Ungoliant: The Darkness That Devoured Light Itself

Research & Sources

Research Notes: Ungoliant - The Darkness That Devoured Light Itself

Overview

Ungoliant stands as one of Tolkien's most enigmatic and terrifying creations—a primordial darkness so powerful that even Morgoth himself fled from her wrath. Unlike other villains in Middle-earth whose origins and natures are clearly defined, Ungoliant remains deliberately mysterious. Her origins are unknown even to the Valar, her ultimate fate unrecorded in any tale, and her very existence challenges the theological frameworks that govern the rest of Tolkien's legendarium. She is cosmic horror incarnate: unknowable, insatiable, and utterly alien to the created order of Eä.

Primary Sources

The Silmarillion (Quenta Silmarillion, Chapters 8-9)

On Ungoliant's Origins and Nature: "Some have said that in ages long before she descended from the darkness that lies about Arda, when Melkor first looked down in envy upon the Kingdom of Manwë, and that in the beginning she was one of those that he corrupted to his service. But she had disowned her Master, desiring to be mistress of her own lust, taking all things to herself to feed her emptiness." (Chapter 8: "Of the Darkening of Valinor") On Her Dwelling in Avathar: "In a ravine she lived, and took shape as a spider of monstrous form, weaving her black webs in a cleft of the mountains. There she sucked up all light that she could find, and spun it forth again in dark nets of strangling gloom." (Chapter 8) On the Nature of Unlight: "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." (Chapter 8)

"The Light failed; but the Darkness that followed was more than loss of light. In that hour was made a Darkness that seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own: for it was indeed made by malice out of Light, and it had power to pierce the eye, and to enter heart and mind, and strangle the very will." (Chapter 8)

On the Destruction of the Two Trees: "The Unlight of Ungoliant devoured the roots, while Melkor came onto Ezellohar, striking both Trees with his black spear. The sap of the Two Trees poured like blood upon Ezellohar where insatiable Ungoliant sucked it up, devouring whatever life and light remained before draining the Wells of Varda." (Chapter 8) On Melkor's Promise: "'Do as I bid; and if thou hunger still when all is done, then I will give thee whatsoever thy lust may demand. Yea, with both hands.' Lightly he made this vow, as he ever did; and he laughed in his heart." (Chapter 8) On the Pursuit by the Valar: "When any came up with the Cloud of Ungoliant the riders of the Valar were blinded and dismayed, and they were scattered, and Tulkas was as one caught in a black net at night, and he stood powerless and beat the air in vain." (Chapter 8) On the Confrontation at Lammoth: "But Ungoliant had grown great, and he less by the power that had gone out of him; and she rose against him, and her cloud closed about him, and she enmeshed him in a web of clinging thongs to strangle him. Then Morgoth sent forth a terrible cry, that echoed in the mountains. Therefore that region was called Lammoth; for the echoes of his voice dwelt there ever after, so that any who cried aloud in that land awoke them, and all the waste between the hills and the sea was filled with a clamour as of voices in anguish." (Chapter 9: "Of the Flight of the Noldor")

"In his right hand Morgoth held close the Silmarils, and though they were locked in a crystal casket, they had begun to burn him, and his hand was clenched in pain; but he would not open it." (Chapter 9)

"Morgoth said 'Nay! Thou hast had thy due. For with my power that I put into thee thy work was accomplished. I need thee no more. These things thou shalt not have, nor see. I name them unto myself for ever.'" (Chapter 9)

On the Balrogs' Rescue: "The cry of Morgoth in that hour was the greatest and most dreadful that was ever heard in the northern world; the mountains shook, and the earth trembled, and rocks were riven asunder. Deep in forgotten places that cry was heard. Far beneath the ruined halls of Angband, in vaults to which the Valar in the haste of their assault had not descended, Balrogs lurked still, awaiting ever the return of their Lord; and now swiftly they arose, and passing over Hithlum they came to Lammoth as a tempest of fire. With their whips of flame the Balrogs smote asunder the webs of Ungoliant, and she quailed, and turned to flight, belching black vapours to cover her." (Chapter 9) On Her Ultimate Fate: "Of the fate of Ungoliant no tale tells. Yet some have said that she ended long ago, when in her uttermost famine she devoured herself at last." (Chapter 9)

The Book of Lost Tales (Part One)

Early Conception - Móru: Ungoliant was originally named Móru in the earliest versions, described as "the primeval spirit Móru whom even the Valar know not whence or when she came."

