The Silmarillion Ch.#5: Of Eldamar and the princes

[gate7ole]

Additional readings:

HOME I: "The Coming of Elves"
HOME IV: "The Earliest Silmarillion #3", "Quenta, #3"
HOME V: "Quenta Silmarillion #3c"
HOME X: "The Later Quenta Silmarillion #5"



1.
Fëanor and his sons abode seldom in one place for long, but travelled far and wide upon the confines of Valinor, going even to the borders of the Dark and the cold shores of the Outer Sea,seeking the unknown.
Does this resemble Melkor’s walk in the Void seeking the Imperishable Flame?

2.
Ulmo, submitting to the will of the Valar, sent to them Ossë, their friend, and he though grieving taught them the craft of ship-building; and when their ships were built he brought them as his parting gift many strong-winged swans. Then the swans drew the white ships of the Teleri over the windless sea.
Why did the ships need swans to carry them? Why wasn’t there any wind in Valinor?

3.
They were torn between the love of the music of the waves upon their shores, and the desire to see again their kindred and to look upon the splendour of Valinor; but in the end desire of the light was the stronger.
The gate of that harbour (Alqualondë) was an arch of living rock sea-carved; and it lay upon the confines of Eldamar, north of the Calacirya, where the light of the stars was bright and clear.

It seems that Alqualondë was not lit by the Trees. Yet, the Teleri left Tol Eressëa because of the desire of light. Did then this desire win over their love for the sea, or not?

4.
And since of all things in Valinor they loved most the White Tree, Yavanna made for them a tree like to a lesser image of Telperion, save that it did not give light of its own being.
What does the fact that the Elves most loved the White Tree mean?

5.
but great was the grief of Ossë when Ulmo returned to the coasts of Beleriand, to bear them away to Valinor; for his care was for the seas of Middle-earth and the shores of the Hither Lands, and he was ill-pleased that the voices of the Teleri should be heard no more in his domain. Some he persuaded to remain; and those were the Falathrim, the Elves of the Falas, who in after days had dwellings at the havens of Brithombar and Eglarest, the first mariners in Middle-earth and the first makers of ships
Isn’t this a kind of rebel of Ossë who opposed more than once to the decisions of the Valar?

6.
Then the friends of Elwë were left behind; and they called themselves Eglath, the Forsaken People. They dwelt in the woods and hills of Beleriand, rather than by the sea, which filled them with sorrow; but the desire of Aman was ever in their hearts.
and from those shores whence first the Eldar looked in fear and wonder on the Sea there stretched an ocean, wide and dark and deep… and because of Ulmo’s words and the music which he made for them on his horns of shell their fear of the sea was turned rather to desire.
Thus it came to be that the Teleri, who were from the beginning lovers of water…

There is a special relationship between the Elves and the water, good or bad, which no other element of the earth had. Why is it?

7.
And Ulmo granted their request, and at his bidding Ossë made fast the island and rooted it to the foundations of the sea. Ulmo did this the more readily, for he understood the hearts of the Teleri, and in the council of the Valar he had spoken against the summons, thinking that it were better for the Quendi to remain in Middle-earth. The Valar were little pleased to learn what he had done.
Ulmo despite his disagreement, was the chief Vala that helped the Eldar to come to Valinor. Was this “rebellious action” a regret for having brought them to Aman?

8.
Finwë grieved when the Teleri came not, and yet more when he learned that Elwë was forsaken, and knew that he should not see him again, unless it were in the halls of Mandos.
Did Finwë foresee that both of them would soon die, before the end of the First Age? Remember that they had not yet encountered death and furthermore, Finwë was living under the seeming safety of the Valar.

9.
Then through Calacirya, the Pass of Light, the radiance of the Blessed Realm streamed forth, kindling the dark waves to silver and gold, and it touched the Lonely Isle, and its western shore grew green and fair. There bloomed the first flowers that ever were east of the Mountains of Aman.
Was the light of the Trees necessary for the blossom of flowers? Why?

