Speaker 1: Hail Aerendel, brightest of angels above the middle Earth, sent
Speaker 1: unto men, in true radiance of the sun, bright above
Speaker 1: the stars, Thou of thy very self, illuminous forever in
Speaker 1: every season. These words of the ninth century Anglo Saxon
Speaker 1: poem The christop Kindwulf captured Tolkien's imagination and inspired the
Speaker 1: first enduring character of his Legendarium, Aarendel, the Mariner. In
Speaker 1: the original poem, Aarendel is the light of Christ that
Speaker 1: illuminates the world with his wisdom and goodness. In Tolkien's mind, however,
Speaker 1: the portrayal of this idea of Aarendel had room for development,
Speaker 1: as he envisioned the journeys of this light that gives
Speaker 1: hope to men under the shadow. Aarendel or morning star
Speaker 1: is a myth laden name that can be found in
Speaker 1: Christian Anglo Saxon literature as well as in Norse tales,
Speaker 1: as Thoris said to have made a star are with
Speaker 1: the toe of the giant Orvandol, which is surely part
Speaker 1: of the same broader mythos of Erndol. In the case
Speaker 1: of Kinewolf, however, this light seems to either be a
Speaker 1: forerunner of Christ, such as John the Baptist, or perhaps
Speaker 1: even Christ himself. In either case, Christ is at the
Speaker 1: center of this light, and Tolkien's Herendel can parallel either interpretation,
Speaker 1: as he bridges seemingly discordant realities and intercedes on behalf
Speaker 1: of the people of Middle Earth. Well who exactly was
Speaker 1: Tolkien's character Aarendel, While Arendel was the son of the
Speaker 1: man Tour and the elf Edral, who is the daughter
Speaker 1: of Turgon, the king of Gondolin. Following the destruction of Gondolin,
Speaker 1: Arendil and his parents lived in Arbenian, near the Syrian River,
Speaker 1: where the survivors of Gondolin and Doriath found company as exiles.
Speaker 1: Arendel married Elwing, daughter of King Dior, the son of
Speaker 1: Baron Luthian. Of Arendall and Elwing were born Elrond and Elross,
Speaker 1: the latter of which would be the first king of Numenor,
Speaker 1: And of course you know Elron from the Lord of
Speaker 1: the Rings. While Tour and Edral had previously departed over
Speaker 1: the sea, and so Arendall at this time decided to
Speaker 1: set out in search for them, with the aid of
Speaker 1: carried in the Shipwright Arendel built the great ship of
Speaker 1: Vinglot and set sail. When word got out that Elwing
Speaker 1: had in her possession the Summarill that Baron and Luthian
Speaker 1: had retrieved from the Crown of Morgoth, the sons of
Speaker 1: Feyonor raided and slaughtered the people of Arbenian. To avoid
Speaker 1: being captured and to avoid having the Sumarl go into
Speaker 1: the hands of the sons of Feyanor, Elwing, with the
Speaker 1: Simarol in hand, cast herself into the sea. However, as
Speaker 1: a u catastrophic act, the vala Ulmo turned Elwing into
Speaker 1: a great white bird that she might fly to safety.
Speaker 1: After hearing what had happened at Arbenian and feeling the
Speaker 1: weight of the shadow of Morgoth pressing upon him, as
Speaker 1: well as even more importantly, the broader people of Middle Earth,
Speaker 1: a Arndall sought aid for the Valor, recognizing that they
Speaker 1: had their only hope of overturning the shadow. Achieving the
Speaker 1: seemingly impossible, Arendel became the first mortal to set foot
Speaker 1: on the shores of Valinor, thereby demonstrating his divine commission.
Speaker 1: The Valar heeded h his pleas and decided to return
Speaker 1: to Middle Earth to aid his inhabitants in the fight
Speaker 1: against Morgoth, and this final conflict would be known as
Speaker 1: the War of Wrath, which would cast out Morgoth while
Speaker 1: leaving a devastating toll on the land. Because of his
Speaker 1: selfless heroism, Arendall did not receive the death that he
Speaker 1: had earned by transgressing against the baynon mortals placed on
Speaker 1: the undying lands, and after Morgoth was defeated, Arendal was
Speaker 1: commissioned by the Valar to sail the great Ocean of
Speaker 1: the Heavens with the summarl as a continual reminder to
Speaker 1: those who live in the shadow that they are not forsaken.
Speaker 1: And as we learn through the eyes of Sandwise, in
Speaker 1: the end the shadow is only a small and passing thing.
Speaker 1: There is light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.
Speaker 1: But on him mighty doom was laid till moon should fade,
Speaker 1: an orbit star to passentary never more on hither shores,
Speaker 1: where mortals are till end of days, on air and
Speaker 1: high a herald bright that never rest, to bear his
Speaker 1: shining lamp Afar, the Phlamoufur of Westerness