Tavrobel
Tavrobel | |
---|---|
Village | |
General Information | |
Other names | Tathrobel |
Location | Tol Eressëa |
Type | Village |
Description | a place beside the rivers Afros and Gruir which joined at the bridge of Tavrobel |
People and History | |
Inhabitants | Elves; (also Eriol/Aelfwine) |
Events | Pengolodh's (or in the earlier versions, Gilfanon's) teachings to Aelfwine |
Gallery | Images of Tavrobel |
Tavrobel or Tathrobel was a village on Tol Eressea, the home of Pengolodh when he returned to the West, and where Aelfwine saw and translated the Annals.[1]
Etymology
In the Etymologies, the name is envisioned as Noldorin and is reinterpreted to contain the Noldorin words tavr "woodpecker" and gobel "encircled village".[1][2]
Other versions of the Legendarium
Tavrobel appears in the earliest phases of the Legendarium as a town on the western part of Tol Eressëa.[3] The Tower of Tavrobel was beside the rivers Afros and Gruir which joined at the bridge of Tavrobel. Nearby the bridge was the Gilfanon's home, the House of the Hundred Chimneys. Around the land, the Gnomes lived as one people.[4][5] It was located a league away from the Heath of the Sky-roof.[6]
In Tolkien's notes, Gilfanon hosted Ottor Wǽfre (Eriol) in his House, where he compiled the Golden Book with the tales he had heard, and then was allowed to drink limpe. Eriol died in Tavrobel. One of his sons, Heorrenda afterwards settled Tavrobel, and it became Great Haywood.[6]
Tavrobel was also considered to be the name of a settlement in Brethil of the Woodmen and Túrin. See: Amon Obel.[1][2]
In the early Gnomish Lexicon, the name is said to mean "wood-home", including the Gnomish words taur, tavros "forest" from root TAVA; and pel said to mean "village, hamlet, -ham".[7][1]
Inspiration
Tavrobel is identified as Great Haywood, or more specifically Staffordshire village. Tolkien was stationed in a camp near Great Haywood and Edith Tolkien lived there after their marriage. Tolkien was again in Great Haywood in the winter of 1916-7, after his return from France.[8]
G. L. Elkin, the Acting Director of the Shugborough Estate, has further suggested to Christopher Tolkien that Gilfanon's House of Hundred Chimneys may have been based on the Shugborough Hall at the Great Haywood, and likewise the bridge of Tavrobel may have been based on the Essex Bridge that crosses River Trent 100 metres of its confluence with River Sow. The nearby Heath of the Sky-roof, the site of a battle among Men, was perhaps inspired by Hopton Heath, the site of the Battle of Hopton Heath.[1]
Christopher Tolkien notes that as Great Haywood is near the confluence of Sow and Trent, the two Tavrobels are also near the confluence of two rivers: Afros / Gruir (Tol Eressea) and Taiglin / Sirion (Brethil).[1]
See also
- An Evening in Tavrobel (poem)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Appendix: III. The Second 'Silmarillion' Map"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries TAM and PEL(ES)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Early Qenya and The Valmaric Script", in Parma Eldalamberon XIV (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, Patrick H. Wynne, and Bill Welden), p. 62
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "VIII. The Tale of the Sun and Moon", p. 175
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "Index"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "VI. The History of Eriol or Ælfwine and the End of the Tales"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play": "Notes and Commentary"