Character of the Month: Vidumavi of the Northmen

[daughterofshadows]

Vidumavi of the Northmen is one of those characters who exists entirely in the margins, her name not mentioned once in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or The Silmarillion. Yet she is a linchpin in the history of the realms of Mortals in the Third Age and her story captures key themes from across Tolkien's works.

In our newest Character of the Month biography, Secondborn discusses Vidumavi's character and her importance to the legendarium. A Third Age woman from the people who would become the Rohirrim, Vidumavi married the Gondorian prince Valacar, an act that was controversial enough in Gondor to act as the spark that would ignite the Kinstrife after her death due to concerns of her inferior bloodline tainting the line of kings. However, as Secondborn notes, Vidumavi carried herself with honor and courage in what appears to be a true marriage of love. As a character, she stands as a testament against the idea that some people have bloodlines purer or superior to others, an idea that Tolkien addresses throughout his work.

Vidumavi also illustrates important themes that Tolkien frequently explored, such as love, honor, the role of fellowship, and the effects of the fading of "faerie" during the later ages. Vidumavi becomes one of the many woman characters in the legendarium whose importance far exceeds her meager mentions in the text.

You can read Secondborn's biography of Vidumavi here.

Comments

[jenni_blog]

The depth of Tolkien's world never ceases to amaze me. What a fascinating story that I never knew about. Thank you!