10.
But the memory of Middle-earth under the stars remained in the hearts of the Noldor, and they abode in the Calacirya, and in the hills and valleys within sound of the western sea; and though many of them went often about the land of the Valar, making far journeys in search of the secrets of land and water and all living things, yet the peoples of Túna and Alqualondë drew together in those days.
Is this a foreshadow of the Flight of the Noldor? Would this have happened even without the rape of the Silmarils?

11.
but the Noldor were beloved of Aulë, and he and his people came often among them. Great became their knowledge and their skill; yet even greater was their thirst for more knowledge, and in many things they soon surpassed their teachers.
It is very interesting that the Elves could surpass in knowledge and skill the Ainur. It resembles the making of the Rings of Power with the help of Sauron (where they surpassed him). Could this mean that the Elves had greater potential than the Ainur and were only lesser in the inherent powers they were originally given?

12.
As the ages passed the Vanyar grew to love the land of the Valar and the full light of the Trees, and they forsook the city of Tirion upon Túna, and dwelt thereafter upon the mountain of Manwë, or about the plains and woods of Valinor, and became sundered from the Noldor.
Isn’t this, along with the sundering of the Teleri, the error that made the Valar by bringing the Eldar to Valinor?

[Ithrynluin]

1.

Does this resemble Melkor’s walk in the Void seeking the Imperishable Flame?

It does bear some resemblance, though they were curious and thirsty for knowledge, whilst Melkor was looking for something specific with ill intentions. Take a look at this quote later on in the text:

many of them went often about the land of the Valar, making far journeys in search of the secrets of land and water and all living things

3.

It seems that Alqualondë was not lit by the Trees. Yet, the Teleri left Tol Eressëa because of the desire of light. Did then this desire win over their love for the sea, or not?

Yes, the desire for light won over their love for the sea. They were reluctant to leave Eressëa because of the sound of waves that they loved dearly. But on the shores of Aman they could enjoy that and more: the sea (Alqualondë) + the light of Valinor + the vicinity of the Valar + the reunion with their brethren. So I would say they made a wise choice:

There they dwelt, and if they wished they could see the light of the Trees, and could tread the golden streets of Valmar and the crystal stairs of Tirion upon Túna, the green hill; but most of all they sailed in their swift ships on the waters of the Bay of Elvenhome, or walked in the waves upon the shore with their hair gleaming in the light beyond the hill. Many jewels the Noldor gave them, opals and diamonds and pale crystals, which they strewed upon the shores and scattered in the pools; marvellous were the beaches of Elendë in those days. And many pearls they won for themselves from the sea, and their halls were of pearl, and of pearl were the mansions of Olwë at Alqualondë, the Haven of the Swans, lit with many lamps. For that was their city, and the haven of their ships; and those were made in the likeness of swans, with beaks of gold and eyes of gold and jet.

4.

What does the fact that the Elves most loved the White Tree mean?

Let me make a comparison between the White Tree (Telperion) and the Golden Tree (Laurelin):

Telperion ---> the elder Tree ---> its last flower eventually became the Moon, and it is therefore synonymous with Twilight, which Elves love, and in which they were destined to fade in Middle Earth
Elves -------> the elder race ---> twilight, the Moon, fading...

Laurelin ---> the younger Tree ---> its last fruit eventually became the Sun (more powerful than the Sun)
Men ----------> the younger race ---> they seek power, eventually they become stronger than the Elves, and ME is destined to become the home of Men

I basically think that Elves loved Telperion more because it was more representative of their race, and the things they love.

5.

Isn’t this a kind of rebel of Ossë who opposed more than once to the decisions of the Valar?

Perhaps this is a stain of his former short-term allegiance to Melkor? Similar to the fact that, though he serves Good, he still causes violent storms at sea sometimes and mariners do not trust him.
His reasons in this case are quite noble and pure though. He was loath to teach the craft of ship-building to the Elves simply because he loved them so much (the Teleri in particular) and was grieved to be parted with them.
Just because he is a Maia in service of a Vala (Ulmo) doesn't mean he can't make suggestions or modifications to his orders. He loved the Teleri and they loved him, and he persuaded a part of them (Círdan & co.) to stay. Nothing wrong there.