Even in the earliest texts, the Valar did not know of her origins, and she was portrayed as a primeval spirit of night, believed to be a creature bred of the darkness of the Void.

Early Relationship with Melkor: In the Lost Tales version, Melkor and his companions encounter Ungoliant in her lair (Arvalin) by coincidence while fleeing from the Valar. Melkor and Ungoliant are shown to be on much friendlier terms with each other than in later versions, as Melkor willingly offers the jewels that were stolen from the Elves, apart from the Silmarils.

Morgoth's Ring (HoME Volume 10)

Later Conception Changes: In the Later Silmarillion as documented in Morgoth's Ring and War of the Jewels, Ungoliant is shown to fear her master, and hides desperately from Melkor when she first sees him approaching her lair. She initially refuses to emerge, believing that Melkor planned to murder her for deserting him, until he threatens to bury her within her lair, whilst enticing her with an assortment of gems he had stolen from the Noldor. Evil from Discord: According to Christopher Tolkien's writings in Morgoth's Ring: "Out of the discords of the Music, not directly out of either of the themes, Eru's or Melkor's, but of their dissonance with regard one to another – evil things appeared in Arda."

This provides a theoretical framework for understanding entities like Ungoliant as emergent from the corrupted Music itself.

Tolkien's Letters

Letter 144 (To Naomi Mitchison): "The giant spiders were themselves only the offspring of Ungoliante the primeval devourer of light."

This description emphasizes her primordial, pre-creation nature as a "primeval devourer."

Timeline of Events

Years of the Trees (Pre-History): - Unknown time before the world: Ungoliant's origins in the darkness beyond Arda - Possibly descended from the darkness "when Melkor first looked down in envy upon the Kingdom of Manwë" - Early Years of the Trees: Ungoliant settles in Avathar, the Shadowy region south of the Bay of Eldamar - For thousands of years: Lives in her ravine, consuming all available light, growing famished Year of the Trees 1495 - The Darkening of Valinor: - Melkor approaches Ungoliant in Avathar with his proposal - Ungoliant initially hides in fear, believing Melkor intends to kill her - Melkor entices her with gems and promises: "whatsoever thy lust may demand. Yea, with both hands." - They cross to Valinor during the high feast of the Valar - Ungoliant weaves her Unlight to conceal their approach - Melkor strikes the Two Trees with his black spear - Ungoliant consumes the light of the Trees, draining them completely - She also drains the Wells of Varda - Ungoliant grows enormously powerful from consuming the light - The Valar attempt pursuit but are thwarted by Ungoliant's Unlight - Even Tulkas, strongest of the Valar, is powerless against her darkness Shortly After YT 1495 - The Confrontation at Lammoth: - Melkor and Ungoliant flee north through Araman - At Lammoth, Ungoliant demands the Silmarils - Melkor refuses, claiming he needs her no more - Ungoliant, now grown great from consuming the Trees, attacks Melkor - She enmeshes him in webs of clinging thongs - Melkor's cry of agony echoes through the mountains (giving Lammoth its name) - Balrogs emerge from beneath Angband and rescue Melkor with whips of flame - Ungoliant flees south After the Confrontation: - Ungoliant makes a dwelling in Ered Gorgoroth (Mountains of Terror) south of Dorthonion - She mates with and eventually devours other spider creatures dwelling there - Her offspring spread through the valley of Nan Dungortheb (Valley of Dreadful Death) - Among her children: Shelob, who would later dwell in Cirith Ungol YT 1500 - First Age Begins: - Sun and Moon created from last fruit and flower of the Trees - Shortly before the rising of the Sun: Ungoliant departs to "the forgotten South of the world" - Her ultimate fate unknown Later Ages: - First Age: Her offspring infest Nan Dungortheb and Ered Gorgoroth - Second-Third Ages: Shelob dwells in the pass of Cirith Ungol - Third Age: Spiders of Mirkwood descended from Shelob (and thus Ungoliant)

