What was the first sentient race that awoke on Arda?

Question

Some background: Tolkien's history of elves singing and ents walking and talking.

One of the foundations of Tolkien's mythology is the Elves being the Firstborn. The Dwarves are even put back to sleep until the Elves awake. I've always taken this to mean the first born sentient race¹.

However, several quotes are making me question this:

Even some whole inventions like the remarkable Ents, oldest of living rational creatures, Shepherds of the Trees, are omitted.

^{The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, To Milton Waldman (#131), p. 160}

Ents. The most ancient people surviving in the Third Age were the Onodrim or Enyd. Ent was the form of their name in the language of Rohan.

^{The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Appendix F: The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age, p. 511}

[...]before the Children awake there shall go forth with wings like the wind the Eagles of the Lords of the West."

^{The Silmarillion, Of Aulë and Yavanna, p. 41}

There's another quote from the Silmarillion abouts Ents that contradicts the ones above:

When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar[...]

^ibid.

Concerning the Dwarves, Ilúvatar says this:

But I will not suffer this: that these should come before the Firstborn of my design, nor that thy impatience should be rewarded. They shall sleep now in the darkness under stone, and shall not come forth until the Firstborn have awakened upon Earth

^{The Silmarillion, Of Aulë and Yavanna, p. 38}

So, are Elves not the first sentient beings to awaken? Were they only called "Firstborn" in relation to Men? Was it the Ents? Or maybe Eagles?

I am obviously excluding from this any race that was created outside Arda (Ainur, Maiar) or weird individuals (Bombadil, Ungoliant).

^{¹"race", "species", "ethnicity" or whatever. Not trying to start a semantics war.}

^{All citations from the Harper Collins editions}

There is a similar question about the oldest sentient being, but it is not related. — isanae, Oct 03 '16 at 07:24
@Po-ta-toe Bombadil is nothing and everything. We do not mention him. — isanae, Oct 03 '16 at 07:35
Just as an idea: First-born may mean the first ones who come into being, i.e. those created, which would exclude those who have always been there. This would clearly lead to the fact that Ents and the Great Eagles are eternal spirits. — Philip Klöcking, Oct 03 '16 at 08:19
To add to my comment: Although it is correctly pointed out that both Ents and Eagles obviously reproduce, this does not contradict the point made. For example, there are equally obvious descendants of the 'horse spirits', of whom Shadowfax is probably the last. The trope of 'descendants of greater spirits' is rather common in Tolkien's works. That means that it is perfectly possible for the first Ents and Eagles to be eternal spirits, i.e. beings who were neither 'born' nor 'created' in the Ainulindalë. — Philip Klöcking, Oct 03 '16 at 20:17
@PhilipKlöcking There are no "eternal spirits" in Tolkien's works, except for Eru. The only beings created before the Music are the Ainur and Maiar. Ents, Eagles and horses are not one of those. — isanae, Oct 03 '16 at 20:24
@isanae: 1) There are spirits that did not take part in the Ainulindalë. 2) The Ainur are all spirits that took part in it (or entered earth), this includes both Maiar and Valar (equal in kind, but not in power!). 3) There are numerous spirits (Maiar) that appear on Arda clad in mortal bodies that resemble 'lesser' beings, e.g. the Istari (as humans), certain Orcs, Ungolianth (as spider, but almost certainly no Maia, as not part in the song) and Melian (as elf). It is not that far off to assume that there were other Maiar that were akin to Yavanna that took the form of tree, horse, or eagle. — Philip Klöcking, Oct 03 '16 at 21:47
@PhilipKlöcking That's a lot of text. 1 and 2 imply a higher class than Ainur, which would include individuals who weren't part of the Ainulindalë. I'll need a quote on that. 3) You may assume, but I've seen no text that would imply that. Again, give me a quote. 4) Okay. — isanae, Oct 04 '16 at 01:08
Perhaps it's because Ents grow from seeds and Eagles hatch from eggs, so the Elves are the first to be born. (Not a serious comment.) — N. Virgo, Oct 04 '16 at 09:14
This discussion is about Tom Bombadil seemingly being of another kind, but certainly spiritual. I am on the "Ainu, but not part of Ainulindalë" fraction, obviously. I think 'higher class' is misleading. Just a different category. Ungoliant 'descended from the darkness that lies about Arda' (see Silmarillion, Chapter 8) and Ainur 'put on the raiment of Earth and descended into it, and dwelt therein' right after the creation of Arda (see second paragraph of the Valaquenta). Nahar certainly was a Maia as well. — Philip Klöcking, Oct 04 '16 at 16:42
@PhilipKlöcking TB isn't consistent with the mythos, he's irrelevant to me. By "higher" class, I meant a larger class that includes "Music Ainur" and "non-Music Ainur", which doesn't exist in Tolkien's works. As for Nahar, again I'll need a quote on the "certainly was Maia". You seem to have lots of certainties without anything to support them. — isanae, Oct 04 '16 at 16:51
Something to consider is that "firstborn" may not be referring to chronology here, but rather to a status of esteem. This could be influenced by Tolkien's Christian background. Consider Colossians 1:15-16, which refers to Christ as the "firstborn over all creation." This is a reference to Christ's status and authority and an allusion to the fact the firstborn receives a greater inheritance, not the chronology of His physical incarnation. I think this is worth looking into, but I'm not going to try to answer because I have no sources to show the connection or intention. — jpmc26, Oct 04 '16 at 23:28
@Nathaniel I am now picturing that scene at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy involving Groot. Maybe all the Ents derive from clippings and are all clones. Cut off Treebeard's pinkie, produce lil' Treefolk. Not of woman born? — Ber, Nov 03 '16 at 21:54

