FINDING RARALLELISM BETWEEN TOLKIEN'S EPICS AND ANCIENT MYTHOLOGIES

[Melian]

LECTURE # 7

A: FINDING RARALLELISM BETWEEN TOLKIEN'S EPICS AND ANCIENT MYTHOLOGIES

FOREWORDS: OF MYTHS

The depth of Tolkien's art cannot but evoke comparison with works as profound and massive as his, and as heroic of course. It is undoubtedly well deserved to equal it to ancient mythologies. Moreover, it is believed that Tolkien found one of his greatest inspirations in those ancient letters. Some similes in his works arouse curiosity. maybe they were sought, maybe they were coincidence. Anyway, it is worth trying to explore them.

Tolkien mentioned it himself in "Letters":I was from early days grieved by the poverty of my own beloved country: it had no stories of its own (bound up with its tongue and soil), not of the quality that I sought, and found ( as an ingredient0 in legends of other lands. There was Greek, and Celtic, and Romanesce, Germanic, Scandinavian, nad Finnish (which greatly affected me); but nothing English , save for impoverished chap-book stuff.

The aim of the following lecture is, by comparison and contrast, to outline the basic points of similarity between Tolkien's fantasy mythology and the genuine ones of old civilizations.
I'd like to mention as well taht it is but a humble attempt at comparatively thorough exploration of the subject. It is by no means complete , so any comments and suggestions for its updating and improving are welcome.


EGYPTIAN
It looks on the surface as if Tolkien's rather European-like cultural influenca has little to do with the land of pharaohs. However, a parallel is not only possible, but also very revealing.

COSMOGONIA
There are hundreds of variations of the cosmogonial myth in Ancient Egyptian letters. Each region praised for World creator its own patron god. The following myth has its different versions in Memphis, Heliopolis and Hermopolis; it is sometimes Amun Re, other Toth who is named as the mighty cosmogonial force.

In the beginning there was Nun--chaos and nothingness. And then in the darkness was Toth who uttered the first word. he created then eight mighty creatures--four couples of male and female gods. He named them The Great Eight, they sang together with Toth and thus all forms of life came into existence. So life began.

This myth obviously resembles Aindulindale. In fact, there are at least four similes between the ancient story and Tolkien's epic: 1)The initial chaos ;2) the primeval force ( Toth/re=Eru);3)the means of creation--through SOUND;4) the creation of a group of helpers or 'lesser' mighty co-creators (The Great Eight=Ainur).

SOLAR LIGHT
Although this point is common for many other mythologies, the Egyptian picture of the solar movement is of interest.

Every morning Re comes out from the Eastern Sky Gate where two jade fig-trees tower high, and settles in the Sun boat. In the middle of it there is an arbor, adorned with lotus blossoms, and in the midst stands a magnificent htrone. Re sits on it and the solar disk on his forehead casts light over the earth. The heavenly oarsmen grab the golden oars and the boat flows in the sky ocean until its zanyth at the Western Gate.

This quite exploited mtif of sunlight as a magnificent bark has been extended and elaborated by Tolkien. For one reason, the bark theme has been used for the description of other heavenly bodies: the Moon and the Earendil star. As seen in chapters XI and XXIV of the Silmaraillion, these models seem to be a favourite way of relating the Sil to true mythologies, and a poetic approach of course. Tolkien has put much more into it, the images are by far more complex.

SECRET NAMES
In ancient Egypt, names were extremely important. The Egyptian beliefs ecxeeded superstition, they were obsessions. On birth, children were given two names: one public and one secret. The latter was known by the mother, the child and Isis( whose name means; She Who Knows All The Names). The secret name must remain unknown by anybody else for fear of magic. It was believed that a person is enslaved by the one who knows their true name and vice versa---anyone comes in your powers if you know their name.

Curiously, in the Appendices to LOTR, Tolkien makes it clear that Dwarves had a similar practice. Their isolation, though, was restricted to only non-Dwarvish folk. They seemed rather chauvenistic than mystic. Their secret names were probably known by the gods and all Dwarf relatives, but never by a xeno from another Middle-earth race.

THE EAST AND THE WEST
Egyptians associated the directions of the world with different things. The East-Weast relation was definitely one of strong cult. The West is the direction of sunset and the desert, they associated it with death and as death was the gate to immortality, the West was also the direction of Gods and Heaven. Not surprisingly, the dead were buried on the western bank of the Nile. The East was mortal life, were people live and worked.

