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Though Arwen, Galadriel, and Eowyn are standouts in Lord of the Rings, there are still plenty of awesome female characters the movies don’t show. J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels and extended literature surrounding Middle-earth and its lore feature a number of female characters, though they aren’t always central to the Fellowship and its quest to destroy the One Ring. Some of these women existed as part of Elven dynasties that stretched back hundreds of years or even to the dawn of a prior age, and their descendants are integral figures in the saga.
Some female characters are renowned for their beauty, grace, and skill with music, while others are infamous for their necessary deception and personal choices. Galadriel comes off as unlikable in Rings of Power, but her personality is a result of the great effort she makes to mold Middle-earth at a time when Sauron’s darkness is beginning to spread across the land. The women of Middle-earth have to make compromises and sacrifices in order to survive, and they do so knowing the full toll of their decisions on themselves and their cherished families.
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The daughter of the King of Doriath and Queen Melian the Maia, Lúthien was the first Elven woman to ever fall in love with a human mortal man. She lived in peace and was known for her exceptional beauty and ethereal singing voice. Once King Thingol found out about his daughter’s love for Beren, he gave her suitor an impossible task – bring him a Silmaril from Morgoth’s iron crown. Against all odds, Beren succeeded but tragically died after he brought it to him. Like Arwen for her Aragorn, Lúthien searched for a way to be with him and eventually chose to be mortal once he was resurrected.
9 Melian
Melian the Maia was an Alnu and the mother of Lúthien and Queen of Doriath. She was one of the most powerful of all the Maiar, and like her daughter, was known for her sagacity as well as her beauty and mellifluous voice. Prior to coming to Middle-earth, she dwelled in Lorien and tended the trees that filled the Gardens of Irmo, and was a good friend to Galadriel. After falling in love with King Thingol, she created the Girdle of Melian to protect her kingdom for thousands of years, predicting that one day a powerful force of darkness would eventually breach it.
8 Elwing
Elwing was the mother of Elrond and Elros, two prominent siblings in Middle-earth lore, and the granddaughter of Beren. Elwing the White, was the daughter of Dior the Fair and his wife Nimloth, and was the younger sister of the twin brothers Eluréd and Elurín. Her parents, the King and Queen of Doriath, were slain by the sons of Fëanor who took her older brothers to starve. Elwing took the Silmaril and escaped the Second Kingslaying, fleeing to the Havens of Sirion where she met and later married Eärendil.
7 Yavanna
One of the Aratar responsible for the Arda’s growth of all the fruits and other flowering things, Yavanna was of the Valar and Ainur. Her husband was Aulë, who she gave many of her blooming creations, and who fashioned vessels to hold them, and even created the Sun and the Moon to give light to all of Arda. During the War of Wrath, the Men who had stood with the Valar, Yavanna enriched the land of Andor who was raised by Ossë and established by Aulë.
6 Ungoliant
Originally an ally of Melkor until their eventually defeat, Ungoliant took the shape of a gigantic spider, and for a little while was a friend to Middle-earth. Tolkien described Ungoliant as something akin to an evil spirit who just so happened to take the shape of an arachnid. Ungoliant gets her name from “dark spider” in Sindarin. She’s a distant mother of Shelob and existed prior to the First Age during the Golden Age of Valino, and Ungoliant.
5 Idril
Also known as Celebrindal, Idril was a Ñoldorin Elf of Gondolin and the daughter of Elenwë and Turgon., the wife of the Man Tuor, and mother of Eärendil the Mariner. She was the only child of Turgon, and her mother Elenwë died during the crossing of the Helcaraxë. She was one of a few Ñoldor in the third generation, along with Orodreth, to come into exile. Her cousin Maeglin was secretly in love with her, but she scorned any advances he made because of not only were they related but she found him morally bankrupt.
4 Emeldir
Emeldir, or Emeldir the Manhearted of the House of Bëor, was Lúthien and Beren’s daughter. After Middle-earth’s true enemy Morgoth conquered Dorthonion, her husband Barahir and their son Beren stayed behind to create a band of outcasts, and she led the women and children of Bëor’s folk to flee Sauton’s rule. Though she respected her husband and son, she was successful in bringing her charges safely to Brethil where the Haladin dwelled, and because of doing all this that she gained the title Man-hearted.
3 Haleth
Known as Lady Haleth, she had a twin sister of Haldar and was the daughter of Haldad. Eventually, she became the leader of the Haladin, of the Three Houses of the Edain.
She became Chieftain of the Haladin and kept her people alive for a week while Orcs attacked their encampment until the Elf Lord Caranthir arrived with necessary reinforcements. As he was impressed with Haleth’s bravery, Caranthir offered Lady Haleth a fiefdom as well as the protection of his armies, which she refused because of her pride.
2 Nienna
Nienna, also known as “She Who Weeps” as one of the Anatar and Vala who was responsible for the grief that was spread across the Arda. She had no spouse and contributed nothing but sadness to the Music of the Ainur. She was responsible for contributing grief and its subsequent pain to the world. She ruled over the Halls of Nienna, known for overlooking the sea on the edge of Valinor, where she lamented her support for Melkor when he fought for the pardon of the Valar.
1 Celebrían
Celebrian, or “Silver Queen” in Lord of the Rings was of noble birth and the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, wife to Elrond, and the mother of Arwen, Elrohir, and Elladan. She eventually sailed to the West after being kidnapped and tortured by Orcs traveling to Lothlorien in the Redhorn Pass. Her torment at Orc hands was so great that she was never the same again, and even though Elrond healed her of her physical wounds, her mind was shattered irreparably.
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