A breakdown of Tolkien’s ‘Of Aulë and Yavanna’, the second chapter of the Quenta Silmarillion. I share a mini summary with some personal thoughts, ten tidbits and five fav quotes!

A Mini Summary and Some Personal Thoughts

In my copy of The Silmarillion, Chapter 2: Of Aulë and Yavanna is only four pages long. But, I’m constantly amazed at how much Tolkien can pack into a short chapter. In a chapter titled Aulë and Yavanna, I had thought there might be more about this couple and their relationship. We do see some of glimpses of that. But there’s so much else packed in as well, including the origins of a whole new race, the explanation of how Ents came about, and the name drop of the great Eagles we know and love from LOTR. Just a few small things really (please note the sarcasm).

We see Ilúvatar making quite a strong appearance, and some super interesting interactions between Manwë, Aulë and Yavanna. Through all of it, I think we really begin to get a better sense of who Aulë and Yavanna are themselves and what they care about. I find this such an fascinating chapter, can you tell? Let’s dig into the tidbits!

Ten Tidbits About ‘Of Aulë and Yavanna’

Seven Dwarf Lords

Right off the bat we learn that Aulë made seven lords of the dwarves. I imagine it’s probably not coincidental that there were seven rings of power made for the dwarf lords as well.

The Making of the Dwarves

The origin story of the dwarves is pretty cool. Aulë made them under the mountains in Middle-earth. They are strong to endure: ‘Therefore they are stone-hard, stubborn, fast in friendship and in enmity, and they suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more hardily than all other speaking peoples; and they live long, far beyond the span of Men, yet not for ever.’ Aulë even began instructing them in a language he made for them! He really has so many parallels to Professor Tolkien.

Aulë’s Humbleness

Even though Aulë was working in secret, Ilúvatar knew about it the entire time. When Ilúvatar confronts Aulë about what he has done, I love Aulë’s reaction. He admits to folly but explains what was in his heart (it’s one of my fav quotes!) and seeks to make amends. He even offers to destroy his work (which definitely feels reminiscent of the story of Abraham and Isaac in the Bible) even though it makes him weep to do so. This response contrasts particularly with what we know of Melkor, who was most alike to Aulë but shows the exact opposite characteristics to Aulë’s humble attitude. It’s exactly this humility that gives Ilúvatar compassion to stop Aulë from destroying the dwarves.

Strife Between Elves and Dwarves

Ilúvatar decides to adopt the Dwarves. But His original children had not yet come (remember the Children of Ilúvatar mentioned in the previous chapter?). So he explains what will happen

‘I will not suffer this: that these should come before the Firstborn of my design, nor that thy impatience should be rewarded. They shall sleep now … But when the time comes I will awaken them, and they shall be to thee as children; and often strife shall arise between thine and mine, the children of my adoption and the children of my choice.’

The Fate of Dwarves

Dwarves and Elves believe in different fates for the Dwarves after death. The Elves believe the Dwarves would return to the earth and stone that they’re made from. But the Dwarves believe they will serve Aulë in the remaking of Arda after the Last Battle. And did you catch the mention of Khazad-dûm? 

Valar Mind-Speaking

The Valar seem to be able to speak to each other in their minds and share thoughts with each other. Aulë opened his mind to Yavanna, and Yavanna shared her thoughts with Manwë (in such a beautiful way it’s another fav quote!).

Dominion Over the Earth

Manwë explains to Yavanna that the Children of Ilúvatar would have dominion over the Earth, including the plants and animals that Yavanna has made. I appreciate her honestly in admitting her anxiety about this. And I love the value she places on the things she herself has made, just as Aulë greatly valued the Dwarves he made with his hands.

Shepherds of the Forest – aka Ents!