Key Characters

Ungoliant Herself

Physical Form: - Took the shape of "a spider of monstrous form" - Her size grew dramatically after consuming the light of the Trees - Capable of weaving vast webs of darkness (Unlight) - Her spirit form was one of pure darkness, reflected in her physical spider form Powers and Abilities: - Creation of Unlight: "a Darkness that seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own" - The Unlight could pierce the eye, enter heart and mind, and strangle the very will - Even Tulkas, strongest of the Valar, was powerless against her darkness - Could weave webs strong enough to bind even Morgoth - Consumed light itself, spinning it into "dark nets of strangling gloom" - Grew in power from what she consumed Nature and Motivation: - Described as having "disowned her Master, desiring to be mistress of her own lust" - Driven by insatiable hunger to "feed her emptiness" - Purely irrational evil: "wholly preoccupied with her own lusts; operating on the pleasure principle" - Unlike Morgoth and Sauron (rational evil with long-term planning), Ungoliant chose "instant gratification" - Never particularly concerned with domination—merely destroyed anything and everything possible Mysterious Origins: - Three main theories presented: 1. One of the Maiar corrupted by Melkor 2. Primeval spirit of night from before the world 3. Fragment of Melkor's discord in the Music of the Ainur

- Deliberately ambiguous: "Some have said..." implies uncertainty - Even the Valar did not know of her origins - Described as being "from before the world" - Believed to have "descended from the darkness that lies about Arda"

Melkor/Morgoth

Relationship with Ungoliant: - Initially approached her with an alliance proposal - Promised her "whatsoever thy lust may demand. Yea, with both hands" - "Lightly he made this vow, as he ever did; and he laughed in his heart" - After using her, declared: "I need thee no more" - His hands burned black from touching the Silmarils, remained black ever after - Never free from the pain of the burning thereafter Diminishment: - Critical detail: "Ungoliant had grown great, and he less by the power that had gone out of him" - Morgoth depleted his power by dispersing it into Arda itself - At his weakest moment, unable to break free from Ungoliant's webs - Required rescue by multiple Balrogs (at least three, possibly seven)

Shelob

Ungoliant's Legacy: - "The last child of Ungoliant to trouble the lands of Men" - Described as "Shelob the Great, last child of Ungoliant" - Inherited her mother's hunger and darkness but not the ability to create Unlight - Her descendants spread to Mirkwood and other dark places

Geography

Avathar

- Quenya name: possibly related to "shadow" - Located in the south of Aman, in the clefts of the Pelóri mountains - A lightless, unexplored region south of Hyarmentir - Ungoliant's lair had a Quenya name: Ruamōre ("still night") - The region where she dwelt for thousands of years before the Darkening

Ezellohar (The Green Mound)

- Location where the Two Trees stood - Where Ungoliant consumed their light - The sap "poured like blood upon Ezellohar" - Yavanna and Nienna later came here to mourn

Lammoth (The Great Echo)

- Region in Middle-earth north of the Firth of Drengist - Named for Morgoth's terrible cry when Ungoliant attacked him - "The echoes of his voice dwelt there ever after" - Any who cried aloud awakened these echoes

Ered Gorgoroth (Mountains of Terror)

- South of Dorthonion in Beleriand - Where Ungoliant dwelt after fleeing from the Balrogs - Site of her mating with other spider creatures - Source region for her offspring - Became a place of dread, avoided even by Morgoth's forces

Nan Dungortheb (Valley of Dreadful Death)

- Dark valley in northern Beleriand - Infested with Ungoliant's spider offspring throughout the First Age - A place of horror, its name meaning "Valley of Dreadful Death" - So dangerous that travelers avoided it whenever possible

The Forgotten South

- Unspecified region "of the world" - Where Ungoliant departed shortly before the rising of the Sun - A place unwatched by the Valar - Where she presumably met her unknown fate

Themes and Symbolism

The Insatiable Void

Ungoliant embodies existential emptiness—hunger that can never be satisfied. She is "taking all things to herself to feed her emptiness," yet even after consuming the light of the Two Trees themselves, she remains "famished." This represents:

- Addiction and Compulsion: The futility of trying to fill an inner void through external consumption - Spiritual Emptiness: A profound absence at the core of being - Self-Destruction: The logical endpoint of insatiable desire is consuming oneself

Scholarly analysis compares her to a black hole: "has an insatiable hunger that can never be quenched, it continues to consume everything around it to no avail."

