Varda is the wife of Manwë, an
Aratar, and a
Valië.
She is the Queen of the Stars who lives
upon Ilmarin, upon the vast and tallest mountain of Arda named
Taniquetil. She is called the "Queen of Light" for that is her
element. Her eyes shine like stars reflecting off of the light
surrounding the Lamps of the Valar which she lit with only the drops of
dew from the Trees of the Valar.
Upon her face reflects the moon and the sun, which
she placed in the heavens, most beloved by my kind (elves, I'm Legolas), and
known by many titles of honor given to her by my people -- Tintallë,
Elentári,
Fanuilos, and Gilthoniel -- for she awakened us when she rekindled the light
that shone upon the bountiful heavens (stars), for she is the most beautiful
Queen among the Valar, and the Valar Queen most honored by my race.
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In Quenya Elvish, vard- is "rule, govern", vardar is
"king", varni is "queen" so this could be translated in context as
queen.
In Sindarin Elvish, Varda was called Bridhil,
cognate with Quenya vard-. Other Sindarin names are Timbridhil and
Tinwetári.
Reference: Book of Lost Tales I "Appendix".
March 26, 2005 (continued, using The Silmarillion)
Varda is not a true name but a title. A number of
her "names" reflect that she is the highest ranked female Valar, or
Valië.
"The Exalted"
"The Lofty"
"Queen of the Valar"
Many other names/titles reflect her work with the
stars before the Elves awakened at Cuivienan as "Lady of the Stars".
Elbereth means "Star Queen". The
language is Sindarin and her usual name.
Elentári means "Queen of the Stars",
"Star Queen". This title is used in Galadriel's lament in Lothlórien in Fellowship of the Ring. The first part, Elen, comes from ele "behold", the exclamation the
first Elves were said to have used when they saw the stars as they awoke, so
the words for star derive from that. Both êl
and elen are ancient words
for "star", while elda and elena are adjectives that mean "of
the stars". Thus Eldar for
the "people of the stars", originally used by Órome for all Elves since he found them as one people,
later only referring to those three kindreds that set out for Valinor
whether or not they made it, as distinct from the Avari who refused to go. In
Sindarin, the strict equivalent of Elda
is Eledh, while an often used
equivalent is Edhel, plural Edhil. The last part of the name, tári means "she that is high, Queen", from Quenya tara for "lofty", since tar is used for the masculine.
Tintallë, meaning "The Kindler", is also used in
Galadriel's lament in Lothlórien in
Fellowship of the Ring. Tinta- comes from Quenya's tinwë "spark", and tin-
"sparkle", and tinta
"cause to sparkle".
Reference: Silmarillion
text and the "Index of Names", "Appendix" for name elements
see also: Stars
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Image
"Varda Elentári". Artist: Laura Saunders. Rolozo Tolkien site.
Image
"Varda". Artist: Olga Kukhtenkova. Rolozo Tolkien
Image
Varda. By Natalia Nikitin and copyrighted; Rolozo Tolkien.
Picture located by Salmar-(Valar)
Image
"Varda". Artist Alexandra Koskinen.
Rolozo Tolkien.
Image
"Varda". Artist Marta Aquado. Rolozo Tolkien.
Image
"Varda and Manwe". Artist Natalia Nikitin. Rolozo Tolkien.
Image
"Varda". Artist Maria Lombide Ezpeleta. Rolozo Tolkien.
Image
"Lamp of the Valar". Artist Ted Nasmith. Rolozo Tolkien.
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