net/formal.html Tengwar Formal Unicode], and [http://freetengwar.sourceforge.net/freemonotengwar.html FreeMonoTengwar] ([http://www.code2000.net/ James Kass]'s Code2000 and Code2001 use an older, incompatible version of the proposal).

{{Blockquote|{{tg|            ⸬                   ⸬}}}}

===Uses outside the legendarium===
Random (meaningless) Tengwar appears stylistically in a prop of an ancient tome in the [[Wikipedia:Within Temptation|Within Temptation]] music video for "Stand My Ground". Tengwar also appears in the computer game ''[[Wikipedia:Atlantis: The Lost Tales|Atlantis: The Lost Tales]]'' and the ''[[Wikipedia:Alone in the Dar|Alone in the Dark]]'' comic book.

Several linguists, such as [[Wikipedia:Eric S. Raymond|Eric S. Raymond]], promote the usage of Tengwar for the constructed language [[Wikipedia:Lojban|Lojban]] as it is culturally neutral and contains some main Lojban morphology rules, making Lojban easier to learn when it is written with Tengwar.<ref>Kena. [http://vodka-pomme.net/projects/tengwar-for-lojban/lojteng#learn ''Lojban using tengwar - why?''] (accessed August 2007)</ref> (Another suggested mode can be seen [http://www.catb.org/~esr/tengwar/lojban-tengwar.html there]).

==See also==
*[[Sarati]]
*[[Cirth]]

==External links==
*[http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/md_teng_primers.html Tengwar tutorials]
*[http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/History_of_Elven_writing_systems History of Elven writing systems] Wikibook on the secondary-world history of the Elven writing systems
*[https://at.boktypografen.se/tengwar.htm Amanye Tenceli - The Tengwar] A comprehensive study of the Tengwar script
*[http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/mdtci.html The Mellonath Daeron Index of Tengwar Specimina] — a continuously expanding list of all published Tengwar samples
*[http://www.tengwar.art.pl/tengwar/fonty.php A comprehensive list of Tengwar fonts] (in Polish, but still useful even if you can't read the language)
*[http://www.omniglot.com/conscripts/tengwar.htm Omniglot reference]
*[http://tengwar.art.pl/tengwar/ott/start.php?l=en Online Tengwar transcriber]

===Modes===
*[https://at.boktypografen.se/teng_general_english.htm Tengwar Mode for English (general use)]
*[http://catb.org/~esr/tengwar/ ESR's Tengwar modes for Esperanto and Lojban languages]
*[http://lambenor.free.fr/tengwar/espanol.html Tengwar mode for Spanish]

===Software===
*[http://tengwar.art.pl/tengwar/ott/start.php?l=en Online Tengwar transcriber]
*[https://at.boktypografen.se/tengscribe.htm Tengwar Scribe] (Win32)
*[http://tengwar.art.pl/ktt/ KTT] (Linux+KDE)
*[http://www.tecendil.com/ Tecendil] online Tengwar transcriber (No software needed)

More of Tengwar software on [http://tengwar.art.pl/tengwar/programy.php Tengwar Feanora] web-site (in Polish).

===Technical===
*[http://std.dkuug.dk/jtc1/sc2/wg2/docs/n1641/n1641.htm Official proposal to encode Tengwar in Unicode]
*[http://www.evertype.com/standards/csur/tengwar.html Tengwar proposal for ConScript Unicode Registry]
*[http://www.evertype.com/standards/iso10646/pdf/tengwar.pdf Revised Tengwar proposal]

{{references}}

*Christopher Tolkien, ''The Tengwar Numerals'', in ''[[Quettar]]'' 13, Feb. 1982, pp. 8–9; a further, untitled, explanation of the Tengwar numerals by Christopher Tolkien appeared in ''Quettar'' 14, May 1982, pp. 6–7.

{{languages}}
[[Category:Tengwar]]
[[Category:Writing systems]]
[[de:Tengwar]]
[[fr:encyclo/langues/tengwar]]
[[fi:Tengwar]]

Ithilien

2025-10-31T04:05:15Z

Shadowfax90: /* Later history */ Edited to align with Style.

{{location infobox
| name=Ithilien
| image=Ted Nasmith - First Sight of Ithilien.jpg
| caption="First Sight of Ithilien" by [[Ted Nasmith]]
| pronun=[[Sindarin|S]], {{IPA|[iˈθilien]}}
| othernames=''Arnen'' ([[Sindarin|S]])
| location=Between the river [[Anduin]] in the west and the mountains of [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east
| type=Region/fief
| description=The fair province of [[Gondor]]
| regions=[[North Ithilien|North]] and [[South Ithilien|South]]
| towns=[[Osgiliath]], [[Emyn Arnen]], [[Henneth Annûn]], [[Minas Ithil]]
| inhabitants=Primarily [[Gondorians]], [[Rangers of Ithilien]] (Briefly inhabited by [[Silvan Elves]] in the [[Fourth Age]])
| created=
| destroyed=
| rebuilt=
| events=[[Fall of Minas Ithil|Falls of Minas Ithil]]
}}
{{Quote|So they passed into the northern marches of that land that Men once called Ithilien, a fair country of climbing woods and swift-falling streams.|''[[The Two Towers]]'', "[[Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit]]"}}
'''Ithilien''' was a region and fiefdom of [[Gondor]].

