Volume 28 Article 3

Number 1

10-15-2009

The Noldor and the Tuatha Dé Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish

Influences
Annie Kinniburgh
University of Mary Washington, VA

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Recommended Citation
Kinniburgh, Annie (2009) "The Noldor and the Tuatha Dé Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish Influences,"
Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature: Vol. 28 :
No. 1 , Article 3.
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Mythcon 51: The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien
Albuquerque, New Mexico • Postponed to: July 30 – August 2, 2021

Abstract
Shows what use Tolkien made of some elements of Celtic folklore by tracing similarities between
Tolkien’s Noldor and the Irish Tuatha de Danaan, demonstrating that his Elves owe at least as much to
this heritage as to the Norse álfar.

Additional Keywords
Celtic mythology—Influence on J.R.R Tolkien; Norse mythology—Influence on J.R.R. Tolkien; Tolkien,
J.R.R.—Characters—Elves; Tuatha Dé Danaan

This article is available in Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic
Literature: https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol28/iss1/3
 The N oldor and the
T u a t h a D é D a n a a n : J .R .R .
T o l k i e n 's I r i s h In f l u e n c e s

A n n ie K in n ib u rg h

I n h is 1936 l e c tu r e "B eo w u lf : T h e M o n ster s a n d th e C r itic s ,” J.R.R. T o lk ien

ch a stise d th e lite ra ry a n d a c a d e m ic c o m m u n ity fo r d isse c tin g th e B eo w u lf
le g e n d h isto ric a lly , an th ro p o lo g ic a lly , a n d lin g u istically , a n d th e re b y re d u c in g
th e p o w e r of th e m y th as a w h o le. H e p re fe rre d to re s p e c t th e in te g rity of w h a t
h e re fe rre d to as th e "s e c o n d a ry w o rld ," in w h ic h th e m y th p o ss e sse d its o w n
logic a n d cohesiv e stru c tu re , a n d felt th a t m o d e rn sc h o la rsh ip re lie d to o h e a v ily
o n n a m e s, d ate s, a n d facts in its in te rp re ta tio n of e a rly m y th o lo g ie s. T h a t said, h e
w a s v e ry o p e n a b o u t th e in flu e n c e s th a t h a d le d to th e cre a tio n o f h is o w n
m y th o lo g y , c h ro n ic le d p rim a rily in The Silmarillion a n d The Lord o f the R ings. H is
E lv en la n g u a g e s, Q u e n y a a n d S in d a rin , o w e m u c h to F in n ish a n d W elsh; th e
fe u d a l societies of R o h a n a n d G o n d o r ech o th e A n g lo -S ax o n " m e a d -h a ll" cu ltu re;
th e h o rs e -lo rd s of th e R o h irrim s tro n g ly re se m b le e a rly V ik in g w a rlo rd s. A b o u t
o n e a sp e c t of h is m y th o lo g y , h o w e v e r, T o lk ien w a s s tra n g e ly silent.
T h e E lves a re th e m o s t co m p lex of T o lk ie n 's races; m u c h o f The
Silmarillion is d e d ic a te d to th e ir h isto ry , a n d th e c re a tio n of th e E lv e n -to n g u e s
w a s th e im p e tu s fo r th e e n tire g re a te r m y th o lo g y of M id d le -e a rth . A sid e fro m
th e ir im p o rta n c e to h is lin g u istic w o rk , T o lk ien also saw th e m as h ig h ly
sym bolic; a lth o u g h fallib le th em se lv e s, th e E lves w e re M e n as M e n o u g h t to h a v e
b een . P u t in te rm s of h is C ath o lic faith , E lves w e re M e n b efo re th e Fall, " w ith
g re a tly e n h a n c e d a e sth e tic a n d c reativ e facu lties, g re a te r b e a u ty a n d lo n g e r life,
a n d n o b ility " (T olkien, Letters 176). Yet th is in c re d ib ly in te g ra l sp ecies is ra re ly
a d d re s s e d o u ts id e o f th e c o n tex t o f T o lk ie n 's o w n w o rld . In h is Letters, h e states
th a t h is E lves are " v e ry little ak in to th e E lves a n d F airies o f E u ro p e ," y e t n e v e r
ela b o ra te s fu rth e r o n th e c u ltu ra l o r m y th o lo g ic a l so u rc e s th a t m ig h t h a v e
in flu e n c e d th e cre a tio n of h is E lv en races, a n d in d e e d say s th a t th e y a re n o t
"c o n scio u sly b a se d " o n a n y o th e r w o rk (Letters 176). T ra c in g th e h is to ry of th e Elf
as a m y th o lo g ic a l c o n stru c t o n ly ta k e s th e re a d e r so far; a lth o u g h th e re are
sev eral im p o rta n t p a ra lle ls b e tw e e n th e o rig in a l S c a n d in a v ia n alfar a n d T o lk ie n 's
E lves, th e alfar are a g e n e ra liz e d sp ecies w h o o n ly fig u re m a rg in a lly in g re a te r
N o rse m y th o lo g y . T h e lin k th e n g ro w s ev e n th in n e r: fro m S can d in a v ia , th e elves
e n te re d Scottish, Irish , a n d W elsh m y th o lo g y , w h e re th e y re se m b le T o lk ie n 's

Mythlore 28:1/2, Fall/Winter 2009 27

 Annie Kinniburgh

E lves o n ly in n a m e . In fact, th e p e o p le th a t m o s t re se m b le T o lk ie n 's E lves a re n o t

elv es a t all, b u t th e Irish d e m ig o d s k n o w n as th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n , a n d th e
C eltic m y th o lo g y fro m w h ic h th e y com e is o n e w h o se in flu e n c e T o lk ien
v e h e m e n tly d e n ie d .
It w o u ld b e irre sp o n sib le , h o w e v e r, to ig n o re th e stro n g p a ra lle ls
b e tw e e n th e alfar, w h o re p re s e n t th e first re c o rd e d elv e n sp ecies, a n d T o lk ie n 's
E lves. T h ese p a ra lle ls a re m o s t n o tic e a b le in e a rly E lv ish h isto ry . A lth o u g h th e
Q u e n d i, th e first g ro u p o f E lves, w e re b o rn in M id d le -e a rth , th e y w e re m e n a c e d
b y M elkor, a m ig h ty V ala tu r n e d fro m b e n e v o le n c e to ty ra n n y , a n d so th e V alar
b ro u g h t th e m to V alin o r to e sc a p e th is th re a t. "[T h e V alar] w e re fille d m o re o v e r
w ith th e love of th e b e a u ty o f th e E lves a n d d e sire d th e ir F e llo w sh ip " (T olkien,
The Silmarillion [Silm.] 52). H o w e v e r, n o t all th e Q u e n d i w is h e d to ta k e u p
re sid e n c e in V alinor. A n d th o u g h th e V alar w e n t to w a r a g a in s t M e lk o r to p ro te c t
th e Q u e n d i (castin g h im in to th e H a lls of M a n d o s for th re e ages), th e ir stre n g th
a n d fe a rso m en e ss in b a ttle o n ly in c re a se d th e a p p re h e n s io n s of th e Q u e n d i, a n d
w h e n th e call to e n te r V alinor cam e, n o t all a n sw e re d . T h o se E lves th a t sta y e d
w e re called th e A n v a ri, th e U n w illin g , a n d w e re s u n d e r e d fro m th o se th a t
w e n t—th e E ld a r—fo r m a n y ages. T h e E ld a r w e re also se p a ra te d , b e in g d iv id e d
in to th re e h o sts: th e V anyar, th e N o ld o r, a n d th e Teleri. In V alinor, th e y b e cam e
th e frie n d s a n d c o m p a n io n s of th e V alar. T o lk ie n w ro te in a 1951 le tte r to M ilto n
W a ld m a n th a t, "Since also th e y a re s o m e th in g w h o lly 'o th e r ' to th e g o d s [...]
th e y a re th e object of th e sp ecial d e sire a n d lo v e of th e g o d s" (Letters 147).
A lth o u g h th e ir p re se n c e in N o rse m y th o lo g y is m in im a l, th e S c a n d in a v ia n alfar
a p p e a r to e x p e rie n c e a sim ila r c lo se-k n it re la tio n sh ip w ith th e g o d s. A lfheim ,
re a lm of th e alfar, is o fte n re fe rre d to in co n ju n c tio n w ith A sg a rd , h o m e of th e
^ s i r . "T h e sp a tia l re la tio n sh ip s b e tw e e n th e v a rio u s w o rld s a re n e v e r clea rly
d e fin e d " (B attles 323), b u t "elv es a n d g o d s a re c o n v e n tio n a lly p a ire d " a n d often
" s h o w n fe a stin g to g e th e r" (328). H o w e v e r, e lv es a re m e n tio n e d o n ly as a species,
m o s t o ften in lists o r in c o m p o u n d s , a n d n o specific elf is m e n tio n e d in th e Poetic
Edda, th e e a rlie st k n o w n collection of N o rse m y th s. T h is g e n e ra liz a tio n c o n tra sts
s h a rp ly w ith th e d e ta ile d h is to ry g iv e n in The Silmarillion.
In th e Prose Edda, w ritte n in th e th irte e n th c e n tu ry , Icela n d ic h is to ria n
S n o rri S tu rlu so n co m p lic a te s m a tte rs w h e n h e d iv id e s th e alfar in to tw o
b ra n ch es: th e ljosalfar, o r L ight-E lves, a n d th e dokkalfar, o r D ark-E lves. T h e
G ylfaginning d iffe re n tia te s b e tw e e n th em : "T h e L ig h t-E lv es a re b rig h te r th a n th e
s u n in a p p e a ra n c e , b u t th e D ark -E lv es a re b la c k e r th a n p itc h " (S tu rlu so n 31).
W h ile th e la tte r b ra n c h d e m o n s tra te s a closer c o n n ectio n to T o lk ie n ia n d w a rv e s,
th e ljosalfar a re o f a n e le v a te d sta tu re m u c h lik e th e E ld a r w h o jo u rn e y e d to
V alinor (re n a m e d th e C a la q u e n d i). C ritics h a v e d e sc rib e d th e ljosalfar in sim ilar
fash io n s, e m p h a s iz in g th e ir n e a r-d iv in ity ; B ru n sd a le calls th e m "im p re ssiv e ,
p o w e rfu l b e in g s w ith a sp ecial p o w e r o f h e a lin g ," w h ile S h ip p e y sa y s th e y are