Evil as Privation vs. Evil as Substance

Ungoliant presents a theological problem for Tolkien's Catholic worldview:

The Catholic Doctrine (Augustinian Privation Theory): - Evil is the privation of good—not a thing in itself - "The good is naturally prior to evil, for evil is only the privation of the good" - Evil doesn't exist as its own distinct entity but is corruption of the good Ungoliant's Challenge: - "The Darkness that followed was more than loss of light" - "A Darkness that seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own" - Ungoliant appears to be "perhaps the closest Tolkien could be said to come to a Manichaean affirmation of evil as an ontologically independent force" Tolkien's Resolution: - Key word: "seemed" not lack (appearance, not reality) - "It was made by malice out of Light" (parasitic, derivative) - The darkness derives its power from negating light, not from independent existence - Some scholars suggest she was originally good but corrupted, preserving privation theory

Evil Consuming Itself

Ungoliant's probable fate—devouring herself in her uttermost famine—represents a profound theological and moral truth:

- Self-Destructive Nature of Evil: Evil inevitably turns on itself when it runs out of external targets - The Fragmentary Aspect of Evil: "Evil is known for having a fragmentary, self-defeating aspect" - Theological Parallel: "In the end, 'according to legend', it runs out of food and feeds on/eats itself. This too has its representation in other religious backdrops, with regard to evil."

The attack on Morgoth foreshadows this: after consuming all available light, Ungoliant's hunger turns on her own ally.

Light vs. Unlight: Anti-Creation

The concept of "Unlight" is crucial:

- Not mere absence of light (darkness) - Not shadow (light blocked by an object) - Active annihilation of light: "the unraveling of vision and presence" - A substantive force that "had power to pierce the eye, and to enter heart and mind, and strangle the very will"

This represents: - Anti-creation: While Eru creates through the Flame Imperishable, Ungoliant un-creates - Nihilism: Not just opposition to good, but opposition to existence itself - Despair: The strangling of the will, the death of hope

The Unknowable and Cosmic Horror

Ungoliant embodies Lovecraftian cosmic horror within Tolkien's mythology:

Elements of Cosmic Horror: - Unknown Origins: "Even the Valar did not know of her origins" - From Outside Creation: Possibly from "the darkness that lies about Arda" (the Void) - Beyond Comprehension: Gandalf speaks of "nameless things" older than Sauron; Ungoliant fits this category - Primordial Nature: "From before the world" - Deliberately Mysterious: "Of the fate of Ungoliant no tale tells"

Tolkien scholar notes: "Even in Tolkien's later work, the text expresses doubt about Ungoliant's nature in a way that it never does for Sauron and the Balrogs."

Lovecraftian Parallels: - In Tolkien's earlier work she is "the Primeval Night" personified - "She isn't even a spider, she is primordial darkness from the Outer Void, she merely takes the form of a spider" - Represents "the terrifying sense that malign and alien things exist outside our knowledge"

Tolkien's mentions of "nameless things" suggests that "even in Arda, a world created by a benevolent god, there are dark things around the edges."