score 50 · Answer 1 · edited May 20 '22 at 03:45

50

Ok, so here's what happened, in order:

Eru Ilúvatar would create Elves and then Men in the coming of the Children of Ilúvatar. Aulë, not wanting to wait until the coming of the children to have beings to whom he could teach his crafts, created 7 Dwarves in secret. But Aulë did not actually have the power to create life, so these Dwarves were not technically a sentient species.
Ilúvatar finds out about these Dwarves and reprimands Aulë for his impatience. Aulë realises he has made a mistake and offers up the Dwarves for Ilúvatar to do with as he will, including destroy them if he so wished.
Ilúvatar accepts Aulë's offering and grants the 7 Dwarves life, so when Aulë attempts to destroy his creations, they cower in fear and beg for mercy, which Aulë grants them.
Ilúvatar decrees that he shall not suffer Dwarves to exist before his children, and so the 7 Dwarves shall sleep underground until his children awaken and walk Middle-earth.
Yavanna voices concern for her creations, the plants and animals, for she fears the Dwarves would fell them to fuel their industrious nature. Aulë, in defense of his Dwarves, informs her that Ilúvatar's children would also have need of trees. She then asks Manwë for counsel and asks that her creations be protected. When asked which she would have protection granted to, she replies that all things have their worth, but that trees should punish those who wrong them.
Manwë informs Ilúvatar of Yavanna's request and Ilúvatar grants it. It is said that when the Firstborn (The Elves) awaken, spirits shall descend to Middle-earth and inhabit beings within it, guardians who will protect the plants and animals. This is the conception of both the Ents and the Great Eagles.

So in fact many races were created long before the Elves ever existed, but all were asleep before the Elves awoken. The first race to awaken on Middle-earth were the Elves. Technically speaking, the very first race to "awaken" on Arda were the Dwarves, as they were created first by Aulë and granted life by Ilúvatar before they were put to sleep.

EDIT: Extra bit to answer OP's last question at the bottom of their post. Yes, the term "Firstborn" is applied to Elves only in relation to men. Men are, in comparison, known as the "Afterborn".

edited May 20 '22 at 03:45

DavidW

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answered Oct 03 '16 at 09:21

DisturbedNeo

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Great answer and good explanation on difference between being awaken and being alive :) – Tjafaas Oct 03 '16 at 12:07
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The Elves were the Firstborn of the Children of Iluvatar (as @Victim's answer makes clear). – Matt Gutting Oct 03 '16 at 13:42
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Good answer, but how do you explain "before the Children awake there shall go forth [the Eagles]"? – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 15:27
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Hm, the concept of the Eagles definitely came after the Dwarves were granted life, but perhaps they would descend to Middle-Earth just before the Firstborn awoke. Though I have to say, I find it difficult to believe Ilúvatar would have permitted creatures to inhabit Middle-Earth prior to his Firstborn. Additionally, considering that Elves are vegetarian, you would think that priority would have been given to the Ents over the Eagles, as the Elves would have need of wood long before they had need of meat or hide. – DisturbedNeo Oct 03 '16 at 15:50
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I think the concept of Eagles was in the Music. The sentence prior to my quote is: "But dost them not now remember, Kementári, that thy thought sang not always alone? Did not thy thought and mine meet also, so that we took wing together like great birds that soar above the clouds?" Also, it's not clear that Elves were vegetarian. – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 16:01
Oh, I see. I guess the movies tainted my view of Elves into thinking they were veggies. And you're right about the music, but the request of creating guardians to protect the animals and plants of Middle Earth was not granted by Ilúvatar until after he had already granted life to the Dwarves. Either way, I may be wrong about exactly which sentient race first inhabited Middle Earth, but the first race to be given life and awaken in Arda were the Dwarves, that much I am sure of. – DisturbedNeo Oct 03 '16 at 16:08
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@DisturbedNeo You are correct about the Dwarves, but it wasn't the answer I was looking for. I should have explicitly excluded the Dwarves. I guess my main question is whether any sentient race were permanently awake before the Elves. You seem to be categorical about the Elves being first on Middle-Earth, but I don't see why in the view of the Eagles quote. – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 16:16
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I'd be happy to accept this answer, but it has no information on the Eagles and Ents quotes from the question. You assert that "The first race to awaken on Middle-Earth were the Elves", but the quotes do not support that assertion. If you have no further information, you should at least mention the discrepancy. – isanae Oct 04 '16 at 05:14
That ties in with Treebeard calling the Elves "Eldest of all, the elf-children", while also Gandalf says "For Treebeard is Fangorn, and the eldest and chief of the Ents, and when you speak with him you will hear the speech of the oldest of all living things". – Alchymist Sep 03 '19 at 15:38
But Tolkien calls the Ents "oldest of living rational creatures". Doesn't that mean they woke up before the Elves? – Wade Sep 10 '21 at 11:16

