In the HOME volume 'The War of the Jewels' there is a version of the awakening of the first elves which is very interesting but also problematic. Tolkien didn't finish it and it's not included in PubSil.
The story is this: the first elves woke in pairs, man and woman: Imin ("First") and Iminyë, Tata ("Second") and Tatië, and Enel ("Third") and Enelyë. They were called the unbegotten, since they awoke fully grown, without parents. the three elf-fathers chose groups of followers: Imin chose 14, Tata 56, and Enel 74. The "First" group were later named Vanyar, the second Noldor and the third Teleri.
Apparently, three ambassadors were later chosen by Oromë to come to Aman, and these three became the leaders of the eldar - Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë. They chose wives, and as the case of Elwë makes plain, these ambassadors were not identical to the unbegotten, who didn't choose their wives (Elwë wouldn't have been able to choose Melian if he had been one of the first generation, the unbegotten). So, we can be fairly certain that the ambassadors had parents and weren't firstborn. Finwë later marries Ingwë's sister - another clue that they were of a later generation.
What happened to the unbegotten? Are they just a tale? I don't think so - even if Tolkien treats it like an elvish children's tale, it gives an account of the origins of the elves that is typical of Tolkien, and the clearest account he gives us. It's unfinished, though. So it leaves us with questions. Why weren't the elf-fathers and elf-mothers the leaders of the people? Did they die? In that case, when? Perhaps Melkor killed them. Or did they choose to stay at Cuiviénen, and were killed in some cataclysm - when Beleriamd was destroyed perhaps?
It seems like something we don't have to show clearly in the series but should have a clear idea about.
The story is this: the first elves woke in pairs, man and woman: Imin ("First") and Iminyë, Tata ("Second") and Tatië, and Enel ("Third") and Enelyë. They were called the unbegotten, since they awoke fully grown, without parents. the three elf-fathers chose groups of followers: Imin chose 14, Tata 56, and Enel 74. The "First" group were later named Vanyar, the second Noldor and the third Teleri.
Apparently, three ambassadors were later chosen by Oromë to come to Aman, and these three became the leaders of the eldar - Ingwë, Finwë and Elwë. They chose wives, and as the case of Elwë makes plain, these ambassadors were not identical to the unbegotten, who didn't choose their wives (Elwë wouldn't have been able to choose Melian if he had been one of the first generation, the unbegotten). So, we can be fairly certain that the ambassadors had parents and weren't firstborn. Finwë later marries Ingwë's sister - another clue that they were of a later generation.
What happened to the unbegotten? Are they just a tale? I don't think so - even if Tolkien treats it like an elvish children's tale, it gives an account of the origins of the elves that is typical of Tolkien, and the clearest account he gives us. It's unfinished, though. So it leaves us with questions. Why weren't the elf-fathers and elf-mothers the leaders of the people? Did they die? In that case, when? Perhaps Melkor killed them. Or did they choose to stay at Cuiviénen, and were killed in some cataclysm - when Beleriamd was destroyed perhaps?
It seems like something we don't have to show clearly in the series but should have a clear idea about.
Last edited:
