#ancalimë

[spruceneedles]

Ancalimë

[anghraine]

I'm feeling like supporting some women's wrongs! (And rights, but definitely also wrongs.)

[amnevitahdrawsstuff]

Current Tolkien WIPs:

Tar-Ancalimë

Tar-Telperiën

Tar-Vanimeldë

Nerdanel

Aredhel

Tar-Minyatar

Tar-Amandil

Tar- Ancalimë

[isabelpsaroslunnen]

Oh right, it's not just dissertation month but Pride. I'm belatedly joining the month of my people with ... a poll :)

My best friend has been good-naturedly mocking my predictable (read: gay) taste in female characters since childhood. I thought it would be fun to let the good people of Tumblr vote between some of said predictable options:

[edennill]

ruling queens of númenor - headcanons and opinions:

tar-ancalimë: I think she made it very hard for any future ruling queens by being, well, an immeasurably difficult person. and people understood it was because of her shitty upbringing! - but it didn't make her easier to deal with and many felt she didn't even try to move past it... from a governing point of view, it was assumed by some that she'd begin prioritising women in political circles, but oddly enough she didn't? she made it pretty obvious what she thought of men, but she expected the women she interacted with to have the same opinions as her on the subject, and when that wasn't feasible she showed them even greater contempt than their counterparts of the other sex. and as queen... she wasn't a very bad ruler but made it way too obvious that many of her decisions were fuelled by spite, usually towards her late father and husband. in her life however, she was pitied as much as hated, though that pity didn't last for future generations.

tar-telperien: I feel like there would have been considerable mistrust towards her initially because of how tar-ancalimë was remembered, but she ended up being one of númenor's best loved rulers. she was a very fortunate mixture of majestic and warm, her one major fault being that she could be terribly stubborn at times, but somehow people were willing to forgive that. and yes, she never had a romantic liaison in her life, aside maybe from an infatuation or two when she was very young... also I think she had several younger brothers and very good relationships with them. there would have been a lot of space for conflict there because there was no precedence in númenor's history for a daughter with male siblings inheriting the sceptre, but ultimately relationships in her family were surprisingly healthy given what the former generations were like. there may have been some slight jealousy on the part of one or more of them, but they knew the law was fair and didn't let it show... also in a weird flashback to her sindarin ancestors, she had silver hair, hence her name

tar-vanimeldë: I don't really have too much to say about her... I feel she's been given something of a short shrift by the narrative, though otoh it's still more than we have for some other kings... much ink has been spilled about how odd the ratio of kings to queens is in númenor if we consider that the law was absolute primogeniture from ancalimë on. I believe jrrt just didn't think it through well enough, however it certainly encourages one to conclude that there was a bunch of eldest princesses that something happened to; my personal theory being that the fact a woman could turn down the sceptre without even a nominal coronation meant that it was very easy for someone to force her to decline... that said - I don't think vanimeldë was ever interested in ruling and I believe it was her more ambitious husband who helped her through that initial precariousness. she can't have been too glad once she realised he had basically usurped her (because people don't just steal the rule from under their sons without any iffy behaviour before that - or did hallacar invent some weird justification for the latter?), but I don't think she felt she could do anything about it.

tar-miriel: first of all, i kind of like that one version in which she marries pharazon of her own will. I'm not sure what that version goes on to say, but as I imagine it - first she agreed that they be co-rulers; her position was precarious enough, she believed it would be good for politics and she liked and trusted him. but he went on to steal the throne from under her and she never learned if that was what he had been planning to do from the beginning. the rest is history and her personal tragedy. what happened with sauron was not her fault, but she would lie awake at night and blame herself... interestingly enough, the faithful never did and around half of them believed she was forced into the marriage anyway... I have a lot more to say about her, in fact, enough that I think I'll make a separate post, but for now I'll only add that I personally headcanon that while tar-palantir stayed faithful to the end, despite the failure of all his plans, miriel chafed. her father understood that no one could force the númenoreans to change against their will (I mean I guess Eru presumably could? but obviously he wouldn't, because free will), but she didn't and felt betrayed... I think that she had to regain faith before the end, because otherwise it's too bitter a tale, to live through terror without knowing there is good one can rely on. the tale is bitter anyhow, but she did not die in despair.

[riding-with-the-wild-hunt]

@aspecardaweek​ day two ✦ tar-ancalimë + aromanticism 

“They met thus in the pastures often and often, and he altered the songs of the lovers of old and brought into them the names of Emerwen and Mámandil; and Ancalimë feigned not to understand the drift of the words. But at length he declared his love for her openly, and she drew back, and refused him, saying that her fate lay between them, for she was the Heir of the King.”

-JRR Tolkien, Unfinished Tales, “The Mariner’s Wife”

[ID: A picspam headcanoning Tar-Ancalimë as aromantic, consisting of 16 images in green, grey, black, and white (the colors of the aromantic flag).

