Flame Imperishable or
the Secret Fire
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> Objects
> Secret Fire
The Flame Imperishable or the Secret Fire is debatable in terms of its
specific nature. These three things Tolkien did mention about it:
1.“The Secret fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World; and it
was called Eä.” Eä means ‘It is’ or ‘Let it be’ in Elvish.
That would
make the Secret Fire the creating will or part of Ilúvatar
which holds
Eä, the world that is, in existence. The Secret Fire can be
considered
to be existence in itself in the terms of Tolkien’s universe. The
Secret Fire’s intrinsic characteristic is to create and to hold in
being what is created.
2. Melkor
searched long in the void for the Flame Imperishable but could not find
it.
“He (Melkor) had gone often alone into
the void places seeking the
Imperishable Flame; for a desire grew hot within him to bring into
Being things of his own, and it seemed to him that Ilúvatar took
no
thought for the Void, and he was impatient of its emptiness. Yet he
found not the Fire, for it is with Ilúvatar.”
The secret fire is not Ilúvatar himself but is with
Ilúvatar, a part of
himself. This is also why Melkor can't find it as a separate thing when
he did his search.
3. While defending the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm against the Balrog,
Gandalf
said “I am the Servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of
Arnor.”
The secret fire is the animation and creation principle of the beings
of Eä. In proof of this Iluvatar said to the Ainur: “And since I
have
kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your
powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices,
if he will.” Some receive more of this power than others, as did
Fëanor. Míriel, his mother, said this: “Never again shall I
bear child;
for strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone into
Fëanor." Therefore, Fëanor said this about himself: “And it
may be that
Eru has set in me a fire greater than thou knowest.”
References: The Silmarillion
and The Fellowship of the
Ring
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