Inside Middle-earth — The History of the Elves(I): Awakening and sundering
The evolution of one of the three great races of Middle-earth was plagued by great tragedies, losses, and extraordinary events.
The Elves were the most tragic characters in all of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium, and their story is that of a cursed race that fought against Evil and their destiny.
The elves awoke in Cuiviénen, a bay that belonged to the Inner Sea of Helcar, formed after Melkor collapsed the Lamps. Due to the darkness that reigned in Arda, the Valar created the stars, and it was at that moment the elves opened their eyes for the first time.
Contemplating the sky and singing to it, they gradually organized themselves into three differentiated clans: the Minyar, the Tatyar, and the Neylar (the ‘Firsts,’ the ‘Seconds,’ and the ‘Thirds’), all of them followers of the first three couples that awoke.
Over time these three clans grew, with the Minyar being the minority and the Neylar the majority. They developed language and culture and lived harmoniously with nature, to which they sang. Being immortal, the passage of years and decades was not yet part of their understanding.