1: Malika El Maslouhi, a moroccan-italian model with brown skin, dark and wavy hair, and dark eyes. She is looking up at the viewer with a serious expression and is wearing a black shirt. Green leaves fill the background / 2: A carved stone niche / 3: Lightning in a dark sky / 4: Sheep grazing on a hillside / 5: Marbled green, white, and brown / 6: Black text on a light grey background reading “may god have mercy on my enemies ‘cause i won’t” / 7: Black columns with ornate drawings or carvings in a traditional egyptian style / 8: Malika El Maslouhi looking through a sheer green cloth / 9: Malika El Maslouhi standing in front of translucent sheeting and looking at a stem of red flowers. She is wearing a brown coat with a high collar and her hair is tucked into it / 10: A multi-exposure shot of a crescent moon which appears doubled several times / 11: Foaming waves / 12: A river running through a green valley / 13: Green fabric with sequins / 14: Many candlesticks, some with candles and some without, standing in front of a silvery curtain / 15: Black text on a grey background reading “don’t play games with a girl who can play better” / 16: Malika El Maslouhi, looking intently at some strands of grass in her hands. She is wearing black and white gloves and a black shirt, and is backed by green leaves /End ID]

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Favourite Female Tolkien Character Poll - Round 2, Match 10

Both of these are from the tale of Aldarion and Erendis in Unfinished Tales.

Tar-Ancalimë

The daughter of Erendis and Tar-Aldarion, and first Ruling Queen of Númenor. Strong-minded and determined, she had no desire for marriage, and after a time her father rescinded the rule that by a certain age a female Heir must either marry or refuse the sceptre, due to her determination to do neither.

When she went into hiding as a shepherdess to avoid her suitors, she was courted by a supposed shepherd, and enjoyed his company; when revealed himself to in fact be a Númenorean noble suitor, Hallacar, she was angered at his deception.

“[If I wanted to marry a non-noble], I could lay down my royalty, and be free. But if I were to do so, I should be free to wed whom I will; and that would be Úner (which is “Noman”), whom I prefer above all others.

She did in fact marry him in time, though for political reasons not for love, and their marriage was unhappy. Their son was Tar-Anárion.

She ruled for 205 years, longer than any Númenorean ruler since Elros. After her father’s death she neglected his policies and gave no further aid to Gil-galad.

Zamîn

An old woman who worked for Erendis; had an unruly son named Îbal, and a husband named Ulbar who sailed with Aldarion.

After Ancalimë, as a child, meets her son, the first boy Ancalimë has met:

Zâmin was an old country-woman, free-tongued, and not easily daunted, even by [Erendis].

“What noisy thing was that?” said Ancalimë.

“A boy,” said Zamîn, “if you know what that is. But how should you? They’re breakers and eaters, mostly. That one is ever eating - but to no purpose. a fine lad his father will find when he comes back…he heard of those Venturers, and took up with them, and went away with your father, the Lord Aldarion: but the Valar know whither, or why.”

When Ancalimë, as a young woman proclaimed the King’s Heir, sought to escape from the importunity of her many suitors, Zamîn aided her in going into hiding as a shepherdess on a farm.

[child-of-hurin]

It is kinda funny, though, to observe the result of Ancalimë's parenting, who ends up having a very similar attitude to mandatory marriage and child-having as Aldarion -- largely motivated, apparently, by her mother's teachings on how much subjection to the male sex suuuuuucks

[ithilheld]

IMAGES. ☽｡⋆. ancalimë.

VIKINGS: VALHALLA — 1.05

[ithilheld]

RESTLESS  SILVER  HARDLY  SETTLES  UNDER  TWILIGHT.  the  pull  of  whetstone  along  the  edge  of  her  blade  soothes  what  wandering  thoughts  often  befall  her.  hereditary  ambitions  and  the  worries  that  follow  assault  her  psyche  from  both  sides  of  a  priceless  coin.  her  father's  voice  was  the  first  she  ever  memorized  outside  her  mother's,  both  hold  power  to  wrench  her  back  from  beyond  the  ever-haunting  veil.  this  night,  she  sings  but  a  hum  in  response.  enchantments  glow  upon  his  approach,  strength  in  her  magic  bound  to  love  of  kin  -  fortified  as  her  soul  made  of  ancient  moon  and  constellation  of  stars.

ancalimë  sets  arms  to  the  side,  EERIE  HUE  OF  GOLD  LIFTED  WITH  FAR  TOO  MUCH  WISDOM.  ❛  the  dead  do  not  find  respite  this  night  either.  ❜  though,  none  would  guess  beyond  the  severity  of  her  carried  quietude;  of  the  storm  that  rises  within.  ❛  and  you,  atar?  ❜  her  mother's  inherited  curiosity  slips  through  the  cracks  of  stoicism  and  with  it,  a  genuine  furrow  of  concern  upon  the  palest  brow.  she  sought  to  read  him,  to  mirror  what  troubles  hound  her  slumber  and  attempt  to  shoulder  where  she  knew  full  well  her  brother  could  not.  ❛  what  troubles  you?  ❜

❛ can’t sleep? ❜ - @uruuk

[naarisz]

Tar-Ancalimë, first Ruling Queen of Númenor.

[anghraine]

@brynnmclean's reblog just reminded me that they reciprocally tagged me in the Tolkien-specific version of the fave characters meme! It seems doubly appropriate given that the result of my original fave character poll just came in and Faramir managed to defeat both Darcy and Luke Skywalker!

