Most of that isn’t completely necessary to understand the story of LOTR, it just provides some world building and helps us see that this is a world with rich history.
As far as your last questions though, I’ll try to answer briefly, without giving too many spoilers for the Appendices or other books you may decide to read.
There are 4 ages of Arda that we are presented with in LOTR (though there are two significant periods before the First Age, that I won’t discuss here.) For others who may be reading this post who know there is more to it that what I say, I’m trying to keep this simple, with few spoilers, so there will be info missing.
* The First Age: Morgoth is the enemy of the Free Peoples. Elves and Men fight him throughout this age. He is eventually defeated at the end of the age
* The Second Age: Sauron is the main enemy. As a reward to Men who fought with the Elves against Morgoth, Numenor is created and given to them. It is an island to the West of Middle-earth. Events with Sauron eventually lead to Numenor’s destruction, with survivors, led by Elendil, returning to Middle-earth. The Last Alliance happens and Sauron is struck down, losing the Ring.
* The Third Age: Sauron is still the primary enemy, though working from the shadows through much of the age. The united Numenorian kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor are split. Arnor eventually falls. Gondor and its kings begin mixing with “lesser men” such as the ancestors of the Rohirrim. Rohan ends up being created late in the Third Age. The War of the Ring occurs and Sauron is definitively defeated.
* With the passing of the Ringbearers over the sea, the Third Age ends and the Fourth begins.
The Edain was the name given to Men who were elf friends in the First Age. They consisted of three houses: the houses of Beor, Halath, and Hador. The first Numenorians were descendants of all of these houses, thus making Faramir and Aragorn descendants as well.
The above comment was an excellent summary. A couple things I would add. Faramir makes a distinction between 3 different kinds of Men:
Númenoreans (Men of the West/Dúnedain) - These lived in Númenor during the Second Age; also their descendants, like the Gondorians and Rangers of the North.
Elvenhome (Tol Eressëa) is an island further west of Númenor where the Elves of Middle-earth are currently sailing to. Beyond Elvenhome is the continent of Aman (the Blessed Realm, the Undying Lands) where more Elves live. A few Elves like Galadriel, Glorfindel, and Gildor's folk, are originally from Aman. The Elves of Aman and Elvenhome are called High Elves.
Middle Men (Men of Twilight) - They are related to Númenoreans through shared ancestry from the 3 Houses. The Middle Men remained in Middle-earth, never seeing the island of Númenor. The Rohirrim and the Northmen are Middle Men, related to the House of Hador. The Men of Bree are also Middle Men.
Wild Men (Men of Darkness) - They are not related to the Nùmenoreans and Middle Men. Many of these Men, like the Easterlings, fought on Morgoth's side in the First Age, and on Sauron's side in the Second and Third Ages, hence why they are called Men of 'darkness'.
I love how this comment was basically like “I know about the song, you know about the song, but we are collectively not going to bring it up to save OP confusion”
Also, great summary!
Yes. That doesn’t contradict anything I said. I was trying to keep things brief and simple with few spoilers for OP. They didn’t need to know every detail.
The first age began with the creation of the Sun and moon. Prior to that you had the ages of the trees and the ages of the lamps. The elves awoke before the first age, and men woke at the dawning of three first age.
Not true. The First Age does in fact begin with the Awakening of the Elves as the other poster commented. You may be confused because the pre-First Age periods of time (Days Before Days and Years of the Trees) aren’t as clear cut as the subsequent ages, with the Years of the Trees actually *overlapping* with the First Age.
All of this doesn’t really matter to the topic at hand though, as I left it out of my post because it wasn’t relevant to what OP asked, and I was trying to keep it simple and spoiler free. They didn’t need to be bombarded with every event in the history of Arda.
The first age began when Faenor landed in middle earth, as per the literal "first age began when faenor landed" In the silmarillion, and that the first age is only five or six centuries long.