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited May 20 '22 at 03:46

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There is a distinction between species in Middle-earth that provides the answer here, and that is the distinction between what is called "races" in the question, and Children of Ilúvatar; these are not the same thing.

The Ainulindalë provides a definition for Children of Ilúvatar:

For the Children of Ilúvatar were conceived by him alone; and they came with the third theme, and were not in the theme which Ilúvatar propounded at the beginning, and none of the Ainur had part in their making.

Elves are therefore the Firstborn Children of Ilúvatar which is confirmed by the Index to The Silmarillion:

Firstborn, The: The Elder Children of Ilúvatar, the Elves.

But none of this precludes the existence of other species who are not Children of Ilúvatar, whether they be sentient or not; i.e. species that both Ilúvatar and the Ainur had a hand in the making of.

edited May 20 '22 at 03:46

DavidW

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answered Oct 03 '16 at 10:43

Victim of Circumstance

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I'm not sure why you say that "none of this precludes the existence of other species who are not Children of Iluvatar". Ilúvatar's speech to Aulë is rather clear: my children first. – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 15:30
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The Dwarves are also children of Iluvatar, even though they were initially created by Aule. Iluvatar calls the Dwarves "the children of my adoption" Iluvatar didn't want the Dwarves to awaken before the Elves, but the sentence "none of this precludes the existence of other species who are not Children of Iluvatar" still makes sense. – Dennis_E Oct 04 '16 at 11:03

Jeremy French · Answer 3 · 2016-10-03T16:08:00.017

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Is possibly a word play?

None of the other examples that you mention, Ents or eagles, give birth. Ents may germinate, eagles hatch from eggs. The initial Dwarves were created and were asleep. They did not reproduce until after they were re awoken

Elves do give birth and so were possibly the 'first born' in a literal sense.

edited Oct 03 '16 at 16:08

answered Oct 03 '16 at 10:09

Jeremy French

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This is a bit like superman being the "Last son of krypton" as he was the last male child to be born there before it exploded. – Jeremy French Oct 03 '16 at 10:10
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Ent(wives) do give birth – Oct 03 '16 at 11:20
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@Po-ta-toe: really? I don’t know anywhere that Tolkien, er, goes into the mechanics of it, but absent such evidence, I would have assumed that the reproduction of ents involved seeds and germination and so on, not anything like mammalian pregnancy and birth. – PLL Oct 03 '16 at 15:18
@PLL There is no information about the Ent's reproductive system, nor its mating rituals. Nowhere is it said that "Entwives give birth". However, all of these races do reproduce in some way. – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 15:35
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As for this answer, I don't understand it. Eagles certainly reproduced (Landroval and Gwaihir are brothers and descendants of Thorondor), Ents had Entlings and, as you said, Dwarves do give birth. In any case, I don't understand the relation between "give birth" and "first born". – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 15:38
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@isanae: while I don’t think this suggestion is correct, it does makes sense: if you read “first born” very literally, then elves could have been the first sentient beings to be born (in the literal sense of birth) — the eagles were hatched from eggs, the ents sprouted from seeds, and no dwarves were literally born until after the initial 7 were re-awakened and started multiplying. Other great authors have played on exactly the same distinction, e.g. “no man of woman born” in Macbeth. But it wouldn’t be at all Tolkien’s style to use this sort of wordplay in the histories. – PLL Oct 03 '16 at 15:51
@PLL when a daddy ent and a mummy entwife love each other very much..... – Oct 03 '16 at 15:57
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@PLL "Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall"? :) – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 16:19
@isanae: indeed, I was thinking of that too :-) But I think there’s a big difference between what Tolkien would put in an in-world prophecy — in Middle-Earth as in Shakespeare’s Scotland, magic and magic-users tend to be subtle and tricksy — and what he would write in the authorial voice as a historian/mythographer. – PLL Oct 03 '16 at 16:32
@PLL Perhaps, although the quote is from Glorfindel, who is the bridge between the High Mythology of the First Age and the mud on Bree's avenues. But I was merely being facetious, I agree with you. – isanae Oct 03 '16 at 16:51
@isanae - the word entings does not contain an 'L.' – Lesser son Apr 30 '23 at 00:08

What was the first sentient race that awoke on Arda?

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