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 The Noldor and the Tuatha de Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish Influences

" v e ry like an g e ls" a n d B attles c o m m e n ts o n th e ir " p r o n o u n c e d a n g elic q u a lity "

(B ru n sd ale 49, S h ip p e y 4, B attles 328).
T o lk ie n 's p a ss io n fo r N o rse m y th o lo g y u n d o u b te d ly d re w h is a tte n tio n
to th e alfar, a n d h is C a la q u e n d i o c c u p y a sim ila r p o sitio n in th e m y th ic a l
h ie ra rc h y : th a t of a h ig h e r, n o b le r ra c e re s id in g w ith o r n e a r th e d iv in e b ein g s.
H o w e v e r, T o lk ie n 's E lves are n o t m is ty a b stra c tio n s b u t d e ta ile d com plexities,
a n d as su ch d o n o t re m a in static. In o n ly tw o g e n e ra tio n s, a p o rtio n of th e
C a la q u e n d i—once tre a s u re d as th e F irst C h ild re n o f Ilu v a ta r, b e lo v e d
c o m p a n io n s of th e g o d s —b e co m e self-ex iled w a n d e re rs, o a th b o u n d a n d d o o m e d
b e c a u se of it. T h ese a re th e N o ld o r, to w h o se h is to ry T o lk ie n d e v o te s m o s t of The
Silmarillion. O f th e T h re e K in d re d s o f th e E ld ar, th e N o ld o r a re d e p ic te d as b e in g
th e m o s t in te llig e n t a n d creativ e. W h ile in V alinor, "[g ]re a t b e c a m e th e ir
k n o w le d g e a n d th e ir skill; y e t e v e n g re a te r w a s th e ir th irs t for m o re k n o w le d g e ,
a n d in m a n y th in g s th e y so o n s u rp a s s e d th e ir te a c h e rs" (Silm. 60). G re a te st of all
th e N o ld o r w a s th e ir p rin ce, F ea n o r, w h o w a s called "S p irit o f F ire " a n d "b e c a m e
of all th e N o ld o r, th e n o r after, th e m o s t su b tle in m in d a n d th e m o s t sk illed in
h a n d " (63). H is tw o g re a te st a c c o m p lish m e n ts w e re c re a tin g th e N o ld o r's sy ste m
of le tte rs a n d d isc o v e rin g h o w "g e m s g re a te r a n d b rig h te r th a n th o se of th e E a rth
m ig h t be m a d e w ith sk ill" (64). T h e g re a te st of th e se g em s, h o w e v e r, p ro v e d
d isa stro u s. T h e y w e re th e S ilm arils, a n d c o n ta in e d th e lig h t o f th e T rees of
V alinor, w h ic h b u rn e d w ith in th e m lo n g after th e T rees th e m se lv e s w e re
d e stro y e d . B ut a fte r th e th e ft o f th e S ilm arils b y M e lk o r, F e a n o r le d h is p e o p le
fro m th e p a ra d is e o f V alinor, b o u n d to re c o v e r th e lo st S ilm a rils—th u s e n s u rin g
th e p ite o u s fate o f th e N o ld o r. In th e ir fall fro m p a ra d is e (or, in T o lk ie n 's m in d ,
th e ir Fall), th e N o ld o r b o th tra n s c e n d th e N o rse alfar a n d sin k b e lo w th e m ; th e
E lves a re n o w d y n a m ic , a n d th e re fo re im p e rfe c t. F o r T o lk ien , th e n , th e Eddas
se rv e d as im p o rta n t b u t lim ite d so u rce m a te ria l.
If T o lk ie n 's w o rk w as, as h e sta te d , in te n d e d to serv e as a s u b s titu te for
th e m is s in g E n g lish m y th o lo g y , o n e m ig h t lo g ically in fe r th a t h e w o u ld
in c o rp o ra te th e E n g lish p e rc e p tio n o f th e elf in to h is o w n v iew s. A n g lo -S ax o n
E n g la n d o w e d m u c h to S c a n d in a v ia n a n d G e rm a n ic in flu en ce, e sp ecially
re g a rd in g its le g e n d s; th e re fo re , th e e a rlie st in c a rn a tio n o f th e A n g lo -S a x o n elf is
p re d ic ta b ly alfar-esque in a p p e a ra n c e a n d n a tu re . A c c o rd in g to R o b e rt K irk, in
h is sem in al s tu d y o f E n g lish folklore, The Secret Commonwealth o f Elves, Fauns, and
Fairies, elv es a re " s a id to b e o f a m id d le n a tu r e b e tw ix t m a n a n d an g e l [...] of
in te llig e n t s tu d io u s sp irits" (K irk 5). H o w e v e r, b y th e six te e n th c e n tu ry , an
im m e n se sh ift in c u ltu ra l a ttitu d e to w a rd s elv es h a d o c c u rre d ; p o tio n s a n d w a rd s
a g a in s t elv en e n c h a n tm e n ts a n d d ise a se s o c cu r th r o u g h o u t A n g lo -S ax o n m e d ic a l
texts, for th e fo rm e rly g o d lik e b e in g s h a d a c q u ire d a d is tin c tly m a lig n a n t
co n n o tatio n . T h e in tro d u c tio n o f C h ris tia n ity in to E n g lish c u ltu re o n ly re in fo rc e d
th is p e rc e p tio n of th e e lv es as a d a n g e ro u s p a g a n in flu en ce, in h u m a n a t b e s t a n d

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 Annie Kinniburgh

d e m o n ic a t w o rst. O f e lv ish society, K irk sa y s th a t " th e y h a v e a risto c ra tic a l ru le rs

a n d law s, b u t n o d is c e rn ib le relig io n , love o r d e v o tio n to w a rd s G o d , th e B lessed
M a k e r of A ll" (13). By th is p o in t, if th e E n g lish elv es re s e m b le d a n y in c a rn a tio n
of elf-k in d , it w a s th e dokkalfar, o r th e N o rse D ark-E lves.
By S h a k e sp e a re 's tim e, h o w e v e r, th e E n g lish elv es h a d u n d e rg o n e a
fin al ev o lu tio n : fro m fo re ig n th e y h a d b e co m e m a lig n a n t, a n d n o w fro m
m a lig n a n t th e y b e c a m e rid ic u lo u s. R e le g a te d to folklore, elv es d w in d le d in size
a n d p o w e r to b e c o m e sy n o n y m o u s w ith fairies, b ro w n ie s, a n d pixies; fa r fro m
th e ir im p o sin g an cesto rs, th e se elv es to o k u p re s id e n c e in u n d e r g r o u n d re a lm s
w h e re y e a rs p a s s e d in a n in s ta n t a n d w h e re th e y a m u s e d th e m se lv e s b y
m e d d lin g w ith m o rta ls (c h a n g e lin g s w e re an esp e c ia lly p o p u la r e lv ish p ra n k ).
A s e v id e n c e d above, th e elf as a m y th o lo g ic a l fig u re d e v o lv e s w ith th e
p a ss a g e of tim e, b e c o m in g d im in u tiv e a n d m isc h ie v o u s, a lo ss T o lk ien c o rrected
b y h a v in g th e N o ld o r re m a in a w e so m e a n d w ise th r o u g h o u t th e ir tim e in
V alinor a n d o n M id d le -e a rth . In fact, b a rrin g p a ra lle ls in th e S c a n d in a v ia n
m y th o lo g ic a l h ie ra rc h y a n d th e A n g lo -S ax o n c u ltu ra l re sp o n se , T o lk ie n 's E lves
h a v e v e ry little in c o m m o n w ith p re v io u s in c a rn a tio n s of th e ir le g e n d a ry
n am esak es. A s th e elf w a s b e in g re le g a te d to fo lk lo re in E n g la n d , h o w e v e r, an
Irish m a n u s c rip t w a s c o m p ile d th a t to ld th e sto ry of Ir e la n d 's in v a sio n b y a race
of d e m ig o d s; a n d in th e N o ld o r a re fo u n d u n a v o id a b le ech o es of th is in v a sio n
a n d su b s e q u e n t m y th o lo g y .
T o lk ien re p e a te d ly d e n ie d th a t C eltic m y th o lo g y p la y e d a n y in te g ra l
ro le in th e crea tio n of h is o w n m y th o lo g y . "[C eltic leg e n d s] h a v e b rig h t color, b u t
a re like a b ro k e n sta in e d g lass w in d o w re a s se m b le d w ith o u t d e sig n . T h e y are in
fact 'm a d '" (Letters 26). T h e W elsh M abinogion, fo r in stan ce, is c o m p o se d of
lo o se ly -lin k e d le g e n d s fo llo w in g th e a d v e n tu re s of A rth u r a n d h is k n ig h ts, w ith
no o v e ra rc h in g m y th o lo g ic a l stru c tu re o r co h esiv en ess. T o lk ien also m e a n t
" b rig h t color" literally ; th e M abinogion fre q u e n tly in tro d u c e s c h a ra c te rs in te rm s
of color. In a sense, The Silmarillion a n d a c c o m p a n y in g w o rk s w e re T o lk ie n 's
a n sw e r to th is m a d n e s s. D issa tisfie d w ith th e "im p e rfe c tly n a tu ra liz e d "
A rth u ria n m y th o s a n d th e " f u n d a m e n ta l u n re a s o n " o f th e C elts, h e s o u g h t to
create a b o d y of le g e n d th a t w o u ld " p o sse ss th e to n e a n d q u a lity th a t I d e sire d ,
so m e w h a t cool a n d clear, b e re d o le n t of o u r 'a ir ' (th e clim e a n d soil of th e N o rth
W est, m e a n in g B ritain a n d th e h ith e r p a rts of E u ro p e )" (144). E v o k in g a sen se of
n o rth e rn " h a rsh n e ss" su c c e e d e d w ith M en , b u t, d e sp ite T o lk ie n 's b e st efforts, a
C eltic s e n tim e n t p e rv a d e s The Silmarillion's p rim a ry c h a ra c te r g ro u p in th e fo rm
of sig n ifican t th e m a tic a n d d ire c t p a ra lle ls b e tw e e n th e Irish T u a th a D e D a n a a n
a n d th e N o ld o r.
H isto ric a lly , little is a c tu a lly k n o w n a b o u t th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n . It is
a g re e d th a t Ire la n d e n d u re d six w a v e s o f in v a sio n s, a n d th a t th e y w e re th e
p e n u ltim a te in v a d e rs. R acially, th e y w e re o f th e G aelic b ra n c h o f th e C elts, of

