Galadriel

One of the characters in the ‘Lord of the Rings’ by J.R.R. Tolkien, Galadriel was one of the mightiest elves in Middle-Earth according to his writings. She had immense power, knowledge, and beauty and held one of the Three Rings and ruled Lothlorien along with her husband Celeborn. [1] She was known as the Lady of the Galadhrim, the Lady of the Golden Wood, the Lady of Lorien and the Lady of Light. As described by Tolkien, Galadriel was a royal elf of Teleri as well as Noldor because she was a grandchild of King Olwe and King Finwe. During the rebellion of the Noldor, Galadriel was the leader and was present in the flight from Valinor. She is described as the mightiest of the elves remaining in Middle Earth.

History

Galadriel was born even before the beginning of the First Age. She was born as the fourth child to the prince of the Noldor, Finarfin and the princess of the Teleri, Earwen. She was named ‘Artanis’, meaning ‘noblewoman’. As she grew, she was extraordinarily tall and strong and Earwen called her ‘Nerwen’ which meant ‘man-maiden’. Galadriel had received her color of hair from her parents but people believed that the unique mix of gold and silver in her hair came from the radiance of the Two Trees in Valinor. According to the tales of Tolkien, Galadriel participated eagerly and led the rebellion of the Noldor. She was the only woman to stand strong during that time. She was visionary and independent. She took no oaths but she had a desire of ruling Middle Earth. [2]. Galadriel even fought in the Kinslaying at Alqualonde defending her mother’s kin. She is believed to have been a part of the second group that joined the battle later without knowing how it started. Some did not contribute to the destruction. Her father Finarfin had abandoned the journey and had returned to Valinor. Galadriel joined her brothers and went towards the far north to reach the shores of Hither Lands.

First Age

Living in Beleriand, Galadriel and her elder brother spent a lot of time at the court in Menegroth. She was welcomed because of her relationship with her maternal grandfather. They became the guests of the King of Doriath, Elu Thingol. That was where she encountered Celeborn, a kinsman of Thingol, who later married her and became the co-ruler of Middle Earth. She had visited her brother Finrod multiple times in his realm of Nargothrond.

She lost her three brothers during different battles in the First Age. During her stay in Doriath, Galadriel came in contact with Queen Melian the Maia and they talked about Valinor with each other. The Queen was curious to know about the Exile of the Noldor but Galadriel did not share anything about it. However, as time passed and Melian started guessing accurately, she had to reveal the story to her. But she left out the death of Finwe, the burning of the ships at Losgar, and the kinslaying at Alqualonde. She lived in Nargothrond with Finrod who had taken an oath for himself, leaving his beloved in Valinor.

Celeborn and Galadriel had not played any major role in the events in the War of the Jewels. She believed that it was too difficult for Eldar to defeat Morgoth. When the Valar defeated Morgoth, she was allowed to return safely to Valinor as she played no role in the previous kinslaying. However, she did not leave Middle Earth and became the only leader of the Noldor exiles to exist after the First Age.

Second Age

When Morgoth was overthrown and the War of Wrath ended, Galadriel decided to live with Celeborn because she did not want to leave Middle Earth and was curious to explore Middle Earth right from the beginning. The two first went to Lindon and ruled over some elves under Gil-Galad. After that, they move to the shores of Lake Nenuial where they were considered as Lords. Later, they traveled towards the east and formed the realm of Eregion. They eventually left this place and settled in Lothlorien. Some sources suggest that they ruled this place for sometime in the Second Age but they somehow returned to Lorien to resume their reign after Amroth was defeated in the battle. Galadriel had a daughter named Celebrian. During this time, the Maia Annatar asked the Noldor of Eregion and Celebrimbor to indulge in the making of the Rings of Power. Galadriel distrusted Annatar and later it turned out to be right because he was revealed to have been Sauron. She was the one to tell Celebrimbor about the danger to the Three Rings and suggested to send them away from Eregion. He followed the advice and sent them to different places. Galadriel got one of the Rings that was Nenya. She was aware of Sauron’s power and wanted to destroy it. She did not use the power of the Ring openly until Sauron held the One Ring. However, when One Ring was lost during the Third Age, she used it to protect her region as the Ring was meant for preservation, protection, and hiding from evil.

