Who are the Valar?

[Legolas]

ok I know they are from the Silmarillion, but i have not had a chance to get it or read it yet.

So before i do, can anyone give me some info on the Valar? Are they Elves or what? All i know is that there is one called Orome or summat but i'm curious.
:flash:

[Stacy]

They're 14 powerful spirits who were around before the world was made. They live in the continent of Aman in the west where only the elves are allowed to come. They basically the rule the entire world and have no physical form unless they take one.

[Legolas]

oh cool! Shame i don't have the book...
:flash:

[neodeath]

Isn't Tom Bombadil supposed to be a vallar? gotta admit, if he had control on the world i would probably kill myself Hey! Come derry dol... AAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! :dead:

[Jessa]

oh god, joe has a thing about bombadil, everyone. just ignore him, k?

[neodeath]

Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! My darling!
Light goes the weather-wind and... oh stuff it its a load of **** anyway

:lifeup:

[Jessa]

no swearing joey, tut tut tut *shakes head*

[neodeath]

like you didnt call it that on my bombadill vote
:lifeup:

[Jessa]

huh, wot and meh?

[neodeath]

nevermind :lifeup:

[Raynor]

Originally Posted by Stacy

They basically the rule the entire world and have no physical form unless they take one.

Ruling all the world is a bit of a stretch; they have little if any interference in the matters of Elves and Men, they are unknown to the vast majority of Men (even when they were part of this world), their powers dimminish in time (cf Myths Transformed, HoME X) and all of them have took on phisical shapes (Quendi and Eldar, HoME XI).

[Azra'el]

I thought Tom Bombadil was one of the Maiar.

[j. d. worthington]

No, Tom's origins are never really revealed, but he's not of the orders of the Valar or Maiar; he is, if anything, similar to the Genius Loci of earlier metaphysics. He has no allegiances, and is wayward and unpredictable, impish (though not necessarily mischievous, and certainly not evil), like some of the smaller nature deities.

The symbolism of Tom is quite complex, I think, though it takes a careful reading of the text to get that, as it seems at first glance simply an odd digression; but he symbolizes many aspects of Tolkien's views of "unfallen" nature, I'd say, as well as his roles given above. I've come to find him more and more of a fascinating character, yet he still remains rather enigmatic....

[Majimaune]

Um just a quick question. Raynor are you by chance from The Tolkien Forum under the name of Thorondor_?

Anyway...The Valar are thought by some people to be the same as our gods/god. The Istari are not Valar they are Maiar and I personally think Tom Bombidil is not either.

[Commonmind]

I would more consider the Valar as an angelic order. In the beginning of the Silmarillion, when the Creator is manifesting the world-to-be through the song of their choir, they take on an almost childlike awe and grace. From there they descend to the world and attempt to shape it in the way they had envisioned from the song, and in a sense take the role of guardians, rather than gods. Their powers are great, but I wouldn't label them gods. Especially given the fact that they are not infallible and have very humanistic emotional constructs, and also given Tolkiens own personal beliefs; it is possible he was re-styling his own theology into something a bit more poetic.