In Tolkien, a similar attitude can be observed. It is suggested that the West, Aman, is the direction of paradise, where souls head to (where Elvish barks sail to), where gods live in bliss. The mere awe in which noble folks mention 'The Western Lords' demonstrates this dimensional relation.

WORD FORMATION
Coincidence or not, some Sindarin word roots are found in old Coptyc (the labguage of Egypt). Exanples:
kemi (Tolkien)---earth
keme (Coptyc)---earth,ground.

duat(Tolkien)---shadow
duat(Coptyc)---the land of shadow
......

[Melian]

MESOPOTAMIAN

Though not in concrete events, tolkien's epics share similarities with the philosophic matters in Mesopotamian letters. Agood exampla is the myth of Gilgames and the problem of immortality and temptation, well observed by Tolkien.

After his beloved friend died, king Gilgames decided to discover the secret of immortality. Wise men told him he should ask Ut-Napishti who once saved his kin through a great flood and knew the gods and knew the sectret of eternal life. When they finally meet, Ut-napishti sends Gilgames for a herb that is called "The Old Man Gets Young", in it there was hidden immortality. Gilgames proceded with his quest until he obtained the herb. But lo! Tired by his long way, he sat beside a well to rest. And there, unfortunately, a snake appeared and stole the herb and ate it. In that instant the snake changed his skin and crwled away, leavin Gilgames with the moral that immortality is for gods and what makes a human immortal are his deeds.

Human curiosity certainly engaged the Professor's mind too. Numenorians were eager, just like Gilgames, to rival the gods and have the gift of eternal life. However, the outcome in both stories (Mesopotamian is far more metaphorical, of course) is the failure of Men and the crystalised idea of human maturity. The anger of gods is represented by different stylistic methods, but the symbol behind the rare plant and the forbidden coast is one and the same.


GREEK

***As ROMAN mythology is almost entirely based on GREEK, I shall asume and refer to those letters as GREEK. Of course, it should be taken into consideration that the names of gods in ROMAN myths are altered (e.g.,Jupiter instead of Zeus; Neptun instead of Poseido), but again, the following part accepts GREEK names as appropriate.***

Greek mythology is a fine example of Tolien's ability to intricate age old motifs and turn them into his own interpretation.
Undoubtedly, Tolkien's fantasy is in many ways different, especially ragarding the morale of gods. Unlike the Greek slut and drunkard gods, whose behaviour is no less impious than human, Tolkien's heaven is inhabited by iollized creatures. Not to mention that incests and knislay among gods is taboo.

But the main similarities spring from the dimensional division of the power of gods. It is acknowledged that Greek mythology represented the ancient social status and defended the rights of aristocracy. That is why each god (or a feudal lord) had their spheres of influence (or a feud,i.e. sky,sea,underground,fire).

ZEUS and HERA is the 'sky couple', lords of air, clouds, lightnings,rain. Similarly, in Tolkien we have MANWE and VARDA, whose role in hierarchy is almost the same. Moreover, in both mythologies these very couples are revered as the mightiest lords, and their 'feuds' as the most magnizicent.

POSEIDO / ULMO is therefore the water lord. The only difference between the Greek one and the other, is that Greek gods never stay monogamic, let alone single. ULMO is lonely, but does not succumb in power to POSEIDO. The water lord has also the status as the mightiest after ZEUS / MANWE.

[Melian]

The realms of the dead are also a separate dimension in most myths. In this way, Tolkien's MANDOS corresponds to Greek HADES and, in my opinion, possesses some features of TANATOS, the god of death. TANATOS's brother, HYPNOS, is responsible for sleep and dreaming which can easily be related to MANDOS's brother, IRMO, who has the same function in Tolkien's deitic system.

DEMETRA is the name of the Greek godess that embodies Mother Nature. She cares for all living things, plants and beasts, and causes the seasons to change, trees to blossom and birds to sing. She knows all herbs and beings, she is responsible for fertility. These characteristics immediately associate her with YAVANNA.

There is also the god of smiths and metallurgy, HEFEST, who above all praises crafts and the art of forging and bending matter into practical use. Weapons and jewelry alike, he contrives them in the fires of his smithe, just like AULE.

Curiously, the equvalent of TULKAS is female. The hunter god from Tolkien meets his counterpart, a hunter godess called Arthemis.

