Oxonmoot 2024

"Eärendel has been considered as a Romantic and escapist figure as, despite being inspired by the homonym angelic herald of Christ in the 'Book of Exeter', original Tolkien’s poem 'The Voyage of Eärendel the Evening Star' depicts a purposeless character pursuing an otherworldly ideal.
Nevertheless, later, in 'The Silmarillion', such character, named Eärendil, is crucial for the victory against Morgoth.
Here I present a study linking the original Eärendel to the final Eärendil and showing that his development progressively follows the evolution of the entire Tolkien’s legendarium from his first poems and 'The Lost Tales' to the stage of the 'Quenta Silmarillion': in the first compositions the Silmarils’ fate is not central and the ancient Elvish lore is retrieved through Romantic wandering figures (e.g. mariner Eriol); while in the later stage Eärendil’s Silmaril has a prominent role in the narrative and directly links the Elder Days with Frodo’s mission in 'The Lord of the Rings'."