Írimë

From Tolkien Gateway
Írimë
Noldo
Sempern0x - Irime.jpg
"Irime" by Sempern0x
Biographical Information
Other namesLalwendë (Q, mn), Lalwen, Írien
LocationAman, Middle-earth
AffiliationHouse of Fingolfin
LanguageQuenya, Sindarin
Birthbetween Y.T. 1190 and Y.T. 1230
Tirion
Family
HouseHouse of Finwë
ParentageFinwë and Indis
SiblingsFëanor (half-brother), Findis, Fingolfin, and Finarfin
Physical Description
GenderFemale
GalleryImages of Írimë

Írimë was a Noldorin Elf. She was the third child (and second daughter) of Finwë, King of the Noldor, and Indis, his second wife. She was the sister of Findis, Fingolfin, and Finarfin, as well as the half-sister of Fëanor.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

Little is known about Írimë, except that during the Exile of the Noldor she went to Middle-earth across the Helcaraxë with her elder brother, Fingolfin, whom she was close to, while the rest of her siblings remained in Valinor.[1] Írimë's fate is unknown; she may have been slain or returned to Aman after the War of Wrath.

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Írimë is clearly Quenya, probably a feminized form of írima ("desirable, lovely").[2]

Other names[edit | edit source]

Her mother-name was Lalwendë, or in shortened form Lalwen, and she was generally known by this name. This short name was not changed in Middle-earth, as it fit Sindarin.[1] The Sindarin version of this name would have been Glaðwen.[3]

In the same lines of The Shibboleth of Fëanor, Tolkien contradictorily gave both Írimë and Írien as names for this character. His son Christopher explains his father could have been influenced by the previous genealogies.[4]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Míriel
d. Y.T. 1170
 
 
 
Finwë
d. Y.T. 1495
 
 
 
Indis
b. Y.T.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fëanor
Y.T. 1169 - 1497
 
Findis
b. Y.T.
 
Fingolfin
Y.T. 1190 - F.A. 456
 
ÍRIMË
b. Y.T.
 
Finarfin
b. Y.T. 1230
 
 

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

The first introduction of Írimë in the legendarium was during the composition of the Later Quenta Silmarillion, in which Finwë also had another daughter called Faniel.[5] In a following revision, her name was changed to Finvain,[6] but was soon changed again to Írimë or Írien as explained above.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "The names of Finwë's descendants", p. 343
  2. Paul Strack, "Q. Írimë f.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 3 August 2022)
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "Notes", p. 359, note 29
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "XI. The Shibboleth of Fëanor", "Notes", p. 359, note 28
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (II) The Second Phase: The Earliest Version of the Story of Finwë and Míriel", p. 207
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (I) The First Phase: 6. Of the Silmarils and the Darkening of Valinor", p. 262, footnote. Cf. p. 265, note 10