==Geography==
[[File:Matěj Čadil - Ithilien.jpg|right|thumb|''Ithilien'' by [[Matěj Čadil]]]]
Ithilien was a region of Gondor during most of the time in the history of Gondor. Its borders were probably the [[Nindalf]] in the north,<ref name="VT">{{VT|42a}}, p. 17</ref> the [[Ephel Dúath]] in the east, the river [[Poros]] in the south, and the river [[Anduin]] in the west.<ref>{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Gondor'', p. 17</ref><ref name="MapRohan">{{RK|Map}}</ref> The region was further divided into [[North Ithilien|North]] and [[South Ithilien]]. The division was probably at the river [[Morgulduin]] or at the east-west-road from [[Osgiliath]] to [[Minas Morgul]].<ref name="MapRohan" /> The [[Emyn Arnen]] were located in South Ithilien.<ref name="MT">{{RK|MT}}</ref>

Ithilien was a sheltered region. It was shielded from the east by the Ephel Dúath, protected from the north by the [[Emyn Muil]], open to the southern airs and the moist winds from the sea.<ref name="Herbs">{{TT|Herbs}}</ref>

Small woods of resinous trees, fir, cedar, cypress, groves and thickets of tamarisk and terebinth, olive trees, bay,<ref name="Herbs" /> great ilexes of huge girth, ash-trees and giant oaks<ref name="Journey">{{TT|Journey}}</ref> grew in Ithilien. There were also junipers, myrtles, thymes, sages of many kinds, marjorams, parsleys, and many herbs of forms and scents beyond the garden-lore of Sam. In addition, there were saxifrages, stonecrops, primeroles, [[anemones]], filbert-brakes, [[asphodel]], [[lilies]], roses, [[iris]]es, [[water-lilies]], briars, [[eglantine]]s and trailing clematises.<ref name="Herbs" /> Furthermore, grass, celandine and acres populous with the leaves of woodland hyacinths<ref name="Journey" /> grew in Ithilien.

[[Lebethron]]<ref name="Journey" /> and [[Culumalda]] grew especially in the woods around the [[Field of Cormallen]].<ref name="RC">{{HM|UI}}, pp. 625-6</ref><ref name="SApp">{{S|Appendix}}, entry for ''mal-''</ref>

==History==
===Early history===
Historians in [[Gondor]] believed that, in the [[First Age]], the [[Drúedain|Woses]] reached the region and were the first to cross the [[Anduin]] (probably near [[Cair Andros]]).<ref>{{UT|12b}}</ref>

Old records preserved in [[Gondor]] indicate that the name ''Arnen'' was once used for the larger part of the region during the [[Second Age]].<ref name="VT" />
When [[Elendil]] and his sons founded the [[Realms in Exile]], Ithilien took its name after his son, [[Isildur]].<ref name="Nomenclature">{{HM|N}}, entry Sunlending, p. 776</ref> Ithilien was the territory of Isildur and was governed from [[Minas Ithil]]<ref name="Ithilien">{{HM|UI}}, entry ''Ithilien'', p. 233</ref> [[Minas Ithil]], the Tower of the Moon, had been built as a strong place that could threaten [[Mordor]]. In Minas Ithil stood the house of Isildur.<ref>{{S|Rings}}</ref> It was [[First Fall of Minas Ithil|briefly captured]] by [[Sauron]] in {{SA|3429}},<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 3429</ref> but was restored later. The [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] was built by Gondor as an eastern outpost of the defences of Ithilien after the Last Alliance.<ref>{{RK|Tower}}</ref> Ithilien was a fair and prosperous land during the [[Second Age]] and the first part of the [[Third Age]] when Gondor was strong and Mordor deserted.

===Invasions by Easterlings and Haradrim===
In {{TA|490}} during the reign of King [[Ostoher]], [[Easterlings]] invaded Gondor, probably through northern Ithilien. In {{TA|500}}, his son, [[Tarostar]], defeated them and drove them out of Gondor.<ref name="Ostoher">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Ostoher and King Tarostar</ref><ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref>

The [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]] was also defending Ithilien from attacks from Sauron's remaining servants and stopped them from returning to Mordor, guarding the high pass over the [[Ephel Dúath]]. Gondor occupied the fortress until {{TA|1636}} when the [[Great Plague]] killed large parts of the population. During the plague, most of the people of [[Osgiliath]] fled the city for the western dales or the woods of Ithilien.

After the disastrous [[Battle of the Plains]] in {{TA|1856}} the Gondorian territories north of Ithilien and east of the river Anduin were abandoned by Gondor.<ref name="Northmen">{{UT|Northmen}}</ref><ref name="Narmacil II">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Narmacil II</ref>

In {{TA|1899}}, Marhwini warned [[Calimehtar (King of Gondor)|King Calimehtar]] that the [[Wainriders]] were plotting to raid [[Calenardhon]] over the [[Undeeps]]. Calimehtar, therefore, provoked the Wainriders out of Ithilien, and his horsemen, joined by a large [[éored]] led by [[Marhwini]], drove the Wainriders back.<ref name="Cirion" /><ref name="Calimehtar">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Calimehtar</ref>