Third Age

The tales of the Third Age suggest that Galadriel and Celeborn traveled from Gondor to Thranduil and crossed the mountains to reach Imladris. They lived there for several years. Their daughter got married to Elrond and they became grandparents to twins Elrohir and Elladan and their sister Arwen who became the queen of the United Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. In 1981 of the Third Age, Galadriel and Celeborn started ruling Lindorinand and were known as the Lord and Lady of Galadhrim. They turned the place into Lorien and established Caras Galadhon. With the use of the Ring, Galadriel transformed the realm into something really beautiful.

The White Council was formed in 2463 T.A. and Galadriel was one of its members as she was the biggest living threat to Sauron. She suggested that Gandalf should be made its head. But Saruman was made the head of the council and she distrusted him. Before the Quest for the Lonely Mountain, a dark shadow was seen rising in Mirkwood. Gandalf discovered it was Sauron and asked the council to get rid of him. The council took action and Galadriel helped drive away Sauron in 2941 T.A.

War of the Ring

In 3019 T.A, during the War of the Ring, Galadriel came in contact with the Fellowship of the Ring. She paid special attention to the bearer of the One Ring, Hobbit Frodo Baggins. By showing him Nenya, her ring, and letting him see into her mirror, she got the offer of keeping the One Ring. She was tempted but resisted the offer. She then sent the Fellowship on the quest with gifts. She gave big gifts to a dwarf named Gimli and to Aragorn whom she liked. She gifted the Elfstone worn by herself and her daughter to Aragorn.

She was not sure what to gift Gimli and asked what he desired. He praised her beauty and asked for a single hair of her. Galadriel confirmed his intentions and gave him three hair which he placed in an imperishable crystal in her memory. [3] After the departure of the Fellowship, Galadriel took action to make the quest a success. She also rescued Gandalf and nursed him, dressed him and gave him a new army. Lorien was attacked thrice but it could manage to send back the armies of Dol Guldur because of the power of the Ring and the strength of the Elves.

It was believed that the power that existed was so great that it could not be suppressed by anybody except Sauron. After the Dark Lord was defeated, she moved forward with her allies and came to Dol Guldur to tear down the walls and make it evil-free. It was her final act of power because the One Ring was then destroyed and the power of her Ring almost vanished. Later, Galadriel crossed the Great Sea with Gandalf, Elrond, and those who possessed Rings and marked the end of the Third Age. They never came back to Middle Earth after that.

Etymology

According to Tolkien, Galadriel is a Sindarin term that translates to ‘glittering garland’. It also means ‘maiden with a crown of radiant garland’ and ‘maiden with sparkling hair’. The name is comprised of ‘glad’ which means light or radiance, ‘ri’ meaning crown and ‘iel’ that translates to daughter. Tolkien clarified that the name had no association with Galadh in Sindarin that means tree but such a connection was often made and she was called ‘Galadhriel’.

Names

Galadriel was born as the only daughter of Finarfin who named her Artanis. It meant ‘noblewoman’ in Quenya. Her mother, Earwen, following the rules of the elves, waited for some time to name her daughter. She noticed her unique height and strength and gave her the name ‘Nerwen’ which means ‘man-maiden’. She did not use any of the father-name and the mother-name and adopted a name by which she is known in history – Galadriel. The name ‘Alatariel’ was given to her by Celeborn and meant ‘Maiden crowned with radiant garland’, in praise of her beautiful hair. Artanis chose the name ‘Galadriel’ as a Sindarin version of the name given by her husband. Talking about Galadriel’s titles, she is often referred to as ‘The Lady of the Wood’, ‘The Lady of the Galadhrim’, ‘The Lady of Lorien’ and ‘The Lady of Light’. She was often called ‘The Lady’ or ‘Lady Galadriel’ in Lothlorien. When referred together, Galadriel and Celeborn were known as ‘The Lord and Lady’.