6.

There is a special relationship between the Elves and the water, good or bad, which no other element of the earth had. Why is it?

While all Elves seemed to love water, the Teleri stand out as the ones who were the most passionate about it and the most attached to it. For the Elves, water was perhaps reminiscent of the Great Sea and therefore their journey to Aman, where their true home lies (after all, in Middle Earth they are destined to fade), and that's why they long for it so much.

I think this sort of affection and friendship between the 3 Elven peoples and the 3 greates Valar was meant from the beginning.
The Vanyar loved and were beloved of Manwë (and Varda).
The Teleri loved and were beloved of Ulmo (and Ossë and Uinen)
The Noldor loved and were beloved of Aulë.

7.

Ulmo despite his disagreement, was the chief Vala that helped the Eldar to come to Valinor. Was this “rebellious action” a regret for having brought them to Aman?

The rest of the Valar wanted to gather all the Elves in Valinor. They already had all the Vanyar and Noldor there, so I don't blame Ulmo for following his heart and taking into consideration the wishes of the Teleri.

8.

Did Finwë foresee that both of them would soon die, before the end of the First Age? Remember that they had not yet encountered death and furthermore, Finwë was living under the seeming safety of the Valar.

Considering that they were living in perfect happiness and protected by the Valar (like you said), I doubt there was any foresight on his part.

9.

Was the light of the Trees necessary for the blossom of flowers? Why?

Well, since there was no Sun as of yet, I'd have to say yes. How could anything grow in ME without the light and warmth of the Sun, like Turgon says?

10.

Is this a foreshadow of the Flight of the Noldor? Would this have happened even without the rape of the Silmarils?

Probably. I don't think anything could stop the Noldor from adventuring in Middle Earth, since they were eager to test their skills there without the tutelage of the Valar. I believe they would have departed eventually, Melkor or no Melkor. Their spirits were just not made to endure long in a little "cage" like Aman.

11.

It is very interesting that the Elves could surpass in knowledge and skill the Ainur. It resembles the making of the Rings of Power with the help of Sauron (where they surpassed him). Could this mean that the Elves had greater potential than the Ainur and were only lesser in the inherent powers they were originally given?

Did the Elves of Eregion really surpass Sauron? Which was a greater achievement - the Three or the One? None of the Rings of power would have been made if it were not for the joint efforts of Sauron and the Mirdain. Still I think that Sauron was mightier in that lore than the Noldor.
It's similar with the Noldor vs. Aule. What was their greatest achievement in Aman? The Silmarils, that's easy, everyone knows that. We rarely ask ourself what was the greatest achievement of Aulë the Smith? The Earth itself - the vast continents, the tall mountains, the sea bottom...
I think that the Noldor and the Ainur were merely given different powers of forging and different visions as to what to make.

12.

Isn’t this, along with the sundering of the Teleri, the error that made the Valar by bringing the Eldar to Valinor?

No, I wouldn't call it an error. The Vanyar were, most of all the three races of the Elves, content with living in Valinor. The Noldor were drawn to Middle Earth to rule their own realms, and the Teleri constantly wanted to be near the sea. Therefore, this sundering of the three races was inevitable, since they had different characters and needs.

[Turgon]

2.

'Ulmo, submitting to the will of the Valar, sent to them Ossë, their friend, and he though grieving taught them the craft of ship-building; and when their ships were built he brought them as his parting gift many strong-winged swans. Then the swans drew the white ships of the Teleri over the windless sea.'

Why did the ships need swans to carry them? Why wasn’t there any wind in Valinor?


9.

'Then through Calacirya, the Pass of Light, the radiance of the Blessed Realm streamed forth, kindling the dark waves to silver and gold, and it touched the Lonely Isle, and its western shore grew green and fair. There bloomed the first flowers that ever were east of the Mountains of Aman.'

