Míriel Serindë

This page is about the elven craftswoman. For the last Queen of Númenor, see Tar-Míriel. 

Description

Míriel Serindë (or, more properly, þerindë) was an elven craftswoman, a weaver and broidress of remarkable skill, noteworthy even among the craft-skill of the Ñoldor. She lived in Tirion, in Aman. Míriel married Finwë, High King of the Ñoldor, and their son was Fëanor. After Fëanor's birth, Míriel was greatly wearied and she retreated to the gardens of Lórien to recover her strength, the domain of the Vala Irmo. There, in time, Míriel became the first elf to die in the Blessed Realm. Her spirit departed, though her body remained and was not allowed to decay.

Míriel remained in the Halls of Mandos despite repeatedly being given the option to be returned to life. With her absence and refusal to return, Finwë eventually desired to remarry. Much about the situation was abnormal, but it was eventually resolved and Finwë wed Indis of the Vanyar. When Finwë was eventually slain and joined Míriel in the Halls of Mandos, they spoke at length and she discovered she had at last recovered enough of her strength to return, and Finwë offered his own chance to return to her, instead remaining with their son in the Halls.

Míriel, after returning to life, entered the service of Vairë the Weaver, one of the Valar, and began weaving tapestries of her descendants and their deeds in Middle-earth.

External Resources

• The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
• Míriel
• The Statue of Finwë and Míriel