In {{TA|1944}}, [[Wainriders]] from [[Rhûn]] made an alliance with the [[Haradrim]], and a dual attack on Ithilien was launched. While the Wainriders assaulted Ithilien from the north, the armies of the Haradrim crossed the [[Poros]] and invaded [[South Ithilien]]. The Gondorian [[Captain of the Southern Army|Captain]] [[Earnil II|Eärnil]] leading Gondor's inferior [[Southern Army]], defeated the Haradrim, and then turned north, [[Battle of the Camp|took]] the Wainriders by surprise and pushed many of them into the swamplands of the [[Dead Marshes]].<ref name="Ondoher">{{App|Gondor}}, entry for King Ondoher and King Eärnil</ref>

===Desertion===
When Minas Ithil was captured by Mordor in {{TA|2002}} after a three year [[Second Fall of Minas Ithil|long siege]], it was renamed [[Minas Morgul]], the Tower of Black Sorcery, a place of dread, and many of the people that still remained in Ithilien deserted it.<ref name="Ondoher" />

During the [[Watchful Peace]] the lords of Morgul had secretly bred the [[Uruk-hai]], and in {{TA|2475}} these creatures assailed and overran Ithilien, and captured [[Osgiliath]]. [[Boromir (Steward of Gondor)|Boromir]] defeated the host of Morgul and regained Ithilien. However, from that time on no people dwelt in the ruined city of Osgiliath.<ref name="stew">{{App|Stewards}}</ref>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - The Terrace at Henneth Annûn.jpg|left|thumb|''The Terrace at Henneth Annûn'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
[[Amon Dîn]] was used as a fortified outpost in [[Anorien]] keeping watch over the passage into North Ithilien from [[Dagorlad]] and any attempt by enemies to cross the [[Anduin]] near [[Cair Andros]].<ref name="Cirion">{{UT|Cirion}}, (iii) Cirion and Eorl and note 35</ref><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 510</ref>

In the days of Steward [[Túrin II]], Ithilien was infested by [[Mordor-orcs]] and more people fled west over the [[Anduin]]; only the hardiest people remained.<ref name="stew" />

In {{TA|2885}}, Ithilien was invaded in great strength by [[Haradrim]] that had occupied [[South Gondor]]. With the aid of King [[Folcwine]] of [[Rohan]] Túrin II won a victory at the [[Crossings of Poros]], though the princes [[Fastred (son of Folcwine)|Fastred]] and [[Folcred]] were slain.<ref name="TA" />

Most of the remaining people of Ithilien fled across the [[Anduin]] to escape further attacks by [[Uruks]] from Mordor ({{TA|2901}}),<ref name="TA" /> but Túrin II still kept scouts there, operating out of secret refuges such as [[Henneth Annûn]]. [[Sauron]] returned to [[Mordor]] in {{TA|2951}}, and the last remaining people of Ithilien fled over the [[Anduin]] when [[Mount Doom]] erupted in {{TA|2954}}.<ref name="TA" /><ref name="stew" /> The [[Rammas Echor]] was constructed as part of the now necessary defences of [[Gondor]] after Ithilien fell under the shadow of the Enemy, probably during the days of Steward [[Ecthelion II]].<ref name="MT" /><ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 546</ref> The descendants of the people who had dwelt in Ithilien, formed the corps of the [[Rangers of Ithilien]].<ref name="Herbs" />

===War of the Ring===
During the [[War of the Ring]], in early March {{TA|3019}}, [[Faramir]] the son of the Steward [[Denethor]], was leading the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] to ambush Haradrim who would pass through Ithilien.<ref name="Herbs" /> After that [[Gollum]] led [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] through Ithilien on their way to [[Cirith Ungol]] and into Mordor, and Faramir allowed them to continue when he was satisfied they were not agents of [[Sauron]].
[[File:John Howe - The Mumakil of Harad.jpg|200px|thumb|''The Mumakil of Harad'' by [[John Howe]]]]
When the [[Host of the West]] marched on the [[Morannon]], their scouts, men from [[Henneth Annûn]] led by [[Mablung (ranger of Ithilien)|Mablung]] discovered an ambush by Orcs and Easterlings that lay hidden in Ithilien at the same place where Faramir and his men had previously ambushed the men of Harad. The ambush was quickly turned when horsemen bypassed the Orcs and Easterlings and attacked them on their flank and from behind.<ref>{{RK|V10}}</ref>

===Later history===
After the fall of Sauron Faramir retained the title of Steward. In addition, King Aragorn gave Ithilien to Faramir to be his princedom and ordered him to live in [[Emyn Arnen]] as the [[Prince of Ithilien]]. Minas Morgul was destroyed and not repopulated.<ref>{{RK|Steward}}</ref> Faramir married [[Éowyn]] after the funeral of King Théoden in {{TA|3019}}.<ref name="partings">{{RK|Partings}}</ref><ref name="chief">{{App|Chief}}</ref> As the march-warden of Gondor in its main eastern outpost the Prince of Ithilien had the duty to rehabilitate the lost territory and to clear it from Orcs and outlaws.<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 634</ref><ref>{{L|244}}</ref>

