Fathers of the Dwarves: Difference between revisions

From Tolkien Gateway
(23 intermediate revisions by 12 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
The Seven '''Fathers of the Dwarves''' were the first of their race.
The Seven '''Fathers of the Dwarves''' were the first of their race.


The [[Valar|Vala]] [[Aulë]] created the [[Dwarves]] because he was impatient for the arising of the Children of [[Ilúvatar]] ([[Elves]] and [[Men]]). He created seven Dwarves, and was teaching them the language he had devised for them ([[Khuzdul]]) when Ilúvatar confronted him. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar, who accepted them and gave them life.<ref name="Aule">{{S|Aule}}</ref>
==History==
[[File:Ted_Nasmith_-_Aulë_the_Destroyer.jpg|thumb|left|Aule going to destroy the Dwarves]]
The [[Valar|Vala]] [[Aulë]] created the [[Dwarves]] because he was impatient for the arising of the [[Children of Ilúvatar]] ([[Elves]] and [[Men]]) and he wished for children to love and instruct. It was the period known as the [[Sleep of Yavanna]] when [[Middle-earth]] was dark and silent and was roamed by monsters from [[Utumno]]. For this, Aulë made them strong and resistant and able to endure hardships; but as he had only a vague impression of the Children of Ilúvatar, his creations were structured differently, shorter and stunted.<ref name="Aule"/>
However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in the continent of Middle-earth.<ref name="Aule"/>


The eldest of all, [[Durin]], "lay alone" at [[Mount Gundabad]] in the north of the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Dwarves">{{PM|Dwarves}}</ref> He later founded the line of the '''[[Longbeards]]''' (or ''[[Sigin-tarâg]]'' in Khuzdul), the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as [[Durin's folk]]. His city was [[Khazad-dûm]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>
He created seven [[Dwarves]], and was teaching them the language he had devised for them ([[Khuzdul]]), but Aulë was not Ilúvatar who had the [[Secret Fire|Flame Imperishable]] and his children were dumb, able to move and speak only if he wished so, and would remain motionless whenever Aule would think elsewhere.<ref name="Aule"/>
[[File:Ted_Nasmith_-_Aulë_the_Destroyer.jpg|thumb|left|''Aulë Prepares to Destroy His Children'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
Ilúvatar confronted him for his impatience. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar and was ready to break them in repentance. But Ilúvatar accepted his offer and gave them life of their own, and the Dwarves started cowering and pleading for mercy despite Aule's will.<ref name="Aule">{{S|Aule}}</ref>


Two others were laid to rest near [[Mount Dolmed]] in the [[Ered Luin]] or ''Blue Mountains'', and they founded the lines of the '''[[Broadbeams]]''' and the '''[[Firebeards]]''' who later lived in [[Nogrod]] and [[Belegost]].<ref name="Dwarves"/>
However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in Middle-earth.<ref name="Aule"/> The eldest of all, [[Durin]], "lay alone" at [[Gundabad|Mount Gundabad]] in the north of the [[Misty Mountains]].<ref name="Dwarves">{{PM|Dwarves}}</ref> He later founded the line of the '''[[Durin's Folk|Longbeards]]''' (or ''Sigin-tarâg'' in Khuzdul), the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as [[Durin's Folk]]. His city was [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]].<ref name="Durin">{{App|Durin}}</ref>


The other four Fathers of Dwarves were laid to rest in the far east, two of them at the northern end of the [[Orocarni]], and the other two near the southern end of the range. These founded the lines of the '''[[Ironfists]]''', '''[[Stiffbeards]]''', '''[[Blacklocks]]''', and '''[[Stonefoots]]'''.<ref name="Dwarves"/> No Dwarves of these lines appear in the tales.
Two others were laid to rest in the [[Ered Luin]] or ''Blue Mountains'', and they founded the lines of the '''[[Broadbeams]]''' and the '''[[Firebeards]]''' who later lived in [[Nogrod]] and [[Belegost]]. The other four Fathers of the Dwarves were laid to rest in two pairs in [[Rhûn]]; lands at least as far east of Mount Gundabad as it lay east of the Blue Mountains. They founded the lines of the '''[[Ironfists]]''', '''[[Stiffbeards]]''', '''[[Blacklocks]]''', and '''[[Stonefoots]]'''.<ref name="Dwarves"/>
 
It was said that the Seven Fathers would return to life after generations among their own folk.<ref name="Aule"/> This did not mean reincarnation, however. Rather, the bodies of the Fathers would be preserved, and their spirits would return to the bodies and live once more.<ref>{{NM|P2xv}}p. 264-265</ref> Durin was known to return to lfe [[Durin (disambiguation)|six more times]]. <ref name="Durin"/>
 
Of the Fathers of the Dwarves, only Durin is said to have "lain alone".<ref name="Durin"/>
 
