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Mysterious figure in Norse mythology
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- The Lady of the Wood is a mysterious figure in Norse mythology. She is a powerful forest spirit who guards the forests and is known to be the protector of plants and animals. She has been described as a powerful and wise figure, who is capable of granting wishes and providing guidance in difficult times.
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The elves in the woods were the elves of Lothlorien, ruled by Celeborn and Galadriel (also known as the Lady of the Wood). Legolas on the other hand is a prince of Mirkwood, a completely different forest realm. So it's not that surprising that Legolas doesn't know anyone there.
- Overview
- Biography
- Character
- Naming & titles
- Powers
- In adaptations
"This is Nenya, the Ring of Adamant, and I am its keeper."
—Galadriel to Frodo Baggins
Galadriel was the "Lady" of the woods of Lothlórien, which she ruled with Celeborn, her husband.
One of the greatest Elves in Middle-earth, she surpassed nearly all others in beauty, knowledge, and power. She bore Nenya, one of the three Elven rings of power. J.R.R. Tolkien deemed her as one of the mightiest and fairest of all Elves remaining in Middle-earth in the Third Age.
Years of the Trees
Galadriel was born in Valinor in the Years of the Trees, before the First Age. Much of Galadriel's story is confusing, and there are several distinct tales told about her collected in the Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth. According to the older account, used in The Silmarillion, Galadriel was an eager participant and leader in the rebellion of the Ñoldor and their flight from Valinor due to her desire to one day rule over lands in Middle-earth herself. She was eager to see Middle-earth, having heard of it from Fëanor, and desired to rule a realm of her own. She swore no oaths and was like-minded to her cousin Fingon, son of Fingolfin. However, separated from Fëanor and his kin, she and her people did not take part in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. They followed Fingolfin instead and crossed the Helcaraxë in the far north. Although in the latest version of the story, Galadriel's story changed significantly, far from joining Fëanor's rebellion, she opposed him in nearly everything. And that she wished to leave Valinor and go to the vast world of Middle-earth, to give free rein there to her talents. She went for a time to live with her mother's relatives in Alqualondë, where she met her future husband, Celeborn. Together they planned to build a ship and sail to Middle-earth; and they were about to ask permission to the Valar, when Melkor with Ungoliant, destroyed the light of the Trees. In Fëanor's rebellion that followed, Galadriel had no part, and together with Celeborn, fought against Fëanor defending her mother's kin in defense of Alqualondë, and Celeborn's ship was spared of the attack of the Noldor. Galadriel was horrified by Fëanor's violence and cruelty, and sailed in the night to Middle-earth without waiting for Manwë's permission.
First Age
Once in Beleriand, she lived nominally with one of her brothers, most likely Finrod, but spent much time at the court of Thingol and Melian in Menegroth, where she arrived in FA 52 and was welcomed because of her family relationship to Thingol's brother Olwë, Galadriel's maternal grandfather. She met Celeborn, a kinsman of Thingol, in Doriath. She also traveled to visit her brother, Finrod, in his realm of Nargothrond multiple times. Her three other brothers were killed during various battles in the First Age. Galadriel became friends with Melian the Maia, who wanted to know the cause of the Exile of the Ñoldor. Galadriel only briefly narrated the story to her, leaving out the death of Finwë, the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, and the burning of the ships at Losgar. She dwelt in Nargothrond with her brother Finrod, and asked him if he would take no wife. But Finrod had taken an oath only for himself, and his beloved had been left in Valinor. She had no role in the major wars of the First Age, believing that defeating Morgoth was beyond the power of the Eldar; when Morgoth was defeated by the coming of the Valar out of the West she, having played no part in the earlier Kinslaying, was offered safe return to Valinor. However, she chose not to leave Middle-earth, and was the only leader of the Ñoldor exiles to remain after the First Age.
Second Age
Celeborn and Galadriel traveled first to Lindon, where they ruled over a group of Elves as a fiefdom under Gil-galad, the High King of the Ñoldor. Sometime later, they had a daughter, Celebrían. They moved eastward and established the realm of Eregion, or Hollin, which they ruled under Gil-galad. Eregion, to the west of the Misty Mountains near Khazad-dûm, was a prosperous kingdom during this time, and had open trade with the Dwarves. Also, during this time, they made contact with a Nandorin settlement in the valley of the Anduin, later to be known as Lothlórien. Subsequently, when Celebrimbor took over the rule of Eregion, Galadriel left by way of the mines of Khazad-dûm. After the death of King Amdír, in the War of the Last Alliance, and the departure his son Amroth, Celeborn and Galadriel became the Lord and Lady of Lothlórien. In the Second Age, the Maia Annatar, "Lord of Gifts", guided Celebrimbor and the other Ñoldor of Eregion in the creation of the Rings of Power. Galadriel had immediate distrust in Annatar, which was later justified when he was revealed to be Sauron. Galadriel counseled Celebrimbor in the hiding of the rings, and when Eregion was attacked, she was entrusted with one of the Three Rings of the Elves. Her ring was Nenya, the Ring of Water. Conscious of Sauron's power, and wishing to thwart it, she did not use the powers of her ring as long as the One Ring was in Sauron's hands. However, during the Third Age, when the One Ring was lost, she put it to good use protecting the borders of her realm, for the powers of her ring were protection, preservation, and concealment from evil.