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F in n ish d escen t, a n d as su c h w e re "tall, p ale, a n d lig h t-h a ire d " (M acb ain 51).
H o w e v e r, th is h is to ry is p re s e n te d in th e c o n tex t o f —a n d so o ften m ix e d in
w ith —m y th o lo g y , as m o s t "k n o w le d g e " o f th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n co m es fro m
th e Lebor Gabala Erenn (the Irish Book o f In v asio n s). T h e Lebor Gabala Erenn is a
p se u d o -h is to ry o f Ire la n d th a t c o n stitu te s th e la rg e st p a r t o f th e M y th o lo g ic a l
C ycle of Irish lite ra tu re a n d fra m e s m o s t o f th a t cy cle's sto ries. In it, th e T u a th a
D e D a n a a n are n o t m e re ly w a rrio rs b u t also e n c h a n te rs w h o se so rcery e n a b le s
th e m to ta k e Ire la n d fro m th e m o n s tro u s F irb lo g s a n d k e e p it u n til th e a rriv a l of
th e M ilesians, w h o d riv e th e m u n d e r th e h ills a n d in to le g e n d . T h e Lebor Gabala
Erenn is set a p a rt fro m th e m y th o lo g ic a l cycles o f o th e r c u ltu re s b y its lim ite d
a p p ro a c h —it co n cern s a n a tio n , n o t its creatio n . "N o c o sm o g o n y , cosm o lo g y , or
c reatio n m y th in a C eltic la n g u a g e su rv iv e s to o u r tim e " (M acK illop 127).
In ste a d , th e M y th o lo g ic a l C ycle is v a lu a b le b e c a u se it p ro v id e s a " n a rra tiv e of
social o rig in s," w ith in w h ic h e a c h in v a d in g race h a s its o w n p lace in th e Irish
c u ltu ra l c o n sc io u sn e ss (152). It is a c o m p re h e n siv e n a rra tiv e th a t d e ta ils each
in v a d in g g ro u p a n d th e conflicts b e tw e e n th e m , fo r "o n e u n d e r s ta n d s th a t th e
M y th o lo g ical C ycle d e a ls w ith e n d in g s a n d tra n sitio n s [and] is also a b o u t th e
e n d s of ag es a n d th e p a s s in g of p e o p le s" (G illespie 8-9). T he T u a th a D e D a n a a n
a re th e im m o rta ls; th e y a re c o n sid e re d g o d s a n d a re c e rta in ly g o d lik e in sta tu re
a n d ability. Yet, in k e e p in g w ith th e n o -c o s m o g o n y stip u la tio n , th e y a re n o t th e
c re a to rs of th e p e o p le b u t th e ir a n cesto rs, a n d in s te a d o f liv in g a p a rt in a d iv in e
realm , th e y ru le Ire la n d fro m T ara, th e se a t o f th e H ig h K ing. A lth o u g h p la c e d
w ith in a h u m a n social o rg a n iz a tio n , th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n are im m o rta l, w ith
th e ability to sh ift sh a p e s a t w ill, u se e n c h a n tm e n ts in b attle, su m m o n th e very
e le m e n ts to th e ir aid , rid e c h a rio ts o v e r w a te r, a n d im p o se u n b re a k a b le curses.
H o w e v e r, th e p u rity a n d cla rity of th e Irish m y th o s, a n d sp ecifically th a t
s u r ro u n d in g th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n , is d im in ish e d b y th e la te n e ss a n d o v e ra ll
in a d e q u a c ie s o f Irish lite ra tu re . T h e p ro m in e n c e o f o ra l tra d itio n re s u lte d in a
d e c id e d lack o f w ritte n sources: n o n e e a rlie r th a n th e se v e n th c e n tu ry , w ith n o
m e n tio n of th e g o d s u n til th e e ig h th c e n tu ry . T h e R o m a n s v isite d b u t d id n o t
c o n q u e r Ire la n d , a n d so tw o o f R o m e 's fa v o rite e x p o r ts —C h ris tia n ity a n d a
w ritte n s c r ip t—d id n 't ta k e h o ld u n til th e e le v e n th c e n tu ry . T h is tim e lin e h e lp s to
e x p la in Ir e la n d 's lite ra ry d ro u g h t, w h ic h m ig h t h a v e w o rs e n e d w ith o u t C h ris tia n
in flu e n c e (h o w e v e r in c o m p le te a n d sp o ra d ic th a t in flu e n c e w as). E cclesiastics
h a d co m p ile d a n d e d ite d m o s t o f th e Lebor Gabala Erenn b y th e e le v e n th c en tu ry ,
a lth o u g h " th e fu ll five v o lu m e s [...] a p p e a r to h a v e g ro w n o v e r sev e ra l cen tu rie s
a n d w e re c o n trib u te d to b y m a n y h a n d s " (M acK illop 128). T h is is n o o n e
h is to ria n 's w o rk ; th e re is n o Irish S n o rri S tu rlu so n , w h ic h h a s le d so m e sc h o lars
(here, M acK illop q u o te s P a tric k K. F o rd ) to c o n c u r th a t th e Lebor Gabala Erenn is a
"m a ste rp ie c e o f m u d d le d m e d ie v a l m isc e lla n y " (128). H o w e v e r, m a n y ag re e th a t
m u d d le d is b e tte r th a n m issin g e n tirely . T h e C h ristia n in flu e n c e o n C eltic

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lite r a tu re —a n d o n all p a g a n lite r a tu re —is c o n sid e re d a d o u b le -e d g e d sw o rd ;

w ith o u t it, m a n y (if n o t m o st) le g e n d s w o u ld h a v e b e e n lost; w ith it, th o se
le g e n d s are tw is te d in to tales a c cep tab le to C h ristia n s, a n d th e re fo re b a re ly
reco g n iz a b le to th e ir o rig in a l p eo p le.
T h e T u a th a D e D a n a a n w e re n o t e x e m p t fro m th is p h e n o m e n o n . "T h ere
is a d e g re e of c o n fu sio n a b o u t th e g o d s of th e a n c ie n t Irish b e c a u se o f th e fact
th a t th e m y th s w e re first se t d o w n in w ritin g b y C h ris tia n m o n k s w h o o ften
c h a n g e d th in g s to fit th e ir re lig io u s sen sib ilities" (Ellis 136). A s w a s th e fate of
m o s t p a g a n m y th o lo g ie s, th e g o d s a n d g o d d e ss e s w e re d e m o te d to fig u re s of
le g e n d , as "s u p p lic a tio n a n d a d o ra tio n of th e n a tiv e d e itie s" w o u ld h a v e b e e n
d e e m e d in a p p ro p ria te b y C h ris tia n re d a c to rs (M ac C a n a 64). F o r in stan ce, L u g h
of th e L o n g H a n d w a s o rig in a lly a s u n -g o d fig u re w h o se m a g ic a l sw o rd w a s o n e
of th e F o u r H a llo w s of th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n . In la te r leg en d s, h e is th e th ird
H ig h K in g of Ire la n d a n d h e ro of th e B attle of M o y tu ra S o u th , w h e n th e T u a th a
D e D a n a a n w re s t Ire la n d fro m th e F irb lo g s. H in ts still re m a in o f h is fo rm e r
p o w e rs; d u rin g th e b a ttle , it is sa id th a t " L u g h also h a d re c o u rse to h is m ag ic
p o w e rs [...] [and] c h a n te d an in c a n ta tio n to le n d s tre n g th a n d c o u ra g e " (58).
A fter re tirin g fro m h is p o sitio n as H ig h K ing, L u g h w ith d r e w in to th e h ills,
w h e re h e fa d e d in to le g e n d w ith th e re s t of h is p eo p le.
A fin al p ic tu re e m e rg e s of a m y th ic a l a n c e stra l race, im m o rta l, b e a u tifu l,
d iv in e in d e e d if n o t n a m e . A lre a d y , th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n a n d th e N o ld o r sh a re
w h a t can be called a "h isto ric a l tra je c to ry " —th a t is, b o th ra c e s e n te r th e
e sta b lish e d w o rld of le g e n d tr iu m p h a n t, live in it w ith a n e le v a te d sta tu s, a n d
leav e it d im in ish e d . H o w e v e r, th e tw o ra ces also b le n d th e ir s u p e r h u m a n n a tu re s
w ith h u m a n c u sto m s to p ro d u c e a c u ltu re th a t d efies T o lk ie n 's claim th a t h is
C eltic in flu en c e s w e re n eg lig ib le.
I t is im p o rta n t to n o te th at, w ith h is d e e p a n d la s tin g in te re s t in
m e d ie v a l m y th o lo g y , T o lk ien in c o n tro v e rtib ly k n e w a b o u t th e T u a th a D e
D a n a a n . H e e v e n e x h ib ite d a n in te re st in th e m as p o te n tia l p la y e rs in h is
u n fin is h e d "tim e -tra v e l" sto ry , The Lost Road. T h e re s u lt o f a d isc u ssio n w ith C.S.
L ew is, The Lost Road w a s to h a v e b e e n th e ta le o f a fa th e r-a n d -so n jo u rn e y in to
th e G erm an ic p a st, c u lm in a tin g in th e ir e v e n tu a l p re se n c e a t th e d ro w n in g of a
L a n d in th e W est calle d N u m e n o r. T h is sc en ario w o u ld h a v e g iv e n T o lk ien th e
o p p o rtu n ity to e x p lo re tw o m a jo r a re a s of in te re st: m e d ie v a l G e rm a n ic a n d
L o m b a rd ic tra d itio n , a n d th e A tlan tis m y th . T o lk ien w ro te th e b e g in n in g a n d e n d
of th e sto ry , b u t n e v e r c o m p le te d th e in te rv e n in g e p iso d e s b e c a u se "[I]t w a s too
lo n g a w a y ro u n d to w h a t I re a lly w a n te d to m a k e , a n e w v e rsio n of th e A tlan tis
le g e n d " (T olkien, The Lost Road 7). N u m e n o r a n d th e Akallabeth w e re w h e re h is
re a l in te re s t lay. H o w e v e r, h e d id le a v e p ro p o s e d sub jects fo r th o se in c o m p le te
e p iso d es, in c lu d in g a ro u g h o u tlin e listin g C h a p te r IV as " th e Irish le g e n d of
T u a th a -d e -D a n a a n —a n d th e o ld e s t m a n in th e w o rld " (86). T o lk ien is re fe rrin g to