==Other versions of the legendarium==
The reference to Durin being alone can be interpreted as referring to the fact that, in older versions of the story, Durin alone had no female companion (references are made by Tolkien to the "Thirteen Dwarves" created by Aulë, Durin and the six pairs{{fact}}) but later it meant that Durin was indeed laid down to rest alone while the other Fathers were laid to rest as three pairs. In that same conception, Tolkien considered that there were other Dwarves made that were put to sleep beside their Fathers; Durin would be again an exception, as he created his Folk by gathering Dwarves from other clans during his wanders.<ref>{{PM|XNotes}}, #24</ref>


Of the Fathers of the Dwarves, only Durin is said to have "lain alone".<ref name="Durin"/> This can be interpreted as referring to the fact he was indeed laid down to rest alone while the other Fathers were laid to rest in pairs, but older versions of the story suggest that it meant Durin alone had no female companion. The other Fathers did: references are made by Tolkien to the "Thirteen Dwarves" created by Aulë (Durin and the six pairs).<ref>{{PM|Dwarves}}, Note 24</ref>
==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
According to the ''Tolkien Encyclopedia'', Aulë's creation of the Dwarves is [[sub-creation]] which aims to honor the wider Creation of God/Eru, a concept expressed in ''[[Mythopoeia]]''; "and may indicate anxieties about the independent value of art."<ref>[[Michael D.C. Drout]], ed., ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment]]'', p. 134</ref>
According to the ''Tolkien Encyclopedia'', Aulë's creation of the Dwarves is [[sub-creation]] which aims to honor the wider Creation of God/Eru, a concept expressed in ''[[Mythopoeia]]''; "and may indicate anxieties about the independent value of art."<ref>[[Michael D.C. Drout]], ed., ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment]]'', p. 134</ref>


{{References}}
{{References}}

Revision as of 14:05, 7 October 2021

Aulë and the Seven Fathers by Ted Nasmith

The Seven Fathers of the Dwarves were the first of their race.

History

The Vala Aulë created the Dwarves because he was impatient for the arising of the Children of Ilúvatar (Elves and Men) and he wished for children to love and instruct. It was the period known as the Sleep of Yavanna when Middle-earth was dark and silent and was roamed by monsters from Utumno. For this, Aulë made them strong and resistant and able to endure hardships; but as he had only a vague impression of the Children of Ilúvatar, his creations were structured differently, shorter and stunted.[1]

He created seven Dwarves, and was teaching them the language he had devised for them (Khuzdul), but Aulë was not Ilúvatar who had the Flame Imperishable and his children were dumb, able to move and speak only if he wished so, and would remain motionless whenever Aule would think elsewhere.[1]

Aulë Prepares to Destroy His Children by Ted Nasmith

Ilúvatar confronted him for his impatience. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar and was ready to break them in repentance. But Ilúvatar accepted his offer and gave them life of their own, and the Dwarves started cowering and pleading for mercy despite Aule's will.[1]

However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in Middle-earth.[1] The eldest of all, Durin, "lay alone" at Mount Gundabad in the north of the Misty Mountains.[2] He later founded the line of the Longbeards (or Sigin-tarâg in Khuzdul), the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as Durin's Folk. His city was Khazad-dûm.[3]

Two others were laid to rest in the Ered Luin or Blue Mountains, and they founded the lines of the Broadbeams and the Firebeards who later lived in Nogrod and Belegost. The other four Fathers of the Dwarves were laid to rest in two pairs in Rhûn; lands at least as far east of Mount Gundabad as it lay east of the Blue Mountains. They founded the lines of the Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.[2]

It was said that the Seven Fathers would return to life after generations among their own folk.[1] This did not mean reincarnation, however. Rather, the bodies of the Fathers would be preserved, and their spirits would return to the bodies and live once more.[4] Durin was known to return to lfe six more times. [3]

Of the Fathers of the Dwarves, only Durin is said to have "lain alone".[3]

Other versions of the legendarium

The reference to Durin being alone can be interpreted as referring to the fact that, in older versions of the story, Durin alone had no female companion (references are made by Tolkien to the "Thirteen Dwarves" created by Aulë, Durin and the six pairs[source?]) but later it meant that Durin was indeed laid down to rest alone while the other Fathers were laid to rest as three pairs. In that same conception, Tolkien considered that there were other Dwarves made that were put to sleep beside their Fathers; Durin would be again an exception, as he created his Folk by gathering Dwarves from other clans during his wanders.[5]

Inspiration

According to the Tolkien Encyclopedia, Aulë's creation of the Dwarves is sub-creation which aims to honor the wider Creation of God/Eru, a concept expressed in Mythopoeia; "and may indicate anxieties about the independent value of art."[6]

References