THE SERVANTS OF GODS also bear resemblances. Tolkien's Maia are very much like some of the less powerful gods, muses,nymphs etc. Immortal,too, their role is to help, bring news, dance, complete missions, dance, prey, play, kill, punish, lay the table, console,sing....In Greek mythology there are only too many such creatures, but Tolkien's taste for properness has limitad that number and variety. Nevertheless, it appears that some of the eminent Maia can be recognized as ancient divine creatures. MELIAN even seems too powerful to be just a servant. In Greek mythology, she would be at least a wife of Zeus, as she has some of the traits of APHRODITE and ATHENS. Like APHRODITE, she did not have to reign a realm or a space, but she had to master human emotions. Her name derives from 'mel' which means love and her entire conduct was one of charm and music and enchentment. APHRODITE owned as well a magic girdle that made everyone fall under her spell and love her. Metaphorically, MELIAN created a similar girdle, albeit its function was, beside enchanting, to keep enemies of the kingdom. And ATHENS was the Greek godess of wisdom. No need to say that the Maia queen was recognized for her lore and advice.
Similarly OSSE can be compared to any of the numerous 'lesser' water lords after Poseido;EONWE the messanger and warrior can be related to HERMES or ARES, etc.

THE DWELLINGS OF LORDS
Apart from the hierarchy in both letters, it is impressive how lords from both myths isolate a space for themselves to live, far from mortal eyes.
OLYMPUS and TANIQUETIL are the place were gods, Greek and Tolkien's, rule over the world, live and rest.

Olympus is timeless and unerthly. It is a toering mountain, hidden from the eyes of those that shall die. The mighty gods live there in tranquillity and bliss. The golden gate of this realm is open by the lifting gauze of fair clouds, it never rains or snows there. It is an eternal, light summer. Every god dewlls in a magnificent golden castle, but they are often togethet and feast.Then Zeus sits on his marvellous throne, by his side is Hera, and the immortal young and beautiful gods drink nectar and ambrosy. Nymphs dance ,lyres play...

Valinor is by no means less attractive and airy. The peak-centered motif of heaven is adopted by Tolkien in his assumption of Taniquetil's vital place. Furthermore, in Numenor the peak in the middle of the island succeeds this idea. The vertical seclusion of mortal-immortal is emphasised by the description of a whole kingdom somewhere 'unseen above'.

THE POWER OF MUSIC
Music is magic. It is a popular truth in ancient myths, as well as Tolkien's works.
In Greek letters, there are exceptional musicians who made nature obey at the sound of their music. Like Amphion, who built Thebes by playing on his guitar and making the stones float in the air and arrange in order. But undoubtedly, the greatest musician was Orpheus.

And when his beloved Euridice died on the day of their wedding, Orpheus was devastated by his grief. He took his lyre and struck its chords and all the nature lamented with him, all living creatures cried for Euridice. he could not live without her, so he descended in the realm of shadows where the brood god Hades keeps the souls of the deceased. No living creature could go there but no one could stop Orpheus for his music was so powerful that even the servants of Hades helped him reach there. Orpheus enchented Hades himself and begged him to let Euridice go. Hades was moved and he let her go like he had never done before or since. The condition was that Orpheus must not turn back to see whether her shadow followed. Alas, he almost took her out, not turning back,whwn he was ridden by doubt and turned...Euridice disappeared into the shadows again and he had to come back to sunlight alone. Later, drunk Bachanalian dancers killed him for to them he was 'a woman hater' for he never fell in love again. Thus, Orpheus and Euridice met again...in the realm of shadows.

This myth cannot but evoke memories of Luthien at Mandos' begging for Beren's soul. Obviously,in both letters music is a supernatural power that can achieve the unthinkable.

[Melian]

THE METAPHOR OF DANGEROUS CURIOSITY
The myth of Pandora's box is quite popular. In my view, ancient Greeks and Tolkien were both inspired by the motif of the link between curiosity and sin, envy and fall.

And yet Zeus wished to revenge Prometheus for giving the fire to mortals. And the gods of Olympus sent Prometheus' brother a wife---more beautiful than any woman on the earth. Her name was Pandora, or Gifted With All Gifts. And they made her a wedding present--a golden box, but on one condition: she should never open it and see inside it. Pandora lived happily, but her mind was restless. She had everything, but the box tortured her. And one day she broke the gods' will...And lo! From the box sprang evil and foulness, disease and death, unhappiness and hunger. And thereafter humanity has to suffer, thus punish the immortals. But Pandora managed to close the box before it was too late and on the bottom of it remained Hope. Until now, humanity suffers all kinds of disasters, but Hope always remains.

