A breakdown of Tolkien’s Valaquenta, the second section of The Silmarillion. I share a mini summary, my personal thoughts, ten tidbits and five fav quotes!

The Valaquenta is the second section of The Silmarillion. It starts with a mini summary of the Ainulindalë, and then proceeds to name the Valar (the Powers of Arda), and also covers the Maiar and the main Enemies. It’s a good chunk of who you need to know in Arda for The Silmarillion.

My Personal Thoughts

I’ve heard some say that this chapter can be dry and boring. It’s not a narrative story and it basically goes through all of the Valar and their roles in Middle Earth. A few of them we don’t even hear about again – which is actually such a shame, cause they sound so so fascinating and I want allll the stories. But I really hope that hasn’t put you off, because this chapter is honestly one of my favorite chapters in The Silmarillion. Yes, I also said that about the Ainulindalë, but this one is right up there too.

It might be because as a child I was fascinated with mythology, and loved reading about the Greek and Roman Gods and their different roles and stories. There’s a lot of parallels, and I find it so interesting to learn about the different Vala, their relationships with each other, and their special gifts and talents. On that note, let’s get on with the Valaquenta tidbits.

Ten Tidbits About the Valaquenta

1. Lords and Queens of the Valar

• There are 7 Lords of the Valar: Manwë, Ulmo, Aulë, Oromë, Mandos, Lórien, and Tulkas
• And 7 Queens of the Valar: Varda, Yavanna, Nienna, Estë, Vairë, Vána, and Nessa

2. The Vala Who Must Not Be Named

Melkor used to be one of the Valar, but is no longer counted as one of them (you’ll see why as the story goes on) and ‘his name is not spoken upon earth’. The evil he did resulted in him forfeiting the name ‘Melkor’ and instead getting called Morgoth, the ‘Dark Enemy of the World’. Appropriately, he’s discussed mainly under the heading ‘Of the Enemies’ in this section of The Silmarillion.

3. Siblings of the Valar

There are a number of sibling relationships among the Valar:

• Manwë and Melkor were brothers in the thought of Ilúvatar – talk about complicated sibling relationships…
• Yavanna and Vána are sisters
• Mandos and Lórien (referred to as the Fëanturi) are brothers, and Nienna is their sister
• Oromë and Nessa are siblings

4. Hierarchy of the Valar

• Manwë is King of the Valar, and dearest to Ilúvatar. As such, he best understand Ilúvatar’s purposes.
• Ulmo is second command, next in might to Manwë.
• Aulë then has ‘might little less than Ulmo.’

5. Spouses and Singles of the Valar

There are a number of spouse pairings amongst the Valar:

• Manwë and Varda
• Aulë and Yavanna
• Mandos and Vairë
• Loriën and Estë
• Tulkas and Nessa
• Oromë and Vána

In fact, all of the Valar are paired up aside from Ulmo and Nienna. Why do you suppose these two never paired up themselves? Let me know your thoughts!

6. Drama Amongst the Valar

Melkor had complicated relationships with more than just Manwë. Varda actually knew Melkor before the making of the music and rejected him, and he ‘hated her, and feared her more than all others whom Eru made.’ Melkor was also jealous of Aulë, because the two of them were most alike.

7. The Maiar

Alongside the Valar, there were other spirits ‘whose being also began before the World.’ The Maiar are of the same order as the Valar but just of less degree. The Elves don’t know how many Maiar there are. There are a few Maiar of particular note (last one’s probably the most exciting):

• Ilmarë – the handmaid of Varda
• Eönwë – the banner-bearer and herald of Manwë, whose might in arms is surpassed by none in Arda
• Ossë – a vassal of Ulmo, master of the seas in Middle-Earth
• Uinen – spouse of Ossë, the Lady of the Seas
• Melian – a Maia who served Vána and Estë, who you’ll see quite a bit as we get into The Silmarillion
• Olórin – wisest of the Maiar, who is much more familiar than you might think!

8. Gandalf is of the Maiar!

Olórin, aka Gandalf!, dwelt in Lórien and also went often to the house of Nienna, where ‘of her he learned pity and patience’. He walked among the elves ‘unseen, or in form as one of them, and they did not know whence came the fair visions or the promptings of wisdom that he put into their hearts.’ Had you realised Gandalf had been around for that long?!

9. Balrogs are also of the Maiar!

Another dreadful enemy named in the Valaquenta are the Valaraukar, ‘scourges of fire that in Middle-earth were called the Balrogs, demons of terror.’ So Balrogs are of the Maiar, just like Gandalf. For me, that completely redefined their epic battle in LOTR.

10. Sauron’s Background

The final enemy covered at the end of the Valaquenta is Sauron, another familiar name if you know LOTR. But did you know he started out as a servant of Melkor/Morgoth? And he was considered ‘only less evil than his master in that for long he served another and not himself.’ Definitely not a ringing endorsement.

Five Fav Quotes from the Valaquenta

The trumpets of Manwë are loud, but Ulmo’s voice is deep as the deeps of the ocean which he only has seen.

At times [Ulmo] will come unseen to the shores of Middle-earth, or pass far inland up firths of the sea, and there make music upon his great horns, the Ulumúri, that are wrought of white shell; and those to whom that music comes hear it ever after in their hearts, and longing for the sea never leaves them again.

Estë the gentle, healer of hurts and of weariness, is his spouse. Grey is her raiment; and rest is her gift.

So great was [Nienna’s] sorrow, as the Music unfolded, that her song turned to lamentation long before its end, and the sound of mourning was woven into the themes of the World before it began. But she does not weep for herself; and those who hearken to her learn pity, and endurance in hope.

[Tulkas] has little heed for either the past or the future, and is of no avail as a counsellor, but is a hardy friend.

Further Study

I love listening to podcasts to gain more insights and thoughts on Tolkien’s works. If you want to check out the ones I listened to for this section, check out:

• The Prancing Pony Podcast Episode 007 – The Powers of Arda
• The Tolkien Professor’s Silmarillion Seminars
• That’s What I’m Tolkien About, The Silmarillion: Valaquenta – with Cavatica

The Silmarillion Second Breakfast Book Club

That’s it for the Valaquenta! If you missed the first couple of posts of 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 1 of the Quenta Silmarillion!