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F in n ta n , w h o , a c c o rd in g to le g e n d , cam e w ith fifty g irls a n d th re e m e n —all

re lativ es of N o a h —in th e first c o n q u e st of Ire la n d . H e sle p t th r o u g h th e F lo o d
a n d a w o k e a y e a r la te r in h is h o u s e a t D u n T ulcha, w h e re h e liv e d u n til th e 6 th
cen tu ry .
F in n ta n is re fe rre d to sp ecific ally in a ro u g h o u tlin e of "T h e Æ lfw in e
sto ry ." T o lk ien w rite s "T h e y [Æ lfw in e a n d E ad w in e ] com e d o w n in [?real] sea
a n d w e st w in d b lo w s th e m back. L a n d in Ire la n d (im p lic a tio n is th a t th e y settle
th ere, a n d th is le a d s to F in n ta n )" (88). F ro m th e se cry p tic n o te s, it is im p o ssib le to
a sc ertain h o w o r w h y th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n a n d F in n ta n w o u ld h a v e fit into
T o lk ie n 's o v e ra rc h in g m y th o lo g y , a n d h e d ro p p e d th e id e a w ith o u t e la b o ra tin g
fu rth e r. H o w e v e r, a lth o u g h C h a p te r IV n e v e r m a te ria liz e d , a n d th e T u a th a D e
D a n a a n a re n e v e r n a m e d in a n y o f T o lk ie n 's w o rk , th e y d o m a k e a su b tle
a p p e a ra n c e in The Silmarillion in m a n y a sp e c ts of th e c h a ra c te riz a tio n o f th e
N o ld o r.
T h e p h ra s e " s u p e rh u m a n n a tu re s ," (or, as G u n n e ll says, " s u p e rh u m a n
classical h e ro e s " [5]) is p e rh a p s m isle a d in g ; y e t n e ith e r th e N o ld o r n o r th e
T u a th a D e D a n a a n a re e n tire ly d iv in e , a n d th e y a re c e rta in ly n o t e n tire ly h u m a n .
T h e y a re th e c h ild re n o f th e g o d s —th e C h ild re n of Ilu v a ta r a n d th e S ons of
D a n u , re s p e c tiv e ly —g ifte d w ith skills a n d p o w e rs a p p ro p ria te to su c h a sta tu s,
w ith esp ecial e m p h a s is p la c e d o n th e ir m a s te ry o f th e arts. G u n n e ll q u o te s
T o lk ien b io g ra p h e r H u m p h re y C a rp e n te r as d e sc rib in g th e N o ld o r as
"craftsm en , p o e ts, scribes, cre a to rs of w o rk s o f b e a u ty fa r su rp a s s in g h u m a n
artefacts," w h ile th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n "a re also d e sc rib e d as craftsm en ,
w arrio rs, p o ets, a n d m a g ic ia n s, a n d th e y a c q u ire d th e se skills in th e n o rth e rn
is la n d s of th e w o rld " (q td . in G u n n e ll 5; F im i 162-63). A rtistry d iffe re n tia te s: o n e
of th e p rin c ip le d ifferen ces b e tw e e n E lves a n d M e n is th e E lv es' skill in th e arts,
w h ile M en a re n o te d fo r th e ir co u ra g e in b attle.
T h is is n o t to sa y th a t th e N o ld o r a n d T u a th a D e D a n a a n s p e n t all, or
m o st, or ev en m u c h o f th e ir tim e c o m p o sin g la y s a n d a v o id in g b a ttle s in som e
a b stra c t realm . In fact, th e o p p o site is th e case, a n d h e re in lies a cru cial d ifferen ce
b e tw e e n T o lk ie n 's E lves a n d all e lv es b efo re o r after. G u n n e ll sta te s th a t
S c a n d in a v ia n elv es " d o n o t in h a b it fo re sts o r liv e in trees. N o r —for 99% o f th e
tim e —a re th e y w a rrio rs" (G u n n e ll 7). T h e N o ld o r —a n d th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n —
are. Im m o rta lity g u a rd s th e m fro m o ld ag e a n d disease, b u t e v e n th e g re a te st
h e ro e s a re v u ln e ra b le to d e a th in b attle, a n d o ften receiv e it. "T h e ir d iv in ity d o es
n o t re n d e r th e m p e rm a n e n tly in v u ln e ra b le , n o r e x e m p t fro m v io le n t d e a th " (M ac
C a n a 64). N u a d a , th e first H ig h K in g o f th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n , p e rish e s in th e
B attle of M o y tu ra N o rth a t th e h a n d s of th e F o m o ria n k in g B alor (w h o , in a
se q u en ce of u n a v o id a b ly su sp ic io u s sim ilarities, is also called th e E vil Eye, a n d
w h o re sid e s in th e T o w e r of G lass). F ean o r, w h o of all th e N o ld o r is d e e m e d
" m ig h tie st in w o rd a n d d e e d ," is k ille d in th e S eco n d B attle of th e W ars of

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B elerian d b y G o th m o g , L o rd of th e B alro g s a n d se rv a n t o f S au ro n . T h ese a re n o

re m o v e d alfar; th e y a re w a rlo rd s w h o w illin g ly tra d e im m o rta lity for a g lo rio u s
d e a th in b attle.
A n d in th e a fte rm a th of su c h a d e a th , th e re i s —u n c e rta in ty . D e sp ite h is
o w n C ath o lic b eliefs, T o lk ie n 's M id d le -e a rth is c o m p le te ly d e v o id of o rg a n iz e d
relig io n , a n d so also of a n y co n crete c o n c e p t of a n afterlife. F o r M en , d e a th m e a n s
th e release of th e sp irit fro m A rd a a n d p a ssa g e to a m y s te rio u s p la c e u n k n o w n to
th e E lves o r ev e n to th e V alar. F or th e E lves, th e afterlife is n o t so m u c h a release
as a jo u rn e y . A v a lo ro u s d e a th in b a ttle d o e s n o t b u y a p la c e in a n y E ly siu m or
V alhalla, d o es n o t sec u re a n y e v e rla stin g fa v o r w ith th e g o d s. T h e re is n o b e tte r,
h ig h e r p lace o r sta te of b e in g to w h ic h th e d e a d ascen d ; in fact, if th e d e a d m o v e
a t all, it is h o riz o n ta lly , a n d n o t v ertically . A c c o rd in g to T o lk ien , "W h e n 'k ille d ,'
b y th e in ju ry o r d e stru c tio n of th e ir in c a rn a te form , th e y d o n o t e sc a p e fro m tim e,
b u t re m a in in th e w o rld " (Letters 236) w h e re th e y are " g a th e re d to th e h a lls of
M a n d o s in V alinor, w h e n c e th e y m a y in tim e re tu rn " (Silm. 42). D e a th d o e s n o t
im p ly cessatio n o r e le v a tio n of b e in g ; it is m e re ly a se p a ra tio n fro m th e liv in g .
A fter h is d e a th , it is sa id th a t F e a n o r "sits n o w in th e H a lls o f A w a itin g a n d
com es n o m o re a m o n g h is k in " (Silm. 67). A lth o u g h d e a th is p e rh a p s th e m o s t
p ro m in e n t th e m e in T o lk ie n 's w o rk (h is M e n e x p e rie n c e th e ir o w n F all in an
effo rt to av o id it), th e fo cu s is o n th e act o f d y in g (or n o t d y in g ) itself, n o t th e
a fte rm a th . E lves "a re c o n c e rn e d ra th e r w ith th e g riefs a n d b u rd e n s of
d e a th le ssn e ss in tim e a n d ch an g e, th a n w ith d e a th " (Letters 146).
T h e le g e n d s of th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n p re s e n t a sim ila rly v a g u e afterlife,
co m p lic a te d b y th e fin e lin e b e tw e e n g o d s a n d h e ro e s. N u a d a , c o n sid e re d th e
first H ig h K in g b y so m e a c c o u n ts a n d a sea g o d b y o th e rs, is k ille d in b a ttle th irty
y e a rs after th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n 's in v a sio n o f Ire la n d ; yet, th o u g h h is d e a th is
a v e n g e d a n d h is b o d y b u rie d , n o th in g fu rth e r is sa id of h is sp irit. T h e clo sest o n e
com es to th e Irish afterlife a re brief, ra re refe re n c e s to th e Tech D u in n , w h ich , like
th e H a lls of M a n d o s, serv e as a so rt of h o ld in g a re a fo r th e d e a d . T h e Tech D u in n
is g u a rd e d b y th e alo o f D o n n , w h o , " p re fe rrin g to liv e a w a y fro m o th e r g o d s,"
chose in s te a d to live a m o n g th e d e a d ("Tech D u in n " tra n sla te s as " H o u se of
D o n n ") (M acK illop 41). F o r th e T u a th a D e D an a a n , as for th e N o ld o r, d e a th w a s
o n ly a ch a n g in g of place.
D e a th s a re h o n o re d ; for, d e sp ite th e ir a rtistry , im m o rta lity , a n d b e a u ty ,
th e c u ltu re s of th e N o ld o r a n d T u a th a D e D a n a a n a re d istin c tly fe u d a l in n a tu re ,
w ith social a n d h ie ra rc h ic a l a sp e c ts T h e o d e n o f R o h a n o r B o ro m ir of G o n d o r
w o u ld reco g n ize. "T h e y h a v e th e sa m e local lo y alties, th e sa m e in te rn a l
d isse n sio n s a n d p e tty w a rfa re [...]. [T ]heir w h o le social o rg a n iz a tio n rese m b le s
th a t of th e h u m a n c o m m u n ity " (M ac C a n a 64). P o w e r is c e n tra liz e d in a H ig h
K ing, a n office b e sto w e d b a s e d u p o n n o b ility a n d b lo o d lin e ; h o w e v e r, each race
v a lu e s o n e q u a lity ab o v e th e o th e r. T h e H ig h K in g o f th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n

