Celebrían (IPA: [keleˈbriːan]) was an Elven noblewoman, the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, wife of Elrond, and mother of Arwen, Elrohir and Elladan. She was a Lady of Lothlórien and a Lady of Rivendell.

BiographyEdit

Celebrían's birth date is unspecified, and she first appears (in the Unfinished Tales) as having gone with her mother from Eregion to Lórien around SA 1350. She married Elrond in TA 109. She was possibly born near Lake Nenuial between the years SA 350 and SA 400.^[1] But as the entry in Unfinished Tales mentioned that this date wasn't definite, it is possible that her birth was in Ost-in-Edhil sometime before 1091 Second Age.^[2] However, The History of Galadriel and Celeborn^[3] mentions her as early as SA 1350, but Tolkien considerably amended this manuscript, so this date may have been subject to change as Tolkien's mythos evolved.

Sojourning with the Nandor in Lórien for many a year, Celebrían and her parents eventually travelled to Rivendell (Imladris). Half-Noldor, half-Sindar, she there wed Elrond, himself Half-elven (peredhel), in TA 109. Together they begat three children, the twins Elladan and Elrohir in TA 130, and Arwen Undómiel Evenstar in TA 241.

Meanwhile (though this spans 2,000 years), Galadriel and Celeborn had returned to Lórien and set about rejuvenating the Wood Realm after the death of their king Amroth, and ruled the Silvan Nandor-folk there.

In TA 2509, on a trip from Rivendell to Lórien, she was waylaid by orcs in the Redhorn Pass of the Misty Mountains (Caradhras), captured and tormented, receiving a poisoned wound. Her sons rescued her and she was healed by Elrond, but "after fear and torment" ^[4] she no longer wished to stay in Middle-earth, and passed to the Grey Havens and over the Sea in the following year.

EtymologyEdit

Celebrían is a Sindarin name that means 'Silver queen'.

Behind the scenesEdit

Tolkien has said that "after the destruction of the Ruling Ring the Three Rings of the Eldar lost their virtue. Then Elrond prepared at last to depart from Middle-earth and follow Celebrían."^[5] Thus it passed that after 500 long years, at the Haven of Avallonë in Tol Eressëa, Elrond and Celebrían were finally reunited, sometime after TA 3021 (the Ring-bearer sailing on September 29, 3021). However, Elrond was then "sundered" forever from his beloved daughter.^[6]

Björn Fromén has composed an evocative poem, Celebrían's Farewell to Elrond, Valinórenna; this is available here.

Galadriel's family treeEdit

                                           _________________________
                    Finwë = Indis         |      |                  |
               ___________|___________  Elw­ë    Olwë              Elmo
              |                       |          |                  |
           Fingolfin              Finarfin = Eärwen             Galadhon
     ______________________________________|_______             ____|__________
    |                 |                  |         |           |               |
Finrod             Angrod = Eldalótë   Aegnor    Galadriel = Celeborn      Galathil
Felagund = Amarië         |                                |
                       Orodreth                       Celebrían = Elrond
                __________|__________                   _________|__________
               |                     |                 |         |          |
            Gil-galad            Finduilas          Elladan   Elrohir     Arwen = Aragorn
                                                                                | 
                                                                             Eldarion

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑  Unfinished Tales pg. 234
2. ↑  First appearing in the Annals at that date.
3. ↑ UT III:4
4. ↑ PM 235-236
5. ↑ PM 243
6. ↑ Tyler, p. 195

• Tyler, J.E.A., The Complete Tolkien Companion; Pan Books, 2002 (ISBN 0-330-41165-9)
• Tolkien, Christopher (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth ("PM")
• Tolkien, J.R.R., Unfinished Tales; 1982 Unwin/Hyman ed. ("UT")

External linksEdit

• Celebrían at Tolkien Gateway
• The Encylopedia of Arda
• Fromén, Björn, Valinórenna