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This article refers to the wife of Húrin. For other namesakes, see Morwen (disambiguation).

Morwen was an Adan of the House of Bëor, the daughter of Baragund, wife of Húrin Thalion, and mother of Túrin Turambar.[1]

Morwen was tall, dark-haired, bright-eyed, majestic, and the most beautiful mortal woman of her time - so beautiful, in fact, that people called her Eledhwen ("the Elven-fair"). She was also a proud and stern woman of few words.

Biography[]

Morwen was born in Ladros in the northeast of Dorthonion to Baragund and an unnamed wife. She married Húrin of the House of Marach. After the Dagor Bragollach, she and her folk moved northeast through the Ered Wethrin and after enduring great losses and finally came to Dor-lómin in Hithlum and were well received by the folk there. It was here that she and her husband had their three children, Túrin, Niënor Níniel, and Urwen.[2]

Morwen and Turin by Filat

Morwen with her son Túrin, by Marya Filatova

Húrin went off to fight in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad but never returned as the battle was lost. After the defeat of the Union of Maedhros, the savage Easterlings came to Hithlum to claim their new land as a reward for fighting for the Dark Lord. The Easterlings were cruel and took many slaves including the young and old. Morwen resisted the new Easterling lords that took over Húrin's land, and sent Túrin away to Doriath and the court of King Thingol, to prevent him from being taken as a slave. However, none of the Easterlings dared take Morwen's home, for her incredible beauty led them to believe she was a magical witch and in league with Elves, although she had neither such power nor intimate connections.[3] After most of the danger had passed, she went to Doriath looking for Túrin. Niënor followed her against her commands, but she was accepted by Thingol.[2][4]

Morwen was alarmed at not finding her son in Doriath, and after staying for a while, she and Mablung left to search for Túrin. Niënor followed against Morwen's will for a second time. While they sought for Túrin in the forest, Glaurung the dragon came upon them. He gave Niënor amnesia with his dragon magic and left. When Mablung found Niënor, she ran off into the woods, and was not seen by Morwen again. Morwen returned to Doriath after this sad incident.[2][4]

Alan Lee - The Death of Morwen

The Death of Morwen, by Alan Lee

Morwen met her husband Húrin once again after the death of Túrin and Niënor. At their children's grave, Húrin found Morwen, old, ragged, tired, and sorrowful. They spoke their last words together, and then Morwen died with the setting of the sun and was buried with her children.[5][6]

Their graves remained after the drowning of Beleriand at the end of the First Age on the isle of Tol Morwen off the coast of Forlindon, which was named after her.[7]

Etymology[]

The name Morwen is Sindarin for "Dark Maiden", from mor ("dark") and -gwenn or -wen ("maiden"). Her epithet Eledhwen means "Elf-maiden", from eledh ("elf").[8] Eledhwen is interpreted as "Elfsheen".[9]

Earlier versions of the legendarium[]

In earlier stages of the legendarium, Éowyn of Rohan had been referred to sometimes as "Éowyn Elfsheen, daughter of Théoden".[10]

House of Hador[]

The Heraldic Device of the House of Hador

The House of Hador was previously known as the House of Marach.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Gildis
   
   
Hador Lórindol
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Gundor
   
   
Galdor
   
   
Hareth
   
   
   
   
   
   
Glóredhel
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Haldir
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Handir
Morwen
   
   
Húrin
   
   
Huor
   
   
Rían
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Tuor
   
   
Idril
   
   
Brandir
Túrin
   
   
Urwen
   
   
Niënor
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Eärendil
   
   
Elwing
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Elrond
   
   
Elros


Translations[]

Foreign Language Translated name
Amharic ሞርወን
Arabic موروين
Armenian Մորւեն
Belarusian Cyrillic Морвэн
Bengali মরভেন (Morwen) মরভেন এলেদেন (Morwen Eledhwen)
Bulgarian Cyrillic Морвен (Morwen) Морвен Еледвен (Morven Eledven)
Chinese 莫玟
Georgian მორვენი
Greek Μορωεν
Gujarati મોર્વેન (Morwen) મોર્વેન એલેડવેન (Morwen Eledhwen)
Hebrew מורוון אלדוון
Hindi मोर्वेन
Japanese モルウェン
Kannada ಮೊರ್ವೆನ್ (Morwen) ಮಾರ್ವೆನ್ ಎಲೆಡ್ವೆನ್ (Morwen Eledhwen)
Kazakh Морвен (Cyrillic) Morven (Latin)
Korean 모르웬 (Morwen) 모르웬 엘레드웰 (Morwen Eledhwen)
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Морvэн
Macedonian Cyrillic Морвен (Morwen) Морвен Еледвен (Morven Eledven)
Marathi मॉरवेन
Mongolian Cyrillic Морвэн
Nepalese मोरवेन
Pashto موروېن
Persian موروون
Punjabi ਮੋਰਵੇਨ
Polish Morwena
Russian Морвен (Morwen) Морвен Эледвен (Morwen Eledhwen)
Sanskrit मोर्वेन्
Sinhalese මෝර්වන්
Tamil மொரவென்
Telugu మొర్వెన్
Ukrainian Cyrillic Морвен
Urdu موروان
Uzbek Морвен (Cyrillic) Morвen (Latin)
Yiddish מאָרווין

References[]

  1. The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XVII: "Of the Coming of Men into the West"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXI: "Of Túrin Turambar"
  3. The Children of Húrin, Narn i Chîn Húrin, The Tale of the Children of Húrin, IV: "The Departure of Túrin"
  4. 4.0 4.1 The Children of Húrin, Narn i Chîn Húrin, The Tale of the Children of Húrin, XIV: "The Journey of Morwen and Niënor to Nargothrond"
  5. The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXII: "Of the Ruin of Doriath"
  6. The Children of Húrin, Narn i Chîn Húrin, The Tale of the Children of Húrin, XVII: "The Death of Túrin"
  7. The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Second Age, "Introduction"
  8. The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
  9. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
  10. The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 7: The Treason of Isengard, XX: "The Riders of Rohan"
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