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m o re closely re se m b le s a c h ie fta in —a " w a r le a d e r a n d p re s id e n t o f h is

a s s e m b ly " —th a n a n a ll-p o w e rfu l ru le r (M acK illop 54). H e is also se e n as a
sy m b o l of th e k in g d o m itself: h is stre n g th s a n d w e a k n e sse s a re n o t h is o w n , b u t
th e p e o p le s ' as w ell. W ith su c h re s p o n sib ility p la c e d u p o n h is p e rso n , h is
b lo o d lin e d o es n o t sec u re h is office: H ig h K in g s w e re c o n sid e re d u n fit to ru le if
p h y sic a lly in ju re d . In th e B attle o f M o y tu ra S o u th , w h e n th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n
first fo u g h t th e F irb lo g (su ccessfu lly ) for th e p o sse ssio n of Ire la n d , th e H ig h K in g
N u a d a lo st h is rig h t h a n d . "T h u s e v e n th o u g h v ic to rio u s, N u a d a fo rfe ite d h is
th ro n e , for a b le m is h e d k in g c o u ld n o t ru le " (M o n a g h a n 361). F o r th e N o ld o r, th e
rig h t to ru le is tie d m o re clo sely to b lo o d lin e . A fter F e a n o r's d e a th , h is e ld e s t son
M a e d h ro s w a s ta k e n c ap tiv e b y th e h o sts of M o rg o th a n d im p ris o n e d in
A n g b a n d , s u s p e n d e d b y h is rig h t h a n d fro m T h a n g o ro d rim . F in g o n , M a e d h ro s'
cousin, re a c h e d h im w ith th e h e lp o f th e E ag les " b u t c o u ld n o t re le a se th e h e ll-
w ro u g h t b o n d u p o n h is w rist, n o r sev er it, n o r d ra w it fro m th e sto n e " (Silm.
110). T h erefo re, F in g o n se v e re d th e h a n d itself, b u t " M a e d h ro s in tim e w as
h e a le d ; fo r th e fire o f life w a s h o t w ith in h im , a n d h is stre n g th w a s o f th e a n c ie n t
w o rld " (110). H e d id s u rre n d e r th e k in g sh ip , b u t d id so fo r d ip lo m a tic re a so n s
a n d n o t b e c a u se of th e loss o f h is h a n d .
H o w e v e r h e is ch o se n to ru le, th e p re se n c e of a H ig h K in g re s u lts in tw o
m a jo r c u ltu ra l im p e ra tiv e s: lo y a lty a n d k in sh ip . W ith o u t th e b asic social
e q u ilib riu m cre a te d b y lo y a lty to a c e n tra liz e d le a d e r, th e re w o u ld b e n o stab le
fra m e w o rk w ith in w h ic h th e le g e n d s c o u ld ta k e place. T h e o a th fig u re s
p ro m in e n tly in b o th c u ltu re s as a m e a n s of a sse ssin g a n d e n s u rin g th a t loyalty.
C alled in Irish th e geis, it is also a m e a s u re o f h o n o r; a n d in a w o rld w ith n o
certain afterlife, a m a n 's h o n o r is all th a t is a s s u re d h im . A s su ch , o a th -b re a k in g
is alm o st lite ra lly th e w o rs t th in g a m a n can do, a n d its p u n is h m e n t th e h a rs h e s t
th a t can b e d eliv e re d . O f a n o a th -b re a k e r of th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n w h o sw o re b y
th e elem en ts, it w a s sa id th a t " it w a s th e s u n a n d th e w in d th a t w ro u g h t h is
d e a th , b e c a u se h e h a d v io la te d th e ir sa n c tity " (M acb ain 119). T h e p re v a le n c e of
o ra l tra d itio n also ele v a te s th e v a lu e of th e o ath ; th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n sig n n o
co ntracts, h o n o r n o w ritte n b a rg a in s - th e ir w o rd is th e ir b o n d , a n d to b re a k a
p ro m ise is to d e fy th e c o n v e n tio n s th a t re g u la te social o rd e r.
T o lk ien ta k e s th is c o n c e p t to th e fu rth e s t e x te n t p o ssib le w ith th e O a th
of F ean o r, w h ic h d o o m s th e e n tire race o f th e N o ld o r. A fte r th e th e ft o f th e
S ilm arils b y M elk o r,

Feanor sw ore a terrible o a th [...] v o w in g to p u rsu e w ith vengeance and

h a tre d to the en d s of th e W orld Vala, D em on, Elf, or M an as yet un b o rn , or
any creature, g reat or small, good or evil, th a t tim e should b rin g forth
u n to the en d of days, w hoso should h o ld or take or keep a Silm aril from
th eir possession. (Silm. 83)

Mythlore 28:1/2, Fall/Winter 2009 35

 Annie Kinniburgh

H ere, T o lk ien is p la y in g w ith th e tra d itio n a l ro le of th e o ath . T h e T u a th a

D e D a n a a n h o ld th e o a th in h ig h e ste e m fo r tw o reaso n s: it a tte sts to p e rs o n a l
h o n o r a n d in d ic a te s lo y alty , a n d should not b e b ro k e n . T h e N o ld o r h o ld th e o a th
in h ig h e ste e m b e c a u se it sets th e ir p a th a n d seals th e ir fa te —th e O a th o f F ea n o r
cannot b e b ro k e n : "F o r so sw o rn , g o o d o r evil, a n o a th m a y n o t b e b ro k e n , a n d it
sh all p u rs u e o a th k e e p e r a n d o a th b re a k e r to th e w o rld 's e n d " (83).
F e a n o r's o a th also o v e rrid e s th e sec o n d e sse n tia l b o n d —th a t o f k in sh ip .
In societies su c h as th o se of th e m y th ic a l Ire la n d a n d M id d le -e a rth , th e b o n d of
b ro th e rh o o d can p ro v e a n in fin ite ly u n itin g o r in fin ite ly d iv id in g force. A llian ces
b e tw e e n b ro th e rs create d y n a stie s; fe u d s b e tw e e n b ro th e rs d e stro y k in g d o m s.
F re q u e n tly th e first a n d sec o n d c u ltu ra l im p e ra tiv e s co in cid e as o a th s a re sw o rn
to p ro te c t or, m o re often, a v e n g e k in sm e n . To a v e n g e th e m u r d e r o f h is fa th e r b y
th e th re e so n s of th e n e ig h b o rin g k in g T u irrean , L u g h sw e a rs th a t " th e p e o p le of
th e g o d s of D a n a h a v e d o n e tre a c h e ry o n o n e a n o th e r, a n d it is lo n g th a t th e y
w ill be u n d e r lo ss b y it a n d w e a k e n e d b y it" (G re g o ry 46). H e th e n sets th e
m u r d e re rs a se t of im p o ssib le task s; th e y d ie in th e a tte m p t, after w h ic h th e ir
fa th e r p e rish e s o f grief. A lth o u g h L u g h is o n e o f th e g re a t h e ro e s of th e T u a th a
D e D a n a a n , called Ild a n a c h fo r h is m a s te ry o f th e a rts a n d L a m fa d a fo r h is skill
in b attle, h e to o is c a p ab le of ru th le ss n e ss in re s p o n se to th re a ts o r in ju ry a g a in st
h is kin.
T h e b o n d s of k in s h ip a re felt e v e n m o re stro n g ly b y th e N o ld o r th a n th e
T u a th a D e D a n a a n , since th e N o ld o r p la c e a h ig h e r v a lu e o n b lo o d lin e . Yet w h e n
T o lk ien sh o w s th e o a th h a v in g an im p a c t o n th e b o n d s of k in sh ip , th e re s u lt is far
less h o n o ra b le . T h e K in sla y in g o f A lq u a lo n d e is th e re s u lt o f F e a n o r's O ath , a n d
is o ne of th e m o s t sh a m e fu l e p is o d e s in th e h is to ry o f th e N o ld o r. A fte r th e
S ilm arils h a v e fallen in to th e h a n d s of M o rg o th , F e a n o r a n d th e N o ld o r fo llo w
h im n o rth ; h o w e v e r, th e y c a n n o t p a ss o v e r th e G re a t Sea w ith o u t th e w h ite sh ip s
of th e T eleri, th e E lves w h o re s id e b y th e sea in sig h t of V alinor. T h e T eleri re fu se
to le n d th e N o ld o r aid , w ish in g to d is s u a d e th e ir k in s m e n fro m e m b a rk in g o n
su ch a ra s h v e n tu re , b u t F ea n o r, " w ra th fu l, fo r h e still fe a re d d e la y ," a tte m p ts to
ta k e th e sh ip s b y force (Silm. 86). W h e n th e T eleri resist, " s w o rd s w e re d ra w n ,
a n d a b itte r fig h t w a s fo u g h t u p o n th e sh ip s [...]. T h u s a t la s t th e T eleri w e re
o vercom e, a n d a g re a t p a r t of th e ir m a rin e rs th a t d w e lt in A lq u a lo n d e w e re
w ic k e d ly slain " (87). O u t of th e K in sla y in g co m es th e D o o m o f th e N o ld o r,
p ro n o u n c e d b y M a n d o s, th e Ju d g e : "T ears u n n u m b e r e d y e sh a ll sh e d ; a n d th e
V alar w ill fence V alin o r a g a in s t y o u a n d s h u t y o u o u t, so th a t n o t e v e n th e echo
of y o u r la m e n ta tio n w ill p a ss o v e r th e m o u n ta in s " (88). So b in d in g is th e p o w e r
of th e O a th of F e a n o r th a t it tr u m p s e v e n th e b o n d s of k in sh ip .
F ro m each m y th o lo g y , th e n , a d iffe re n t o u tlo o k : T o lk ien sh o w s th e
c o n seq u en ces of b re a k in g th e b o n d s of w o rd a n d k in sh ip , w h ile th e Irish le g e n d s
sh o w w h a t h a p p e n s w h e n th e y h o ld stro n g . T o lk ien fo cu ses o n th e p o te n tia l

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 The Noldor and the Tuatha de Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish Influences

d a n g e rs of conflict b e tw e e n o a th a n d fam ily lo y alties w h e n h e d esc rib e s th e

