Simbelmynë:

"Evermind they are called, simbelmynë in this land of Men, for they blossom in all seasons of the year, and grow where dead men rest" (LR 3.06.010).

Standing graveside in the shadow of the mountains there were no flowers beckoning memories that lay just below the surface of a wounded heart. There would have been crystalline blue Forget-me-nots for him and pure white Trillium for her. Left an orphan in the world of men, she wept and remembered the great adventures of her father reading The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and the invigorating and philosophical conversations between them about Middle-Earth. He did not fear death; he embraced it - the Gift of Ilúvatar. Her mother welcomed it in her turn. And yet, their eldest daughter wished they had been everlasting as to the Elves of Arda and merely waiting for her in the Undying Lands of Aman. How great the impact of Tolkien's Middle-Earth had been and how she wished it were all true. And yet, in the tradition of the long memory of the Elves and Ents, The Lord of the Rings became her family's history. The in-depth reading of The Lord of the Rings brought a profound awareness of its main theme: Death and Immortality along with the price that must be paid when seeking to stay the hand of the Reaper or halt Time's Path to Change.

While Tolkien was alive he responded to many questions regarding the purpose of The Lord of the Rings or what it all meant. Some fans asked if it was allegorical or if it had any applicability to current events and conditions. He was diplomatic and thoughtful in his responses and to address all past, current, and future queries he wrote the Foreward to the Second Edition of The Lord of the Rings. In response to understanding the motives and the meanings of his fairy story, Tolkien states:

"The prime motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a ... long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them" (xxiii)

Tolkien is successful in this endeavor and his work is relevant and enduring. He continues, adding:

"As for any inner meaning or 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical." (xxiii)

Many fans inquired about sources or connections to the Great War and nearly a century later fans continue to assert this idea; however, Tolkien is adamant and declares:

"Its sources are things long before in mind, or in some cases already written, and little or nothing in it was modified by the war that began in 1939 or its sequels." (xxiv)

Outside the Foreward, Tolkien has similar responses in letters, and between the years 1956 and 1958, he makes some definitive statements about the work.

In a letter to Joanna de Bortadano, he acknowledges that Power and Domination provide

"the theme of War, about something dark and threatening enough to seem at that time of supreme importance, but that is mainly 'a setting' for characters to show themselves" (Letters 186)

War and the conflict between light and dark is the stage for the characters to play out their fears and desires in the face of this conflict. However, at the core, this story is so much more than actors on a stage. Tolkien continues this discoures, concluding that

"[t]he real theme for me is about something much more permanent and difficult: Death and Immortality: the mystery of the love of the world in the hearts of a race 'doomed' to leave and seemingly lose it; the anguish in the hearts of a race 'doomed' not to leave, until its whole evil-roused story is complete." (Letters 186)

And of course, what he is referring to is the Gift of Ilúvatar for Men - passing from this world after living a long life and the Immortality of the Elves, who are inextricably bound to Middle-Earth until the final battle and eradication of Evil. In a letter to C. Ouboter, Tolkien goes into more detail in his response casting light on the shadows:

As for ‘message’: I have none really, if by that is meant the conscious purpose in writing The Lord of the Rings, of preaching or delivering myself of a vision of truth specially revealed to me! I was primarily writing an exciting story in an atmosphere and background such as I find personally attractive. But in such a process inevitably one’s own taste, ideas, and beliefs get taken up. Though it is only in reading the work myself (with criticisms in mind) that I become aware of the dominance of the theme of Death. (Not that there is any original ‘message’ in that: most of human art & thought is similarly preoccupied.) But certainly Death is not an Enemy! I said, or meant to say, that the ‘message’ was the hideous peril of confusing true ‘immortality’ with limitless serial longevity. Freedom from Time, and clinging to Time. The confusion is the work of the Enemy, and one of the chief causes of human disaster. Compare the death of Aragorn with a Ringwraith. The Elves call ‘death’ the Gift of God (to Men). Their temptation is different: towards a faineant melancholy, burdened with Memory, leading to an attempt to halt Time.” (Letters 208)

Men are blessed with life and are given death as a place of refuge from a life filled with all the good and ills of Middle-Earth. Some accept and embrace the Gift of Ilúvatar, while others cling to life for fear of the unknown. The Elves live long lives and are the keepers of history and memory because they were present. And this is a burden because as time moves forward they see all that has changed and they long for the ancient days that were light and beautiful.