Power and Diminishment

The confrontation at Lammoth explores the nature of power:

Ungoliant's Growth: - Consuming the Two Trees made her vastly more powerful - Grew "huger and darker" with each consumption - Became powerful enough to overpower a Vala Morgoth's Diminishment: - Dispersed his power into Arda itself (the "Morgoth element") - "He less by the power that had gone out of him" - At the height of his power, Morgoth was greatest of the Valar - At his weakest, unable to defeat Ungoliant without help Philosophical Meaning: - Those who hoard power for themselves can grow (Ungoliant) - Those who disperse power into domination weaken themselves (Morgoth) - Neither approach is sustainable or good

Gender and the Monstrous Feminine

Modern scholarship has examined Ungoliant through feminist lenses:

Christopher Hansen's Analysis: - Ungoliant represents women who have "exited patriarchal gender roles of subservience, obedience, and docility" - Her monstrosity stems from "sexual freedom rather than their appearance as spiders" - "Lack of subservience to men and strict monogamy makes them monstrous" - "Women who are not bound by male power, fate, and dominance and exhibit sexual freedom become the monstrous feminine" Scholarly Context: - Joe Abbott (Mythlore): Ungoliant and Shelob are "female giants, something found in Northern folklore, though not usually in spider form" - John Wm. Houghton: Comparable to Milton's Paradise Lost where Sin conceives Death by Satan - Gender-coded as female, procreative, sexual (mates with other spiders) Critical Perspective: - Shelob "epitomizes the demonization of female power through her monstrous representation" - Warning that "those who seek empowerment, see Ungoliant and Shelob at the end of their journey"

Scholarly Perspectives

The Discord Theory

One of the most compelling scholarly interpretations suggests Ungoliant emerged from Melkor's corruption of the Music of the Ainur:

Theory: - Melkor's discord fragments became "enmeshed with the whole creation" - Among such fragments "could have resided the essence for Ungoliant's formation" - "Ungoliant—being a spirit of void itself—seems to have been the complete opposite result of the Music's vision" - "A reversal on the concept of the Music, in that she herself was a product of the void which was made non-existent" Supporting Evidence: - Christopher Tolkien: "Out of the discords of the Music... evil things appeared in Arda" - Ungoliant's fundamental opposition to creation and light - Her existence as something even Eru didn't directly create Implications: - Evil can escape even its creator's control - "Evil is known for having a fragmentary, self-defeating aspect. It would not be entirely surprising if a piece of Melkor's song got away from him and escaped his control."

The Nameless Things Connection

Gandalf's reference to "nameless things" provides context:

Quote from The Two Towers: "Far, far below the deepest delving of the Dwarves, the world is gnawed by nameless things. Even Sauron knows them not. They are older than he." Connection to Ungoliant: - She fits the description: older than Sauron, unknown even to the Valar - Both represent primordial horrors beyond the normal order of creation - Suggests a category of beings that exist in the margins of Tolkien's mythology Cosmological Implications: - Not all evil in Middle-earth stems from Morgoth directly - Some things emerged from the discord, the Void, or the foundations of the world - Even in a divinely created world, "there are dark things around the edges"

Comparison to Other Evils in Middle-earth

Ungoliant vs. Morgoth: - Morgoth: Rational evil, long-term planning, seeks domination - Ungoliant: Irrational evil, instant gratification, seeks only consumption - Morgoth weakened himself through dispersal; Ungoliant grew through consumption - Morgoth burns from the Silmarils (hallowed light); Ungoliant consumes light itself Ungoliant vs. Sauron: - Sauron: Concerned with order (his own), domination, control - Ungoliant: Pure destruction, no interest in ruling - "Easily, above Sauron... regarding strength levels" at her peak - Sauron feared her (according to some sources) - Sauron is a known Maia; Ungoliant's nature remains mysterious Ungoliant vs. The Balrogs: - Balrogs are clearly Maiar corrupted by Morgoth - It took "at least three or at most seven Balrogs to drive away the empowered Ungoliant" - Balrogs serve Morgoth loyally; Ungoliant "disowned her Master" - Balrogs are fire; Ungoliant is darkness that consumes

Scholars on Ungoliant and Privation

"The Darkness was More than Loss of Light: the Case of Ungoliant" (Jonathan McIntosh): - Examines the apparent contradiction between Ungoliant and Catholic theology - Argues Tolkien carefully uses language: "seemed not lack" rather than "was not lack" - The darkness was "made by malice out of Light" (derivative, not independent) - Reconciles apparent Manichaeism with Augustinian privation

Academic consensus suggests Tolkien wrestled with representing absolute evil while maintaining orthodox theology.

