Time of the Ages and how they work?

I have with great interest followed the "Exploring The Lord of th Rings" class on Twich (sadly only on VOD, since the live view is nightime here).
There is one thing though that has been nagging me for a long time now, and that is the structure of the Ages in Middle Earth (1st, 2nd, 3rd age etc). I kinda have a hard time understand how this works and the purpose of them. F.eks how and what decide when an Age ends and begins? What is an "Age" exactly?
As i understand it, the 2nd age ended with the Great Alliance and the defeat of Sauron and the 3rd Age ended after the War of the Ring. But how and what decides this? Is this something that is decided after the fact? And did the people of Middle Earth know that the 4th age was beginning after the destruction of the Ring? (wasnt it someone that said that "the 3rd age is coming to a close" in the text?) If so, how did they know? Who decided this? And in the fourth age; does that have a timeline to like the other ages? And how is it decided? When is it decided?

Looking forward to some clarification on this issue.
With regards:
Zalarod
 
Interesting question Zalarod.

It seems to me that Ages in Arda change when an external evil is defeated. The pattern of each age is:
  1. External evil has been defeated. We enter a new age of peace and order and joy.
  2. External evil re-emerges. But it is still weak and gathering strength, and it can be either ignored or fended off.
  3. External evil strengthens. This is accompanied by internal evil, coming from within the 'good' societies (some form of corruption or tyranny). It is harder to fight off evil.
  4. External evil launches existential warfare. The good must do or die. Heroes arise. Evil is defeated. The Age is over and a new Age begins.
Now, in our world, we tend to define ages by technologies: Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age; or by political or philosophical events: Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, Enlightenment, Modern; but Middle Earth defines Ages by theological/moral events.

In Middle Earth, the primary threat to 'good' and 'order' is always external. External to the societies of Men, Elves, Valar. The external threat is Morgoth or Sauron. As each age progresses, internal threats also evidence: The rebellion of the Noldor, the corruption of Numenor, the corruption of Saruman or Denethor, or Theoden. But, these threats are always lesser, and secondary to the external threat. They also are prompted, or tempted, or manipulated by the external threat.

Now, I find it curious, as to why the primary evil in each age is external. This is not particularly Biblical, nor Christian. In the Judeo-Christian culture, Men are fallen. They have the knowledge of good and evil (story of Adam and Eve). They are the perpetrators of evil deeds (the story of Cain and Abel). In our world, evil can be external to our society (Britain vs. Nazi Germany) but it is evil Men who are the source of evil.

In Middle Earth, however, not so. The primary evil is external, and the result of the unresolved 'War in Heaven', the revolt of Melkor against Eru..

This is complicated further by, as far as I can see, that in Arda, Elves are not fallen, and do not have knowledge of good and evil. (Though they can be caused to fall through corruption by Melkor). Men (I think - though the evidence in Arda is not clear) are fallen in Arda, as they are in the Old Testament. It is interesting that the trajectory of Men in the Old Testament, and Elves in the Silmarillion is exactly opposite. Men are expelled from the Garden of Eden into Middle Earth, whereas Elves are shepherded from Middle Earth into the Garden of Eden.

As, through the first 3 Ages that we know in the History of Middle Earth, there has always been an external evil, and Elves are mostly unfallen, and not evil, and powerful compared to Men (though fading), Elves can often check the worst of Men's evil and steer Men towards the good, but the evil of the external fallen Angels is only defeated through either force, or the exploitation of their own folly ('oft evil will shall evil mar') (such as, 'aha! you have put most of your power into a Ring. If we can just destroy the Ring, down you go!).

So, the defeat of an external evil marks the end of an Age in Middle Earth, and it is pretty obvious when an external evil is defeated (perhaps less obvious at the end of the Second Age, when, it might have been assumed that Sauron was defeated when Numenor was sunk beneath the wave. Not so, as it turned out, as he popped back up in Mordor shortly thereafter. Maybe a special bulletin had to be sent out saying "Wait! wait! It is still the Second Age. Sauron not defeated yet.")

As to who officially announces the end of an Age, and the start of the next one, I assume the Valar. Though how they propagate this announcement across Middle Earth remains a mystery.
 
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Of course, these Ages are only those in the Years of the Sun.
There are unnamed (and uncounted) Ages within the Years of the Trees that are not documented to end with the defeat of an external evil (Melkor spent three Ages in the Halls of Mandos). Before the Years of the Trees there were the Years of the Lamps, and before that was the time immediately following the arrival of the Valar in Arda after the Ainulindalë.

I suspect that the transition between Ages are determined by the participants, and for the LoTR that means the Elves and Men.

