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Galadriel

Meaning: 'maiden crowned with a radiant garland', in reference to her hair

Other Names: Artanis, Nerwen, Altáriel, Alatáriel, Galadhriel

Location(s): Tirion, Alqualondë?, Doriath, Eregion, Lórien (aka; Lothlórien, Lórinand), Lake Evendim (Nenuial), Imladris, Belfalas

Race/Species: Elf

Type/Kind: Noldor

Title(s): Lady of Lórien, Lady of the Golden Wood, The White Lady

Dates: Age of the Trees 1362 - III 3021*

Parents: Finarfin (f) Eärwen (m)

Siblings: Finrod, [Orodreth], Angrod, Aegnor

Spouse: Celeborn

Children: [Amroth]**, Celebrian

Description:
"Galadriel was the greatest of the Noldor, except Fëanor maybe, though she was wiser than he, and her wisdom increased with the long years"

"...she grew to be tall beyond the measure even of the women of the Noldor; she was strong of body, mind and will, a match for both the loremasters and the athletes of the Eldar in the days of their youth. Even among the Eldar she was accounted beautiful, and her hair was held a marvel unmatched. It was golden like the hair of her father and of her foremother Indis, but richer and more radiant, of its gold was touched by some memory of the starlike silver of her mother; and the Eldar said that the light of the Two Trees... had been snared in her tresses."

Unfinished Tales, Part 2 "IV. History of Celeborn and Galadriel"

"'Beautiful she is, sir! Lovely! Sometimes like a great tree in flower, sometimes like a white daffadowndilly, small and slender like. Hard as di'monds, soft as moonlight. Warm as sunlight, cold as frost in the stars. Proud and far-off as a snow-mountain, and as merry as any lass I ever saw with daisies in her hair in springtime. But that's a lot o' nonsense, and all wide of my mark.'

'Then she must be lovely indeeed,' said Faramir. 'Perilously fair.'

'I don't know about perilous,' said Sam. 'It strikes me that folk takes their peril with them into Lorien, and finds it there because they've brought it. But perhaps you could call her perilous, because she's so strong in herself. You, you could dash yourself to pieces on her, like a ship on a rock; or drownd yourself, like a hobbit in a river. But neither rock nor river would be to blame.' "

Lord of the Rings The Two Towers, Book 4, Ch. 5 "The Window on the West"

*The year that she set sail from the Grey Havens

**In one version Amroth is Celeborn and Galadriel's son. In another version he is the son of Amdir, King of Lorien.

Etymology

kal- (gal-) This root, meaning 'shine', appears in Calacirya, Calaquendi, Tar-Calion; galvorn, Gil-galad, Galadriel. The last two names have no connexion with Sindarin galadh 'tree', although in the case of Galadriel such a connexion was often made, and the name altered to Galadhriel. In the High-elven speech her name was Al(a)táriel, derived from alata 'radiance' (Sindarin galad) and riel 'garlanded maiden' (from a root rig- 'twine, wreathe'): the whole meaning 'maiden crowned with a radiant garland', referring to her hair.

The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names

Contributors:
Loquacious 02.02.03
thanks to Stultiloquentia for providing the description of Galadriel by Sam
Fëadan.
added Etymology: Elena Tiriel 5Jan05

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