Contradictions and Variants

Evolution of Her Fate

Early Versions (1914-1940): - Tolkien's "original and most consistent plan" was to have Eärendil slay Ungoliant - "The marvellous adventures of Wingelot in the seas and isles, and of how Earendel slew Ungoliant in the South" (1926 outline) - Lay of Eärendel: "Ungoliant in the South he slew, and her darkness was destroyed, and light came to many regions which had yet long been hid" - This version appears consistently from 1914 through the writing of The Lord of the Rings Intermediate Version (1944): - Ungoliant briefly appeared as the villain in The Lord of the Rings itself - Occupied what would become Shelob's role in the story - This was changed before publication Late Versions (1950s): - Two late writings say her fate was "ultimately unknown" - One suggests she was still alive - The other suggests she had "devoured herself" Published Silmarillion: - "Of the fate of Ungoliant no tale tells" - "Yet some have said that she ended long ago, when in her uttermost famine she devoured herself at last" - Deliberately ambiguous, presented as rumor rather than fact Significance: This evolution shows Tolkien moving from definitive resolution (heroic slaying) to deliberate mystery (unknowable fate), enhancing her role as cosmic horror.

Evolution of Her Relationship with Melkor

Early Version (Book of Lost Tales): - Melkor and companions encounter Ungoliant "by coincidence" while fleeing - They are on "much friendlier terms with each other" - Melkor "willingly offers the jewels that were stolen from the Elves, apart from the Silmarils" - More cooperative alliance Later Version (Published Silmarillion): - Melkor deliberately seeks out Ungoliant for an alliance - Ungoliant fears him, hides in her lair - Melkor threatens and entices her - He plans to betray her from the start: "Lightly he made this vow... and he laughed in his heart" - Their alliance is transactional and antagonistic Significance: The shift makes Ungoliant more independent and threatening—she's not Melkor's ally but a dangerous wild card he attempts to manipulate.

The Maia Question

Text Evidence For "Maia": - "Some have said... she was one of those that he corrupted to his service" - Would fit the pattern of other corrupted Maiar (Sauron, Balrogs) - Her power level comparable to Maiar Text Evidence Against "Maia": - Careful phrasing: "Some have said..." (not definitive) - "Even the Valar did not know of her origins" - Not listed in the Valaquenta (unlike all other named Maiar) - Described as "from before the world" and "primeval spirit" - From "the darkness that lies about Arda" (the Void, outside creation) Scholarly Interpretation: The ambiguity appears intentional. Multiple interpretations are possible depending on which texts you prioritize. The mystery itself is thematically important.

Origin Theories Across Texts

Theory 1: Corrupted Maia - Source: Silmarillion ("Some have said...") - Problems: Not in Valaquenta, Valar don't know her, "primeval" language Theory 2: Primeval Spirit of Night (Móru) - Source: Book of Lost Tales - "Whom even the Valar know not whence or when she came" - "A creature bred of the darkness of the Void" Theory 3: Discord Fragment - Source: Morgoth's Ring, scholarly extrapolation - Emerged from dissonance in the Music - "Not directly out of either of the themes, Eru's or Melkor's, but of their dissonance" Theory 4: Darkness Incarnate - Source: Various - "Descended from the darkness that lies about Arda" - "The darkness of the Void" given form and will

All four theories appear in Tolkien's writings at various points, and none is definitively confirmed or rejected.

Linguistic Notes

Etymology of "Ungoliant"

Quenya Form: Ungoliantë - Meaning: "Gloomweaver," "Great Spider Who Enmeshes," possibly "shadow spider" - Components: - ungwë ("spider, gloom, spider's web") OR ungo ("cloud, dark shadow") - liantë ("tendril, vine, spider") Sindarin Form: Ungoliant - Components: - ungol ("spider") - iant ("arch, crossing, ford, bridge") - Later etymology reversed: √ungu- root for "spider words" (PE22/160) Alternative Name: Del-du-thling (Sindarin) - Meaning: "horror night spider" - Components: - del ("horror") - dû ("dim, dark, dimness, night, night-fall, late evening") - thling ("spider, spider's web, cobweb") Early Name: Móru - From Book of Lost Tales - Associated with "primeval spirit of night" Evolution: The etymology changed significantly throughout Tolkien's linguistic development, but all versions connect to darkness, horror, weaving, and spiders.