So the First Age (of the Sun) begins with the rising of the Sun, and ends with the War of Wrath and the sinking of Beleriand and the second defeat of Morgoth. This marks the last direct involvement in the affairs on Middle-Earth by the Valar.

The Second Age (of the Sun) begins (immediately after) with the establishment of the Grey Havens and Lindon, and ends with the Last Alliance and the first defeat of Sauron. (Not to be confused with Sauron's surrender to the Numenoreans) This marks the final height of the power of the Elves in Middle-Earth.

The Third Age (of the Sun) begins immediately after, and ends either with the destruction of the One Ring, or with the departure of the Ring Bearers from the Grey Havens depending on the source: Gandalf states to Aragorn on Mount Mindolluin that "The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun", but the departure of the Ring Bearers is counted as the true end of the Third Age in Appendix B. This marks the diminishing of the Elves and the end of their involvement with the affairs of Men.

The Fourth Age (of the Sun) is the beginning of the Dominion of Men.

I think the Second Age didn't end with the surrender of Sauron for the same reason that the Third Age didn't end with the ejection of Sauron (as the Necromancer) from Dol Goldur: It wasn't a true defeat.
 
Thank you both for remarkable feedback and i think i have a little better insight on the facts. It is kinda metaphysical the whole thing and is a bit hard to grasp, but your feedback (Anthony and Flammifer) made is at least easier for me to understand it better :)
 
Of course, these Ages are only those in the Years of the Sun.
There are unnamed (and uncounted) Ages within the Years of the Trees that are not documented to end with the defeat of an external evil (Melkor spent three Ages in the Halls of Mandos). Before the Years of the Trees there were the Years of the Lamps, and before that was the time immediately following the arrival of the Valar in Arda after the Ainulindalë.

I suspect that the transition between Ages are determined by the participants, and for the LoTR that means the Elves and Men.

So the First Age (of the Sun) begins with the rising of the Sun, and ends with the War of Wrath and the sinking of Beleriand and the second defeat of Morgoth. This marks the last direct involvement in the affairs on Middle-Earth by the Valar.

The Second Age (of the Sun) begins (immediately after) with the establishment of the Grey Havens and Lindon, and ends with the Last Alliance and the first defeat of Sauron. (Not to be confused with Sauron's surrender to the Numenoreans) This marks the final height of the power of the Elves in Middle-Earth.

The Third Age (of the Sun) begins immediately after, and ends either with the destruction of the One Ring, or with the departure of the Ring Bearers from the Grey Havens depending on the source: Gandalf states to Aragorn on Mount Mindolluin that "The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun", but the departure of the Ring Bearers is counted as the true end of the Third Age in Appendix B. This marks the diminishing of the Elves and the end of their involvement with the affairs of Men.

The Fourth Age (of the Sun) is the beginning of the Dominion of Men.

I think the Second Age didn't end with the surrender of Sauron for the same reason that the Third Age didn't end with the ejection of Sauron (as the Necromancer) from Dol Goldur: It wasn't a true defeat.
I think the Ages are specifically an Elven classification, and especially Noldorian. The First Age ends with the end of their War Against Morgoth. The Second Age ends with the death of Gil-Galad, the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth. “The Fourth Age was not held to have begun until the Master Elrond departed...” — and had JRRT worked out her history by 1955, I think he would have included Galadriel in that sentence: the last of the grandchildren of Finwë in Middle-earth.
 
I think the Ages are specifically an Elven classification, and especially Noldorian. The First Age ends with the end of their War Against Morgoth. The Second Age ends with the death of Gil-Galad, the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth. “The Fourth Age was not held to have begun until the Master Elrond departed...” — and had JRRT worked out her history by 1955, I think he would have included Galadriel in that sentence: the last of the grandchildren of Finwë in Middle-earth.
And to support this, the First Age began, not only with the rising of the Sun in the West, but with the arrival in Middle-Earth of Fingolfin and the remainder of his host.

I included the Men, but they would have taken their lead from the Elves. As the Fourth Age marked the beginning of the Dominion of Men, the beginning and end of any subsequent Ages would be determined by Men.
 
Doesn't somebody, Gandalf or someone among the Wise, remark before Sauron's defeat that "the Third Age is ending," in connection with the dwindling of the elves and the ascent of the humans? It seemed to me that the speaker did not tie the end of the Age with Sauron's defeat (which at the time was still in doubt), but with elvish decline. On that basis, I'd lean towards Anthony Lawler's interpretation.

