Helcaraxë: Difference between revisions

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{{location infobox
| name=Helcaraxë
| image=[[File:Stefan Meisl - Helcaraxe.jpg|250px]]
| caption="Helcaraxe" by [[:Category:Images by Stefan Meisl|Stefan Meisl]]
| pronun={{respell|hel|kar|ak-seh}}
| othernames=Grinding Ice, Narrow Ice
| location=Between [[Araman]] and northern [[Middle-earth]]
| type=Frozen glacial desert
| description=Dangerous, foggy waste with icy hills
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=Migration of the Noldor under Fingolfin
}}
{{quote|In the north these shores, in the ancient days after the [[Battle of the Powers]], bent ever westward, until in the northernmost parts of [[Arda]] only a narrow sea divided [[Aman]] [...] from the [[Hither Lands]]; but this narrow sea was filled with grinding ice, because of the violence of the frosts of [[Melkor]].|''[[Quenta Silmarillion]]'', "[[Of the Noldor in Beleriand]]"}}
'''Helcaraxë''' was the perilous icy wastes that formerly lay between [[Araman]] (a region in the north of [[Aman]]) and [[Middle-earth]] in the far north of [[Arda]].<ref>{{S|3}}</ref> Here met the [[Ekkaia|Encircling Sea]] and the [[Belegaer]], creating "''vast fogs and mists of deathly cold, and the sea-streams were filled with clashing hills of ice and the grinding of ice deep-sunken''."<ref name=S9/>
[[File:Ted Nasmith - Fingolfin Leads the Host Across the Helcaraxë.jpg|thumb|left|''Fingolfin Leads the Host Across the Helcaraxë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]]]]
At the beginning of the [[First Age]], [[Oromë]] decided not to lead the [[Eldar]] of the [[Great March]] there, on their way to [[Valinor]], because of the ice and extreme cold, but rather took them by the Sea.<ref name=s5>{{S|5}}</ref>
Later [[Morgoth]] and [[Ungoliant]], escaping from the pursuit of the [[Valar]], fled to Middle-earth across the treacherous wastes of the Helcaraxë. Later, [[Fingolfin]] and his people also made their way into [[Beleriand]] across the Helcaraxë. Many died while crossing it, including [[Elenwë]], [[Turgon]]'s wife.<ref name=S9>{{S|9}}</ref>
Helcaraxë was also referred to as the '''Grinding Ice'''.<ref>{{S|13}}</ref><ref>{{S|15}}</ref> Another name for this region was perhaps also the '''Narrow Ice''', used by [[Bilbo Baggins]] in his poem ''[[Song of Eärendil]]''.<ref>{{FR|II1}}</ref>
==Etymology==
{{Pronounce|Helcaraxe.mp3|Ardamir}}
{{Pronounce|Helcaraxe.mp3|Ardamir}}
The '''Helcaraxë''' ([[Quenya|Q]] "grinding ice", pron. [[Noldorin|N]] {{IPA|[ˌhelkaˈrakse]}}, [[Vanyarin|V]] {{IPA|[ˌxelkaˈrakse]}}) was the perilous icy wastes that formerly lay between [[Aman]] and [[Middle-earth]] in the north of the world. [[Fingolfin]] and his people made their way into [[Middle-earth]] across the treacherous wastes of the Helcaraxë at the beginning of the [[First Age]].
In the [[The Etymologies|''Etymologies'']], the second element in ''Helkarakse'' is said to be the [[Quenya]] word ''[[karakse]]'' ("jagged hedge of spikes").<ref name=LR>{{LR|Etymologies}}, p. 362, entry "[[KARAK|KARAK-]]"</ref> [[Helge Fauskanger]] has suggested that the first element (''hel-'') derives from the [[Sundocarme|root]] [[KHELEK]] ("ice").<ref>[[Helge Fauskanger]], "[http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/eng-quen.rtf English-Quenya Wordlist (Quettaparma Quenyanna)]" at [http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/ Ardalambion] (accessed 25 June 2011)</ref> [[Robert Foster]] suggests the translation "ice fangs".<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, entry "Helcaraxe"</ref>


[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Fingolfin Leads the Host Across the Helcaraxë.jpg|thumb|left|''Fingolfin Leads the Host Across the Helcaraxë'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]
Also in the ''Etymologies'', [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] experimented with [[Noldorin]] translations of ''Hekarakse'': ''elcharaes'', ''helcharaes'' or ''Helcharach''.<ref name=LR/><ref>{{VT|45a}}, p. 19</ref>


==Quenya noun inflection==
==See also==
{{qya-decl-e|Helcarax}}
*[[Qerkaringa]]


{{References}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Helcaraxe}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Helcaraxe}}
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Quenya locations]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Quenya nouns]]
[[de:Helcaraxe]]
[[fi:Helcaraxë]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/regions/helcaraxe]]

Revision as of 20:59, 25 January 2021

Helcaraxë
Frozen glacial desert
Stefan Meisl - Helcaraxe.jpg
"Helcaraxe" by Stefan Meisl
General Information
Pronunciationhel-kar-ak-seh
Other namesGrinding Ice, Narrow Ice
LocationBetween Araman and northern Middle-earth
TypeFrozen glacial desert
DescriptionDangerous, foggy waste with icy hills
History
EventsMigration of the Noldor under Fingolfin
GalleryImages of Helcaraxë
"In the north these shores, in the ancient days after the Battle of the Powers, bent ever westward, until in the northernmost parts of Arda only a narrow sea divided Aman [...] from the Hither Lands; but this narrow sea was filled with grinding ice, because of the violence of the frosts of Melkor."
Quenta Silmarillion, "Of the Noldor in Beleriand"

Helcaraxë was the perilous icy wastes that formerly lay between Araman (a region in the north of Aman) and Middle-earth in the far north of Arda.[1] Here met the Encircling Sea and the Belegaer, creating "vast fogs and mists of deathly cold, and the sea-streams were filled with clashing hills of ice and the grinding of ice deep-sunken."[2]

Fingolfin Leads the Host Across the Helcaraxë by Ted Nasmith

At the beginning of the First Age, Oromë decided not to lead the Eldar of the Great March there, on their way to Valinor, because of the ice and extreme cold, but rather took them by the Sea.[3]

Later Morgoth and Ungoliant, escaping from the pursuit of the Valar, fled to Middle-earth across the treacherous wastes of the Helcaraxë. Later, Fingolfin and his people also made their way into Beleriand across the Helcaraxë. Many died while crossing it, including Elenwë, Turgon's wife.[2]

Helcaraxë was also referred to as the Grinding Ice.[4][5] Another name for this region was perhaps also the Narrow Ice, used by Bilbo Baggins in his poem Song of Eärendil.[6]

Etymology

In the Etymologies, the second element in Helkarakse is said to be the Quenya word karakse ("jagged hedge of spikes").[7] Helge Fauskanger has suggested that the first element (hel-) derives from the root KHELEK ("ice").[8] Robert Foster suggests the translation "ice fangs".[9]

Also in the Etymologies, Tolkien experimented with Noldorin translations of Hekarakse: elcharaes, helcharaes or Helcharach.[7][10]

See also

References