Was the light of the Trees necessary for the blossom of flowers? Why?

I think that these two question are linked together in someway. Though I'm not wise in weather matters - doesn't wind depend upon the action of the sun in some way? Come to think of it could there have been any tides with no moon to influence the waters of the seas and oceans?

And as for flowers - how could they have bloomed without light? Most of Arda was lying under the Sleep of Yavanna at this time - after the lamps had fallen and before the Sun and Moon were created could anything have grown in Middle-earth?

I think this questioned troubled Tolkien greatly as can be seen in his essay on the Sun and Moon in Morgoth's Ring. Personally I find great pleasure in imagining the vast stillness of Middle-earth as it lay sleeping beneath Yavanna's spell - it must have been something to behold...

[Lhunithiliel]

1. “Fëanor and his sons abode seldom in one place for long, but travelled far and wide upon the confines of Valinor, going even to the borders of the Dark and the cold shores of the Outer Sea,seeking the unknown.”
Does this resemble Melkor’s walk in the Void seeking the Imperishable Flame?
“Fëanor was the mightiest in skill of word and of hand, more learned than his brothers; his spirit burned as a flame.”

“…by his mother he was called Fëanor, Spirit of Fire”
No fire burns in closed space. No fire can be chained. So, I definitely think that being one of the mightiest and most skilful and learned Elf, Feanor much resembles Melkor in the desire to achieve higher goals and to explore the unknown. The unknown is a dangerous challenge and only strong characters can dare face this challenge openly – just as Melkor did and just as Feanor did.
The rest …. They make songs and tales about it.

Yet, then comes a question:
Why should the most valiant, those who dare face the difficulties of exploring the unknown, be left to fail as personalities, as individuals? Melkor and Feanor had this destiny!
It is a trend that can easily be traced in many pieces of art throughout the history of mankind.

And another question comes to my mind:
Why is this Flame imperishable so strongly prohibited for more “common” use? Who dictates the rules of who is capable of using it and who isn’t?
I remember how severely was Prometheus punished for stealing the flame of the Gods.
Wasn’t Feanor punished for “stealing” the divine light? Wasn’t Melkor punished for desiring to wield it?
*****

4. What does the fact that the Elves most loved the White Tree mean?

I think that white is closer to the silvery shine of the stars and Elves, we know, are the Children of the Star-lit world.
******
5. Isn’t this a kind of rebel of Ossë who opposed more than once to the decisions of the Valar?

I have always admired the relations between the Valar. I mean that even though Manwe was the King, all those Ainur who had sung in the Great Music and later had decided to enter their own creation and stay bound to its fate, had been given special authorities and ALL were with more or less EQUAL status of importance in taking decisions. There is an obvious mutual respect among them and even when sometimes their opinions differ, they never lose this respect towards another Vala.
This is why, I don’t understand Ossë’s actions as a rebellion, but just as implementing his powers and authority.
Didn’t Ulmo himself acted according to HIS opinion even though it did not please the other Valar?!
*****
7. Ulmo despite his disagreement, was the chief Vala that helped the Eldar to come to Valinor. Was this “rebellious action” a regret for having brought them to Aman?
Having also in mind all that he did afterwards in the course of the history of Arda and its center – Middle-earth, his constant care for the races of the Children of Illuvatar, both – Elves and Men (though for Elves mainly ), I could agree to such interpretation.
But I also get a feeling of Ulmo’s desire to “keep them in sight” = to control them. But control not in some bad sense (as in Melkor’s understanding), but more as to guide their actions and development in such a way as to avoid troubles and misunderstandings between them and the Valar.
******
11. It is very interesting that the Elves could surpass in knowledge and skill the Ainur. It resembles the making of the Rings of Power with the help of Sauron (where they surpassed him). Could this mean that the Elves had greater potential than the Ainur and were only lesser in the inherent powers they were originally given?


Oh, yes! Interesting thought!
I truly can’t still understand why Tolkien made them at first so perfect and glorious creatures and then…. let them fade and come to a state of simple existence with a life with no challenging goals to achieve, no special powers to use, forgotten and unimportant.

