# Project: Wings



## Chymaera (Mar 18, 2007)

As some may remember I wrote an "essay" for Walter a long time ago concerning Balrogs and wings. I wish to revisit the topic and come at it from a new direction.

My idea is to start looking at how Professor Tolkien wrote about all other creatures in his stories with wings and flew and how he used the word wings in general.

I would like to collect quotes from all of Tolkien's works concerning all non-balrog flying and wings. 

These are the offending Balrog quote:

The Balrog reached the bridge. Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed, cold and white. His enemey halted again, facing him, and *the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings.* It raised the whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils. But Gandalf stood firm.
_The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Bridge of Khazad-dûm_


The Balrog made no answer. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew. It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge, and suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its *wings* were spread from wall to wall; but still Gandalf could be seen, glimmering in the gloom; he seemed small, and altogether alone: grey and bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm.
_The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Bridge of Khazad-dûm_


The cry of Morgoth in that hour was the greatest and most dreadful that was ever heard in the northern world; the mountains shook, and the earth trembled, and rocks were riven asunder. Deep in forgotten places that cry was heard. Far beneath the ruined halls of Angband, in vaults to which the Valar in the haste of their assault had not descended, Balrogs lurked still, awaiting ever the return of their Lord; and now swiftly *they arose,* and passing over Hithlum they came to Lammoth as a tempest of fire.
_The Silmarillion; Of the Flight of the Noldor_


But the cry of Morgoth in that hour was the greatest and most dreadful that was ever heard in the northern world: the mountains shook, and the earth trembled, and rocks were riven asunder. Deep in forgotten places that cry was heard. Far beneath the ruined halls of Angband, in vaults to which the Valar in the haste of their assault had not descended, the Balrogs lurked still, awaiting ever the return of their lord. Swiftly they arose, and passed with *WINGED SPEED* over Hithlum, and they came to Lammoth as a tempest of fire.
_Morgoth's Ring; The Later Quenta Silmarillion (II), Later Chapter 7, Of the Thieves' Quarrel_

As quotes are collected and posted here all are invited to discuss and contribute.

thank you


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## Gothmog (Mar 21, 2007)

A very interesting topic. I will start checking out references.


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## Chymaera (Mar 31, 2007)

Hi Gothmog. I thought this might interest you  

Here is the first quote:



> There was a howl of anger and surprise from the goblins. Loud cried the Lord of the Eagles, to whom Gandalf had now spoken. Back swept the great birds that were with him, and down they came like huge black shadows. The wolves yammered and gnashed their teeth; and the goblins yelled and stamped with rage, and flung their heavy spears in the air in vain. Over them swooped the eagles; *the dark rush of their beating wings* smote them to the floor and drove them away; their talons tore at goblin faces. Other birds flew to the treetops and seized the dwarves, who were scrambling up now as far they ever dared to go.
> 
> _*The Hobbit; Out of the Frying-pan into the Fire
> *_




This is a great paragraph. 'Down they came like huge black shadows' and 'the dark rush of their beating wings' are very descriptive and dramatic lines. 

Of course eagles are easy because everybody knows that they fly and have wings. Tolkien did not stint here. This paragraph kind of renewed my wonder in the story. This is a part of the story we all know well but I must have read this quickly to get on with the story and never really appreciated it just taking it by itself.

I was expecting some mention of the wings of Black Emperor butterflys from the canopy of Mirkwood and the bats of the Lonely Mountain, but there was no mention in either case.


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## Chymaera (May 4, 2007)

*Forget about Balrogs having wings; Lúthien has wings and can fly!*



Of Beren and Lúthien; The Silmarillion
said:


> … By the counsel of Huan and the arts of Lúthien he was arrayed in the hame of Draugliun, and she in the winged fell of Thuringwethil. Beren became in all things like a werewolf to look upon, save that in his eyes there shone a spirit grim indeed but clean; and horror was in his glance as he saw upon his flank a bat-like creature clinging with creased wings. Then howling under the moon he leapt down the hill, and *the bat wheeled and flitted above him.*



Mighty were the arts of Lúthien


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## Eledhwen (May 5, 2007)

I've seen a couple of illustrations of that, but Ted Nasmith's is the most convincing.


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## Chymaera (May 5, 2007)

Thanks for the link Eledhwen, These are all new to me. 

Lúthien becomes a vampier. We read this and take it for granted. 

She magically takes the form of a dead foe and takes on all the powers that foe had.


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## Ithrynluin (May 6, 2007)

Chymaera said:


> Lúthien becomes a vampier. We read this and take it for granted.



I guess her part-Maia heritage allowed her to transfer the powers of flight along with the dead body. I reckon a mere mortal or an elf could not do the same.


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## Chymaera (May 13, 2007)

Finrod did disguise himself and Beren and 10 others. So the power would not be exclusivly Maia.


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