Summary
DuringLord of the Rings, Galadriel offers the Fellowship gifts that will help them throughout their journey. One of these is the Phial of Galadriel, which she gives to Frodo. This radiant artifact, containing ancient Elven magic, holds a great history and more meaning in the fight against darkness than meets the eye.
The Phial of Galadriel is one of the many magical artifacts featured throughout theLord of the Ringsseries. It is a small crystal vial filled with the ethereal light of a captured star. Wise and powerful Galadriel understands the crucial role that the One Ring plays in the fate of Middle-earth, and therefore, when the Fellowship arrives, she provides each member with a precious gift that would help and guide them throughout their journey to destroy the Ring. As Frodo is the Ring-bearer, she gives him the phial as a token of her support and belief in his mission. She explains the importance of this phial, its ability to ward off the forces of Sauron, and its power to guide them through the dark places that await him.
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The Light of Eärendil and the Silmaril
Its creation can be traced back to the Elven realm of Lothlórien, whereCeleborn and Galadriel reignas Lord and Lady. Forged and kept by Galadriel herself, this relic of Middle-earth came to be as the Elf filled a small crystal vial with water from her fountain, which held some of the light of Eärendil’s star. This star shines in the horizon in the morning and the evening, and consists of a boat led by Eärendil, who carries a Silmaril and watches the Doors of Night, a portal in the Uttermost West that leads to the Void.
At the heart of the Phial of Galadriel lies a deep connection to the ancienthistory of Middle-earth and the Silmarils, three precious gems that held some of the light of the Two Trees of Valinor. Back in the First Age, Beren, a mortal Man, and Lúthien, daughter of Elven king Thingol, retrieved a Silmaril from Morgoth’s Iron Crown. The gem later was given to their descendant Elwing, the wife of Eärendil the Mariner. Together, they took the gem to Aman, the Blessed Realm, where the Valar made the decision to raise it as a new star. Eärendil, carrying the Silmaril, then sailed the skies and became a beacon of hope for both Elves and Men.
The Star of Eärendil is the last place in Middle-earth where one can see the light of the Silmarils, as the other two were lost to the earth and sea. The Silmarils were extremely important to a Ñoldor such as Galadriel, as thousands of years prior, the Ñoldor fought hard to recover them from Morgoth. The phial,Galadriel’s gift to Frodo, represents the hardship and tragedy her people endured to retrieve the light of a Silmaril, making this an incredibly valuable gift.
A Guiding Light in the Darkness
The Phial of Galadriel, besides serving as a way to light up dark places, represents a symbol of hope for Frodo, and a reminder that light will triumph over darkness. During Frodo and Sam’s journey to destroy the One Ring, the Phial of Galadriel becomes an essential resource and saves the Hobbits frommore than one dangerous situation. A single touch of the phial even has the power to ease Frodo’s mind and calm him from his thought of the One Ring.
As Frodo and Sam venture deeper into Mordor, they find Shelob, the giant spider-like creature, awaiting her next victim. As she first approaches, Sam reminds Frodo of Galadriel’s gift, and the phial’s bright light drives Shelob away. WhenFrodo and Sam get separated, Shelob attacks and poisons Frodo, leaving him unconscious. Sam, armed with the phial, manages to rescue Frodo, and uses its light to ward her off momentarily, resulting in an even brighter light thanks to his indomitable spirit. The Hobbits use the Phial of Galadriel again to get past the fearsome Two Watchers guarding the entrance to the Tower of Cirith Ungol.
Further into Mordor, Sam attempts to use the phial’s light in the heart of Sauron’s domain, the Crack of Doom. However, the intensity of Sauron’s darkness fades the light and prevents the crystal from fully illuminating their path. After the Hobbits destroy the One Ring and get rescued from Mount Doom, Gandalf keeps the Phial of Galadriel and Sam’s box of Earth safe, while Frodo and Sam heal. After the events ofLord of the Rings, followingFrodo’s departure from Middle-earth, the light of the Phial of Galadriel fades as it reaches the shores of Eldamar.
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