(This result is especially entertaining because, as a teenager, I got up the nerve to stop lurking on the Internet and actually talk to people in online fandom spaces specifically because my Faramir feelings were so strong. This was some 20 years ago, but my basic feelings are the same :D)

So, a Tolkien specific poll, slightly adapted from Kate's version:

Tagging @child-of-hurin, @kareenvorbarra, @rain-sleet-snow, @bretwalda-lamnguin, and @ladytharen!

[biginvisiblespider]

Young Ancalimë napping with a sheep

It's cannon, for most of her life she couldn't sleep well away from the sound of sheep.

Obscure Tolkien Blorbo: Semifinal

Nerdanel vs Tar-Ancalimë

Nerdanel:

Nerdanel, called The Wise, was the wife of Fëanor, and known as a great sculptor. She refused to follow her family to Middle-earth in the revolt of the Noldor.

Best known as the woman who looked at the hot mess that is Fëanor, went “is anyone going to marry that?” and did not wait for an answer, Nerdanel is also so much more than just the beloved wife of Fëanor. Most notably, she is a sculptor (apparently a male-dominated field in Noldorin society) - her statues are so life-like that the friends of the depicted would go up and talk to them! She is also wise enough to land the epithet Istarnië, which means Wise One, and she is the only person Fëanor ever listened to, which borders miracle territory. Although when she married the pretty young crown prince of the Noldor, people said she was not good-looking enough for him, Fëanor begged to differ, as they had seven kids together, which is the largest amount of kids any Elven couple ever had. There must have been a lot of passion there (or maybe they just really wanted a daughter?). Although Nerdanel always seemed to have wise counsel for her husband, apparently she did not put up with his, as she was close friends with Indis, his stepmother he did not like. Unfortunately, their marital bliss did not last; when Fëanor pulled a sword on his half-brother Fingolfin (Indis's son) and was exiled, she did not come with him and instead stayed with Indis. This is often seen as her inventing divorce, although a more boring reading could simply suggest she disagreed and did not fancy accompanying him (LaCE does say Elven couples could keep separate households for extended periods of time). She also did not think about coming to Beleriand with him after he swore his terrible oath, although she did beg for him to leave her at least one of her kinslaying spawn sweet adorable baby boys (preferably the one she very ominously tried her hardest to name The Fated as a baby). I suppose the resulting, kind of permanent, separation, could definitely count as divorce.

she is a sculptor and an artisan so skilled that Feanor’s love for her competed with his own love of craft and creation. She raised seven sons and pleaded for their fates with Feanor because of how much she loved them and even though she loved him too, she stuck to her own beliefs and refused to leave Valinor….she’s so girlboss and she said you can go be a tragic archetype but our children don’t deserve that and also I will stay right here. We love a woman who refuses to give up her joys and her home even for a man she loves and ESPECIALLY since it was Feanor….the strength of her will is insane. I love her.

Tar-Ancalimë:

The first Ruling Queen of Númenor.

Ancalime the First Ruling Queen Of Numenor Herself!!! Let me tell you she is wonderful! She is savage! 'she did not refuse the Heirship, and determined that when her day came she would be a powerful Ruling Queen' a girlboss! I know people love making characters gay (it's me, i'm people) and Ancalime is a great case for lesbian/ace/aro headcanons (about marriage) ''We could', said Ancalime, 'if I had any mind to such a state. I could lay down my loyalty and be free. But if I were to do so, I should be free to wed whom I will; and that would be Uner (which is ''Noman''), whom I prefer above all others.'' She has gay vibes, take her and love her! Also she eventually gets married (either out of spite or to please the government) and her husband is just so rude to her so she kicks him out of his house because she's the Queen.

Propaganda for my girl Ancalimë, she must succeed. Technically Ancalimë is more obscure than most of the other characters here and she is such a wonderful character. This fandom says they like girlbosses, she is so girlboss, she's the First Ruling Queen. Plus she is politically savy - since she is called Tar-Ancalime that's probably not her original name, which means she could have named herself after the elven tree and not the other way around - that's one heck of a statement and more tree symbolism for her, tree lovers vote for her she is one of you.

Semifinals masterpost

[vviths]

tar ancalimë sketch

[isabelpsaroslunnen]

You know the posts that periodically make the rounds that say something like "I don't support monarchy as a system except when it comes to Aragorn"?

I don't actually feel that way about Aragorn, in either the book or films (though I much prefer the book character). But I have some sympathy because I very much feel that way about Attolia Irene.

When I read The King of Attolia last December, I was impressed by a lot of things, but the overriding one was that I was deeply invested in the political success of a pair of monarchs. I didn't love it quite as deeply as The Queen of Attolia, mostly because I do not love Eugenides (or anyone) quite as much as Irene, but he's still a fun and deeply engaging character and I was actively rooting for his triumph for the duration of the book.

It's also handled deftly enough that it doesn't feel like I'm being expected to idealize monarchy itself, though—it's more the system that these characters are operating within and around. Costis as the dominant narrative voice helps carry it off, to be sure, but nevertheless, it felt like it was very smoothly done.