The Name "Unlight"

- Not a simple negation (absence of light) - A substantive thing with independent existence - Possibly coined by Tolkien to capture the theological paradox - Represents active un-creation rather than passive darkness

Related Place Names

Lammoth: - "Great Echo" or "Echoes of Woe" - Named for Morgoth's cry when Ungoliant attacked him Nan Dungortheb: - "Valley of Dreadful Death" - Named for the horror of Ungoliant's offspring Ered Gorgoroth: - "Mountains of Terror" - Where Ungoliant dwelt and bred Avathar: - Possibly related to "shadow" in Quenya - The dark region south of Eldamar

Additional Context

Catholic and Christian Influences

Augustinian Privation Theory: Tolkien's Catholic faith held that evil is privation of good, not an independent force. Ungoliant tests this doctrine—she "seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own"—but Tolkien carefully maintains orthodoxy: the darkness was "made by malice out of Light" (derivative, parasitic). Sin of Pride and Greed: Both Melkor and Ungoliant exemplify these sins, but differently: - Melkor: Pride in seeking to dominate and create (usurp Eru) - Ungoliant: Greed in insatiable consumption and hunger

Scholars identify Ungoliant with the Seven Deadly Sins, particularly: - Gluttony: Insatiable consumption of light and matter - Greed: "Taking all things to herself" - Lust: Not sexual desire, but "desiring to be mistress of her own lust" (disordered desire)

Self-Consumption as Judgment: The theological idea that evil ultimately destroys itself appears in her fate: "in her uttermost famine she devoured herself at last." This echoes Christian teachings about the self-destructive nature of sin.

Northern European Folklore

Female Giants and Monsters: - Joe Abbott identifies parallels to Northern European folklore's female giants - Spider form is unusual, but the female monster archetype is not - Early Icelandic examples of monstrous female figures Night and Darkness Personified: - Germanic and Norse mythology personifies night (Nótt) - Ungoliant as "primeval spirit of night" fits this tradition - The Void as origin connects to Germanic creation myths (Ginnungagap)

Comparison to Milton's Paradise Lost

Scholar John Wm. Houghton's Analysis: Ungoliant and Morgoth comparable to Milton's Satan and Sin: - In Paradise Lost, Sin conceives Death by Satan - Sin is Satan's offspring/consort who turns against him - Ungoliant likewise is associated with Melkor but attacks him - Both represent the monstrous offspring of evil Creation Through Corruption: - Milton: Sin springs from Satan's head - Tolkien: Ungoliant emerges from Melkor's discord (possibly) - Both show evil generating more evil, which eventually threatens its source

The Problem of Independent Evil

Tolkien struggled with representing evil powerfully while maintaining theological orthodoxy:

The Dilemma: - Need evil to be threatening and real (dramatically) - Need evil to be privation, not substance (theologically) - Ungoliant represents the extreme case Tolkien's Solution: - Language of appearance: "seemed not lack" - Derivative origin: "made by malice out of Light" - Mystery: deliberate ambiguity about her nature - Probable self-destruction: evil consuming itself Critical Perspective: Some scholars see Ungoliant as Tolkien's closest approach to Manichaeism (dualistic good/evil cosmology), representing the limits of how far he could push his orthodox Catholic framework while creating compelling cosmic horror.

Ungoliant and Modern Ecological Themes

Some contemporary readers interpret Ungoliant ecologically:

As Consumption/Exploitation: - Insatiable hunger for resources - Consuming everything until nothing remains - Self-destruction through over-consumption As Environmental Collapse: - Destroying the sources of life and light (the Trees) - Leaving barren waste behind - "Forgotten south" as exhausted, depleted land As Void of Meaning: - Existential emptiness in consumer culture - Trying to fill inner void with external consumption - Never satisfied, always hungry for more

While Tolkien didn't write with these themes explicitly in mind, the metaphor resonates with contemporary concerns.