I can think of a reason that could possibly explain this fact, but it is so personal and I could be well very wrong as I haven’t yet read the Letters of Tolkien in full and haven’t yet profoundly studied those writings where the Professor explains a lot of his thoughts and ideas.
*****

My humble opinions so far :rolleyes:

[gate7ole]

posted by Lhunithiliel
Why is this Flame imperishable so strongly prohibited for more “common” use? Who dictates the rules of who is capable of using it and who isn’t?
I remember how severely was Prometheus punished for stealing the flame of the Gods.
Wasn’t Feanor punished for “stealing” the divine light? Wasn’t Melkor punished for desiring to wield it?
The Flame Imperishable was the ultimate tool. It could create life. It would be the award of Eru to his Children (including the Valar), at the end after the Final Battle. Arda Marred would be in a sense the trial of the children about their level of maturity to wield such a powerful tool.

posted by Lhunithiliel
I have always admired the relations between the Valar. I mean that even though Manwe was the King, all those Ainur who had sung in the Great Music and later had decided to enter their own creation and stay bound to its fate, had been given special authorities and ALL were with more or less EQUAL status of importance in taking decisions. There is an obvious mutual respect among them and even when sometimes their opinions differ, they never lose this respect towards another Vala.
This is why, I don’t understand Ossë’s actions as a rebellion, but just as implementing his powers and authority.

posted by ithrynluin
Just because he is a Maia in service of a Vala (Ulmo) doesn't mean he can't make suggestions or modifications to his orders. He loved the Teleri and they loved him, and he persuaded a part of them (Círdan & co.) to stay. Nothing wrong there.
The rest of the Valar wanted to gather all the Elves in Valinor. They already had all the Vanyar and Noldor there, so I don't blame Ulmo for following his heart and taking into consideration the wishes of the Teleri.

Both of you don’t take into account that this journey of the Eldar was a decision taken at the Ring of Doom, by all the Ainur. It was decided by the majority of them. So, ignoring direct orders can only be considered a rebellious action. Of course one can say that the Teleri themselves asked it, but this choice of theirs was a result of Ossë’s lure.


posted by ithrynluin
Did the Elves of Eregion really surpass Sauron? Which was a greater achievement - the Three or the One? None of the Rings of power would have been made if it were not for the joint efforts of Sauron and the Mirdain. Still I think that Sauron was mightier in that lore than the Noldor.
It's similar with the Noldor vs. Aule. What was their greatest achievement in Aman? The Silmarils, that's easy, everyone knows that. We rarely ask ourself what was the greatest achievement of Aulë the Smith? The Earth itself - the vast continents, the tall mountains, the sea bottom...
I think that the Noldor and the Ainur were merely given different powers of forging and different visions as to what to make.
The One was greater only because Sauron let a part of himself enter the Ring. So, I would say that the comparison is unfair for the Three that didn’t need any such kind of enhancement.
But IMO Sauron was surpassed by the Elves of Eregion. As, the Noldor surpassed most Ainur of Aman. Possibly not Aulë, but still many Maiar of his service, as the passage clearly states.
You seem to reject that some Elves might had more inherent powers than most Ainur. I believe that the elite of the Elves surpassed the Maiar and “lesser” Valar.

[Nóm]

Did Finwë foresee that both of them would soon die, before the end of the First Age? Remember that they had not yet encountered death and furthermore, Finwë was living under the seeming safety of the Valar.
I don't know, but I sort of suspect that he did not.
Maybe Finwe though "unless it be in the halls of Mandos" in the way that we think "when hell freezes over".

What does the fact that the Elves most loved the White Tree mean?

I agree with Lhunithiliel that this is related to the elves love of the stars. Varda did create starts from that tree.

Isn’t this a kind of rebel of Ossë who opposed more than once to the decisions of the Valar?
Sure was, as was Ulmo's actions. Remember in UT, Ulmo tells Tuor that is it his place among the Valar to do things that appear to be opposition.
There is a special relationship between the Elves and the water, good or bad, which no other element of the earth had. Why is it?