After the fall of Sauron, Legolas brought south some of the [[Elves of Mirkwood]] where they dwelt in Ithilien, it becoming once again the fairest country in all the Westlands.<ref name="durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref> Legolas devised gardens for the house of Faramir and Éowyn in Emyn Arnen.<ref>{{PM|Elendil}}, Commentary, The Stewards of Gondor, entry for Steward Faramir</ref> After King Aragorn died, Legolas built a grey ship and sailed from Ithilien to the West, reportedly taking Gimli with him.<ref name="durin" /><ref>{{app|Later}}</ref>

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Ithilien.mp3|Ardamir}}
''Ithilien'' is a [[Sindarin]] name. It means "land of the moon".<ref name="Ithilien" /> It is a compound of [[Ithil]] ("Moon")<ref>{{S|Appendix}}, entry ''[[sil]]''</ref> and the plural form ''[[-nd|ien]]'' of the place name suffix ''-ian(d)''.<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry S '''Eregion'''. p. 42</ref><ref>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-3354952041.html|articlename=S. ''Ithilien'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=06 February 2022}}</ref>

The name does not refer to the moon or the climate, but is related to the 'heraldic' name of [[Isildur]], the son of [[Elendil]]. It is the counterpart of [[Anorien]], the "Land of the Sun".<ref name="Nomenclature" />

==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''[[1987]]-[[1996|96]]: ''[[Middle-earth Role Playing]]'':'''
:The ''[[Sea-Lords of Gondor]] - Pelargir and Lebennin'' campaign module contains a detailed map that includes Ithilien.

:The ''[[Southern Gondor: The Land]]'' module contains information about settlements and sites, the history, geography, flora and fauna, inhabitants, politics and power and warcraft of Harithilien. It is mentioned that the Emyn Arnen define the boundary dividing Harithilien (South Ithilien) from Forithilien (North Ithilien).

:In the ''[[The Tower of Cirith Ungol and Shelob's Lair]]'' module there are five adventures that take place in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Shelob's Lair and the surrounding area. It is mentioned that the river Ithilduin (later renamed to Morgulduin) divides Ithilien into Northern and Southern provinces.

:In the ''[[Ghosts of the Southern Anduin]]'' adventure module there are four adventures that take place in and around the town of Bar-en-Tinnen in Ithilien (renamed to Bar-en-Dinnen in ''Southern Gondor: The Land'').

:In the ''[[Gates of Mordor (book)|Gates of Mordor]]'' adventure module there are two adventures that take place in North Ithilien and one adventure that takes place in [[Durthang]] in the northern Ephel Dúath.

:The ''[[Minas Ithil (book)|Minas Ithil]]'' city module contains detailed information about Minas Ithil (later renamed to Minas Morgul) in T.A. 1640 and three adventures that take place in Minas Ithil.

:''[[The Kin-strife]] campaign module contains detailed information about Minas Ithil (later renamed to Minas Morgul) during the time of the [[Kin-strife]] and three adventures that take place in Minas Ithil.''

'''2015: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Ithilien (North) map.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Map of North Ithilien in''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' ]]

:Ithilien is split into two game regions, each covering the portion located either north or south of the Cross-roads. Unlike other similar cases in the game, the separation is chronological as well as geographical: South Ithilien is story-wise set before the [[Siege of Gondor]] begins in full, while North Ithilien is set after the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]], with the [[Army of the West|Host of the West]] marching towards the [[Black Gate]].

[[File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Ithilien (South) map.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Map of South Ithilien in''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'' ]]
In the South Ithilien, the main stronghold of the [[Rangers of Ithilien]] is ''Bâr Hurin'' commanded by [[Anborn]], which is later overrun during the war. In the North Ithilien, ''Bâr Aroth'' and ''Bâr Tarnaher'' are similarly overrun, while ''Aelin Veren'' was only briefly passed by and has since been reclaimed from the Enemy. The secrecy of [[Henneth Annûn]] has been abandoned, as it is used to support the Host of the West during its march and would serve no further purpose should its mission fail.

{{references}}
{{FellowshipRoute}}
[[Category:Gondor]]
[[Category:Noldorin locations]]
[[Category:Regions of Gondor]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/gondor/ithilien]]

Denethor

2025-10-07T04:53:00Z

Shadowfax90: /* Stirring of trouble */ Attempting to cleanup grammar for clarity and readability.

{{cleanup}}{{disambig-more|Denethor|[[Denethor (disambiguation)]]}}
{{infobox character
| people=[[Gondorians|Gondorian]]
| name=Denethor II
| image=Peter Xavier Price - Lord Denethor.jpg
| caption="Lord Denethor" by [[Peter Xavier Price]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| titles=[[Ruling Steward]]
| position=
| location=[[Gondor]]
| affiliation=
| language=[[Westron]]
| birth={{TA|2930}}
| birthlocation=
| rule={{TA|2984}} - {{TA|3019|n}} (35 years)
| death=[[15 March]], {{TA|3019}}<ref name="South">{{App|South}}</ref>
| deathlocation=[[Rath Dínen]], [[Minas Tirith]]
| age=89
| notablefor=
| house=[[House of Húrin]]
| parentage=[[Ecthelion II]]
| siblings=2 older sisters<ref name="Elendil">{{PM|Elendil}}, p. 206</ref>
| spouse=[[Finduilas (wife of Denethor)|Finduilas]]
| children=[[Boromir]] and [[Faramir]]
| gender=Male
| height=
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=Sword and knife
| steed=
}}
{{quote|Denethor looked indeed much more like a great [[Wizards|Wizard]] than [[Gandalf]] did, more kingly, beautiful, and powerful; and older.|''[[The Return of the King]]'', "[[Minas Tirith (chapter)|Minas Tirith]]"}}

