Talk:Star of Elendil

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Revision as of 09:12, 10 July 2015 by Mith (talk | contribs) (Just two Elendilmirs)

Latest comment: 10 July 2015 by Mith

Should this entry make reference to the confusion surrounding the actual number of objects know as "Elendilmir" or "Star of Elendilmir"? As Christopher Tolkien points out in the footnotes to The Disaster of the Gladden Fields, the first Elendilmir was the one possessed by Silmarien. A second Elendilmir was created by Tar-Aldarion for his wife Erendis, was passed down through the line of heirs, and was eventually lost along with Isildur's body at the Gladden Fields. A third was made by the Elves of Imladris for Isildur's son Valandil. This third incarnation of the Elendilmir was the one worn by Aragorn Elessar until he and Gimli discovered the second one in Orthanc.

As if this weren't complicated enough, Christopher Tolkien goes on to argue that the text in Lord of the Rings is wrong, and the "Star of the Dunedain" presented to Samwis Gamgee by Aragorn Elessar was yet ANOTHER Elendilmir, which would make it the FOURTH incarnation of the jewel.

I know that all of this is absurdly complicated and impossible to sort out, but I think this entry should at least mention it.

WadCheber 06:10, 9 July 2015 (UTC)Reply[reply]

Note 32 to "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields" says about Erendis's jewel:

This tradition cannot be unconnected with that of the Elendilmir, a star-like gem borne on the brow as a token of royalty in Arnor; but the original Elendilmir itself, since it belonged to Silmarien, was in existence in Númenor (whatever its origin may have been) before Aldarion brought Erendis' jewel from Middle-earth, and they cannot be the same.

In Note 33 Christopher Tolkien says that both Robert Foster and J.E.A. Tyler have made an error in stating there was another Elendilmir to Samwise:

The Elendilmir is called by several names: the Star of Elendil, the Star of the North, the Star of the Northkingdom; and the Star of the Dúnedain (occurring only in this entry in the Tale of Years) is assumed to be yet another both in Robert Foster's Guide and in J. E. A. Tyier's Tolkien Companion. I have found no other reference to it; but it seems to me to be almost certain that it was not, and that Master Samwise received some different (and more suitable) distinction.

But Note 1 is explicit: "This note gives references to other mentions of the Star of Elendil in the course of the narrative. There were in fact not one but two gems of this name" My conclusion is pretty clear that Christopher is reconfirming that there are only two Elendilmirs; I think that our article should reference these - perhaps under the section heading "Similar jewels" - to make it clear to readers that these similar jewels were related but Elendilmirs. --Mith (Talk/Contribs/Edits) 09:12, 10 July 2015 (UTC)Reply[reply]