References by Title

Galadriel by oshun

Galadriel is a rare example of a character added to The Silmarillion after and because of The Lord of the Rings. The complexity of her character development post-LotR largely comes from trying to fit her character into the existing myth. Part 1 explores her life in the Years of the Trees and the First Age; Part 2 continues with the significant influence she wields over the legendarium in the Second and Third Ages.

Table of Contents

Published on 1 May 2018 .

Galadriel: Parallels among Women in History and Literature by MirienSilowende

Tolkien may have taken inspiration for Galadriel's character—an outspoken queen figure—from literary and historical figures like Circe, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Joan of Arc.

Published on 9 December 2022 .

Galdor of Gondolin by oshun

Galdor of the Tree appears in The Book of Lost Tales, in the story of the Fall of Gondolin, a notable supporting character in this central tale of the legendarium.

Published on 3 April 2021 .

Gandalf (Olórin) by oshun, pandemonium_213

Whether in the guise of Gandalf the Grey or Gandalf the White, Tolkien’s most famous wizard plays the role of the nearly perfect guide, instigator, and mentor for the heroes of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

Table of Contents

Published on 1 March 2012 .

Gethron by oshun

Gethron is an aged man of the people of the House of Hagor who plays small but a not insignificant role of tragic story of Húrin Thalion and his family.

Published on 1 February 2018 .

Gil-galad by oshun

Gil-galad is first met by most reader in The Lord of the Rings, but his story is deepened and expanded in The Silmarillion.

Published on 1 October 2007 .

Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the last High King of the Noldor by maglor-my-beloved

This Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation considers what we know of Gil-galad beyond his primary role in the text as king. While we have some information about his character, such as his appearance, other facts—names and parentage, for instance—remain unsettled. In other areas, we know almost nothing about Gil-galad, especially compared to the other Noldorin kings, which "leads to him feeling unmoored in the narrative." Gil-galad does not speak, performs no actions outside of kingship, and is given no meaningful relationships. Basic facts, such as his burial, are missing. He is seen from the outside, becoming a side character despite being the longest-reigning Noldorin king. It becomes the task of fans to answer the question Merry asks in "The Lord of the Rings": Who was Gil-galad? Fan creativity plus tantalizing glimpses of his character have filled in the blanks Tolkien left.

Published on 7 August 2025 .

Gildor Inglorion by oshun

Gildor Inglorion is one of the many links between The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, providing a final glimpse in the Third Age of the exiled Noldor.

Published on 1 March 2011 .

Gilfanon by darthfingon

A character appearing only in The Book of Lost Tales, Gilfanon nonetheless survives later in the legendarium in the character of Pengolodh.

Published on 1 December 2009 .

Glaurung by oshun

Known as the Father of Dragons, Glaurung is the first of these mighty monsters to emerge in the legendarium.

Published on 1 January 2014 .

Glorfindel of Gondolin and Glorfindel of Rivendell by oshun

Glorfindel is one of several among Tolkien’s notable heroes who have provoked a substantial amount of controversy, most notably in the appearance of two essential Glorfindels and the ensuing debate over whether they are the same character.

Table of Contents

Published on 1 January 2010 .

Gorlim the Unhappy by Robinka

Before he was the Unhappy, he was one of the nine faithful servants of Barahir and deeply in love: an oft-overlooked but tragic figure from The Silmarillion.

Published on 1 August 2019 .

Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma

In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.

Published on 15 April 2024 .

Guilin of Nargothrond by oshun

What we know of Guilin of Nargothrond occurs only through inference, as his personal history is never described in any of Tolkien's writings.

Published on 1 September 2016 .

Gwindor of Nargothrond by Lotrfan

Given a richer and more nuanced characterization in The Children of Húrin, Gwindor is a tenacious character who gives us insight into the lives of captives of Morgoth. The effects of his captivity haunt him as he becomes a pawn in the tragic tale of Túrin.

Published on 1 June 2018 .

Haldad by oshun

The first known leader of the Haladin, Haldad was succeeded by his heroic daughter Haleth, the best-known person from his house.

Published on 1 August 2017 .

Haleth by oshun, Hrymfaxe

Among the women of the legendarium, Haleth is heroic and a leader of her people, the Haladin.

Published on 1 February 2008 .

Hareth by oshun

On the surface, Hareth of the Haladin is yet another woman defined primarily by her [male] relations but who, with a closer look at the details of the text, begins to come to life and ask for a story of her own.

Published on 1 April 2019 .

How to Review by JunoMagic

This comprehensive essay discusses how to write balanced and effective fiction critiques with a special emphasis on Tolkien fan fiction.

Table of Contents

Published on 31 March 2007 .

Huan the Hound of Valinor by oshun

The famed hound, Huan is one of the most if not the most truly noble beasts in The Silmarillion and a hero by the standards of almost any reader.

Published on 1 April 2011 .

Huor by Robinka

Huor's deeds in the text reveal a man of heroic temperament and passionate love.

Published on 1 March 2015 .

Húrin Thalion, Part 1 by Melesta

A character who remained in the legendarium, largely unchanged, since its earliest writings, Húrin lives an early life defined by valor and heroism. This first part of his biography explores his heroic youth, including connections to ancient and medieval history.

Published on 2 June 2023 .

Húrin Thalion, Part 2 by Melesta

After the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Húrin's heroic life takes a turn for the tragic and illustrates themes of courage, betrayal, and the promises and perils of vision. Although given one of the most inconclusive endings in the legendarium, Húrin retains a heroic reputation that resonates through the ages to follow.

Published on 4 August 2023 .

Idril Celebrindal by Lindariel

Idril Celebrindal's footprint in the canon is light and hard to discern beyond the bare bones given in The Silmarillion and The Fall of Gondolin, yet she exists at the epicenter of the most ancient and shifting ground of Tolkien's entire legendarium.

Published on 4 July 2021 .

In the House of the Fairbairns by Simon J. Cook

The first of some posts on the Elf-tower on the western margin of The Lord of the Rings attempts to frame the relationship between the narrative and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and an analysis of Frodo's dream-visions. 

Published on 10 February 2024 .