'''Denethor II''' was the twenty-sixth and last [[Steward of Gondor|Ruling Steward]] of [[Gondor]]. He succeeded his father [[Ecthelion II]] at his death in {{TA|2984}}. Denethor was described as appearing noble and powerful, even to rival the lordliness of Gandalf. He was proud, tall, wise, far-sighted, and valiant; "more kingly" than any of his predecessors for a long time. He proved a masterful lord and a great ruler, seeing to all things large and small under his command.<ref name="A">{{App|Stewards}}</ref>

==History==
===Early life===
Denethor was born the third child and first son of Ecthelion II, Ruling Steward of Gondor, in {{TA|2930}}.<ref name="Elendil" />

A northerner known as [[Thorongil]] came to the service of his father. He was the same age as Denethor and appeared like the [[Kings of Gondor]] of old. He was a war genius and won Ecthelion's and the people's trust and affections, and many Gondorians saw him and Denethor as rivals. The stranger talked in favour of [[Gandalf]] whom Denethor didn't trust at all; it is possible that Denethor figured out that Thorongil was really [[Aragorn|Aragorn II]]. If Denethor knew that the stranger was the Heir of Isildur, he could have thought that he would conspire with Gandalf to supplant him. Thus, Denethor was not sorry when Thorongil vanished to the east.<ref name="A" />
[[File:Catherine Chmiel - Denethor and Finduilas.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Denethor and Finduilas'' by [[Catherine Chmiel]]]]
In {{TA|2976|n}} he married [[Finduilas (wife of Denethor)|Finduilas]], daughter of [[Prince of Dol Amroth|Prince]] [[Adrahil]] of [[Dol Amroth]], whom he loved deeply. She gave birth to two sons: [[Boromir]] and [[Faramir]]. He doted upon his eldest son, Boromir, while Faramir, his second son, with his actions and friendship with [[Gandalf|Mithrandir]], often displeased his father.<ref name="A" /> In the meantime, Faramir studied the lore of Gondor, including the archives that only he and his father could access. Part of his studies were devoted to the lore of the ''[[palantíri]]''.<ref name="pal">{{UT|Palantiri}}</ref>

===Early stewardship===
Eight years after Denethor's marriage, Ecthelion died and he became Ruling Steward. Denethor was not viewed very highly in the eyes of his people in comparison to [[Thorongil]], but Denethor proved a masterful ruler. He listened to counsel, said little, and followed his mind, holding everything in his own hand.

Only four years after the death of Ecthelion, Finduilas died as well. Denethor was grief-stricken, and became more grim and silent. Moreover he anticipated [[Sauron]]'s assault during his time and desperately needed knowledge. Being proud and overconfident in his willpower, Denethor looked into the long-forbidden [[Anor-stone]] to seek knowledge.<ref name="A" />

The ''palantír'' showed him much of what he wanted to see, and his knowledge grew exceedingly, so that he was wondered at by the people. But eventually Sauron, looking into the captured [[Ithil-stone]], discovered that Denethor was using the ''palantír''.<ref name="pal" /> Sauron attempted to wrench the Anor stone to his will, but failed due to Denethor's strength of will, his integrity, and his right to the use of the stone.<ref name="pal" /> But this caused even greater stress upon the steward's already weakened body, coupled by the apparent invincibility of Sauron shown him by the stone and the manner of his viewing<ref name="pal" /> and aged prematurely.<ref name="A" />
[[File:Anna Kulisz - Looking into the Stone.jpg|thumb|''Looking into the Stone'' by [[:Category:Images by Anna Kulisz|Anna Kulisz]]]]
Denethor, meanwhile, looked not only at [[Mordor]], but also probably to [[Saruman]], and extracted information from the wizard to his benefit, which Sauron was helpless to prevent. He also sought to surpass Thorongil and Gandalf in wisdom, and to keep an eye on them.<ref name="pal" />

In all debatable matters of importance domestic, or external, however, even Denethor held [[Council of Gondor|Council]], and at least listened to what the Lords of the Fiefs and the Captains of the Forces had to say.<ref>{{L|244}}</ref> But he became blind to all struggles save that of him and Sauron, his people and Sauron's [[Orcs]]. He mistrusted all his allies who were not under his own rule, and though he cared for his nation, his concerns were largely political; he feared and opposed any potential rivals in the nobility, regardless of their intent, and despised lesser men.<ref name="A" /><ref>{{L|183}}</ref> He wore mail under his robes, to prevent himself from getting soft in his old age.<ref name="siege">{{RK|V4}}</ref>

===Stirring of trouble===
Faramir, his younger son, began to have dreams, speaking of [[Rivendell|Imladris]] and [[The One Ring|Isildur's Bane]]. Boromir convinced his father to send him instead of his brother. Boromir did not return from his quest; he was shot by [[Uruk-hai]] on [[Amon Hen]]. Faramir and Denethor both heard the [[Great Horn|horn of Gondor]]. Several days later his horn was found by watchers below the [[Entwash]], cloven in two. It was then brought to Denethor. Desperate after the death of his heir, he looked into the ''palantír'' more often than usual and so it grew his despair.<ref name="A" />