In Tolkien’s Middle-earth life and death aren’t absolute and there are varying degrees. In “The Gift of Death” Grant C. Sterling explores what is meant by immortality and what it means to die indicating that

“Tolkien believed that fully sentient spirits were indestructible… Hence no sentient being ever really dies” and when referring to ‘death’ it is “meant the utter destruction of the person” (Sterling 16).

To be clear, Sterling continues by stating that

“[w]hat distinguishes the sentient races in Tolkien… is the degree to which their physical forms are susceptible to death, and the destination of their spirits after their body is slain…” (16).

Immortality in Tolkien’s world is also interesting in that immortal beings are those “whose spirits remain in the world after their bodies are slain” (16). In this world, there is a hierarchy of beings that needs to be discussed before moving forward.

The Valar and Maiar, spiritual beings who primarily exist without physical form, are not subject to natural death. However, the Maiar can take on physical form and can be slain - but not destroyed. If they choose, they may reincarnate. Sterling explains that

“When the Valar and Maiar entered into the world, they became bound to it until it is destroyed… [they] cannot die and cannot escape… their power is part of the world… they are subject to the laws of the world” (16).

After the world was created, the Elves were created and were born immortal.

“Like the Valar and Maiar, the Elves are beings of the world, constrained within the limits of the world” and like the Valar and Maiar, they do not die naturally (16).

If slain their spirits return to Valinor and stay in the Halls of Mandos until they are reborn into new bodies. Dwarves, the children of Aulë are not immortal and can die naturally and can be slain. However, where they go is debated between the Elves and the Dwarves. Elves believe that since they were hewn from the earth and stone that is where they return. However, the Dwarves believe that Ilúvatar blessed them and will reside in the Halls of Mandos in a special wing set aside for them. Humanity, which includes men and Hobbits are beings that die; however, they are not fated to remain in Arda:

“Human beings do indeed die, and dying they leave the confines of the world completely, and the Elves know not whither they go. While other races share immortality, humans have the Gift of Ilúvatar, Death and mortality” (17).

Throughout The Lord of the Rings, the human condition of mortality has become a condition of fear - men do not see it as a gift; but rather a Doom. And Sauron uses this fear to obtain control by promising immortality to men; giving nine rings to the human Kings and Lords of Middle-Earth who eventually became the Nazgûl. Their lives were extended by 5,000 years and they lost their freedom to the enslavement of the Rings of Power. In the “Halls of Waiting,” Charles W. Nelson draws our attention to the chapter “The Shadow of the Past” and Tolkien’s unique perspective on immortality in Middle-earth:

All the rings, [except for] the three elven ones, were forged by Sauron to ensnare the free peoples of Middle-earth and bend them to his evil purposes. One of the allures of the rings was their promise of immortality… which turned out to be as false as the rest of Sauron’s assurances. Gandalf explains to Frodo: “A mortal, who keeps one of the Great Rings, does not die, but he does not grow or obtain more life, he merely continues until at last every minute is a weariness.” (Nelson 209)

If not obvious to Frodo yet, the One Ring has already had that effect on Bilbo. While speaking with Gandalf in the chapter, “A Long-Expected Party,” Bilbo shares: “I am old, Gandalf. I don’t look it, but I am beginning to feel it in my heart of hearts… I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread…” (LR 1.01.078). After the dissolution of the Fellowship, Frodo slowly begins to feel the effects of the One Ring and speaks of feeling thin and stretched and at one point past-feeling. It seems the Ring has more impact on him due to the Nazgûl blade that nearly pierced his heart.

It has been suggested that the fear of death isn’t just the fear of the unknown, it is the fear of being forgotten. Tolkien’s use of mortality and memory may be attributed to childhood and early adult experiences. William H. Stoddard approaches this idea in “Simbelmynë” and asks the question “Why is memory so important to Tolkien?” and then proceeds to speculate:

Bearing in mind his cautions about allegory, we can still see circumstances in his life that would have made him aware of the issues of loss and memory. First, of course, was his mother’s early death, which left him orphaned while still a schoolboy. But also important was his experience of the Great War, when, as he wrote, all but one of his closest friends died. (157)

However, men may not be forgotten while Middle-earth exists and contains beings blessed with serial longevity like the Elves, the Ents, and Tom Bombadil. Each race recites the histories in song, poetry, and oral discourse. In the Fellowship of the Ring, Elrond shares the history of Sauron and the Rings of Power as the future fellowship listens. Frodo is astonished and asks “You remember?... I thought that the fall of Gil-galad was a long time ago” (LR 2.02.032). Elrond confirms and then continues to explain:

But my memory reaches back even to the Elder Days. Eärendil was my sire, who was born in Gondolin before its fall; and my mother was Elwing, daughter of Dior, son of Lúthien of Doriath. I have seen three ages in the West of the world, and many defeats, and many fruitless victories. (LR 2.02.033).