K in sla y in g of th e Teleri; th e le g e n d s o f th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n sh o w h o w th e o a th
can b e u s e d to d e fe n d o r a v e n g e w ro n g e d k in sm e n , as w h e n L u g h a v e n g e s h is
fa th e r. W ith in e ach m y th o s, h o w e v e r, th e se tw o " c u ltu ra l im p e ra tiv e s" are
c o n sid e re d in te g ra l to th e su rv iv a l o r d e stru c tio n o f th e society. W ith o u t h o n o r,
th e re is n o tr u s t a m o n g th e p e o p le . W ith o u t b ro th e rh o o d , th e re n o lo y a lty to
a n y o n e b u t th e in d iv id u a l. E ith e r w ay, so ciety c ru m b les.
H o w e v e r, n e ith e r so ciety w ill e n d u re to see th a t d a y . T h e c u ltu re s of th e
T u a th a D e D a n a a n a n d N o ld o r a re d e s tin e d to e n d in a n o th e r, less d ra m a tic
fa sh io n th a t in v o lv e s n e ith e r d e stru c tio n n o r d e a t h - o n l y a v e ry soft, slo w fa d in g
aw ay . A fter a ce rta in n u m b e r o f y e a rs (at le a st 4,000 for th e N o ld o r,
a p p ro x im a te ly 150 for th e T u a th a D e D an a a n ), th e ir tim e as th e m o s t
p ro m in e n t/p o w e rfu l/im p o rta n t race o n e a rth (or M id d le -e a rth ) is e n d e d .
Iro n ically , th e race th a t re p la c e s th e im m o rta ls in b o th m y th o lo g ie s is th e race of
m o rta l m en.
T h e in h e re n t m istin e ss o f Irish m y th o lo g y coalesces lo n g e n o u g h to
d e te rm in e th a t th e u ltim a te in v a d e rs of Ire la n d , th e M ilesian s, w e re p ro b a b ly of
G aelic o rig in . T h e c o n tra st is sta rk b e tw e e n th e tra n s c e n d e n t T u a th a D e D a n a a n
a n d th e co rp o re a l M ilesian s, called th e " e p o n y m o u s a n c e sto rs of th e m o d e rn ,
m o rta l Irish " b y G e ra ld G illesp ie (8). T h is c o n tra st e m e rg e s a t first co n tac t w h e n
th e M ilesian s a tte m p t to la n d o n th e sh o re s o f Ire la n d , for "If th e Sons of th e G ael
c o u ld la n d o n th e co ast in sp ite of th e m , th e n th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n sh o u ld give
u p th e k in g s h ip a n d b e u n d e r th e ir sw a y " (G re g o ry 72). U sin g th e ir
e n c h a n tm e n ts , th e d ru id s of th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n ra ise a c u rta in o f m is t to h id e
th e is la n d fro m th e M ile sia n sh ip s; h o w e v e r, th e M ilesian d ru id s d is p e l th e m ist
b y callin g u p o n th e sp irit o f Ire la n d , a n d la n d u p o n th e sh o re s. T h o u g h w e a k e r
in sta tu re a n d sim p le r in n a tu re , th e M ile sia n s s p u rn th e d ru id ic m a g ic of th e
T u a th a D e D a n a a n , a n d in d o in g so e n d th e re ig n of th e Irish d e m ig o d s. Yet
in v a sio n d o es n o t m e a n defeat: th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n d id n o t g iv e u p Ire la n d
itself, o n ly th e ru le o f it, a n d " w e n t a w a y b y th e m se lv e s [...] [an d ] chose o u t th e
m o s t b e a u tifu l o f th e h ills a n d v a lle y s of Ire la n d [ . ] to settle in " (77).
F o llo w in g th is re lo c a tio n in a c c o rd a n c e w ith th e " a g re e m e n t of th e
T u a th a D e D a n a a n to d w e ll u n d e rg r o u n d , in a n c ie n t b a rro w s a n d c airn s" as w ell
as o th e r iso la te d p lace s in th e w o rld , th e m o tif o f th e h id d e n h o u se e m e rg e s
(Fim i 163). T h ese a re d w e llin g s h id d e n fro m th e m o rta l w o rld , w ith "w a lls a b o u t
th em , th a t n o m a n c o u ld see th ro u g h , b u t th e y th e m se lv e s c o u ld see th r o u g h
th e m a n d p a ss th r o u g h th e m " (G re g o ry 77). F ro m h e re co m es th e c o n cep t o f th e
s^dhe, a n d th e id e a of th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n as th e "P e o p le o f th e S fd h e." L u g h
p o ssesses o n e of th e se h id d e n h o u se s, w h ic h th e h e ro C o n n stu m b le s across
w h e n h e p a sse s th ro u g h " a g re a t m is t [...] a n d a d a rk n e s s," a n d w h e re h e le a rn s
th e fu tu re of th e K in g s of Ire la n d (69). E x cep t th ro u g h in v ita tio n o r accid en t,

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 Annie Kinniburgh

th e se m y stical d w e llin g s a re b a rr e d to m o rta ls. H e re th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n live

a w a y fro m th e w o rld , fa d in g in stre n g th , th o u g h th e ir b e a u ty re m a in s: "T h eir
p e rs o n s w e re m o re b e a u tifu l a n d m ajestic th a n th o se of m e n ; a 's u b lim a te d '
h u m a n ity c h a ra c te riz e d th e m " (M acb ain 147).
T h e d im in ish in g o f th e N o ld o r fo llo w s m u c h th e sa m e p a tte rn , w ith o u t
th e violence o f in v a sio n . F ro m th e b e g in n in g , M e n are c o n sid e re d th e n a tu ra l
su ccesso rs of th e E lves; th e S o n g of th e A in u r fo retells it. T h e re is n o w a r for th e
d o m in io n of M id d le -e a rth , n o a g re e m e n t b y w h ic h M e n ta k e o v er w h ile th e
E lves fa d e in to o b sc u rity . T h e p ro c e ss is a lm o st o rg a n ic , a n d E lves a n d M e n live
in m u tu a l society fo r an age, in te rm a rry in g a n d fig h tin g a lo n g sid e o n e a n o th e r.
T h e ir c u ltu re s n e v e r c o m p le te ly m e sh , h o w e v e r; in te rm a rria g e is ra re a n d
d isc o u ra g e d , a n d allies a re n o t n e c e ssa rily frie n d s. E v en as b lo o d lin e s com e
to g e th e r (u s u a lly w ith tra g ic re su lts), th e ra ces d rift fu rth e r a p a rt. "A fter a tim e
th e E lf-kings, see in g th a t it w a s n o t g o o d for E lves a n d M e n to d w e ll m in g le d
to g e th e r w ith o u t o rd e r [...] se t re g io n s a p a rt w h e re M e n c o u ld live th e ir o w n
lives, a n d a p p o in te d ch ie fta in s to h o ld th e se la n d s freely " (Silm. 147).
M ean w h ile , as M e n e sta b lish g re a t cities, th e N o ld o r w ith d r a w in to
th e ir o w n h id d e n k in g d o m s. C h ie f a m o n g th e se is G o n d o lin , th e h id d e n city of
T u rg o n , so n of F in g o lfin . G o n d o lin , also calle d O n d o lin d e (" th e R ock of th e
M u sic of W ate r") is T u rg o n 's a tte m p t to re c re a te T irio n , th e city u p o n th e h ill
T u n a in V alinor, "fo r w h ic h h is h e a rt y e a rn e d in exile" (115). O f all th e re a lm s of
th e N o ld o r o n M id d le -e a rth , G o n d o lin w ill re m a in in ta c t th e lo n g e s t th a n k s to its
secrecy. U lm o , th e L o rd o f th e W aters, sw e a rs to T u rg o n th a t " N o n e sh all m a rk
th y g o in g , n o r sh a ll a n y fin d th e re th e h id d e n e n tra n c e a g a in s t th y w ill" (125).
A n d so T u rg o n a n d h is fo llo w e rs "c a m e u n s e e n to G o n d o lin , a n d n o n e k n e w
w h ith e r th e y h a d g o n e [...] a n d p a s s e d th e g a te s in th e m o u n ta in s , a n d th e y w e re
sh u t" (126). T h e re th e y re m a in , e n c lo se d in th e ro c k of th e m o u n ta in , s e p a ra te d
fro m th e re s t of M id d le -e a rth , w h ile o u ts id e th e ir k in sm e n , e s tra n g e d fro m th e
race of M en, " w a n d e re d in th e lo n e ly p la c e s o f th e g re a t la n d s a n d th e isles a n d
to o k to th e m o o n lig h t a n d th e sta rlig h t, a n d to th e w o o d s a n d caves, b e c o m in g as
sh a d o w s a n d m e m o rie s" (105).
A s m e n tio n e d , in te rm a rria g e s (u s u a lly b e tw e e n a m o rta l m a n a n d
im m o rta l w o m a n ) b e tw e e n th e se d iv id e d ra ces o c cu r in b o th m y th o lo g ie s, b u t
th e y serv e to h ig h lig h t in s te a d o f a llev iate th e s o m e tim e s-stra in e d re la tio n s
b e tw e e n th e races. By d e fin itio n o f th e p a rtie s in v o lv e d , th e se m a rria g e s seem
d e s tin e d to e n d b a d ly , a n d as a ru le th e y do. In th e Irish le g e n d s, th e re w a s a
H ig h K in g called B odb D earg , w h o w a s th e e ld e s t so n of th e D a g d a , a n d th e first
H ig h K in g a fte r th e M ile sia n s c o n q u e re d Ire la n d . H is d a u g h te r, S cath n ia m h , w a s
also called th e F lo w e r o f B rig h tn ess; b u t sh e fell in love w ith C ao ilte, o n e of th e
F ia n n a (th a t is, o n e of th e w a rrio rs fo llo w in g le g e n d a ry h e ro F io n n m ac
C u m h aill). It is sa id th a t " th e y w e re fo rc e d to p a r t fro m o n e a n o th e r, a n d th e y

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 The Noldor and the Tuatha de Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish Influences

n e v e r m e t ag a in till th e tim e C ao ilte w a s o ld a n d w ith e re d " (G re g o ry 80). W h en

