Erendis

Erendis (771-985 S.A.) was the wife of King Tar-Aldarion of Númenor in J. R. R. Tolkien's Unfinished Tales, and as such the Queen Consort of Númenor. Erendis was beautiful, fell in love with Aldarion as a young maiden, and was approved by his parents as a suitable consort. She loved the land of Númenor, especially the region of Emerië.

Unfortunately, the couple appear to have given little thought to whether they were well-suited to each other.

Their personalities complemented each other negatively, Erendis had a tendency toward, if not pettiness, at least a focus on purely local concerns, the past and the future played little role in her thinking. Aldarion, for his part, tended to see the world to some degree in abstractions, if he was prepared to see a larger picture and act on it than Erendis, he was also prepared to subordinate the 'here and now', and the actual people around him, to the dreams that drove him, both good and bad. Tragically, this difference could have been a strength, if they had been willing to make it so, each one drawing the other's attention to their respective blind spots.

The tragedy of their relationship, though, was brought about by their own mutual pride, they had in common a desire to have their own will in all things, both from childhood were stubborn. Aldarion was perhaps slightly spoiled by over-indulgent parents and the freedom that came with being the King's Heir, he seems to have been little restrained by the duties of that position until adulthood, whereupon they chafed upon him. Erendis, too, was self-willed, reluctant ever to compromise, as her own mother Nuneth observed, even in childhood for Erendis it was 'all or nothing'.

Neither concealed their natures from the other, it can not be said that either should have been surprised by the dislike of the roles they would cast each other in, yet they appear not to have considered the matter before marrying. Added to this was the complicating factor of their respective longevity, though all the Dúnedain of Númenor lived long lives by the reckoning of mortal Men, the members of the primary Royal Family lived far longer than the commoners. A commoner might live approximately 200 years, a Royal might easily live twice that in that period of Númenórean history. Aldarion, sensing that he had plentiful time yet, felt less pressure of time than his bride did, less sense of time passing. In later years, Aldarion would conclude that this was a primary cause of their estrangement, though he was perhaps too gentle on himself and his wife in their own free choices.

Erendis never seemed to fully grasp the implications of marrying into the Royal Family, as well. For one whose personality demands 'all or nothing', marrying royalty in a functioning monarchy risks endless frustration, because in such a situation other people's decisions and other demands will invariably interfere with one's own life. It was out of the question that she could ever have Aldarion's full attention or his entire loyalty, under any circumstances. The demands of the Sceptre would necessarily interfere, even in the peaceful and protected early days of Númenor. Yet neither Erendis nor Aldarion seem to have given this any thought.

In the case of Aldarion and Erendis the matter was made the worse by the return of Sauron, who brought back the danger of war to Númenor. Though the threat of this was not immediate, it did exist, Sauron's old hatreds had never faded, and his supernatural nature made him a menace. Aldarion and Erendis came together just as the protected and sheltered peace of Númenor was coming to an end, or way or another.

Aldarion in his youth was torn by his own love of the sea and self-centred nature, which kept him from fully committing to his marriage or from settling down in Númenor, in later life his efforts were focused on the threat he perceived rising in Middle-earth, but in these times Erendis' own self-absorption and unwillingness (or inability) to look beyond the 'here and now' stole away their later chances for reconciliation, such as they were. There was no way Aldarion would ever, under any conditions, fulfil the fantasy role she painted in her mind for him, likewise Aldarion's frustration at her own choices was rooted in an unsolvable contradiction of their goals. Reconciliation would have required both to accept that they had to lay aside their original dreams, neither was willing (or perhaps able) to do so.

The tragedy was compounded by the damage done to their daughter Ancalimë, their only offspring. In many ways she combined the worst traits of her parents, to Aldarion's stubbornness and indifference to individuals and human foibles she added Erendis' bitterness and pettiness, and as her parents used her as a weapon against each other she made sport of the matter and played each against the other for her own entertainment. Aldarion ignored his daughter in her youth, absorbed in his other matters, Erendis used her daughter as a weapon against Aldarion.

In later years, Aldarion changed the succession law in Númenor so that the eldest daughter of the King could inherit the Sceptre, instead of the eldest son only. This pleased Ancalimë, who had inherited her father's natural ambition, but it was done less out of egalitarian impulses or paternal love (though the later perhaps played some role), than because doing so suited Aldarion's other plans, and as part of his ongoing war with Erendis.

Erendis' final years were tragic and sad, her daughter neglected her, Aldarion was away from Númenor most of the time, and her own bitterness isolated her. Númenor was changing around her, even her own daughter was in the end more Aldarion's daughter than hers in turn of mind, though her parents' long war had left her sufficiently 'damaged' that she not only sabotaged her own happiness but that of her relatives. Ancalimë proved to be a competent Queen, but Aldarion's policies of aid to the Elves of Middle-earth were abandoned by her, her parents' mistakes and self-absorption having been mirrored in their child.

It is said that Erendis finally longed for Aldarion enough to overcome her bitterness, and she travelled to a haven where he was expected to return, but all Tolkien tells us is that she died there in water.

Many of Tolkien's works have a tragic edge, even those which are possessed of something like a happy ending. The Tale of the Mariner's Wife is more purely tragic, because the pain and suffering of the characters is almost entirely brought on by their own mistakes and bad choices.

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