Melian Character Analysis in The Silmarillion

Melian is a Maia and the servant of Vána and Estë. After the elves awaken in Middle-earth, Melian meets her husband, the elf Thingol, and they build an elven kingdom called Doriath. When Melkor arrives in the surrounding areas, Melian uses her powers to create a defensive barrier around the forest. With the foresight of the Ainur, she gives coolheaded counsel and warnings to Thingol and others in Doriath. When Thingol sends Beren on an impossible quest to steal a Silmaril from Melkor, Melian’s foresight warns her that the quest will lead to Doriath’s ruin. After Thingol’s death (caused by his obsession with the Silmaril and an altercation with a group of dwarves), Melian’s power fades from the land, leaving Doriath defenseless against the attack, and she returns to Valinor before the kingdom falls.

Melian Quotes in The Silmarillion

The The Silmarillion quotes below are all either spoken by Melian or refer to Melian. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Now the world runs on swiftly to great tidings. And one of Men, even of Bëor’s house, shall indeed come, and the Girdle of Melian shall not restrain him, for doom greater than my power shall send him; and the songs that shall spring from that coming shall endure when all Middle-earth has changed.

Related Characters: Melian (speaker), Beren, Bëor

Related Symbols: The Silmarils

Page Number and Citation: 144

Explanation and Analysis:

In this passage, Melian predicts Beren’s arrival in Doriath. Individual fates such as Beren’s are the result of individual choices and foresight that predicts their outcomes, not divine intervention. Fate (or “doom”) is sometimes referred to as a force that controls or compels people, but it’s almost always figurative language rather than a real force that acts on the world. Here, Melian claims that Beren’s doom will “send him” to Doriath, but fate doesn’t send him anywhere—his own choices lead him to his doom. Still, this is one of the more ambiguous moments in The Silmarillion, where fate appears to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Imp

Then Morgoth looking upon her beauty conceived in his thought an evil lust, and a design more dark than any that had yet come into his heart since he fled from Valinor. Thus he was beguiled by his own malice, for he watched her, leaving her free for a while, and taking secret pleasure in his thought. Then suddenly she eluded his sight, and out of the shadows began a song of such surpassing loveliness, and of such blinding power, that he listened perforce; and a blindness came upon him, as his eyes roamed to and fro, seeking her.

Related Characters: Melkor/Morgoth, Lúthien, Beren, Sauron, Melian, Finrod Felagund

Related Symbols: Darkness , The Silmarils

Page Number and Citation: 180

Explanation and Analysis:

Melkor is disadvantaged by his own pride and greed on several occasions. In this passage, after Beren and Lúthien sneak into Angband, Melkor recognizes Lúthien and confronts her, but doesn’t immediately imprison of incapacitate her. Instead, he leaves her “free for a while” for his own amusement and underestimates her, preoccupied by his “evil lust.” Though Tolkien generally uses “lust” to mean simple desire and greed, the implications here are, if not sexual, certainly malicious. Melkor’s plans for Lúthien are left obscure, but, whatever they are, they’re distracting. In his pride, Melkor assumes that Lúthien is no threat to him, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit

Melian Character Timeline in The Silmarillion

The timeline below shows where the character Melian appears in The Silmarillion. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Other famous Maiar are Melian, who serves both Vána and Estë and tends to Lórien’s trees, and Olórin who “learned... (full context)

In the time after the elves wake, Melian, who is always followed by nightingales, travels from Lórien to Middle-earth to sing. The elves... (full context)

...so Olwë leads them on towards Valinor. Elwë never reaches Valinor during his life and Melian doesn’t return as long as their kingdom lasts. Their children, half-elf and half-Maia, are the... (full context)

...the light of Valinor’s Trees again, he’s content to see the same light visible in Melian’s face. (full context)

Melian and Thingol rule over all the elves of Beleriand, called the Sindar, and have a... (full context)

...The dwarves learn the elves’ language and form a tentative friendship, trading and sharing knowledge. Melian guesses that there won’t be peace in the world forever, so Thingol commissions the dwarves... (full context)

After Ungoliant destroys the Trees and is betrayed by Morgoth, she flees into Beleriand. Melian forces her from the Sindar’s forests to the mountains in the north. Morgoth’s orc armies... (full context)

...sea. Thingol brings all the Sindar he can contact into the forests around Menegroth, and Melian uses her power to create the Girdle (an impassable ring of confusion) around the land.... (full context)

...love with a relative of Thingol’s named Celeborn, remains in Doriath and learns lore from Melian. Ulmo appears to Turgon again and leads him to a hidden valley where Turgon plans... (full context)

Greed, Jealousy, and Obsession Theme Icon

In East Beleriand, Thingol and Melian rule over Doriath, and the offspring of Ungoliant lurk in the Mountains of Terror. South... (full context)

Galadriel talks about Valinor with Melian often, but doesn’t usually discuss anything that happened after the destruction of the Trees. Melian... (full context)

The guards of Doriath direct her around the Girdle of Melian to find Celegorm. On the way, she becomes separated from her companions and, after searching... (full context)

...to have lands in the north. He declares that no man will ever enter Doriath. Melian says nothing to him but tells Galadriel that a man of Bëor’s house will come... (full context)

As Melian predicted, Beren’s fate allows him to pass through the Girdle, “grey and bowed” from his... (full context)

...welcomes him as a guest. Beren is frightened of Thingol, but, looking at Lúthien and Melian, he finds the courage to speak and announce that he loves Lúthien. Melian advises that... (full context)

...his daughter for a “little price,” only a jewel, and agrees to undertake the task. Melian tells Thingol that whether Beren fails or succeeds, Thingol has doomed either his daughter or... (full context)

...disguises and imprisons them, Finrod shields their thoughts so Sauron can’t discover their goal. Meanwhile, Melian tells Lúthien about Beren’s captivity. Lúthien plans to go and rescue him herself, but Daeron... (full context)

Sauron recognizes Lúthien as the daughter of Melian and sends a wolf out to capture her to deliver her to Morgoth. Huan kills... (full context)

...time, then return to Thingol. At the same time, Carcharoth rages through the Girdle of Melian into Doriath, and Thingol’s men prepare to fight him. (full context)

Beren and Lúthien return to Doriath, and Melian, realizing Lúthien is mortal, faces the heavy grief of their permanent separation beyond the end... (full context)

...stay with Túrin as his guard. Thingol gives him the sword Anglachel, made by Eöl. Melian warns him that it contains malice and won’t “love the hand it serves,” then gifts... (full context)

...again. He decides to leave his mother and sister in Doriath where they’re safe behind Melian’s Girdle and search for Finduilas. (full context)

...flees from both the orcs and her elf guards. Mablung returns to tell Thingol and Melian what happened, then leaves Doriath again to search for Morwen and Nienor. (full context)

...“fee” for caring for his wife and children. Thingol forgives Húrin for his bitterness, and Melian explains to him the visions Morgoth showed him aren’t the whole truth—Húrin’s family was loved... (full context)

...flee with the Silmaril, but guards pursue and kill them, then return the Silmaril to Melian. Two of the dwarves escape to their people in Nogrod and accuse Thingol of trying... (full context)

Melian knows that Thingol’s death will be followed by the doom of Doriath. Though she’s a... (full context)

Melian Character Analysis

Melian Quotes in The Silmarillion

Chapter 17 Quotes

Chapter 19 Quotes

Melian Character Timeline in The Silmarillion