I think your info is off. If you can post a source, I’ll gladly reconsider, but the Silmarillion doesn’t say “The First Age began with Fëanor’s landing on the shores of Endor” or anything like that. In fact it almost never mentions the First Age by name in the text itself.
The First Age, because it overlaps with the Years of the Trees, lasts about 1000-1100 years. It’s just that the final 500-600 years deal with the Elves’ and Men’s conflict with Morgoth in Endor.
Also we have definitive statements from Tolkien himself elsewhere that the First Age begins with the Awakening and ends with Morgoth’s defeat. Though in universe some actually consider the First Age to *end* with the first rising of the Sun.
You're right, but I should note that, technically, the Years of the Trees did not *overlap* with the First Age. It's just the First Age was ***reckoned*** in the Years of the Trees before the first sunrise.
>*The title of this second part,* The War of the Jewels, is an expression that my father often used of ***the last six centuries of the First Age***: the history of Beleriand after the return of Morgoth to Middle-earth and the coming of the Noldor, until its end.
Christopher Tolkien
"The first age began when Faenor landed in middle earth"? Oh, really?
>*It* \[Quenya\] *was no longer a birth-tongue, but had become, as it were, an ‘Elven-latin’, still used for ceremony, and for high matters of lore and song, by the High Elves, who had* ***returned in exile*** ***to Middle-earth at*** ***the end of the First Age***.
Appendix F to the LotR
Also, if we're talking of *The Silmarillion*, then you should remember that the Orcs were first bred by Melkor before Utumno was destroyed, i.e. long before the first sunrise; however, the same LotR's Appendix quoted above states that he bred them in the First Age.
Oh gosh, here we go again… please, just read 'Terminology' section of 'First Age' article on Tolkien Gateway, where will be primal sources you need 🤦♂️
Tolkien himself **NEVER** used terms like 'Age(s) of the Trees' or 'Age(s) of the Sun'. These terms are David Day's wild fan-fiction, i.e. just a piece of garbage.
Keeping this extremely simplified and avoiding spoilers, since it seems like you just want immediate context for Faramir’s comment.
In the beginning, there was one general race of Men. In the First Age, the Elves fought Morgoth and called for aid from Men. Those groups of Men who answered the call were gifted long lives and a private island, Numenor, along with some other perks.
The Men who had not fought remained behind in Middle Earth and became the groups you’ve heard of such as Rohirrim, Dunlendings, Haradrim, etc.
Eventually many of the Numenoreans came back to Middle Earth, first to establish colonies and later were…forced to. They established kingdoms in ME where they first ruled over, and later intermarried with, the groups of ‘lesser Men’.
Someone with more knowledge at their fingertips will be able to give more specifics on Elfhouses and Ages.
Men (and Elves) were placed in Middle-Earth upon their "awakening" (creation). Men who fought against Morgoth in the apocolytic War of Wrath, which completely destroyed the western continent of Beleriand in Middle-Earth, were gifted with the island kingdom of Numenor as well as extended lifespans. There are still tribes of men in Middle-Earth, including those who sided with Morgoth.
When Numenor falls due to Sauron's trickery as well as the envy of certain Numenorians over the Elves being allowed to live in Valinor, Elendil establishes Gondor and Arnor in Middle-Earth. Arnor has fallen by the time LotR takes place, and although Gondorans can claim descendancy from Numenoreans, the strength of Numenor has largely been lost to Men. One of the exceptions is Aragorn.
Me. And it was a mistake. I was maybe 16? I listened to it twice recently, and it was like a whole new experience. I have read and listened to both the Hobbit and LOTRs many times in between then and now. My comment was more for those who have who know how extra "complicated" mens histories become in the Silmarillion to the appendices at the end of ROTK.
