Narsil

Narsil, 'White-Fire" or "White-Flame', is a sword that appears in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings books. It is also briefly seen in their subsequent film adaptations, once as Elendil's sword is broken by Sauron, and again as its shards are viewed by Aragorn. It's name is composed of two basic stems: /NAR - 'fire', and /THIL - 'white light'. It symbolizes the chief heavenly lights, sun and moon, as enemies of darkness.[1]

Narsil was forged by the master smith Telchar of Nogrod, a Dwarf, for King Thingol of Doriath in the First Age. A two-handed long-sword with an extremely keen edge, it was passed to the Lords of Andúnië. King Elendil, son of the last Lord of Andúnië, bore it back to Middle-earth and wielded it during the War of The Last Alliance. In that war, Elendil and Gil-galad united in battle against Sauron. At the Battle of Dagorlad before the Black Gate (SA 3434), Narsil in Elendil's hands and Gil-Galad's spear Aeglos were too much for Sauron's forces to withstand. In the final battle with Sauron on the slopes of Orodruin Gil-Galad was burned to death by Sauron's heat, and Elendil fell, Narsil breaking beneath him in two pieces (though it is shown in the film adaptations in several shards),[2] 'its light being extinguished'. But Sauron was overthrown, and Isildur, Elendil's son, picking up the hilt-shard of Narsil, cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand.

Isildur refused to destroy the One Ring, keeping it for his own. It soon betrayed him to his death. Ohtar, his squire and one of the three survivors of the Battle of the Gladden Fields, took the shards of Narsil back to Annúminas, first capital of Arnor, and gave them to Isildur's son Valandil. The shards became one of the chief heirlooms of the North-kingdom, passed down to the heirs of the throne of Arnor.

Narsil was reforged into a new sword by the smiths of Rivendell soon after the Council of Elrond, by 18 Decemberr 1418 in the Third Age. Aragorn gave it a new name: Andúril, 'Flame of the West'. In Lothlórien, Aragorn was given a sheath for Andúril by Galadriel and Celeborn. This scabbard for the re-forged Narsil, made by the Galadhrim, had the ability to allow any blade drawn from it to be impervious to damage, whether in victory or defeat. Aragorn used Anduril in the establishment and legitimization of his claim to the throne of Gondor as the Heir of Isildur.

The blade first appears as Narsil in the Fellowship of the Ring in the early scenes, being wielded by Elendil during the Battle of Dagorlad where he raises the sword high to rally his troops, then during the Battle against Sauron where he is slain. His son Isildur picks up the sword to battle Sauron, but Sauron brushes away Isildur's attacks and stomps on Narsil, shattering it. As Sauron reaches to finish Isildur off, he manages to use the hilt shard of Narsil to cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand.

It is after Aragorn and the Hobbits reach Rivendell that Narsil appears again, now under the care of Elrond. Its shards are seen on a able, as Aragorn comes to view it. Boromir also comes, in awe of the fabled sword, and runs his finger along the edge of the hilt shard of the blade, cutting himself, surprised that even after 3000 years the blade is still keenly sharp.

Narsil appears again when Aragorn and the Rohirrim are at Dunharrow in The Return of The King. Elrond, heeding Arwen's pleas, reluctantly had the smithies of Rivendell reforge Narsil into a new sword, Andúril. At Dunharrow Elrond presents Andúril to Aragorn. Andúril now becomes Aragorn's primary weapon. (There is a deleted scene showing Aragorn goading Sauron just prior to the battle before the Morannon, the black gate of his land. Aragorn shows him Andúril, Narsil reforged, the sword of Elendil that had defeated him during the Second Age.

Narsil is most likely a long-sword. In The Lord of the Rings, we read "Boromir has a long sword, in fashion like Andúril but of less lineage." As Andúril is Narsil reforged, there is little reason to think the Elven smiths would have changed its nature and kind. Some feel since Boromir and Aragorn both use shields, and long swords are 'two handed' swords, Narsil may have been an arming sword instead. But long swords were "primarily" two-handed swords, but could be used one-handed at need as well. An arming sword averages 31 inches and 2.4 pounds, while a long sword averages 38 inches and 3.7 pounds, a relatively small difference for a strong man, which Bormor and Aragorn both were.

The inscription on Narsil's blade reads "Nanye Andúril i ne Narsil i macil Elendilo. Lercuvanten i mali Mordoreo", this translates to "I am Andúril who was Narsil, the sword of Elendil. Let the thralls of Mordor flee me". Andúril was engraved with elven runes saying "Anar. Nányë Andúril I né Narsil I macil Elendilo. Lercuvantan i móli Mordórëo. Isil.", in Quenya. This translates to "Sun. I am Andúril who was once Narsil, sword of Elendil. The slaves of Mordor shall flee from me. Moon". The blade also had engraved on it the designs of the Seven Stars between the Sun and the Moon. With this, Elendil, Anárion, and Isildur's symbols were also engraved.

• The Quenya words 'Andúne', meaning 'West' or 'Sunset' and 'Ril', meaning 'Brilliance' is where the name for Andúril comes from. The blade is remarked as being brilliant thereby living up to its name.
• Narsil was forged by Telchar of Nogrod [3] Telchar was considered to be one of the greatest craftsmen of his time.
• American comedian and television host Stephen Colbert owns one of the original props of Andúril[4].

1. ^The Letters Of J.R.R. Tolkien: #347 to Richard Jeffrey, 17 December 1972
2. ^The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring: Book Two, Chapter 2, The Council of Elrond
3. ^Telchar of Nogrod Forging Narsil
4. ^Stephen Colbert