Draft:Nessa (Middle-earth)

Nessa, known as the Dancer, is a character from the legendarium of British writer J. R. R. Tolkien, appearing in his posthumous novel The Silmarillion. She is a Valië, a lady of the Valar, renowned for her swiftness and grace, her affection for deer, and her love of dancing. Nessa is wed to Tulkas, and their union takes place at Almaren during the Spring of Arda.

Nessa first appears in the third Lost Tale, titled "The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor," which Tolkien conceived around 1916 or 1917. Unlike many other names created by Tolkien, her name remained unchanged. The relationship she formed with Tulkas also remained stable, although her “familial” connections evolved. Tolkien put aside the tales of the Elder Days for several years to focus on The Hobbit and its sequel, The Lord of the Rings. After the latter was published in the mid-1950s, he returned to his earlier stories and created a new text, "The Annals of Aman." While the character of Nessa did not change in this final text, there were some potential modifications in the drafts, such as considering Nessa as a Maia or separating her from Tulkas, but these ideas were ultimately discarded. All aspects of the character remained consistent in all texts up to the Valaquenta published in The Silmarillion.

Meaning of the name
Nessa ([ˈnesːa]) may mean "brave" in Quenya, the language of the Elves, with her Vanyarin equivalent being Neþþa ([ˈneθːa]). However, it is uncertain if the name "Nessa" has an Elvish origin. Tolkien himself commented, through the fictional chronicler Pengolodh, in the essay "Quendi and Eldar," that this name could be of Valarin origin, the language of the Valar, but simplified and adapted to ancient Elvish languages. Additionally, it could be an archaic Elvish form derived from *neresā, a feminine adjectival formation of the root ner-, meaning "courage" or "manly strength," thus giving Nessa the meaning of "one who has courage" or "one who has manly strength." Furthermore, Nessa is known in Quenya as Indis ("bride"), in a manner analogous to Tulkas being known as Ender ("bridegroom"). This is because they were the only Valar couple to marry in Middle-earth. In Sindarin, she is called Neth ([neθ]), meaning "young," or Dineth, meaning "young bride."

In the region of Nísimaldar on the Númenor island, a tree is found bearing the name nessamelda, which translates as "beloved of Nessa." This name is believed to have been bestowed upon the tree in her honor.

History and characteristics
Nessa married Tulkas at Almaren in the Spring of Arda, adorned with flowers from Vána under the light of the Two Lamps. This event, dated by Robert Foster in his chronology section ii before the first sunrise, was precisely by taking advantage of the Valar distraction caused by this betrothal, and by masking the darkness it produced in Utumno, that Melkor was able to act by surprise to bring down the pillars supporting the lamps, resulting in the destruction of Almaren and the definitive departure of the Valar from Middle-earth. They set up their new home in Valinor, Aman, and fortified it with Pelóri so that Melkor would not be able to reach them.

In contrast to Oromë and Yavanna, who populated Arda with life and vegetation, Nessa played a relatively minor role in this process, devoting her time to dancing. However, she supported allowing the Elves to leave Middle-earth, where neither the Sun nor the Moon shone, and bringing them to Valinor to live alongside the Valar. She particularly enjoyed the songs and dances of the Solosimpi. For these reasons, and in pursuit of peace, she endorsed the darkening of Valinor in response to the Gnomes' massacre of Alqualondë against their Solosimpi brothers.

When Melkor and Ungoliant poisoned the Trees, casting darkness over Valinor, Nessa sought refuge in the garden where the fountain filled with the light of Laurelin stood. This was the only place on the island that remained unclouded by darkness. Nessa was accompanied by Vána and other maidens, weeping and lamenting the loss. Meanwhile, her husband assumed command of the fight against Melkor during this crucial moment.

Nessa is the least powerful of the Ainur Valar, the seventh and last of the Valier, barely more powerful than the Maiar. Like her husband, she is known for her speed and agility. Both love forest animals, who are drawn to her wild spirit. Deer are her favorites and follow her into the woods. The Valaquenta mentions that she could outrun them as a testament to her speed. Nessa also enjoys dancing, often seen gracefully moving on the green lawns of Valinor, on the grass selected by her brother Oromë.

Creation and evolution of the character
In a list of Valar names, the character initially received the names Helinyetillë, "eyes of serenity," the Quenyarin name for violets, and Melesta, derived from the Gnomish root mel-, "to love." The name Nessa does not appear in the two notebooks initiated in 1915 where Tolkien recorded proper names in Quenya and Gnomish for his Lost Tales. However, in the Quenya vocabulary notebook, the name Helinyetillë refers to a Valië later excluded from the texts, Erinti. At that time, divinities, their names, and attributes frequently changed in Tolkien's mind. He did not hesitate to swap or alter the names of his characters or places in line with the philological reflections underlying his mythology.

The first mention of Nessa in the narrative text is in "The Coming of the Valar and the Building of Valinor," the third of the "Lost Tales," written around 1918-1919. She is already named Nessa, associated with dance, and has familial ties. Initially, Tolkien considered her brother Oromë as the son of Aulë and Yavanna, which would make Nessa their daughter. The exact family relations among the Valar are unclear but persist in subsequent revisions with diminishing significance. In the 1930 "Quenta," Nessa is briefly mentioned as the daughter of Vána, but this reference is later crossed out. In the contemporary text "Annals of Valinor," Nessa is described as the daughter of Yavanna (but not Aulë). Her character remains consistent in the later versions of the "Annals of Valinor" and the "Quenta Silmarillion" of 1937.

Following the publication of The Hobbit in 1937, Tolkien concentrated on composing The Lord of the Rings, devoting minimal attention to the Silmarillion texts. It was in the 1950s that he revisited the Elder Days. During this time, he wrote “The Annals of Aman,” a revised version of the “Annals of Valinor,” and reexamined the relationships among the Valar. The "children of Valar" concept was discarded, but sibling connections were maintained. In one iteration, Tolkien considered making Nessa a Maia instead of a Vala and briefly introduced a new character named "Lëa the Young" as Tulkas's wife. However, in the final version of "The Annals of Aman," Nessa was reinstated as Oromë's sister and Tulkas's wife, a role she retained in all subsequent texts.

Critique and analysis
Nessa is the least "static" of the Valier. While she does not engage in hunting, she embodies the archetype of "huntress goddesses" such as Diana or Mielikki. In Norse mythology, which influenced Tolkien's Valar, the gods hunt and wage war, asserting their dominion over lands and seas. In contrast, the Valier are more stationary and focused on the needs of others. In her analysis, Marjorie Burns draws parallels between Nessa and the giantess Skadi from Norse mythology, who married a god.

Dance holds a special significance in Tolkien's works, symbolizing joy and happiness, unlike singing, which is linked to power. In contrast to Nienna, Nessa embodies this joy and is associated with a carefree spirit. In this sense, Nessa can be considered the antithesis of Nienna, who bears the brunt of all the damage inflicted upon the world by Melkor. Tolkien subtly suggests a connection between Lúthien and Nessa, noting that Lúthien's dance was comparable to Valië's. Lúthien, inspired by Tolkien's wife Edith, who danced in a hemlock field near Kingston-upon-Hull, is envisioned by Tolkien as continuing her dance in Nessa's meadows after departing Middle-earth.