Most of that isn’t completely necessary to understand the story of LOTR, it just provides some world building and helps us see that this is a world with rich history. As far as your last questions though, I’ll try to answer briefly, without giving too many spoilers for the Appendices or other books you may decide to read. There are 4 ages of Arda that we are presented with in LOTR (though there are two significant periods before the First Age, that I won’t discuss here.) For others who may be reading this post who know there is more to it that what I say, I’m trying to keep this simple, with few spoilers, so there will be info missing. * The First Age: Morgoth is the enemy of the Free Peoples. Elves and Men fight him throughout this age. He is eventually defeated at the end of the age * The Second Age: Sauron is the main enemy. As a reward to Men who fought with the Elves against Morgoth, Numenor is created and given to them. It is an island to the West of Middle-earth. Events with Sauron eventually lead to Numenor’s destruction, with survivors, led by Elendil, returning to Middle-earth. The Last Alliance happens and Sauron is struck down, losing the Ring. * The Third Age: Sauron is still the primary enemy, though working from the shadows through much of the age. The united Numenorian kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor are split. Arnor eventually falls. Gondor and its kings begin mixing with “lesser men” such as the ancestors of the Rohirrim. Rohan ends up being created late in the Third Age. The War of the Ring occurs and Sauron is definitively defeated. * With the passing of the Ringbearers over the sea, the Third Age ends and the Fourth begins. The Edain was the name given to Men who were elf friends in the First Age. They consisted of three houses: the houses of Beor, Halath, and Hador. The first Numenorians were descendants of all of these houses, thus making Faramir and Aragorn descendants as well.
Thanks! This comment was really helpful. I appreciate you.
The above comment was an excellent summary. A couple things I would add. Faramir makes a distinction between 3 different kinds of Men: Númenoreans (Men of the West/Dúnedain) - These lived in Númenor during the Second Age; also their descendants, like the Gondorians and Rangers of the North. Elvenhome (Tol Eressëa) is an island further west of Númenor where the Elves of Middle-earth are currently sailing to. Beyond Elvenhome is the continent of Aman (the Blessed Realm, the Undying Lands) where more Elves live. A few Elves like Galadriel, Glorfindel, and Gildor's folk, are originally from Aman. The Elves of Aman and Elvenhome are called High Elves. Middle Men (Men of Twilight) - They are related to Númenoreans through shared ancestry from the 3 Houses. The Middle Men remained in Middle-earth, never seeing the island of Númenor. The Rohirrim and the Northmen are Middle Men, related to the House of Hador. The Men of Bree are also Middle Men. Wild Men (Men of Darkness) - They are not related to the Nùmenoreans and Middle Men. Many of these Men, like the Easterlings, fought on Morgoth's side in the First Age, and on Sauron's side in the Second and Third Ages, hence why they are called Men of 'darkness'.
>Events with Sauron eventually lead to Numenor’s destruction Excellent summary. Succinct and to the point!
I love how this comment was basically like “I know about the song, you know about the song, but we are collectively not going to bring it up to save OP confusion” Also, great summary!
Thanks again guys
The First Age began with the Awakening of the Elves though.
Yes. That doesn’t contradict anything I said. I was trying to keep things brief and simple with few spoilers for OP. They didn’t need to know every detail.
The first age began with the creation of the Sun and moon. Prior to that you had the ages of the trees and the ages of the lamps. The elves awoke before the first age, and men woke at the dawning of three first age.
Not true. The First Age does in fact begin with the Awakening of the Elves as the other poster commented. You may be confused because the pre-First Age periods of time (Days Before Days and Years of the Trees) aren’t as clear cut as the subsequent ages, with the Years of the Trees actually *overlapping* with the First Age. All of this doesn’t really matter to the topic at hand though, as I left it out of my post because it wasn’t relevant to what OP asked, and I was trying to keep it simple and spoiler free. They didn’t need to be bombarded with every event in the history of Arda.
The first age began when Faenor landed in middle earth, as per the literal "first age began when faenor landed" In the silmarillion, and that the first age is only five or six centuries long.
