Lúthien

Lúthien also known as Lúthien Tinúviel (YT 1200 ? - FA 502) was an Elf of Doriath, wife of Beren Erchamion and the fairest of all the Children of Ilúvatar that has ever lived. Her love for the man Beren of which she was prepared to risk everything for including death, is legendary and lamented forever in song and story. She and Beren braved Morgoth's horrors winning the Silmaril and the respect of Thingol. Though their actions later resulted in both their deaths, their deeds won them the pity of Mandos and a second life in Middle-earth.

Early years
Lúthien was the daughter of Elu Thingol, King of Doriath, and his Queen, Melian the Maia. (Technically, this makes Lúthien Half-elven, but she is counted among the elves; the term "Half-elven" was reserved for those with human descent). Throughout the years before she met Beren, she lived as all the elves of Doriath did in a blissful peace. She was a woman of great beauty and grace and often enjoyed dancing in the woods of the realm to the music of her good friend Daeron‘s flute. He himself soon came to love her greatly but she did not return it.

Beren and the Quest for the Silmaril
Lúthien is remembered in the Lay of Leithian as the first elven women to have fallen in love and married a mortal man, Beren, a Man of the House of Bëor whom she met in the woods of Doriath. Their relationship was unlikely from the beginning: Lúthien was not only the cherished single daughter of the most powerful elven king in Beleriand, but also the daughter of a Maia, a powerful angelic being of the race of the Ainur. Beren was a mortal man on the run from the Dark Lord Morgoth.



Thingol was desperate not to let Beren marry his daughter, and set an impossible task as the bride price: Beren had to bring to Thingol one of the Silmarils from Morgoth's iron crown. Against monstrous odds, including kidnap by the Sons of Fëanor and the death of Finrod Felagund, as well as a confrontation with Sauron, the couple achieved the task, with help from Huan, the Hound of Valinor, but Beren dies as soon as it is completed. In grief, Lúthien laid down and died after this event, going to the Halls of Mandos. Here, she sings to Mandos and for the first time he is moved to pity. But, Mandos had no authority to allow Beren to live again, so he went before Manwë for advice, who in turn sought out the counsel of Eru Ilúvatar himself. Two choices were then placed before Lúthien; she could either dwell in Valimar with the Valar in bliss forever as reward for all that she had accomplished, or she could be restored to life again with Beren, on the condition that they would both be mortal and die the death of Men. For her love of Beren, Luthien chose the latter.



Later years
After this, they dwell in Ossiriand until after the sack of Menegroth. They have a son, Dior, who is called Elúchil - the Heir of Thingol. After the Silmaril stolen by Beren was set in the Nauglamír, the Necklace of the Dwarves, it was given to Lúthien. Her beauty combined with the splendor of the gem and necklace to make her home of Tol Galen the fairest land ever to have existed east of Valinor. On her death the Nauglamír was delivered to her son Dior, which leads to the ruin of Doriath.

Legacy
Their union was the first of a mortal man and an elf. Their lineage was passed down to the royal House of Elros of the Kingdom of Númenor, and then on to the Dúnedain men living in exile in Middle-earth on up to the Kings of the Reunited Kingdom and beyond. Lúthien's romance with the Beren is one of the great stories of the Elder Days, and is mirrored by the later romance between Aragorn and Arwen Evenstar. According to legend, her line will never be broken as long as the world lasts.

Etymology
Lúthien (Sindarin IPA: ) means "Enchantress" and Tinúviel means "twilight-maiden", a poetic name for lómelindë or nightingale. Tinúviel was a name given to her by Beren (it was also the name Tolkien originally gave her, before changing it to Lúthien). She is described as the Morning Star of the Elves, while Arwen is called Evenstar, the Evening Star.

Edith Tolkien - The Inspiration for Lúthien
Lúthien is supposed to have been based on Edith Tolkien, the wife of Tolkien.

Edith Tolkien was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery (North Oxford) and this name appears on her plaque:

EDITH MARY TOLKIEN LUTHIEN 1889 – 1971

The name of Beren also appears on J.R.R. Tolkien's plaque:

JOHN RONALD REUEL TOLKIEN BEREN 1892 – 1973

Earlier versions
In the various versions of The Tale of Tinúviel, Tolkien's earliest form of his tale, as published in The Book of Lost Tales Parts 1 and 2, her original name is Tinúviel (Lúthien was invented later), Beren is an Elf, and Sauron has not yet emerged. In his place, they face Tevildo, the Prince of Cats, a monstrous giant cat.

Inspirations
As said above, Tolkien considered his wife his Lúthien. The name may be derived from the Old English word Lufien, which means love.

External link

 * Lúthien at Tolkien Gateway

Lúthien Lúthien