Resilient Seeker Coaching | Ross Raymond Nunamaker

In 2023 I presented, Women in The Children of Hurin, at the New York Tolkien Conference in New York City and online at Oxonmoot.

The presentation addressed a common criticism that Tolkien did not represent women well in his writings, and I did this by featuring: Morwen, Rian, Melian, Nellas, Nienor/Niniel, Finduilas and Aerin, who all played significant roles in the story set in the First Age.

Three women I failed to include and realized in hindsight were Adanel, Andreth and Emeldir.

Adanel was of the Third House, sister of Hador Lorindol, grandfather of Hurin and Huor and she married Belemir, great grandson of Beor the old.

Andreth was of the House of Beor and her cousin was Belemir and his wife was Adanel.

Andreth was the great-great-granddaughter of Beor the Old and she was the great-auntt of Beren One-hand.

Emeldir was of the House of Beor and granddaughter of Adanel. Emeldir was the grand-aunt of both Morwen and Rian, whose grandfather was Bregolas, whose sister in law was Emeldir. 

These women were then all family relations of all of the previously mentioned women except Nellas of which we know nothing of her lineage only that she lived in Doriath and was asked by Melian to watch over Turin.

Their significance comes in what we learn in understanding the nature of men and elves, their animosity, misunderstandings, mortality and immortality and perception of it. Being relatives of those involved in the tale, one is led to believe some if not all of this knowledge was passed down to direct descendents. We know even Sador had heard something vaguely about the Fall of Man when he speaks with Turin as a child.

Emeldir

Emeldir was called “the manhearted” for her desire was to fight to the end when Dorthonion was overrun following the Dagor Bragollach. Instead, she was convinced to lead the women and children to safety in Brethil. This is very similar to Eowyn, also a shield maiden and warrior,  leading the non-fighters from Meduseld to Helm’s Deep in the Third Age.

Andreth

Andreth became known as “Saelind”, or “Wise-heart”. Her discourse on mortality is central to the differentiation between the mortality and immortality of the Children of Iluvatar as recorded in “Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth”. 

She also had a recorded prophecy according to the Problem of Ros in HoME XII, “the prophecy of Andreth the Wise-woman should prove true that Turin in the Last Battle should return from the Dead, and before he left the Circles of the World for ever should challenge the Great Dragon of Morgoth, Ancalagon the Black, and deal him the death-stroke.” (p.310)

Adanel

Adanel was a Wise-woman of Men, and it was from her that Andreth learned much of the House of Beor in addition to her knowledge of the House of Hador in Dor-lomin. She told Andreth the legend of the Fall of Man. This is known as “The Tale of Adanel” included in the Athrabeth in HoME, vol. X