Knowing of the coming strike of Mordor, Denethor called in the [[Captains of the Outlands]] to defend [[Minas Tirith]]. [[Nazgûl]] began to fly over the city, out of view but still casting shadows of fear.<ref name="MT">{{RK|V1}}</ref>

Thirteen days after Boromir's death, Mithrandir arrived with the [[Hobbits|hobbit]] [[Peregrin Took]]. Denethor openly vented his rage at first, but at the same time was curiously attracted to the hobbit, a witness of his son's death, questioning him closely and suspiciously. When Peregrin offered his service in return for Boromir's sacrifice, Denethor was pleased and amused. After examining Pippin's [[Daggers of Westernesse|barrow-blade]], he accepted the hobbit's service courteously. He then confronted Gandalf. While they supped, Gandalf told of the fall of [[Isengard]]. Denethor hinted at his own abilities to see what happened in the world. He racked the hobbit with questions for an hour, and then gave his guests lodging.<ref name="MT" />

===Siege of Gondor===
Soon after, the [[Rammas Echor|Rammas]] was surrounded and Gondor placed under siege. Faramir returned from errands in [[Ithilien]], and told the story of his encounter with [[Frodo Baggins]], two days before, and of his journey to Cirith Ungol. At the name of this place, Gandalf himself seems to be extremely uneasy.

A discussion on the matter followed between Denethor, Gandalf, and Faramir, in which Denethor revealed he had guessed more than was said by his son. He noticed that Faramir had looked at Mithrandir to understand if he was saying too much. Denethor knew about the [[The One Ring|Ring]] and he was aware of Frodo's mission. He accused Faramir of condemning his people to certain death and told Gandalf that on this matter he would not have destroyed the ring, instead wishing to hide it without using it. Noticing his son's weariness, Denethor allowed Faramir to rest for the night. Denethor never said explicitly that he would have liked for Boromir to live and Faramir to die: when asked by Faramir, he said that he would have liked for their places to be exchanged, as if Boromir was in Ithilien he would have brought him a mighty gift (the Ring).<ref name="siege" />

In a council held [[11 March|the next day]], Faramir was sent to strengthen the garrison of [[Osgiliath]].<ref>{{App|Great}}</ref> The decision was not taken by Denethor himself, but by the Council, led by Denethor but to which Faramir took part, agreeing in the end with his father's will.

Faramir recovered the lost ground all the way back to the [[Anduin]], but soon faced fresh troops from [[Minas Morgul]] and [[Harad]], led by the [[Witch-king]], a master strategist and one of terrible presence. Faramir was driven back to the [[Causeway Forts]], but these fell, and Faramir was forced to retreat, having lost a third of his men. The retreat was dogged by the Nazgûl, and Faramir was almost killed by a wound from a southern arrow, thought to be a poisoned dart.<ref name="siege" />

[[File:Anke Eißmann - Pyre of Denethor.jpeg|thumb|right|220px|''The Pyre of Denethor'' by [[Anke Eißmann]]]]
After [[Imrahil]] had brought him the body of Faramir, nearly dead, Denethor gave in to despair and seemed not to be interested into anything but his son's life. While the outer defences of the [[Pelennor Fields]] collapsed at many points, he looked into the ''palantír''; he found the Enemy stronger than ever on all fronts and feared that the Ring was in his hands; he sees a black sky and Frodo captured in Mordor.

Denethor suddenly seemed to have aged by many years, and his will was snapped. He abandoned leadership of the city to Gandalf and Imrahil, staying by his son's side in the [[Tower of Ecthelion|White Tower]], thinking that everything was lost for his family, his city, and his people. [[Rohan]] had been cut off and could not come to their aid; the first circle was also in flames: the latter piece of information was the final trigger for Denethor's suicide.<ref name="siege" />

He prepared a pyre for him and Faramir in [[Rath Dínen]]. He was hampered in his aim by [[Beregond]], one of his own [[Guards of the Citadel]], and Gandalf, who removed Faramir from the pyre. When Faramir called his name, Denethor seemed willing to abandon his suicidal designs, but suddenly he raised up the ''palantír'' and prophesied the doom of Gondor, acknowledging that a new enemy was about to arrive: the pirates from Umbar. In a final speech to Gandalf, he said that he would have liked for things to be as they had always been in his life: to be a ruling Steward of a free city, ruling in peace and with his sons masters of their own will. But if he had to see his city in the hand of an illegitimate [[Kings of Gondor|King]] and his son turned into the pupil of a [[Wizards|wizard]], then he preferred to have nothing and to decide how to end his own life:

{{blockquote|Better to burn sooner than late, for burn we must. Go back to your bonfire! And I? I will go now to my pyre. No tomb for Denethor and Faramir! No long slow sleep of death embalmed. We will burn like [[Pre-Númenóreans|heathen]] kings before ever a ship sailed hither from the [[Númenor|West]]. The West has failed. Go back and burn!}}

He took the white rod of his office and broke it on his knee, casting it into the flames, symbolising the end of his stewardship and the end of the rule of the Stewards. He then laid himself down on the table with the ''palantír'' on his breast and so perished.<ref>{{RK|V7}}</ref>

===Afterwards===
Faramir did survive, and the city did not fall due to the timely appearance of the [[Rohirrim]] and the [[Dúnedain]] with Aragorn II.<ref>{{RK|V6}}</ref> Faramir kept the title of Steward, but not of Ruling Steward, for he recognised Aragorn's right to take the throne. Using [[Athelas]] to save the lives of Faramir, [[Éowyn]], and [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry]], Aragorn was first acknowledged as King by the people of Minas Tirith before he could actually claim the title. Faramir's reaction to his father's death is not recorded, but it is said that the news of his death wasn't given to him during the first days of his recovery, in order not to grieve him.