Characteristics

Galadriel is known to have man-height and was extraordinarily beautiful. The most exciting feature was her hair. She had radiant hair with gold and silver color. The Eldar compared it with the brightness of the Two Trees. She was the most beautiful among the Eldar and the beauty of her hair was unmatched. Feanor also admired her hair and it is believed that it encouraged him to make the Silmarils. However, Galadriel never rewarded Feanor’s admiration. He had asked three times for a tress and she always refused to give him a single strand of hair. They say that the two biggest kinsfolk of the Eldar of Valnor never became friends. She was also the tallest elf woman with a height of about 6’4”. She had a rebellious and proud nature, particularly in her earlier years. Her character was a combination of the features of the Eldar from whom she was born. She bore the ambitious and proud nature of the Noldor but these characteristics were combined by the insightfulness and gentleness of the Vanyar. These features came from her father and her brother. Her intelligence and power helped her play significant roles all through history. She was free-spirited and dreamt of exploring new places. In her youth, she was full of will and tied her hair as a crown when she went for athletic activities. Finrod was her favorite brother who shared a similar vision. She could easily read the minds and hearts of others and her immense beauty and wisdom made her so proud. She is known to act with gentleness and kindness in the Third Age. She appeared quite wise and firm in ‘The Lord of the Rings’.

Powers

Galadriel was not a mere being, but a lady of power. She had the Ring Nenya and even the One Ring and could match Sauron in terms of power. [4] She also held a lot of magical powers and was known to be the greatest of the Noldor after Feanor. She was a student of Yavanna and Aule when she lived in the Undying Lands and then became a friend of Melian the Maia. She might have practiced the magical powers in their company. Most of her powers came from the artifact she had – Nenya, the Ring of Water. [5]

Some references even talk about her powers to predict the future, communicate over distance, and cloak her mind from other powerful creatures. Some of her powers also came from her mirror that showed the events from the past as well as the future. However, many of her powers could never be understood. Due to her enigmatic nature, even the wisest and the most powerful Saruman and the perceptive Elf like Elrond failed to understand her powers. These creatures even created doubts in the minds of non-Elf residents of Middle Earth. However, it is important to note that Galadriel always used the powers for the good. She used them to destroy Dol Guldur and protect Lorien from attack.

Another unique power of Galadriel was her capability to convey messages through thoughts. This could be seen when she communicated mentally with Gandalf and Elrond as they returned after the destruction of the One Ring. Apart from powerful magic, Galadriel was blessed with wisdom and intelligence. She was one of the very few who did not fall into the trap of Sauron in the Second Age. She advised Celebrimbor to protect the Rings. She also avoided using her Ring openly when the One Ring was with Sauron. She also managed to resist the temptation of One Ring when offered by Frodo. She was wise enough to learn that she might end up being terrible as Sauron in the end if she possessed the One Ring and started with good intentions. Such a gesture suggests her awareness of her limitations and her understanding of the tempting nature of power.

Other Versions of the Legendarium

Tolkien has revised the tale of Galadriel several times and there is a little confusion in it. Some of the most important topics revised by him include her role in the rebellion of the Noldor, the time she came in contact with Celeborn and the reason she remained in Middle Earth. In the publication of Silmarillion, Galadriel is portrayed to be a significant leader in the rebellion and she went with Feanor into exile. A ban was imposed on her returning to Valinor and she met Celeborn in Doriath. This is a story written by Tolkien.

However, according to the later references by Tolkien in the publication of ‘Unfinished Tales’, this story is not true. It suggests that Galadriel fights along with other Noldor but she was given the pardon and refuses to return to Aman. In another reference, Galadriel did not participate in the revolt and came to Middle Earth sailing on her ship. As she came during the disturbed time, she fell under the Doom. In both these stories, Galadriel meets Celeborn in Aman. He was a young prince of Telerin and they fell in love.

There is one more point that Tolkien revised. It was the time at which Galadriel crossed the mountains to enter Eriador. According to ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’, she passed over before the ruin of Gondolin and Nargothrond. However, in ‘The Lord of the Ring’, it is said that she lived in Lindon before passing over the mountains. Such a contradictory statement indicates an error during revision. Apart from this, an earlier version of the ‘Unfinished Tales’ suggests that Celeborn and Galadriel had two children, including Amroth.