Lady Galadriel - Lady of Lórien - had extraordinary beauty, with her timeless features and golden river of hair.
Galadriel was highly praised for her unrivaled beauty, particularly that of her hair, which was a deep and radiant gold, shot with silver. It was said by the Elves of Tirion to have ensnared the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, and possibly to have inspired the creation of the Silmarils by Fëanor. She was also the tallest of elf-women, standing at around 6 feet 4 inches, or 193 centimeters. Because of her wisdom and power, she had very important roles throughout the history of Middle-earth, especially during her time in Eregion and during the War of the Ring. She had a penchant for dressing in the purest white.
She was known, especially in her younger days, as being quite prideful. However, this pride was tempered by her "noble and generous" spirit.
Regarding her decision to remain in Middle-earth, a passage says:
was originally named Artanis ("noble woman"), her father-name, and Nerwen ("man-maiden"), her mother-name referring to her height and strength. Galadriel is the Sindarin translation of Telerin Quenya Alatáriel, the name given her by Celeborn, meaning "maiden crowned with a garland of bright radiance" in reference to her hair.
The name Galadhriel was used outside Lórien by the people who did not know the ancient days and Galadriel's history, confusing her name with the Elvish word galadh ("tree") and the name of the Galadhrim, the people of Lórien.
She is referred to as The Lady of Lórien, Lady of Light, The Lady of the Galadhrim, or The Lady of the Wood interchangeably. Within the realm of Lothlórien, she was referred to as simply Lady Galadriel or The Lady.
When she and Celeborn were being referred to collectively, they were known as The Lord and Lady.
Galadriel possessed a tremendous amount of magical powers, including telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance and ergokinesis- She was said to be the greatest of the Ñoldor in that regard after Fëanor. When she still lived in the Undying Lands, she had been a pupil of Yavanna and Aulë, and she later became a friend of Melian the Maia. Hence, it can be deduced that she had learned her powers from these three illustrious personages, though the nature of her magic is still not well-understood. In The Unfinished Tales, it is suggested that her powers of divination and seeing into the minds of others were innate:
Some believe that the majority of Galadriel's powers came from her ring: Nenya, the Ring of Water. In a letter to his friend Milton Waldman dating from 1951, however, Tolkien stated that Rings of Power could only enhance the "natural powers of the possessor" and not grant entirely new powers. In addition to this, Galadriel's power to perceive the thoughts of others was apparent from her early youth, long before she obtained Nenya. In some tales, she was also depicted with the powers of communicating over vast distances, predicting the future, and even cloaking her mind from other powerful beings (she once stated that Sauron could not perceive her mind, though she could perceive his). This power was the most closely connected to her Ring, as The Silmarillion tells us the Elves were able to perceive the mind of Sauron when they put on their rings. It is also possible that her powers of divination were either derived from or accentuated by her mirror, which could reveal events of the past, present, and future.
However, due to her incredibly enigmatic nature, even the immensely skillful Saruman and an Elf as perceptive as Elrond found it difficult to understand her powers, and they were such to bring doubt to the minds of the non-Elven inhabitants of Middle-earth. Whatever they might have been, it must still be noted that Galadriel had used them for good: protecting Lórien from any attack. She also used this formidable power to destroy the very foundations of Dol Guldur (a fortress whose power was multiplied by Sauron's magic). Galadriel also possessed the skill of ósanwe (the ability to communicate with others through thoughts), this can be seen after the destruction of the One Ring, when Galadriel communicated mentally with Elrond and Gandalf on their return journey from Minas Tirith.
Besides her magical powers, Galadriel was also very wise and intelligent: she was one of the very few who were not fooled by Sauron in the Second Age, and therefore suggested to Celebrimbor to hide the Three Rings. She also refrained from using the powers of Nenya while the One Ring was in Sauron's possession, and only did so after the One Ring was lost (for it was only then that it was safe enough for her to do so). When Frodo offered her the One Ring, Galadriel managed to reject the undeniable temptation, for she was wise enough to know that, though she might start off with good intentions with the One Ring in her possession, she would only become a tyrant as terrible as Sauron in the end. This could be viewed as a testament to her excellent understanding of the seductive nature of power, as well as her awareness of her own personal limitations.
Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings
In Ralph Bakshi's 1978 Lord of the Rings, Galadriel is voiced by Scottish actress Annette Crosbie with Jeri Lea Ray doing the modeling.