When Yavanna shares with Manwë that ‘all have their worth’. But she practically recognizes that plants can’t run to defend themselves like animals can. And the trees hold a special place in her heart. She asks that trees might have the ability to speak on behalf of all plants with roots, and punish those that wrong them – and the end results is the Ends, the Shepherds of the Forest! It’s so cool to think of how Treeboard and Co really enact this in The Two Towers.

The Great Eagles – aka The Eagles are Coming!

Here we also learn of the Great Eagles of the Lords of the West – the same Eagles who play such a pivotal role in moments of crisis in Middle-Earth. When Yavanna hears of them, she excitingly exclaims that they’ll be housed in the tall trees of Kementári. Manwë quickly brings her back down a peg though, telling her it’s the trees of Aulë (aka the mountains) that will house these Great Eagles. I’ll cheekily share the quote introducing the Eagles cause it’s too good to wait on:

Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds? That also shall come to be by the heed of Ilúvatar, and before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West.

Of Yavanna and Aulë – Finally

It’s interesting to see how these two interact throughout the chapter. They seem to be a bit of a different kind of couple than the other couples of the Valar. But these two clearly seem to be particularly strong, independent characters. And I find it funny how Aulë gets his final word in at the end of this chapter. Yavanna warns Aulë that ‘there shall walk a power in the forests whose wrath they will arouse at their peril,’ and he responds with the (in?)famous line: ‘Nonetheless they will have need of wood.’

5 fav Quotes from ‘Of Aulë and Yavanna’

It is told that in their beginning the Dwarves were made by Aulë in the darkness of Middle-earth; for so greatly did Aulë desire the coming of the Children, to have learners to whom he could teach his lore and his crafts, that he was unwilling to await the fulfilment of the designs of Ilúvatar.

I love Aulë’s eagerness here! He’s like a child who knows Christmas is coming and just can’t wait so starts celebrating now! Not the best analogy, but you know what I mean. So interesting to get this backstory into the origin of the dwarves as well

‘Yet the making of things is in my heart from my own making by thee; and the child of little understanding that makes a play of the deeds of his father may do so without thought of mockery, but because he is the son of his father.’

This is a pretty beautiful picture of Aulë’s desire to create in the likeness of his own creator, Ilúvatar. I think it also shows how Tolkien saw his own creation in writing and creating middle-earth

Then their part shall be to serve Aulë and to aid him in the remaking of Arda after the Last Battle. They say also that the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves return to live again in their own kin and to bear once more their ancient names: of whom Durin was the most renowned in after ages, father of that kindred most friendly to the Elves, whose mansions were at Khazad-dûm.

It’s so interesting to see what dwarves believed about their afterlife – and does the Last Battle give anyone else Narnia vibes?

Then Manwë sat silent, and the thought of Yavanna that she had put into his heart grew and unfolded; and it was beheld by Ilúvatar. Then it seemed to Manwë that the Song rose once more about him, and he heeded now many things therein that though he had heard them he had not heeded before.

I wish I could share thoughts with others like this

‘All have their worth,’ said Yavanna, ‘and each contributes to the worth of the others. But the kelvar can flee or defend themselves, whereas the olvar that grow cannot. And among these I hold trees dear. Long in the growing, swift shall they be in the felling, and unless they pay toll with fruit upon bough little mourned in their passing. So I see in my thought. Would that the trees might speak on behalf of all things that have roots, and punish those that wrong them!’

Further Study

I love listening to podcasts to gain more insights and thoughts on Tolkien’s works. Here are a few I listened to about this chapter:

• The Prancing Pony Podcast Episode 009 – The Odd Couple
• The Tolkien Professor’s Silmarillion Seminars
• That’s What I’m Tolkien About Episode 148: The Silmarillion Chapter 2

The Silmarillion Second Breakfast Book Club

That’s Chapter 2, Of Aulë and Yavanna! If you missed the first few of posts on The Silmarillion in our Second Breakfast Book Club, then check out the Reading Schedule. You can find updates on future chapters there as well. Next up, Chapter 3!