==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Denethor.mp3|Ardamir}}
For the meaning of his name refer to [[Denethor (king of the Laiquendi)#Etymology|Denethor - Etymology]]. It is possible that Denethor II was named after the [[Nandor|Nando]] chieftain of the [[Green-elves|Laiquendi]] of the [[First Age]].<ref>{{NM|P2v}}, footnote 3, p. 189</ref>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | DOL | | | | TUR | | |DOL=[[Princes of Dol Amroth|''Princes of Dol Amroth'']]|TUR=[[Turgon (Steward of Gondor)|Turgon]] ''{{TA|2855|n}} - {{TA|2953|n}}''}}
{{familytree | |:| | | | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | ADR | | | | ECT | | |ADR=[[Adrahil]] ''{{TA|2917|n}} - {{TA|3010|n}}''|ECT=[[Ecthelion II]] ''{{TA|2886|n}} - {{TA|2984|n}}''}}
{{familytree | |!| | | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | FIN |y| DEN | | DAU |FIN=[[Finduilas (wife of Denethor)|Finduilas]] ''{{TA|2950|n}} - {{TA|2988|n}}''|DEN='''DENETHOR II''' ''{{TA|2930|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|DAU=''two daughters'' ''unknown''}}
{{familytree | |,|-|^|-|.| | | | | |}}
{{familytree | BOR | | FAR |y| EOW |BOR=[[Boromir]] ''{{TA|2978|n}} - {{TA|3019|n}}''†|FAR=[[Faramir]] ''{{TA|2983|n}} - {{FoA|82}}''|EOW=[[Éowyn]] ''b. {{TA|2995|n}}''}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | | | | | | | ELB | | |ELB=[[Elboron]] ''unknown''}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Portrayal in adaptations==
===Denethor in adaptations===
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:The Return of the King (1980 film) - Denethor.jpg|Denethor in [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King - Denethor.jpg|Denethor in [[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (film series)]]
File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Denethor.jpg|Denethor in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
</gallery>

'''1955: [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1955 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Denethor is provided by [[Robert Farquharson]].

'''1979: [[The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1979 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Denethor is provided by [[Tom Luce]].

'''1980: [[The Return of the King (1980 film)|''The Return of the King'' (1980 film)]]:'''
:[[William Conrad]] is the voice of Denethor. His role is essentially reduced to presaging the doom of the arrival of the Black Ships (as he has seen in the ''[[Palantíri|palantír]]'') to [[Gandalf]] and [[Peregrin Took|Pippin]], and then calling for his own execution.

'''1981: [[The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' (1981 radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Denethor is provided by [[Peter Vaughan]].

'''1992: [[Der Herr der Ringe (1992 German radio series)|''Der Herr der Ringe'' (1992 German radio series)]]:'''
:Denethor is played by Heinz Schimmelpfenig.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Denethor, played by [[John Noble]], appears in a flashback in the film's [[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (extended edition)|Extended Edition]]. He appears at [[Osgiliath]] shortly after [[Boromir]] completes his successful [[Sauron's attack on Osgiliath|defence]] of the city against [[Sauron]]'s forces and tells Boromir of [[the One Ring]] being found, urging his son to go attend the [[Council of Elrond]] in [[Rivendell]] and try to persuade them to bring it back to [[Gondor]] so as to use it in defence of their homeland against Sauron. Denethor also makes known his preference of Boromir over [[Faramir]], which would further play out in the next film.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Denethor appears almost entirely devoid of hope and highly irrational after learning of Boromir's death. He demands his remaining son go on essentially a suicide mission to reclaim enemy-captured Osgiliath and stubbornly refuses to light the [[warning beacons of Gondor]] to call for the aid of [[Rohan]] (Pippin lights it instead at Gandalf's behest). Denethor then claims [[Théoden]] betrayed him when Sauron's armies begin attacking [[Minas Tirith]]). In the book, the danger of his madness is that it seems to follow a certain logic; Sauron ''does'' have vastly superior forces, all of which he has surely shown to the Steward in the ''palantír''. His actions, however, do not immediately proclaim his insanity; the Osgiliath mission is less obviously suicidal, as the city has not yet been overrun, and the warning beacons have indeed been lit, although Denethor expects little help.

