Tol Eressëa
Encyclopedia
In early versions of J. R. R. Tolkien
's legendarium
(see: The History of Middle-earth
), Tol Eressëa was an island visited by the Anglo-Saxon traveller Ælfwine (in earlier versions, Eriol) which provided a framework for the tales that later became The Silmarillion
. The name is the Elvish for "Lonely Island". In early versions, the Cottage of Lost Play is located in Kortirion, the island's main city, and it is here that Eriol the Mariner comes.
There is an early poem by Tolkien, entitled "Kortirion", several versions of which can be found in The Book of Lost Tales
, Volume I.
Tol Eressëa was designed as a kind of Isle of the Blessed inhabited by Elves
, presenting a mythological backdrop to the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Great Britain. Tol Eressëa was conceived as a mythological equivalent of the island of Great Britain
or Albion
before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
. Its main city, Kortirion, was located at the same place as Warwick
, at the very centre of the island. Later, Tolkien dropped the identification of Tol Eressëa and Albion and made it an island situated far to the west, within sight of Valinor
.
In the 1977 Silmarillion edited by Christopher Tolkien
,
Ulmo
pushed it back and forth across Sundering Seas
twice to transport the Elves to Aman
. After that, it came to rest forever just off the eastern shore of that continent in the Bay of Eldamar, and was inhabited by the Teleri
of Aman, until they left for Alqualondë.
With the end of the First Age
, many of the exiled Eldar of Middle-earth
(and Teleri that had never left it) went to Aman, and lived in the island of Tol Eressëa. Its principal city was Avallónë.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's legendarium
Legendarium
Legendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
(see: The History of Middle-earth
The History of Middle-earth
The History of Middle-earth is a 12-volume series of books published from 1983 through to 1996 that collect and analyse material relating to the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, compiled and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Some of the content consists of earlier versions of already published...
), Tol Eressëa was an island visited by the Anglo-Saxon traveller Ælfwine (in earlier versions, Eriol) which provided a framework for the tales that later became The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
. The name is the Elvish for "Lonely Island". In early versions, the Cottage of Lost Play is located in Kortirion, the island's main city, and it is here that Eriol the Mariner comes.
There is an early poem by Tolkien, entitled "Kortirion", several versions of which can be found in The Book of Lost Tales
The Book of Lost Tales
The Book of Lost Tales is the title of a collection of early stories by J. R. R. Tolkien, and of the first two volumes of Christopher Tolkien's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth, in which he presents and analyses the manuscripts of those stories, which were the earliest form of the...
, Volume I.
Tol Eressëa was designed as a kind of Isle of the Blessed inhabited by Elves
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
, presenting a mythological backdrop to the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Great Britain. Tol Eressëa was conceived as a mythological equivalent of the island of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
or Albion
Albion
Albion is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it is still sometimes used poetically to refer to the island or England in particular. It is also the basis of the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
. Its main city, Kortirion, was located at the same place as Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, at the very centre of the island. Later, Tolkien dropped the identification of Tol Eressëa and Albion and made it an island situated far to the west, within sight of Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
.
In the 1977 Silmarillion edited by Christopher Tolkien
Christopher Tolkien
Christopher Reuel Tolkien is the third and youngest son of the author J. R. R. Tolkien , and is best known as the editor of much of his father's posthumously published work. He drew the original maps for his father's The Lord of the Rings, which he signed C. J. R. T. The J...
,
Ulmo
Ulmo
Ulmo is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He first appears in The Silmarillion as a god or Vala of the Elven pantheon. Ulmo is a title, which means He who pours. He is also known as King of the Sea and Lord of Waters...
pushed it back and forth across Sundering Seas
Belegaer
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Belegaer, the Great Sea or the Sundering Seas, is the sea of Arda that is west of Middle-earth....
twice to transport the Elves to Aman
Aman
-External links:*...
. After that, it came to rest forever just off the eastern shore of that continent in the Bay of Eldamar, and was inhabited by the Teleri
Teleri
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya were the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman...
of Aman, until they left for Alqualondë.
With the end of the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
, many of the exiled Eldar of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
(and Teleri that had never left it) went to Aman, and lived in the island of Tol Eressëa. Its principal city was Avallónë.
Works cited
- Verlyn FliegerVerlyn FliegerVerlyn Flieger is an author, editor, and professor in the Department of English at the University of Maryland at College Park. She teaches courses in comparative mythology, medieval literature and the works of J. R. R. Tolkien....
, "Do the Atlantis story and abandon Eriol-Saga" Tolkien StudiesTolkien StudiesTolkien Studies: An Annual Scholarly Review is an academic journal publishing papers on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Douglas A. Anderson, Michael D. C. Drout, and Verlyn Flieger. It states that it is the first scholarly journal published by an academic press in the area of Tolkien...
- Volume 1, 2004, pp. 43-68 - The History of Middle-earthThe History of Middle-earthThe History of Middle-earth is a 12-volume series of books published from 1983 through to 1996 that collect and analyse material relating to the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, compiled and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Some of the content consists of earlier versions of already published...
, Volume I&II.