Water is less contaminated (as is silver vs. gold) by Morgoth than other elements, and the Eldar believe that in water lives the echo of the music of the Ainur more than in any other subtsance. Maybe those things have something to do with it. It's probably all tied in, if you care to theorize. Could be that the music's echo remained because water was not as touched by Morgoth, or maybe Morgoth couldn't get to water because of the echo of music.

Or maybe water is just by nature something that holds echos more and is less easy to change, because of it's fluid form. That is what I think. I am inclined to think that it is the sound of water that the elves love.

[Eöl]

Water is less contaminated (as is silver vs. gold) by Morgoth than other elements, and the Eldar believe that in water lives the echo of the music of the Ainur more than in any other subtsance. Maybe those things have something to do with it. It's probably all tied in, if you care to theorize. Could be that the music's echo remained because water was not as touched by Morgoth, or maybe Morgoth couldn't get to water because of the echo of music.

Good point! Remember also, the Elves always longed for the sea, once they had heard it's sound they never could rid themselves of it.



Then I stood still, forgetting war in Middle-Earth; for their wailing voices spoke to me of the Sea. The Sea! Alas! I have not yet beheld it. But deep in the hearts of all my kindred lies the sea-longing, which it is perilous to stir.- Legolas

[jallan]

In his Book of Lost Tales writing Tolkien saw the Valar as “gods” who had failed badly.

As with many pieces of his legendarium he later changed his concept, but also, as with many parts of his legendarium, found making changes to the actual tales very difficult.

So Ulmo claims that though he seems to be opposed to the other Valar, he really isn’t. From Morgoth’s Ring (HoME 10), “Myths Transformed”, VII, Notes on the motives in the Silmarillion (iii): This appearance of selfish fainéance in the Valar in the mythology as told is (though I have not explained it or commented on it) I think only an ‘appearance’, and one which we are apt to accept as the truth, since we are all in some degree affected by the shadow and lies of their Eenmy, the Calumniator. It has to be remembered that the ‘mythology’ is represented as being two stages removed from a true record: it is based first upon Elvish records and lore about the Valar and their own dealings with them; and these have reached us (fragmentaritly) only through relics of Númenórean (human) traditions, derived from the Eldar, in the earlier parts, though for later times supplemented by antropocentric histories and tales. These, it is true, came down through the ‘Faithful’ and their descendants in Middle-earth, but could not altogether escape the darkening of the picture due to the hostility of the rebellious Númenóreans to the Valar.Tolkien then continues with possible true motives of the Valar in the closing of Valinor.

This kind of argument seems to be what Tolkien had to go to the in part save his stories which only worked when considered as untrue mythology.

Originally his cosmos was created in party from delightlful mythological pictures, but pictures which he found lacked the kind of reality he put into The Lord of the Rings.

So we have a world with no Sun, yet apparently vegetation growth and seasons. (Even Elves have to eat, and what did they eat if all other living things, plants and animals, lay in ungrowing sleep.)

These lacks and discrepencies are the norm in surviving traditional mythologies, which don't paint consistant or coherent pictures.

Finding a rewriting of his early mythology impossible because of how deeply entangled the threads were that he wished to remove or alter, Tolkien eventually came to simply accept the mythology as in large parts, especially the early parts, untrue within his own legendarium.

If this seems unsatisfcatory to us, it was probably unsatisfactory to Tolkien as well, and was a main reason why he could not get The Silmarillion finished, could not make it fit.

But as to Elves preferring the white tree, the young Tolkien seems to have been much impressed by the duality of silver and gold (the two most common precious metals) parallel the cold white ligh of stars and moon against the fiery light of the sun.

Elves as people of the night versus Men as people of the day seems a reasonable extension of this parallel, whence Elves are more for subtle starlight and moonlight, Men more connected with the bright and obvious Sun.

