A Guide to Tolkien's Elves | Tolkien Explained

What is a topic in Tolkien's works that you'd like to see explained? Let me know!

Wait, there's really a set number of them? I just thought it was supposed to be a vague number awoke and set upon all these events

The fact that Tolkien came up with every single one of these all within his mind is both impressive, admirable, and inspiring. I have deep respect for Tolkien.

So basically the Noldor are STEM elves

This is revolutionary content. A book I read that tackled similar subjects was life-altering. "Galaxies United" by Olivia Whitestone

Elrond a damn mutt

well this is a better explanation of the Elves than Amazonks.

I didnt quite understand, there were 14 minyar, 56 tatyar and 74 nelyar, 144 altogether, correct? Then Orome took some of them to live in valinor, a "little less than half" to quote. But 14+56/2+ 46=88 and 144-88=56, not 82. Did I calculated something wrong, or, maybe, I missed something?

Elven clan names are very pretty and unique but so fkn confusing. In Elder Scrolls its just Mer. Then there are a bunch of different ones like Altmer, Orsimer, Dwemer, Dunmer etc.

I was under the impression the Maiar could not have children of their own - is it because she married an elf that an exception was granted to Melian?

When I was eight years old I spent so much time trying to get understand this. It took me decades, lol

I know those Elf Haters are writing this rn to call the Elves by their wrong race

We always appreciate your hard work and dedication towards these videos. Love from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

Can we appreciate Ulmo having to deal with all those pesky elves for decades.. they are worse than sheeps when it comes to herding. I can just imagine him doing headcounts along the way, only to realize yet ANOTHER group ditched him. Annoying him and so to spite them, give them ‘colorful’ names 😂

I’m trying to figure out which clan I would’ve been a part of had I been one of these elves 🧝‍♀️ 🧝‍♂️ 🧝

The depth of Tolkien's imagination is beyond compare... and this is just one aspect of his Legendarium. I've been reading Tolkien since 1977 and I still find new stuff every time I re-read.

I was reading the silmarillion and noticed that Orome had brought Ingwe, Finwe and Elwe (Thingol) to Valinor first as ambassadors who saw the light of the trees and brought them back to help convince the rest of elves to make the trip, Thingol has seen the 2 trees. Curious why this part was not mentioned?

I'm from the chicken nugget clan

Great video!

Thank you for taking the time to explain this, I was hoping my head would not be spinning the way it did when I first tried to read the Silmarillion, but it still does. As many others here have said, it is incredible to think a whole world including different languages and whole history of origins were all conceived by one man alone. And that these books were not only his life’s work, but his son’s as well as he tried to sort through the material and publish adfitional information previously unknown.

cheat mode elrond detect 🤣🤣

The names. The constant name changing. Why man why 😅

Useful. Thanks!

Good stuff. Thank you for the resource.

Amazing, thank you. Notes taken and saved for future reference! I'm reading the Silmarillion for the first time, reading along with The Prancing Pony podcast. It was all going swimmingly, then the family tree of elves came in and I remembered why I abandoned the book as a teenager.

Wait is my maths incorrect or should there not 56 instead of 82 avari?!

and ths was ALL in one man's mind

I believe there's some possibility that tolkien may have forgotten their original name at first, then making names to his pleasure and go on with it..

Why is it called the undying lands when Fingolfins mom die’s as well as his father, killed by Melkor?

The Nandor were relentless.

Bruh

It's like Tolkien wanted to make it as hard as possible to keep track of this.

All his names are one of the reason I am having such a hard time reading the Silmarillion.

This video skips a small but important detail. Before the Elves would agree to embark on the journey to Valinor, each of the three clans sent a single emissary to go first with Orome and see the Blessed Land and report back. The emissary for the Teleri was none other than Thingol himself. As stated in the video, his faction of the Teleri which stayed behind were known as the Sindar in later times. While the Sindar were Moriquendi, having never made the journey to Aman, their king Thingol alone was counted among the Calaquendi as he had been there. So while you can say "the Sindar are Moriquendi," it's technically not correct unless you say "except Thingol."

Wow, amazing work!

I’m confused about the # of elves and how they became so many beginning with only 144!

This is nonsense and guesswork

are orcs immortal?

Meh, I don't care, really! I just love Elves. 🧝🏻‍♂️💙

Where was this video when I was first reading The Silmarillion? Would have made it much easier

I'm still very confused 🤣

Not all of the Elves mentioned at the end of the video (those that would become famous in Middle-earth) have seen the light of the trees, right?
Fëanor, Fingolfin, ... did
But Legolas, ... did not

Elves of Lindon are...who?

Why do you see elves as white all the time? If they are forest creatures, you would think that they would blend in with the woods,and Forrest, tree bark is dark, the Forrest is predominantly green and brown in color, how can white skin blonde beings blend in the Forrest? elves would have dark skin, green clothes, and dark hair and eyes to remain unseen in the wood. Imagine a white lion on the plains of Africa, it would stick out like a sore thumb.

Tolkien got real linguistically and genealogy happy with the elves.

I'm still confused.

I thank you from all my heart for your wonderful storytelling about my favourite legendarium. This is simply wonderful. Id suggest about, if you can..about Vanyar and other elves who stayed in Valinor. By the way, no matter what, I really enjoyed the Rings of Power, much more than commercial Hobbit, but it is my personal opinion. Thank you again. Elen sila lumen omentielvo, melon))

I'm really curious as to where you came up with the total amount of elves being 144 at the awakening of the firstborn. Seems like there would have been several hundred at least with so many breaking off along the way. Otherwise Orome would have arrived in valinor with a dozen elves

I’m more confused then ever. Where did you get all this information?

How is it that Thingol could see the light of the trees if he never left Beleriand? Near the end of his chapter it specifies that he was not considered to be a dark elf?

Great video. Did you ever do a video on the Gnomes? I’m a bit confused with them. I think they’re not our traditional gnomes, but another race of elves. Is that right?