S c a th n ia m h fin a lly com es to h im to w a rd s th e e n d of h is life, C ao ilte e x p la in s to
o n lo o k ers w h y su c h a b e a u tifu l y o u n g g irl is w ith su c h a n o ld m a n : "I a m o f th e
so n s of M ile d th a t w ith e r a n d fa d e aw ay , b u t sh e is of th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n th a t
n e v e r c h an g e a n d th a t n e v e r d ie" (80). A s h e d id w ith th e O a th o f F ea n o r, T o lk ien
ta k e s th is id e a —th e lo v ers d o o m e d b y th e ir d iffe rin g n a tu r e s —a n d m a k e s it a
cen te rp iece of The Silmarillion.
"T h e L a y of B eren a n d L u th ie n " is o n e of T o lk ie n 's m o s t p o ig n a n t a n d
p e rs o n a l w o rk s, for in it h e sa w h im se lf a n d h is w ife, E d ith B ra tt—th e y to o
sh a re d a " fo rb id d e n lo v e." A s T o lk ien w a s to ld to sta y a w a y fro m E d ith b y his
g u a rd ia n , C ath o lic p rie s t F ra n c is M o rg a n , th e m o rta l M a n B eren w a s se n t fro m
th e sid e of h is love, L u th ie n . L u th ie n w a s th e d a u g h te r o f T h in g o l, K in g of th e
E lves of D o ria th (w h o w a s called also th e H id d e n K in g for h is re fu g e in th e
D w a rf-h e w n fo rtre ss of M e n e g ro th ). D iss u a d e d fro m k illin g th e p re s u m p tu o u s
m o rta l, T h in g o l ask s th e im p o ssib le in re tu rn for L u th ie n 's h a n d : th a t B eren
b rin g h im o n e of th e S ilm arils, th e n e n sc o n c e d in M o rg o th 's cro w n . D o o m loom s,
th e q u e s t en su e s, a n d a t th e e n d o f th e lay, B eren d e liv e rs th e S ilm aril to T h in g o l
w ith h is d y in g b re a th . H e go es to th e H a lls of M a n d o s a n d th e re , as L u th ie n h a d
a sk e d h im to, " th e sp irit of B eren a t h e r b id d in g ta rrie d in th e h a lls of M an d o s,
u n w illin g to le a v e th e w o rld ," u n til sh e cam e to th e Ju d g e h im se lf a n d sa n g for
B eren 's release (186). M a n d o s acq u ie sced , b u t th e p ric e fo r B eren a n d L u th ie n 's
re u n io n u p o n M id d le -e a rth w a s L u th ie n 's o w n im m o rta lity . "So it w a s th a t alo n e
of all th e E ld alie sh e h a s d ie d in d e e d , a n d left th e w o rld lo n g a g o " (187).
T h e le g e n d of S c a th n ia m h a n d C ao ilte is b a re ly a fo o tn o te to th e sto ry
of h e r fa th e r, B odb D earg , w h o p la y s a m u c h m o re p ro m in e n t ro le in T u a th a D e
D a n a a n le g e n d a n d p o litics w h e n a stru g g le of, literally , g o d lik e p ro p o rtio n s
b re a k s o u t b e tw e e n th e D a g d a 's so n s o v e r w h o w ill a ssu m e k in g s h ip o n th e ir
fa th e r's d e a th . In c o n trast, T o lk ie n 's "L a y of B eren a n d L u th ie n " is a so arin g ,
e m o tio n a l ep ic tale of lo v e a n d fa te —so com plex, in fact, th a t it m a y seem
rid ic u lo u s to c o m p a re th e tw o . H o w e v e r, d e p th asid e, th e fact th a t b o th sto ries
ex ist a t all sp e a k s e q u a lly to th e stru g g le b e tw e e n c u ltu re s th a t ta k e s p la c e w ith in
th e Irish a n d T o lk ie n ia n m y th o lo g ic a l w o rld s. L o v e b e tw e e n a m o rta l a n d an
im m o rta l, b e tw e e n th e w a x in g a n d w a n in g races, is n o t p u n is h a b le b y d e a th or
exile, b u t it is g u a ra n te e d to b rin g h a rd s h ip . A s h a p p y as th e lo v e rs th e m se lv e s
m a y be, th e y a re b y n a tu r e in h e re n tly d iffe re n t—th e w o m a n w ill n o t die, a n d th e
m a n w ill g ro w o ld w o rs h ip p in g h er. T h is is m a d e k n o w n su b tly fro m th e ir first
m e e tin g , w h ic h , in e ach case, ta k e s p la c e in a n a tu r a l settin g . S c ia th n ia m h com es
to C aoilte fro m w ith in a cave; B eren com es u p o n L u th ie n " a t a tim e of e v e n in g
u n d e r m o o n rise , as sh e d a n c e d u p o n th e u n fa d in g g ra ss in th e g la d e s" (Silm.
165). E ach w o m a n serv es as a "m ag ical, q u e e n ly [figure] e n d o w e d w ith C eltic
e n c h a n tm e n t," th a t " r e p r e s e n ts ] th e h ig h e s t a n d b e st [...] a n d so m e tim e s

Mythlore 28:1/2, Fall/Winter 2009 39

 Annie Kinniburgh

in sp ire[s] rev e re n c e o f a n e a rly re lig io u s k in d " (B urns 10). In o rd e r fo r lo v e —a n d

n o t tim e —to triu m p h , th e w o m a n m u s t c o m p ro m ise h e r o w n n a tu r a l abilities.
H o w e v e r, e v e n th o se y o u n g lo v e rs w h o m a n a g e to d e fy th e e x p e c ta tio n s o f th e ir
races are n o t im m u n e to th e n a tu r a l p ro g re ssio n of th o se races.
B ecause it is n o t e n o u g h th a t th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n a n d N o ld o r fa d e
in to th e n a tu r a l w o rld ; th e d o m in io n o f m e n n e c e ssita te s th a t th e y leav e th e
w o rld alto g eth e r. A s G a la d rie l tells F ro d o , "[O ]u r p o w e r is d im in ish e d , a n d
L o th lo rie n w ill fad e, a n d th e tid e s o f T im e w ill sw e e p it aw ay . W e m u s t d e p a rt
in to th e W est, o r d w in d le to a ru stic folk o f d e ll a n d cav e" (Lord o f the Rings
II.7:365). T h is jo u rn e y is n o t to a n A fterlife; it is to a n O th e rw o rld . T h e id e a of th e
" O th e rw o rld " is in te g ra l to th e Irish M y th o lo g ic a l C ycle a n d a s ta n d a rd m o tif in
th e C eltic m y th o s. It is u s e d as a g e n e ra l te r m fo r th e v a rio u s la n d s of th e g o d s,
w h ic h a re o ften d e p ic te d as e x istin g in a lim in a l sp ace - th a t is, th e y a re n e ith e r
h e re n o r th ere , a n d a tra n sitio n of re a lm o r sta te o f b e in g is n e c e ss a ry to g a in
e n tra n c e to th e m . T h e s^dhe re a p p e a r in th is c o n tex t - th e y a re n o t m e re ly h id d e n
h o u se s, b u t d o o rs. T o lk ien w a s fa m ilia r w ith th is concept, a n d in fa c t e x p lo re d
th e id e a in h is p o e m The Nameless Land. T h e p o e m is m o d e le d after th e m e d ie v a l
a lliterativ e p o e m Pearl, a u th o re d b y th e a n o n y m o u s G awain-poet. In it, T o lk ien
d escrib es a m y stic a l p lace " th a n T ir-n a n -O g m o re fa ir a n d free / T h a n P a ra d ise
m o re fa in t a n d fa r" (Lost Road 111).
D e sp ite th e se s u p e r n a tu ra l q u alities, th e O th e rw o rld s of th e N o ld o r a n d
th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n a re n o t inaccessible; in fact, th e y can b e re a c h e d b y
co ncrete m e th o d s. T h e y h a v e a lo catio n (a n is la n d a cro ss th e sea), a d ire c tio n (the
W est), a n d a n a m e (E m h a in a n d V alinor, re sp ectiv ely ). A ctu ally , in a c co rd an ce
w ith o ra l tr a d itio n 's e m p h a s is o n n a m e s as a m e a n s of id e n tific a tio n or
c o m m em o ratio n , th e y h a v e m a n y n a m e s , all c o n n o tin g a h ig h e r, b e tte r w o rld .
F o r th e N o ld o r, V alin o r is also called th e B lessed R ealm o r th e G u a rd e d R ealm .
F o r th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n , E m h a in is called lite ra lly E m h a in A b lach ('th e R eg io n
of A p p le s') b u t also th e L a n d of Joy, th e F a r Isla n d , th e L a n d of P ro m ise , M a g h
M eall (the 'D e lig h tfu l P la in '), o r M a n a n n a n 's C o u n try (Fim i 163). W o rd s like
" isla n d " a n d " c o u n try " d e n o te a p h y sic a l location, a n d su c h is th e case: th e
O th e rw o rld o f Irish a n d T o lk ie n ia n m y th o lo g y is " n o t a 'h e a v e n ' lik e th a t
e n v is io n e d b y C h ris tia n b e lie v e rs as ab o v e a n d s e p a ra te fro m th is e a rth " b u t is
lo c a te d o n th e sa m e h o riz o n ta l p la n e , accessible b y sh ip (M o n a g h a n 371). T o lk ien
a d d re s se s th is issu e d ire c tly in a n o u tlin e to The Lost Road sk e tc h in g o u t a d e b a te
b e tw e e n Æ lfw in e a n d E ad w in e: "Æ lfw in e objects th a t P a ra d ise c a n n o t b e g o t to
b y sh ip [...]. E a d w in e sa y s h e d o e s n o t th in k it t r u e —a n d h o p e it is n 't" (88). In
b o th cases, th e O th e rw o rld is a n im m o rta l la n d lo c a te d w ith in th e m o rta l realm .
T h e jo u rn e y to th e O th e rw o rld co n c lu d e s th e h isto ric a l tra je c to ry o f th e
N o ld o r a n d th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n . E ach race leav e s th e d o m in io n of th e ir la n d
to m o rta l m e n a n d sails in to th e W est, b o u n d fo r a d e stin a tio n n o t e v e n le g e n d

40 Mythlore 107/108, Fall/Winter 2009

 The Noldor and the Tuatha de Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish Influences

d escrib es in full. W h a t g lim p se s th e re a re sh o w a la n d of tra n s c e n d e n t b e a u ty

a n d peace. O f E m h a in it is said:

T here are feet of w h ite bronze u n d e r it, shining th ro u g h life an d tim e; a

com ely level la n d th ro u g h th e len g th of th e w o rld 's age, a n d m an y
blossom s falling o n it. [...] [E]very color is shining there, d elig h t is
com m on [...]. [T]here is n o th in g h a rd or rough, b u t sw eet m usic striking
o n the ear. (G regory 104)

S im ilarly, o n e o f th e fin al p a ra g ra p h s of The R eturn o f the K ing d esc rib e s

F ro d o 's p a ss a g e in to th e W est in th e c o m p a n y of th e la s t E lf-lords:

[T]he sails w ere d ra w n u p , and th e w in d blew , a n d slowly th e ship

slipped aw ay d o w n th e long grey firth [ . ] an d w e n t o u t into th e H ig h
Sea and p a sse d o n into th e West, u n til at last o n a n ig h t of rain Frodo
sm elled a sw eet fragrance on the air a n d h e a rd th e so u n d of singing
th a t cam e over th e w ater. A n d th e n it seem ed to h im th a t as in his
d ream in th e h o u se of Bom badil, th e grey rain -cu rtain tu rn e d all to
silver glass an d w as rolled back, an d h e beh eld w h ite shores an d
b eyond th e m a far g reen country u n d e r a sw ift sunrise. (Lord o f the
Rings VI.9:1030)

T o lk ie n 's d e n ia l o f C eltic in flu e n c e s lo ses m u c h o f its le g itim a c y in th e

face of su ch o b v io u s d ire c t a n d th e m a tic p a ra lle ls —p a ra lle ls th a t e x te n d ev en
d o w n to p ro m in e n t p la c e of m u sic in th e B lessed R ealm . E v en in w h a t fe w
fra g m e n ts of Irish m y th o lo g y h a v e b e e n h a n d e d d o w n in th e Irish M y th o lo g ic a l
C ycle, it is e a sily d isc e rn ib le th a t th e m y th ic a l a n c e sto rs o f th e Irish p eo p le, th e
T u a th a D e D an a a n , h a v e fa r m o re in c o m m o n w ith T o lk ie n 's N o ld o r th a n d o th e
N o rse alfar, th e A n g lo -S ax o n elves, o r th e S cottish re s id e n ts of th e Seelie a n d
U n seelie courts. T h e se sim ila ritie s are m o re co m p lex th a n em o tio n a l, p h y sical, or
sp iritu a l p aralle ls, th o u g h th o s e are in c lu d e d as w ell; th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n a n d
th e N o ld o r sh a re a b asic n a tu re , social stru c tu re , a n d o v e ra ll h isto ry . E ach can be
d e sc rib e d as "a race of g o d -lik e h e ro e s w h o in itia lly cam e acro ss th e sea to
Ire la n d [...]. T h e ir tim e, h o w e v e r, is lim ited , a n d th e y fin a lly a g re e to g o in to
exile - m a n y g o in g acro ss th e sea" (G u n n e ll 7).
It w o u ld b e w ro n g to im p ly th a t T o lk ien c o m p le te ly d e n ie d C eltic
in flu en ces u p o n h is w o rk o u ts id e o f th e lin g u istic a re n a (he w a s v ery
fo rth c o m in g a b o u t th e in flu e n c e o f W elsh u p o n th e S in d a rin to n g u e ), fo r th is is
n o t th e case, a n d n o r d id h e ev e r claim it to be. N o r d id h e d e n y k n o w le d g e o f
a n d e v e n in te re st in Irish m y th o lo g y sp ecifically, th o u g h th a t in te re st n e v e r
coalesced in a n y co n crete form . H is focus, h o w e v e r, w a s o n c a p tu rin g th e C eltic
fe e l—h e w a n te d h is m y th o lo g y to b e "fu ll o f d a rk a n d tw ilig h t, a n d la d e n w ith

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 Annie Kinniburgh

so rro w a n d re g re t," a m ix of "C eltic e n c h a n tm e n t a n d N o rse v ita lity " (q td . in

F im i 166; B u rn s 10). L ike m o s t E n g lish m e n , h e b e lie v e d in th e p o p u la r im a g e of
th e m agical, m a u d lin , a lm o st e ffe m in a te C e lt—a n im a g e th a t h a d b e e n fo ste re d
b y th e n e g a tiv e in flu e n c e of A rth u ria n ro m a n c e s a n d c o u rtly love. In reality , th e
C elts w e re ju s t as fierce a n d w a rlik e as th e N o rse w a rrio rs T o lk ien so a d m ire d .
H e w a s ev en m o re s tro n g ly p re ju d ic e d c o n c e rn in g th e Irish . A lth o u g h h e o ften
u s e d th e te rm s "W elsh " a n d "C eltic" in te rc h a n g e a b ly , "W h e n T o lk ien sp e a k s of
th e Irish , h e m e a n s o n ly th e Irish , a n d all to o o ften h e sin g le s th e m o u t as a C eltic
n e g ativ e, as th e s h a d o w m a n ife sta tio n o f w h a t a C e lt o u g h t to b e " (B u rn s 173).
T h e a rg u m e n t h e re in h a s b e e n th a t T o lk ien re lie d o n C eltic, a n d p a rtic u la rly
Irish , m y th o lo g y for m o re th a n lin g u istic s a n d o v e ra ll a tm o sp h e re ; th a t h is E lves
a re n o t a b e rra tio n s in h is o v e ra ll m e th o d o lo g y b u t as tra c e a b le as a n y o th e r
a sp e c t of M id d le -e a rth ; a n d th a t th e h is to ry of E lves as a m y th o lo g ic a l c o n stru c t
p la y e d v e ry little ro le in T o lk ie n 's o w n in te rp re ta tio n of th e sp ecies. O ften,
T o lk ie n 's u n a c k n o w le d g e d so u rc e s a re fa r m o re re le v a n t th a n th o se h e d id
ack n o w led g e.
B u t th e sim ila ritie s b e tw e e n th e tw o m y th o lo g ie s g o d e e p e r th a n th e
d ire c t a n d th e th em atic. A t th e m o s t b a sic level, th e y a re b o th " tru e ." F o r T olkien,
m y th s w e re n o t sy n o n y m o u s w ith le g e n d s o r folktales; th e y w e re n o t m e re ly
sto ries to in s p ire p rid e o r cau se en jo y m e n t. M y th s s o u g h t to c h a n n e l so m e th in g
g re a te r - s o m e th in g o f th e C re a to r. A s R affaele P e tta z z o n i said , "M y th is tru e
h is to ry b ec a u se it is sa c re d h is to ry " (102). In " th e ta le s of b e g in n in g s, th e
cosm o g o n ies, th e o g o n ie s a n d le g e n d s of s u p e r h u m a n b e in g s w h o b r o u g h t th in g s
in to existence a n d fo u n d e d in s titu tio n s" th a t m a k e u p m y th o lo g ie s w o rld -w id e
is fo u n d " th e v e ry tr u th o f m y th , a n a b so lu te tr u th b e c a u se a tr u th o f faith , a n d
tr u th of faith b e c a u se a tr u th o f life" (101, 107). A T ru th so A b so lu te as to
tra n sc e n d c u ltu ra l b o u n d a rie s p e rm e a te s M y th ; fello w In k lin g O w e n B arfield
called it " th e p rin c ip le of liv in g u n ity " (B arfield 87). If m y th s, in d e e d , a re th e
"ghost[s] of co n crete m e a n in g ," th e n it is w ith in th e m th a t m a n g e ts th e sm a lle st
g lim p se of th a t w h ic h u tte rly eclip ses h im se lf (92). T o lk ien w o u ld h a v e called
th a t e c lip sin g force G o d a n d th e T ru th c o n v e y e d b y m y th g o d lin e ss.
T h is id e a p la y e d a cru cial ro le in T o lk ie n 's a tte m p t to c o n v e rt h is frie n d
a n d co lleag u e C.S. L e w is fro m th e ism to C h ristia n ity . O n a cold S e p te m b e r n ig h t
in 1931, "T o llers" a n d "Jack" e n te re d in to a d isc u ssio n o n m y th d u rin g a 3 a.m .
stro ll d o w n A d d is o n 's W alk. A c c o rd in g to H u m p h re y C a rp e n te r's d e sc rip tio n of
th e ev en t, T o lk ien a sk e d w h y th e id e a of sacrifice m a d e in C h ris tia n ity w a s so
m u c h h a r d e r to ac c e p t th a n th e sacrifices m a d e in p a g a n m y th o lo g ie s. L ew is
re s p o n d e d fam o u sly : "M y th s a re lies, e v e n th o u g h lies b re a th e d th r o u g h silver."
N o, T o lk ien said . B ecause w e h a v e com e fro m G o d , " m y th s w o v e n b y u s, th o u g h
th e y co n ta in e rro r, w ill also re fle c t a s p lin te re d fra g m e n t o f th e tr u e lig h t, th e
e te rn a l tr u th th a t is w ith G od. [...] O u r m y th s m a y b e m isg u id e d , b u t th e y steer

42 Mythlore 107/108, Fall/Winter 2009

 The Noldor and the Tuatha de Danaan: J.R.R. Tolkien's Irish Influences

h o w e v e r sh a k ily to w a rd s th e tru e h a rb o u r" (C a rp e n te r 147). T h e c o n c e p t o f G o d

re v e a lin g H im s e lf (or w h a t o f H im s e lf h u m a n ity c o u ld c o m p re h e n d ) th r o u g h
m y th re s o n a te d w ith L ew is. It e c h o e d th e w o rd s of G eo rg e M a c D o n a ld , a
S cottish th e o lo g ia n w h o se w o rk s of C h ris tia n fa n ta sy g re a tly in flu e n c e d "Jack":
" th e m o d ify in g in flu e n c e of th e h u m a n c h a n n e ls m a y b e e sse n tia l to G o d 's
re v e a lin g m o d e " (M acD o n ald 31).
A c c o rd in g to T olk ien , m y th s w e re n o t a lie b u t th e tr u th b re a th e d
th r o u g h s ilv e r—th e T ru th of G o d filte re d to th e p o in t th a t h u m a n ity c o u ld
u n d e r s ta n d it. H e fo u n d th is T ru th in Irish m y th o lo g y (as w e ll as in th e N o rse,
th e C eltic, th e W elsh, a n d e v e ry o th e r m y th o lo g y h e e n c o u n te re d ) a n d so u g h t to
co n v ey it in h is o w n m y th o lo g ic a l w o rld as w ell. T h e re a re m a n y su p erficial
sim ilarities b e tw e e n th e N o ld o r a n d th e T u a th a D e D a n a a n , b u t T o lk ie n 's tru e
d e b t to th e Irish m y th o s lies in th e fra g m e n ts of T ru th it co n v e y e d to th e Irish
p e o p le - fra g m e n ts th a t T o lk ien a d a p te d in o rd e r to c o n v e y th e m to h is re a d e rs.
T h e re m a y b e n o G o d in th e T o lk ie n ia n u n iv e rse , b u t b e c a u se th e re is M y th , th e re
certa in ly is G o d 's T ru th .

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