As to why Tolkien had his Elves dwindle and fade, I think the answer is obvious. Tolkien started with the supernatural beings that appear in English folklore (and Scandinavian and Celtic and Gallic folklore) sometimes called Elves among other names, who appear to be, sometimes, etherial spirits, often invisible, seen mostly at night when seen at all.

This was the beginning.

Tolkien then imagines that they were more solid and more like Men in their hypotheical youth, and are still in this state in the own land beyond the western sea, a lang paralleled by islands in the sea inhabited by immortals as appear in Irish tales.

[Gil-Galad]

1Does this resemble Melkor-s walk in the Void seeking the Imperishable Flame?
On that question I would agree with Lhun's opinion.

Why did the ships need swans to carry them? Why wasn-t there any wind in Valinor?
People often think that there is always wind before storms.If we have that in mind it is obvious why there isn't any wind in Valinor,because there isn't bad weather.I think that the ships needed swans for greater speed or to seem more like God's ships.;) ;) ooooo that idea is very stupid.:p

What does the fact that the Elves most loved the White Tree mean?
Well,all elves loved the stars and the moon.They were the ancestors of the sun.Just like the white tree was the ancestor of Laurelin.And the fact that moon originate from the white tree explains why it was loved

more answers........the next week..........:p

[Eöl]

Fëanor and his sons abode seldom in one place for long, but travelled far and wide upon the confines of Valinor, going even to the borders of the Dark and the cold shores of the Outer Sea, seeking the unknown.
Does this resemble Melkor’s walk in the Void seeking the Imperishable Flame?

I agree with what Lhun said here, I just want to add a few things. The Flame Imperishable is a tool for creation, I think in that respect it differs from Feanor's wanderings because they were in pursuit of knowledge. He wished to create things, but only things which were allowed for him. Melkor sought to create that which was not supposed to be created by him.

but great was the grief of Ossë when Ulmo returned to the coasts of Beleriand, to bear them away to Valinor; for his care was for the seas of Middle-earth and the shores of the Hither Lands, and he was ill-pleased that the voices of the Teleri should be heard no more in his domain. Some he persuaded to remain; and those were the Falathrim, the Elves of the Falas, who in after days had dwellings at the havens of Brithombar and Eglarest, the first mariners in Middle-earth and the first makers of ships
Isn’t this a kind of rebel of Ossë who opposed more than once to the decisions of the Valar?
Definitely. I do not have BoLT V:II with me right now, but there are a lot of quotes showing Osse's rebellious nature. One example is the anchoring of Tol Eressea to the ocean floor. This element in Osse was never entirely lost, even in The Silmarillion we still see his rebellious side though it is much more prominent in the HoME.

[Gil-Galad]

5Isn-t this a kind of rebel of OssÊ who opposed more than once to the decisions of the Valar?
I like what Ithrynluin said,that he loved the Teleri.He did that because of them,he wanted only the best for them.I don't think that was a kind of rebel,he had just different opinion.And Aule had different opinion when he made the dwarves,but that wasn't a rebel.So I don't think we can talk about a rebel in Osse's case.

6There is a special relationship between the Elves and the water, good or bad, which no other element of the earth had. Why is it?
Let's think in a scientifical way.Is it possible life without water?No.Every organism lives thanks to water,every organism originates from water.Water is the beginning of life,the most important element of life.I think that explains why elves have different attitude towards water,they realize it is the element of life.


Ulmo despite his disagreement, was the chief Vala that helped the Eldar to come to Valinor. Was this ?rebellious action¦ a regret for having brought them to Aman?
I again like what Ithrynluin said.WE SHOULD NOT BLAME ULMO FOR LISTENING TO HIS HEART!!!!!!!!


Did FinwÊ foresee that both of them would soon die, before the end of the First Age? Remember that they had not yet encountered death and furthermore, FinwÊ was living under the seeming safety of the Valar.
I think elves knew they would go to the Hall of Mandos someday.So I don't think Finwe foresaw it.It's just like in the movies.If I'm the bad guy and tell you before my death "See you in Hell",and we meet there,that will not mean I have foreseen it.