:When Faramir is brought back from Osgiliath on his horse into the throne room, seemingly dead, Pippin attempts to stop Denethor from cremating his son (and himself with him), who he is sure is still alive. After Denethor throws Pippin out, the Hobbit rushes back to the battle to find Gandalf and stop the wanton murder of Faramir. When Gandalf and Pippin return astride [[Shadowfax]], Denethor snatches a torch and (after a cynical monologue about Sauron's power in the extended edition) lights the pyre himself. Gandalf rides in, throwing Denethor off the pyre. Pippin jumps in to pull Faramir off and douses the flames on his body. A maddened Denethor attacks Pippin, but just then, Shadowfax kicks him back onto the pyre. And it's from there that he sees Faramir showing signs of life. Consumed by madness and flames, Denethor screams and flees to the precipice of the citadel, throwing himself off it and plummeting to his death.

'''2003: [[Pán prsteňov (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)|''Pán prsteňov'' (2001-2003 Slovak radio series)]]:'''
:The voice of Denethor is provided by Marián Slovák.

'''2015: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:Denethor's role in the game is relatively minor, as, by the time the player reaches [[Minas Tirith]], [[Faramir]] already lies wounded and the Steward's will is failing.

{{references}}

{{seq-start}}
{{seq-head
| name=Denethor II
| race=gondorian
| house=[[House of Húrin]]
| born={{TA|2930}}
| died=[[15 March]], {{TA|3019}}
}}
{{seq
| prev=[[Ecthelion II]]
| list=26th [[Ruling Steward|Ruling Steward of Gondor]]
| dates={{TA|2984}} – [[15 March]], {{TA|3019|n}}
| next=[[Faramir]] (''de jure'')
}}
{{seq-end}}

{{rulingstewards}}
{{lordoftheringsfilms}}

[[Category:Characters in The Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Gondorians]]
[[Category:House of Húrin]]
[[Category:Ruling stewards]]
[[Category:Silvan Elvish names]]
[[Category:Sindarin names]]
[[Category:Third Age characters]]

[[de:Denethor II.]]
[[fi:Denethor II]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:hommes:3a:dunedain:gondoriens:denethor ii]]

The Hobbit 1st edition

2025-10-07T04:28:06Z

Shadowfax90: /* First edition */

{{Cleanup}}
[[File:The Hobbit 1937 First Edition.png|thumb|right|150px]]
This article contains information specifically on the '''''The Hobbit'' 1st edition''' published by [[Allen and Unwin|George Allen & Unwin]], for general information on the book see '''''[[The Hobbit]]'''''.

==First edition==
''[[The Hobbit]]'' has been published in two editions with the second intended to be more in tune with ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. For example, the first edition makes a reference to "[[tomatoes]]", which was altered to "pickles" by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] in the second.

In the first edition, [[Gollum]] willingly bets his magic ring on the outcome of the [[riddle-game]]. During the writing of ''The Lord of the Rings'', Tolkien saw the need to revise this passage, in order to reflect the concept of [[the One Ring]] and its powerful hold on Gollum. Tolkien tried many different passages in the chapter that would become chapter 2 of ''The Lord of the Rings'', "[[The Shadow of the Past]]". Eventually Tolkien decided a rewrite of ''The Hobbit'' was in order, and he sent a sample chapter of this rewrite ("[[Riddles in the Dark]]") to his publishers. Initially he heard nothing further, but when he was sent galley proofs of a new edition he learned to his surprise the new chapter had been incorporated as the result of a misunderstanding.

Tolkien explained the two different versions in the introduction of ''The Lord of the Rings'', as well as inside "The Shadow of the Past", as a "lie" that [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] made up, probably because of the One Ring's influence on him, and which he originally wrote down in his book. Inside ''The Lord of the Rings'', Bilbo finally confesses the real story at the [[Council of Elrond]], although [[Gandalf]] had deduced the truth earlier. As Tolkien presented himself as the translator of the supposedly historic ''[[Red Book of Westmarch]]'', where Bilbo and [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]]'s stories were recorded, he further explained the two differing stories in ''The Hobbit'' by stating he had originally used Bilbo's original story, but later retranslated the work with the "true story" recorded by Frodo.

This first edition also mentions "[[gnomes]]", an earlier word Tolkien used to refer to the second kindred of the [[Calaquendi|High Elves]] — the [[Noldor]] (or "Deep Elves"). Tolkien thought that "gnome", being derived from the Greek ''gnosis'' (knowledge), was a good name for the Noldor he created to be the wisest of the other Elves. But with its English connotations of a small, secretive, and unattractive creature, Tolkien removed it from later editions. He made other minor changes in order to conform the narrative to events in ''The Lord of the Rings'' and in the ideas he was developing for the ''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]''.

==1st impression==
The first impression was released on [[21 September]] [[1937]] and included black and white illustrations only. The print run was just 1,500 copies.

The book measures 19.6 x 14.0 cm.

The true First Edition of ''The Hobbit'' with an intact dust jacket are highly prized by collectors.

The rear flap has a misspelling that only appears on the first editions. The word Dodgson is incorrectly spelled Dodgeson, and the letter 'e' has been marked over in black ink by the publishers.

==2nd impression==
The second impression was released in December 1937 and included four colour illustrations.

==3rd impression==
The third impression was released in [[1942]] and included only 1 colour illustration for the War Economy Standard.

==4th impression==
The fourth impression was released in 1946 and was similar to the third impression. 4,000 copies were printed.

[[Category:The Hobbit editions]]
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Hobbit'' 1st edition}}