To me, this myth relates to the tale of Numenorians. Weren't they, too, 'gifted with all gifts'? Didn't they have a ban on sailing too far westwards? The forbidden box, or coastline, or fruit (in the Bible) is only but a metaphor for the limit of human aspiration. Once crossed, this limit may bring about too powerful consequences to bear .It also serves as a lesson not to bite off more than you can chew, unless you are ready to withstand it. It is a tale of pride,as well, of the person who decides his or her assets provide them with deity.
Also, the myths philosophically tackle the question of the so called 'egrageous folly' of man who dares breach the god's order, but at the same time they in a way justify 'folly' or curiosity. For it was among 'all gifts', it was inborn in mortals to search beyond the established boundaries. That is why Hope remains, and that is why the noblest Numenorians sail East.

TIMING AND EPOCHS
According to ancient Greek authors, there were Five Ages on earth ( Ovidii, a Roman source, considers them 4, but, as I mentioned, we shall assume the Greek variant ).

The time of Kronos it was still when the First Age began, and they called it The Golden Age. People lived in a bliss like gods, they never suffered diseases and never died, and inhabited golden mansions. But the end of this First Age came, for gods disliked how proud people had become. Some of the fairest were given true immortality and they remained at service of the lords as spirits of justice.
The Second Age was the Silver Age. It could not be compared to the Golden one at all, for people were less powerful and invincible. Nay, they became disobeyant, albeit their lives still lasted almost as long as an eternity. Thus, the gods destroyed everything and the Age ended.
The Third Age was the Copper Age. People were unlike those in the past. they suffered and were short-lived. They were frail and greedy. They praised copper and contrived tools and weapons. At this time their thirst for blood awokened...and they dtarted to destroy each other. The lords were angry and ended this epoch,too.
The Fourth Age was known as the Age of Heroes.Indeed, people died easily and the thirst for violence was still insatiable. But among the decaying race of humans heroes were born. They were semi-gods, as if the lords availed humanity in the battle with evil or with humanity itself. some heroes died at the Trojan war, others completed feats unimaginable...But with their death, this Age ended.
And the Fifth Age is the one in which we live thereafter. Humans are so much lesser than gods, violent and weak. Alas, no more heroes are born on earth...

In Tolkien, we have a similar time-line. His epochs may be illustrated as 3 heroic ones and 1 contemporary,still lasting and barely resembling all that were before.
In my view, the Greek 4 epochs can be in some ways compared to Tolkien's 3. It seems that the Golden and the Silver one are the 2 stages of the First age: Before and After the Elves' leaving the dwellings of lords.The Copper age is very much like the Second Age of infinite battles and folly. and The Age of Heroes, who appear when all hope has gone, resembles the way help comes from the unexpected: the Hobbits, the appearance of a Dunedan descendant, the union of Elves and Dwarves...

[Melian]

OTHER
There were some sub-topics that could not be included in a separate entry, but I'd like to mention them here. These are slight details characteristic of Greek myths that might sound familiar to you.

PEOPLE BECOME STARS---according to Greeks, most constellations are people, animals and items that gods decided to immortalize by ascending them on the night sky (Andromeda, Lyre etc.). In Tolkien, we have 2 Maia become the Sun and the moon,and one half-Elf become the Earendil star.

HUNTERS GATHER---it was a popular sport to summon all the eminent heroes and hunters to catch a dangerous beast. There are only too many such happenings in Greek myths and once at Tolkien: in the chaptyer of Beren and Luthien

THE PETRIFYING STARE---in Greek myths, he who dares look at Medusa turns to stone for fear of her terrible face.In the tale of Turin, all who have looked into Glaurung's eyes, stood hypnotized.

INCEST---as I mentioned, Greek gods are masters of incests, but there is only one involuntary: Aedypus marries his mother and has 4 children. The only incest in Tolkien is certainly involuntary,too, in accordance to his morale: Turin marries his sister and she gets pregnant. In both cases, these characters are very tragic and all their lives they bring unhappiness to those they love. Moreover, both suffered from curses upon their fathers.

SCANDINAVIAN/VIKING

It is well-known thet scandinavian myths inspired Tolkien the most. much has been said and written on this topic and I shall not repeat what you already know. Based on the Kalevala and other sources, this account I shall render is BRIEF.

The first point of parallelism that,in my view should come straight before cosmogony, is the myth of CYLFE and his Tolkien counterpart as ERIOL from The Book of Lost Tales volume#1. CYLFE, knig of Svithiod, entered the home of the gods and was told how the world began. Similarly,the whole cycle of ERIOL is based on how ancient myths since the beginning of days are told at The Cottage of The Lost Play.