Granted, Galadriel mentions that some elves (I wonder if Celeborn is among their number, but that's a question for 2022 when we reach Lothlorien) believe that once the One Ring is destroyed, perhaps they will experience a renaissance. This suggests the fading of the elves is also in doubt at that point, at least in some circles; however, I would speculate that like Galadriel, the rest of the Wise already know in their hearts that win or lose, the War of the Ring will mark the end of elfkind as a major power in Middle Earth, hence the reference to the Third Age drawing to an end.
 
Doesn't somebody, Gandalf or someone among the Wise, remark before Sauron's defeat that "the Third Age is ending," in connection with the dwindling of the elves and the ascent of the humans? It seemed to me that the speaker did not tie the end of the Age with Sauron's defeat (which at the time was still in doubt), but with elvish decline. On that basis, I'd lean towards Anthony Lawler's interpretation.

Granted, Galadriel mentions that some elves (I wonder if Celeborn is among their number, but that's a question for 2022 when we reach Lothlorien) believe that once the One Ring is destroyed, perhaps they will experience a renaissance. This suggests the fading of the elves is also in doubt at that point, at least in some circles; however, I would speculate that like Galadriel, the rest of the Wise already know in their hearts that win or lose, the War of the Ring will mark the end of elfkind as a major power in Middle Earth, hence the reference to the Third Age drawing to an end.
I can't find the reference you ask about. The closest I can find are these:
1. Where Gandalf is addressing the Captains of the West in The Last Debate:
‘We must walk open-eyed into that trap, with courage, but small hope for ourselves. For, my lords, it may well prove that we ourselves shall perish utterly in a black battle far from the living lands; so that even if Barad-dûr be thrown down, we shall not live to see a new age. But this, I deem, is our duty. And better so than to perish nonetheless - as we surely shall, if we sit here - and know as we die that no new age shall be.’
This suggests that Ages don't just happen; they are declared by those that are around to do so.

2. Where Gandalf is speaking with Frodo and Sam following their awakening at the Field of Cormallen:
‘Noon?’ said Sam, trying to calculate. ‘Noon of what day?’

‘The fourteenth of the New Year,’ said Gandalf; ‘or if you like, the eighth day of April in the Shire reckoning.« But in Gondor the New Year will always now begin upon the twenty-fifth of March when Sauron fell, and when you were brought out of the fire to the King. He has tended you, and now he awaits you. You shall eat and drink with him. When you are ready I will lead you to him.’

3. The narrative describing the beginning of the reign of King Elessar:
In his time the City was made more fair than it had ever been, even in the days of its first glory; and it was filled with trees and with fountains, and its gates were wrought of mithril and steel, and its streets were paved with white marble; and the Folk of the Mountain laboured in it, and the Folk of the Wood rejoiced to come there; and all was healed and made good, and the houses were filled with men and women and the laughter of children, and no window was blind nor any courtyard empty; and after the ending of the Third Age of the world into the new age it preserved the memory and the glory of the years that were gone.

4. Where Gandalf is speaking to Aragorn just before he finds the new White Tree:
And Gandalf said: ‘This is your realm, and the heart of the greater realm that shall be. The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun; and it is your task to order its beginning and to preserve what may be preserved. For though much has been saved, much must now pass away; and the power of the Three Rings also is ended. And all the lands that you see, and those that lie round about them, shall be dwellings of Men. For the time comes of the Dominion of Men, and the Elder Kindred shall fade or depart.’

In the Gondorian reckoning the Fourth Age began two years to the day following Sauron's defeat (March 25 TA 3021)

It seems to me that this shows the start date of the Fourth Age used in this work is determined by the men of Gondor, and while the timing is referenced to the fall of Sauron, it isn't determined by the actual year of the fall. If Gandalf was around to be asked I'd suggest he would mark the beginning of the Age as two years earlier, and in the Shire they recognised the importance of the event, but didn't change their calendar.
 
Doesn't somebody, Gandalf or someone among the Wise, remark before Sauron's defeat that "the Third Age is ending," in connection with the dwindling of the elves and the ascent of the humans? It seemed to me that the speaker did not tie the end of the Age with Sauron's defeat (which at the time was still in doubt), but with elvish decline.

You might be thinking of Saruman’s words to Gandalf, as quoted by the latter at the Council of Elrond:

“The Elder Days are gone. The Middle Days are passing. The Younger Days are beginning. The time of the Elves is over, but our time is at hand: the world of Men, which we must rule.”

Curious that Saruman does not use numbered “Ages” but rather generational “Days” in speaking of history. A search of the e-text shows 17 uses of “Elder Days” but only this one instance of “Middle Days” and “Younger Days”.
 
I think I must have been conflating that quote from Saruman with the last one Anthony Lawler posted, which as he points out, comes after Sauron's defeat. So that was my mistake.
 
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