Lay of Leithian: Canto One

Canto One consists of 98 lines and gives us an introduction to several people: Thingol, Lúthien, and Dairon. But of the three I will focus on Lúthien. The most beautiful Elf of all Elves: graceful, strong, joyful, and faithful. I think it's pretty sweet that Tolkien referred to his wife as Lúthien and I wonder how much of her influenced what he wrote about Thingol's only child. I will pick up the description from lines 27 through 40:

"Her robe was blue as summer skies, 

but grey as evening were her eyes;

'twas sewn with golden lilies fair,

but dark as shadow was her hair.

Her feet were light as bird on wing, 

her laughter lighter than the spring;

the slender willow, the bowing reed,

the fragrance of a towering mead,

the light upon leaves of trees,

the voice of water, more than these

her beauty was and blissfulness, 

her glory and her loveliness;

and her the king more dear did prize

than hand or heart or light of eyes" 

(p. 155, The Lays of Beleriand)

I love the line about her beauty was and blissfulness her glory and loveliness. That is a powerful line. I am reminded of the Proverbs: that he that finds a wife finds what is good. I want to cherish my wife's beauty and competence (she's real good at whatever she does; full of joy too, but this word comes to my mind first) which are her glory and loveliness. 

So there is the intro to Lúthien in Canto One. Most of Tolkien's characters are masculine but those feminine characters he introduces are full of such honor, strength, and loveliness they leave a lasting impression.