The cosmogonial myth, like most world mythologies, regards the initial creation out of the void. In Scandinavian , it was Ginnunggap (The yawning Void), and the progenitor, our ERU is Yrm.However, the Tolkien myth is much more refined and complex and the beginning of days does not begin by a murder (Odin kills the first creature in Scandinavian).

There is a holy tree in Viking myths, Ygdrasil, revered for it was the oldest one and for it saved the last human couple in its trunk at Ragnarok. In Tolkien,there is a certain 'respect' to trees,too. They are symbols of deity and dynasty ( The Two Trees at Valinor, and later The White Tree of Numenor). Any 'offense' to these trees is equal to disgrace and impending fall.

The pantheon of Viking lords and the dimensions of their dwellings are also of interest. The Scandinavian world of mythology beings can be described as a circular disc, a concentric circle round it and a sea that surrouns the inner one. The central space is MIDGARD were live humans, dark Elves, Dwarves. Across the sea is JOTUNHEIM, the home of giants. Just above the MIDGARD is ASGARD, or the realm of gods. And just bellow it is HEL, or the realm of underground fire and the dead.
It is impressing how the home of gods, is again, clearly separated from mortal eyes, again elevated in a vertical construction.

It is widely acknowledged that Tolkien's BEINGS were basically inspired by Scandinavian myths. This is were DWARVES originate from,and they actually retained their essential characteristics after having been introduced in the Professor's works. They remain the came short, bearded, coarse miners and smiths. They still inhabit caves and greed is their middle name.
TROLLS, too, are preserved as the clumsy giant creatures, not quite intellectual and easily corrupted by evil forces.
Tolkien's ELVES, however, are different from Scandinavian fairies. The common traits are only in the name of their race and their airy manner of enchanting other races with music and beauty. But Scandinavian Elves were tiny and somehow evsive. Not only are Tolkien's elves taller than most races, but also they were immortal. And one comes to think of associations other than Elves being tender only. Thay wer the bravest and noblest kin in Middle-earth.

Like in Greek mythology, in Scandinavian there are certain gods who, by their functions, might easily be related to Tolkien deities.
AEGIR is the Viking water lord, who, just like our ULMO was quite controversial. Without a doubt, he was among the most powerful immortals, the personification of the sea and ambivalent like it.
ODIN, the chief Scandinavian god, is often seen as a sky lord, again, it leads to parallel with Zeus and, of course, MANWE. However, Scandinavians separate the sky deeds, as the power over lightnings is given to THOR, son of ODIN. As MANWE is at the same time wise and mighty, I believe he might be related to both of them.
And ULLE, responsible for chase and archery resmbles TULKAS.
And other creatures, like BERSEKER,who was able to change his skin as a bear or a wolf in battles might be recognized as Beorn from "The Hobbit'

Tolkien's Darkening of Valonor, as described in the Sil was probably inspired by the tale of RAGNAROK. in Viking myths, RAGNAROK was the destructive battle at Asgard, a battle of good vs. evil ( or rather respectable gods vs. mean gods). It lead to a certain cataclism and devastation, but the essense of it was the passing of the age of lords and the establishing of a new order, the human domination on earth. Although assumingly good wins the battle over evil, it is a wicked ascendancy, a bitter victory which emphasises on the inevitable turn of time and epochs. RAGNAROK and the DARKENIG are a metaphor of the natural end of everything and the new beginning of something else.

Last, but not least, Tolkien was greatly affected by RUNES, or thw riting system of Vikings. Norse runes consist of 16 signs, Anglo-Saxon of 40 and there is a doubtful number of German.Tolkien's Cyrth was certainly based on the Anglo-saxon version.

[Melian]

CELTIC

There are a few Celtic myths that I thought would fit into our parallelism. Like the Scandinavian outline, this one is brief, too.

AVALON was believed to be the magic island where the souls of brave warriors rest. It is the otherworld to where king Arthur sails after having been deadly hurt. It is easily associated with the road that Elves must go to reach the lands of eternal peace. Moreover, both voyages to afterlife include sailing, both heavens are 'neverland' islands to where mortals cannot find the way.

And the lord of the dead is ARAWN and his realm is called ANNWN. He was grey-clad and wise, an old man. It leads to an eerie relation to both MANDOS and GADALF.