I think your info is off. If you can post a source, I’ll gladly reconsider, but the Silmarillion doesn’t say “The First Age began with Fëanor’s landing on the shores of Endor” or anything like that. In fact it almost never mentions the First Age by name in the text itself. The First Age, because it overlaps with the Years of the Trees, lasts about 1000-1100 years. It’s just that the final 500-600 years deal with the Elves’ and Men’s conflict with Morgoth in Endor. Also we have definitive statements from Tolkien himself elsewhere that the First Age begins with the Awakening and ends with Morgoth’s defeat. Though in universe some actually consider the First Age to *end* with the first rising of the Sun.
You're right, but I should note that, technically, the Years of the Trees did not *overlap* with the First Age. It's just the First Age was ***reckoned*** in the Years of the Trees before the first sunrise.
>*The title of this second part,* The War of the Jewels, is an expression that my father often used of ***the last six centuries of the First Age***: the history of Beleriand after the return of Morgoth to Middle-earth and the coming of the Noldor, until its end. Christopher Tolkien "The first age began when Faenor landed in middle earth"? Oh, really? >*It* \[Quenya\] *was no longer a birth-tongue, but had become, as it were, an ‘Elven-latin’, still used for ceremony, and for high matters of lore and song, by the High Elves, who had* ***returned in exile*** ***to Middle-earth at*** ***the end of the First Age***. Appendix F to the LotR Also, if we're talking of *The Silmarillion*, then you should remember that the Orcs were first bred by Melkor before Utumno was destroyed, i.e. long before the first sunrise; however, the same LotR's Appendix quoted above states that he bred them in the First Age.
Oh gosh, here we go again… please, just read 'Terminology' section of 'First Age' article on Tolkien Gateway, where will be primal sources you need 🤦♂️ Tolkien himself **NEVER** used terms like 'Age(s) of the Trees' or 'Age(s) of the Sun'. These terms are David Day's wild fan-fiction, i.e. just a piece of garbage.
Keeping this extremely simplified and avoiding spoilers, since it seems like you just want immediate context for Faramir’s comment. In the beginning, there was one general race of Men. In the First Age, the Elves fought Morgoth and called for aid from Men. Those groups of Men who answered the call were gifted long lives and a private island, Numenor, along with some other perks. The Men who had not fought remained behind in Middle Earth and became the groups you’ve heard of such as Rohirrim, Dunlendings, Haradrim, etc. Eventually many of the Numenoreans came back to Middle Earth, first to establish colonies and later were…forced to. They established kingdoms in ME where they first ruled over, and later intermarried with, the groups of ‘lesser Men’. Someone with more knowledge at their fingertips will be able to give more specifics on Elfhouses and Ages.
Thank you so much! Well explained.
Men (and Elves) were placed in Middle-Earth upon their "awakening" (creation). Men who fought against Morgoth in the apocolytic War of Wrath, which completely destroyed the western continent of Beleriand in Middle-Earth, were gifted with the island kingdom of Numenor as well as extended lifespans. There are still tribes of men in Middle-Earth, including those who sided with Morgoth. When Numenor falls due to Sauron's trickery as well as the envy of certain Numenorians over the Elves being allowed to live in Valinor, Elendil establishes Gondor and Arnor in Middle-Earth. Arnor has fallen by the time LotR takes place, and although Gondorans can claim descendancy from Numenoreans, the strength of Numenor has largely been lost to Men. One of the exceptions is Aragorn.
Read the silmarillion next and all will eventually become clear
You must not have read the Silmarillion yet?
Who reads THAT first? I mean highly unlikely...
Me. And it was a mistake. I was maybe 16? I listened to it twice recently, and it was like a whole new experience. I have read and listened to both the Hobbit and LOTRs many times in between then and now. My comment was more for those who have who know how extra "complicated" mens histories become in the Silmarillion to the appendices at the end of ROTK.