Elenion Ancalima

[caraloup]

I don't think there's a single reader of LotR who doesn't recall this:
Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima! he cried, and knew not what he had spoken; for it seemed that another voice spoke through his, clear, untroubled by the foul air of the pit.
This is without doubt one of the most powerful moments in the book, and it illuminates Frodo in an

Comments

[slender_sail]

Lol! I got there first!!! :D (I'm happy not because of getting there first, but because of your often wondering why).

It's the herald calling out to Eärendil. Am I right? Let's see. Yep! But have a look at who the herald is. In some versions.

[caraloup]

In this version, the herald is "Fionwë the son of Manwë", but I don't recall his other identities elsewhere right now. Which version did you have in mind?

[slender_sail]

That's the one I had in mind. By other versions I mean "a general herald" not "Fionwë son of Manwë" which is the identity of the herald. (Umm, what does paternity mean in the case of the Valar? It's gotta be different

[caraloup]

Is it true though, that Fionwë is the same as the Maia Eonwë?

Yes, in the later versions (beginning shortly after LotR), Tolkien began to replace "Fionwë son of Manwë" with "Eonwë herald of Manwë", in keeping with a general change of conception: the Valar no longer have any "children", only 'affiliated' Maiar. The difference may be less pronounced than it looks at first sight though - I think Tolkien had a spiritual kinship/affinity in mind and decided not to conflate that with the biological terms of reproduction. It's really a matter of interpretation whether or not this change of expression makes an essential difference.

Going by the texts in HoME, Fionwë retain his fairly illustrious position in the new role of Eonwë the herald. In HoME 12, Christopher admits that he editorially removed Eonwë's leading part in the battle against Morgoth, when he was preparing the Silmarillion for print; in hindsight Christopher questions that decision.

from the top of your head, are you able to point out one character from the whole M-e