“But she does not weep for herself; and those who hearken to her learn pity, and endurance in hope.” (Silmarillion, Valaquenta)
Nienna is a Queen of the Valar, one of the most powerful among them. She is the lady of sorrow and teacher of pity and hope. Nienna lives alone in her Halls that lie in the west of the west, on the borders of the world, and she rarely goes to Valimar where everything is delight.
Most of all Nienna has influenced the world through her sorrow and weeping. So great was Nienna’s sorrow, that in the Music of Ainur her song turned to lamentation, bringing mourning into the themes of the World in its beginning, thus mingling grief into the destinies of Arda.
Nienna is the embodiment of grief and mourning, but she does not weep for herself. She mourns for every wound that Arda has suffered in the marring of Melkor. Nienna is where others have grief, bringing hope to them. In the Halls of Mandos, those who wait cry to her and she brings strength to the spirit and turns sorrow to wisdom. Nienna weeps for everyone, even for those who are evil. When Melkor begged Manwë for pardon after his imprisonment, Nienna aided his prayer.
Nienna played a role in the destiny of one of the most wonderful things ever created, the Two Trees of Valinor. Nienna shed tears on the mound of Ezellohar, watering it, after which Yavanna sang the Trees to life. And when Melkor destroyed the Two Trees, Nienna wept on the mound, cleaning the filth of Ungoliant. Her tears couldn’t heal the wounds of the Trees, but together with Yavanna’s singing they brought forth the last fruit and flower, that became the Sun and the Moon.
Nienna has brought pity, compassion and hope into the world through her teaching. One of the Maiar, Olórin, often went to Nienna’s Halls to learn pity and patience. Nienna’s influence can be seen in the words and actions of this powerful Maia and that way Nienna has also had her role in the later great events in Middle-earth.
by AinarielPalantir