As one of the oldest creatures of Middle-Earth, Treebeard is the keeper of lore and shares the Long List of the Ents with Merry and Pippin:

Learn now the lore of Living Creatures!

First name the four, the free peoples:

Eldest of all, the elf-children;

Dwarf the delver, dark are his houses;

Ent the earthborn, old as mountains;

Man the mortal, master of horses:(LR 3.04.027)

Between humming Treebeard continues with six more lines and then concludes that there isn’t a mention of the Hobbits. Pippin suggests a new line: “Half-grown hobbits, the hole dwellers” which Treebeard considers; later revealing the addition of the Hobbits in the “Voice of Saruman”:

Ents the earthborn, old as mountains,

The wide-walkers, water drinking;

And hungry as hunters, the Hobbit children,

The laughing-folk, the little people, (LR 3.10.084)

While it may be reassuring to know that memory may last until the end of time, death still comes and loss remains poignant. Whether Gift or Doom, death can not be stayed. Even the peoples of Middle-Earth understood that life is precious and some gave of their lives freely. In the history of Middle-Earth, these sacrifices have been recognized and rewarded:

As a reward for their suffering in the cause against Morgoth, the Valar… granted the Edain a land to dwell in… and they could triple the life spans of these men, but they could not make them undying as were the elves, because they were not permitted to take from them the Gift of Men (or the Doom of Men as it was afterward called) death.

Blessed with serial longevity, Arwen sacrificed immortality to be with Aragorn. He would die before her and when it was her time she would fade into history. However, it was not a sacrifice without a gift for another:

A gift I will give you. For I am the daughter of Elrond. I will not go with him now when he departs the Havens; for mine is the choice of Lúthien… in my stead you shall go Ring-bearer, when the time comes, and if you then desire it. If your burden is heavy, then you may pass into the West, until your wounds and weariness are healed. (LR 6.06.007)

Her gift to Frodo was a gift of mercy; one that would succor the wounds inflicted upon a soul that was pure and innocent. Her gift was greater than the gift the Edain received from the Valar because they could not cross the sea into Valinor.

While Evermind represents memory and devotion on the burial mounds of the Rohirrim Kings, the songs and poetry representing the deeds and events seal those memories into history. The most beloved are remembered and one can only hope that those who remain will continue to recite their Lists of Lore. Before she died, the mother took her daughter’s hand and pleaded “Transcribe what he wrote, share it, and remember.” In the weeks that followed her passing, the daughter received crates of journals, published and unpublished manuscripts, and a wealth of history that would otherwise be lost. If only she had been born the immortal child of Ilúvatar. Or at least named Elendili. For now, the daughter sings Bilbo’s Last Song calling to her Beloveds across the Western Sea into Valinor.

Bilbo's Last Song

(At the Grey Havens)

Day is ended, dim my eyes,

but journey long before me lies.

Farewell, friends! I hear the call.

The ship's beside the stony wall.

Foam is white and waves are grey;

beyond the sunset leads my way.

Foam is salt, the wind is free;

I hear the rising of the Sea.

Farewell, friends! The sails are set,

the wind is east, the moorings fret.

Shadows long before me lie,

beneath the ever-bending sky,

but islands lie behind the Sun

that I shall raise ere all is done;

lands there are to west of West,

where night is quiet and sleep is rest.

Guided by the Lonely Star,

beyond the utmost harbour-bar

I'll find the havens fair and free,

and beaches of the Starlit Sea.

Ship, my ship! I seek the West,

and fields and mountains ever blest.

Farewell to Middle-Earth at last.

I see the Star above your mast!

Works Cited

Nelson, Charles W. “‘The Halls of Waiting’: Death and Afterlife in Middle-Earth.” Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts, vol. 9, no. 3 (35), 1998, pp. 200–11.

Sterling, Grant C. “The Gift of Death: Tolkien’s Philosophy of Mortality.” Mythlore, vol. 21, no. 4 (82), 1997, pp. 16–38.

Stoddard, William H. “Simbelmynë’: Mortality and Memory in Middle-Earth.” Mythlore, vol. 29, no. 1/2 (111/112), 2010, pp. 151–60.

Tolkien, J.R.R. “Appendix A.” The Lord of the Rings, 50th Anniversary One-Volume ed., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, NY, 2021, pp. 1033–1081.

Tolkien, J.R.R. Bilbo’s Last Song. Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Edited by Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. 50th Anniversary One-Volume Edition ed., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021.