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The Wars of the Glorfindels - Page 7

© Michael Martinez

So there are peculiar cases even in The Lord of the Rings where Tolkien reused Elven names, and he was not entirely clear on whether the usage was appropriate. Years later, while considering the history of Cirdan, JRRT noted to himself that Galdor of Gondolin could have survived the fall and remained in Middle-earth, thus never acquiring the wisdom Glorfindel obtained in the West. Christopher is quick to point out that his father phrased the speculation in such a way as to indicate he wasn't sure, and Christopher concludes that his father could not have located the manuscript for "The Fall of Gondolin" to check and therefore would merely have been suggesting a possibility to himself (for future reference, perhaps). In The Peoples of Middle-earth Christopher published for the first time two essays concerning Glorfindel which his father had written around the time of 1972. The first essay is incomplete, its opening page missing, but it seems that JRRT had decided that several Elves had been sent back to Middle-earth with the Istari "as guards or assistants". One of these was Glorfindel, attached to Gandalf. This essay supposes that Glorfindel, because of his great sacrifice, was released from Mandos early, and he was restored to the natural innocence of the Elves. Living with the Maiar and among Elves who had never rebelled, he probably became a friend to Olorin (Gandalf) and grew in wisdom and power. But after having written out these thoughts, Tolkien changed his mind. In a note Christopher only refers to his father decided soon after writing the first Glorfindel essay that the Elf had more likely returned to Middle-earth in the Second Age. Thereupon Tolkien wrote the second essay concerning Glorfindel and he decided finally that the two Glorfindels were the same person, who having been purged of his sins in Mandos was released and allowed to live in Aman. But then he returned to Middle-earth to help Gil-galad prepare for the wars with Sauron. The fact that Glorfindel of Rivendell had lived in the Blessed Realm at some point forced Tolkien to consider how he might have gotten there. Glorfindel's arrival in Middle-earth was not so firmly mandated, but Tolkien doesn't really say why Glorfindel had to return in the Second Age, except to say in the second essay that such travel by the Elves would have been forbidden after the Downfall of Numenor. Hence, the Istari could not have been accompanied by the guards and assistants of the first essay.

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