CIODHNA was an interesting goddess who can be seen in Tolkien as MELIAN and LUTHIEN. She had a gift to sing so sweet that she could bring people to sleep and heal their pain. She fell in love with a mortal, a curly handsome hunter called Ciabhan. There is a certain opinion on Tolkien's Sil that many of his female characters choose to 'lessen' themselves by marrying someone shorter-lived than them. A Maia marries an Elf and a daughter of a Maia and an Elf marries a mortal man. This curious tendency is often seen in mythologies, too, but there is always the vice versa variation, too. But in Tolkien, a Maia never shows any interst in Elvish maidens and an Elf never falls in love with a mortal woman. In all mythologies most gods have many relationships with human wives, but obviously Tolkien has restricted this process to only males having the chance of a 'higher' marriage.

[Melian]

THAT WAS THE END OF PART A OF THIS LECTURE.
I would like to apologize for the inevitable spelling mistakes in names. They have their explanation with the various sources I had to go through and the different transcription of bibliography.
There certainly must be ommitances, but we shall comment on them in the work-book. Unfortunately, I couldn't find sufficient Indian and Central American as well as African myths.

The next PART B is much more shorter and consists of a quick parallel between the symbolic meaning of numbers in Tolkien and their interpretation in numerology, folklore and religion.


B: SYMBOLIC MEANING OF NUMBERS

Reading through Tolkien's epics,you cannot but notice the certain preference of some numbers,like in folklore tales, the Bible etc.,that probably have a hidden meaning. Just like the Biblical significance of 7, the Buddhist sacral umber 8, the favourite Third son or Daughter in fairy tales...

Here, I shall draw in short the basic meanings of the ciphers according to numerology and outline where they occur in Tolkien,and,to what extent (in my view) both implications coincide.

#1 -Eru, The One Ring, The One Corrupted Ainur
*numerology: Initiating action, pioneering, leading, independence, attaining, individual. In my opinion,it is unquestionably relevant to any myth.

#2 -The Children of Eru (mortal and immortal), The Two Trees, The Two Lamps of Valinor,The Two Towers, Arnor and Gondor, Boromir and Faramir (or the two contrast siblings).
*: Cooperation,adaptability, consideration of others, partnering. Here, I should say there is another key word in Tolkien's 2: conflict, inevitable envy for immortality, inavitable rivalry between the Two Towers etc.

#3 -Three teams of Elves went to Valinor, Three Silmarilli, Three songs of Eru to outdo Melkor, 3 Rings for the elven kings.
*: Expression,verbalization, socialization, the arts, the joy of living. Folklore: a tendency for preference of the youngest of three children, a symbol of morale and justice, talent and quality. In Tolkien, though, there is no such trend, but there is certainly a relevance between the arts and the Sils.

#4 -almost impossible to find in Tolkien, nothing meaningful.
*: Foundation, order, service. In Tolkien these associations are closer to # 12 or 24 ?!

#5 -The Istari, the children of Finarfin,
*: Visionary, adventure, the constructive use of freedom. It is hard to compare these characteristics as 5 is a rare number in Tolkien, too. Surprisingly, despite the common preference for uneven numbers in all myths and fairy tales, 5 is not among the common umbers. And actually, there were 3 active Istari and not all five of Finarfin's children made a constructive use of freedom.

#6 -Six hours lasted the radiance of each of the Two Trees. nothing else could be found, obviously unpopular.
*:Responsibility, protection, nurturing, balance, sympathy. ?!?!

#7 -Seven couples of Valar, 7 Dwarf fathers, 7 sons of feanor, The Palantiri, 7 rings for the Dwarves, 7 ships sent westwards at Nirneat Arnoediad, The Gates of Gondolin, Ringbearers (including the Dark lord)
*: Analysis, understanding, knowledge, awareness,meditation. In the Bible: the sacred number, vital and impending. To a great extent these are matching he Seven Vala. Regarding Dwarves, however, Seven is the specific uneven number that symbolises obstinance, persistence, hard work and greed ( and most of Feanor's sons might join them here).

#8 -quite uncommon, the Eight Aratari (eminent Vala).
*:Practical endeavours, status oriented, power-seeking. the Buddhist transcendending magic nuber is almost unavailable at tolkien. There is no place for comparison as there are few other 8s.

#9 -Nine rings for Men, The Nazguls, The Fellowship of the Ring.
*:Humanitarian, giving nature, selflessness, bligation, creative expression. In folklore: mostly an evil number, the dark forces use it. In this way, similar to the Nazguls and the frailty of the nine kings of men. The selflessness and obligation, on the other hand, well correspond to the Fellowship

THAT WAS THE END OF LECTURE # 7