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." —Galadriel to Frodo Baggins Galadriel is portrayed by Cate Blanchett in Peter Jackson's film trilogy. She appears in all three films as a supporting character. Galadriel narrates the opening prologue to The Fellowship of the Ring, describing the War of the Ring and the initial defeat of Sauron. She is shown receiving one of the Elven Rings of Power. Galadriel appears in person later when the Fellowship arrive in Lórien, greeting them alongside her husband Celeborn. She speaks telepathically with Frodo and leads him to her mirror, in which he sees a vision of Sauron's victory. Galadriel warns Frodo that Boromir will try and take the One Ring, upon which Frodo offers the One Ring to her. In that moment, Galadriel herself is tempted by the Ring, but she is able to overcome the temptation and "pass the test." She gives Frodo a phial of light when the Fellowship departs Lothlórien. In the extended edition, Galadriel and Celeborn give the other members of the Fellowship various gifts as well. Besides Frodo and Sam, she gives Merry and Pippin an Elven dagger, Aragorn a curved Elvish hunting knife, Legolas a Bow of the Galadhrim and three strands of her hair to Gimli. In The Two Towers, Galadriel appears in a single scene, warning Elrond telepathically that the One Ring is tempting Faramir. She then urges him to send aid to the people of Rohan at Helm's Deep. Strangely, the Elves that do arrive at Helm's Deep under Haldir are from Lothlórien, not Rivendell. Although there is mention of osanwe ("thought speech") in Tolkien's writings, Galadriel's scenes from The Two Towers have no direct counterparts in the novels. In The Return of the King, Galadriel appears in a vision to Frodo near Cirith Ungol, urging him to continue his quest. She also appears at the very end of the film alongside Elrond and Celeborn at the Grey Havens. She departs with them, Gandalf, Frodo, and Bilbo to Valinor.
The Hobbit film trilogy
Galadriel's role in Jackson's The Hobbit film trilogy is entirely invented for the adaptation, as she does not appear in the original novel. However, some of these scenes may have been based on material from The Unfinished Tales which accounts for what she was doing during the time when the events of The Hobbit took place. She appears in all three films as a supporting character. Galadriel first appears in An Unexpected Journey at a meeting of the White Council alongside Elrond, Gandalf, and Saruman. She believes Gandalf when he claims that the Necromancer is becoming a bigger threat and that something must be done with Dol Guldur. In The Desolation of Smaug, Galadriel telepathically encourages Gandalf to investigate the tombs of the Nine in the High Fells of Rhudaur and to confront the Necromancer. In The Battle of the Five Armies, Galadriel rescues Gandalf from Dol Guldur. Initially, it seems that she has come alone; she disintegrates an Orc with a blast of magic from Nenya. However, she is quickly cornered by the spectral forms of the Nazgûl as the disembodied voice of Sauron begins taunting her in Black Speech. The Dark Lord mocks her for being alone in the shadow, a singular light in the dark. However, Galadriel reveals that Saruman and Elrond have accompanied her to Dol Guldur, and the two battle the Ringwraiths while Galadriel attempts to heal Gandalf with a kiss, an action which drains her energy. Radagast arrives to take Gandalf away, and Galadriel resists Gandalf's plea to have her join him. After the Ringwraiths are defeated, Sauron himself manifests and restores the Nazgûl as he bears down on the White Council, threatening them with the fall of the West and the rise of Angmar. While Saruman and Elrond recoil in horror in the presence of the Dark Lord, an enraged Galadriel rises in her darker ethereal form to challenge Sauron. She easily overpowers the Nazgûl and casts them away as her and Sauron engage in a duel of wills with the latter trying to assert his power. Galadriel, however, proves herself unyielding and declares Sauron as "Nameless, Faceless, and Formless" and demands that he returns to the Void from whence he came. Ultimately Galadriel overpowers Sauron, who's Necromancer disguise is obliterated, and flees into the East as an orb of fire. The encounter saps Galadriel's energy, however, and Saruman instructs her to retreat to Lórien while he promises to handle the threat of Sauron himself.
When the poet S.T. Coleridge called it the ‘Lady of the Woods’, he may have been drawing on an existing folk term for the tree. The uses of birch are many and varied. The wood is tough, heavy and straight grained, making it suitable for handles and toys and good for turning.
Apr 14, 2016 · To me, birch is an essentially feminine presence within a woodland. Pliant, expressive and graceful, she lends beauty without grandeur, whispering and bending with the wind, softening the hard edges of a landscape with gentle brushstrokes that blur the boundaries between earth and sky.
- Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) In Britain, ash was once regarded as a healing tree. Ash was known as the 'Tree of Rebirth and Healing'.
- Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) Blackthorn was associated with witchcraft. It is said that witches' wands and staffs were made using blackthorn wood.
- Elder (Sambucus nigra) It was believed that if you planted elder close to your house it would keep the devil away. Elder was once regarded as the most magically powerful of plants.
- English oak. Oak was a sacred tree throughout Europe. Oak was associated with the gods of thunder as oak was often split by lightning.
A: The Lady of the Wood is an old Celtic figure who appears in several stories from British Isles mythology and folklore. She is generally described as a beautiful yet mysterious woman who lives deep in the forests and has immense magical powers which she can wield to help or hinder mortals.
Jun 22, 2022 · Often called the Goddess Tree and the Lady of the Woods, silver birch and many other birch or Betula trees are said to be associated with light, love, fertility and new beginnings. The trees are said to have the power of protection against evil.
