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Lúthien Tinúviel is a fictional character featured in J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth. She is an Elf of Middle-earth, the fairest of all the Children of Iluvatar. She was the daughter of Elu Thingol, king of Doriath, and his queen, Melian the Maia. (Technically, this makes Lúthien Half-elven). Lúthien's romance with Beren was one of the great stories of the Elder Days, and was mirrored by the later romance between Aragorn and Arwen. "Lúthien" means "Enchantress", while "Tinúviel" means "Nightingale". Tinúviel was a name given to her by Beren (it was also the name Tolkien originally gave her, before changing it to Lúthien). She is supposed to have been based on Edith Tolkien, the wife of J.R.R.
Lúthien is remembered in the Lay of Leithian (Escape From Bondage). She fell in love with Beren, a Man of the House of Bëor. Their relationship was doomed from the beginning: Lúthien was not only the cherished single daughter of the most powerful elven king in Beleriand, but also the daughter of the Maia Melian (an angelic powerful being). Beren was a mortal man on the run from the Dark Lord Morgoth.
Thingol was desperate not to let Beren marry his daughter, and set an impossible task as the bride price: Beren had to bring to Thingol one of the Silmarils from Morgoth's iron crown. Against monstrous odds, including kidnap by the sons of Fëanor and the death of Finrod Felagund, as well as a confrontation with Sauron, the couple achieve the task, with help from Huan the Hound of Valinor, but Beren dies as soon as it is completed. In grief, Lúthien laid down and died after this event, going to the Halls of Mandos. Here, she manages to convince Mandos to grant herself and Beren life again, on the condition that they would both be mortal and die the death of Men. This was the only time when Mandos was ever moved to pity.
After this, they dwell in Ossiriand until after the sack of Menegroth. They have a son, Dior, who is called Elúchil - the Heir of Thingol. After the Silmaril stolen by Beren was set in the Nauglamír, the Necklace of the Dwarves, it was given to Lúthien. Her beauty combined with the splendor of the gem and necklace to make her home of Tol Galen the fairest land ever to have existed east of Valinor. On her death the Nauglamír was delivered to her son Dior, which leads to the ruin of Doriath.
Her line will never be broken.
Tolkien was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery (North Oxford) and this name appears on the stone
EDITH MARY TOLKIEN LUTHIEN 1889 – 1971
The name of Beren also appears on the stone
JOHN RONALD REUEL TOLKIEN BEREN 1892 – 1973
Lúthien may be derived from the Old English word Lufien, which means love.ja:ルーシエン fi:Lúthien