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Dates
Projected by Ungoliant, and especially associated with the destruction of the Two Trees, shortly before the first rising of the Moon and Sun
Location
Ungoliant originally spun webs in the glooms of Avathar; she crossed through Valinor with Melkor (concealed by her Unlight) before passing into Middle-earth and ultimately into its distant South
Race
Ungoliant was an ancient spirit akin to the Ainur
Meaning
A term signifying a very intense darkness1

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 27 February 2025
  • This entry is complete

Unlight

The darkness of Ungoliant

"A cloak of darkness she wove about them when Melkor and Ungoliant set forth; an Unlight, in which things seemed to be no more, and which eyes could not pierce, for it was void."
The Silmarillion
Quenta Silmarillion 8
Of the Darkening of Valinor

The cloud of clinging darkness spun by Ungoliant as a protection for Melkor and herself as they invaded the land of the Valar and assailed the Two Trees of Valinor. After the Trees were destroyed, the loss of their light left Valinor shrouded in an utterly black darkness, so that Melkor and Ungoliant, hidden within their Unlight, were able to evade even the Valar. Stealing away into the north, Melkor slew Finwë and captured the Silmarils. Concealed by Ungoliant's cloud of Unlight, he eluded the hunters of Oromë and the wrath of Tulkas, and with the monstrous spider he escaped from Aman into the north of Middle-earth.


Notes

1

Mere 'darkness' perhaps does not quite do justice to the nature of Ungoliant's Unlight, which is described in terms of an obliterating void. It does not seem to have caused literal harm or damage, but to have defeated the vision of all those observing from outside, including the Valar. This sounds remarkably similar in principle to the Shadow later used by Morgoth and Sauron but, if so, Tolkien does not make a direct connection between the two ideas.

See also...

Cloud of Ungoliant

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 27 February 2025
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2007, 2025. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

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Unlight

The darkness of Ungoliant

Dates
Projected by Ungoliant, and especially associated with the destruction of the Two Trees, shortly before the first rising of the Moon and Sun
Location
Ungoliant originally spun webs in the glooms of Avathar; she crossed through Valinor with Melkor (concealed by her Unlight) before passing into Middle-earth and ultimately into its distant South
Race
Ungoliant was an ancient spirit akin to the Ainur
Meaning
A term signifying a very intense darkness1

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 27 February 2025
  • This entry is complete

Unlight

The darkness of Ungoliant

"A cloak of darkness she wove about them when Melkor and Ungoliant set forth; an Unlight, in which things seemed to be no more, and which eyes could not pierce, for it was void."
The Silmarillion
Quenta Silmarillion 8
Of the Darkening of Valinor

The cloud of clinging darkness spun by Ungoliant as a protection for Melkor and herself as they invaded the land of the Valar and assailed the Two Trees of Valinor. After the Trees were destroyed, the loss of their light left Valinor shrouded in an utterly black darkness, so that Melkor and Ungoliant, hidden within their Unlight, were able to evade even the Valar. Stealing away into the north, Melkor slew Finwë and captured the Silmarils. Concealed by Ungoliant's cloud of Unlight, he eluded the hunters of Oromë and the wrath of Tulkas, and with the monstrous spider he escaped from Aman into the north of Middle-earth.


Notes

1

Mere 'darkness' perhaps does not quite do justice to the nature of Ungoliant's Unlight, which is described in terms of an obliterating void. It does not seem to have caused literal harm or damage, but to have defeated the vision of all those observing from outside, including the Valar. This sounds remarkably similar in principle to the Shadow later used by Morgoth and Sauron but, if so, Tolkien does not make a direct connection between the two ideas.

See also...

Cloud of Ungoliant

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 27 February 2025
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2007, 2025. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Personality is one part of understanding a candidate's suitability for a role, but aptitude can also be crucial.