Legacy in Music

A poem was written by Tolkien ‘Namarie’ is the one that Galadriel sings when giving farewell to the Fellowship and particularly Frodo. The original song is in Quenya and talks about the things hardly known at the time. However, Frodo kept the words in mind and translated the poem later. It is a lamentation of Galadriel about the separation, her wish to return and a wish that Frodo could return to Valinor though she was not allowed. Tolkien got the music for the poem with the help of Donald Swann. [6] The song ‘Galadriel’ was sung by the band Barclay James Harvest in the album ‘Once Again’. It had gained a lot of popularity as the guitarist John Lees played special guitar on this track. Another song ‘Galadriel’ written by Terry Britten for the album ‘Water Bearer’ talks about the return of Galadriel after the exile. The Australian band Galadriel also released an album in 1971 that turned to be a highly sought-after item for collectors.

Adaptations

Movies

Lord of the Rings

In the 1978 film ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by Ralph Bakshi, Galadriel was voiced by Scottish character actress Annette Crosbie and modeled by Jeri Lea Ray. In Peter Jackson’s trilogy of Lord of the Rings and ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy, Galadriel was portrayed by Cate Blanchett. In these films, she was not only shown possessing the Nenya Ring but also having the ability to communicate with others through thoughts and assuming a terrifying and radiant form.

Galadriel describes, in ‘The Lord of The Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring’ how the Ring of Power came into existence and how the War of the Last Alliance took place as she was present during these events. When the Fellowship entered Lorien, Galadriel had welcomed them by communicating with Frodo and used her power to tell Boromir that there was still some hope.

When Frodo offered her the Ring, Galadriel displayed how horrific she would turn after acquiring the Ring and then rejected the offer. Galadriel and Celeborn also give gifts to Fellowship members. Apart from Sam and Frodo, she gave a hunting knife to Aragorn, an Elven dagger to Pippin and Merry, three strands of her hair to Gimli and Bow of the Galadhrim to Legolas. As appearing in ‘The Two Towers’, Galadriel warned Elrond about the temptation of the One Ring for Faramir.

In ‘The Return of the King’, Galadriel appears as a vision to Frodo and urges him to move forward on his quest. She also appears towards the end of the film as they move towards the Grey Havens. She is displayed departing with Bilbo, Frodo, Celeborn, Elrond, and Gandalf to Valinor.

The Hobbit

In ‘An Unexpected Journey’, Galadriel goes to a meeting of the White Council with Gandalf, Saruman, and Elrond to talk about the increasing threat of the Necromancer. She communicates through thoughts with Gandalf and agrees with him on dealing with the Necromancer. She also offers her assistance and promises to be there if any help is needed. In ‘The Desolation of Smaug’, Galadriel persuades Gandalf to investigate the fortress of Nazgul. He sends people to find out Sauron’s disguise as the Necromancer before he arrives. In the third film ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’, she frees Gandalf in Dol Guldur where he was captivated.

She pretended to be alone in the beginning and used her Ring to defeat an orc. When the Dark Lord laughs at her for being alone, she reveals that she was accompanied by Elrond and Saruman. They were battling the Ringwraiths and after they were defeated, Sauron himself threatened the White Council. Galadriel rose in her dark form to challenge Sauron when Elrond and Saruman were horrified. She easily defeats Nazgul and asks Sauron to return to a formless origin from where he came. She could ultimately overpower him.

Video Games

Galadriel makes an appearance in the video game ‘The Lord of the Rings – Battle for Middle Earth’. She is portrayed as a strong Hero unit that the players can hit to unlock a lot of resources. She appears in the form of a corrupted character as portrayed in Jackson films. She uses magic powers to swipe some units in one hit. She had the power to summon a tornado as she could destroy Dol Guldur. Galadriel is also featured as Caras Galadhon in ‘The Lord of the Rings Online’. In the game ‘Middle Earth – Shadow of Mordor’, Galadriel appears though she is a non-playable character.

Radio

In the 1981 radio series ‘The Lord of the Rings’ from BBC, Galadriel was voiced by Marian Diamond.

Culture

Galadriel has become a popular name outside Tolkien’s work and spread widely across the world. Parents use the name for their daughter and there are some high-end shops with this name. There are references to Galadriel in the songs ‘The Battle of Evermore’ and ‘Stairway to Heaven’. [7] A song named ‘Galadriel’ was composed by the band ‘Barclay James Harvest’. Galadriel was also the name of the lead character in the novel ‘The Great Gilly Hopkins’ by ‘Katherine Peterson’. In another novel ‘Panic’, a group of computer hackers were named Galadriel and the elves.​