Questions for Further Research

1. Did Tolkien read Lovecraft? Only one 1964 letter mentions him negatively, but the cosmic horror parallels are striking. Was this convergent evolution or possible influence?

2. Why did Tolkien change from Eärendil slaying Ungoliant to her unknown fate? What drove this 30+ year evolution from heroic resolution to cosmic mystery?

3. Is there significance to her femininity? Was Tolkien deliberately coding independent female power as monstrous, or is this a modern critical reading imposed on the text?

4. What is the relationship between Ungoliant and the "nameless things"? Are they the same category of beings? Did they emerge from similar sources?

5. Could she truly devour herself? How would a spiritual being consume itself? Is this metaphorical (self-destruction through insatiable desire) or literal?

6. Why spider form? Of all possible forms for primordial darkness, why specifically a spider? Connection to weaving/un-weaving creation?

7. Is "Unlight" theologically coherent? Can darkness be substantive while evil remains privation? Or does Ungoliant represent Tolkien's unresolved theological tension?

8. What happened to her other children? Shelob survived to the Third Age, but what of Ungoliant's other offspring in Nan Dungortheb?

Discrete Analytical Themes

Theme 1: The Epistemology of the Unknowable

Core idea: Ungoliant represents deliberate mystery—what cannot and should not be fully known or explained. Evidence: - "Of the fate of Ungoliant no tale tells" (The Silmarillion) - "Even the Valar did not know of her origins" (Book of Lost Tales) - "Some have said..." language throughout (hedged, uncertain) - Tolkien's 30-year evolution from definitive ending (Eärendil slays her) to unknown fate - "The primeval spirit Móru whom even the Valar know not whence or when she came" (Book of Lost Tales) - Gandalf on nameless things: "Even Sauron knows them not. They are older than he." Distinction: This theme is about the EPISTEMIC nature of cosmic horror—what makes Ungoliant terrifying is precisely that she cannot be categorized, explained, or resolved. Unlike Sauron (whose nature we understand) or Balrogs (clearly defined as corrupted Maiar), Ungoliant resists explanation. This is not about her power or her hunger, but about the fundamental unknowability that marks true cosmic horror.

Theme 2: Unlight as Anti-Creation

Core idea: Ungoliant's unique power is not absence but active negation—she doesn't merely lack light, she un-makes it. Evidence: - "The Darkness that followed was more than loss of light... a Darkness that seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own" (The Silmarillion) - "It was made by malice out of Light, and it had power to pierce the eye, and to enter heart and mind, and strangle the very will" (The Silmarillion) - Unlight as substantive darkness, not mere shadow - "The active annihilation of light, the unraveling of vision and presence" - She doesn't just block light (shadow) but consumes and transforms it into strangling darkness - Even Tulkas powerless against Unlight: "as one caught in a black net at night" Distinction: This is about her UNIQUE MECHANISM of destruction. While Morgoth corrupts the Music and creates discord, and while Sauron dominates wills, Ungoliant specifically un-creates—she reverses the creative act. This is not about insatiable hunger (Theme 3) or theological problems (Theme 5), but about the specific nature of her destructive power.

Theme 3: Ontological Hunger—The Void That Cannot Be Filled

Core idea: Ungoliant embodies existential emptiness—an absence at the core of being that consumes everything yet remains forever unfilled. Evidence: - "Desiring to be mistress of her own lust, taking all things to herself to feed her emptiness" (The Silmarillion) - After consuming the Two Trees: "Huger and darker yet grew Ungoliant, but her lust was unsated" - "In her uttermost famine she devoured herself at last" (probable fate) - Scholars: "She is never truly satisfied, and her endless need to consume mirrors the existential void experienced by those who fall into darkness" - Comparison to black hole: "insatiable hunger that can never be quenched" - Even after draining the Wells of Varda and the Two Trees themselves, she demands the Silmarils Distinction: This theme focuses on HUNGER AS EMPTINESS, not as greed or power-seeking. It's metaphysical/existential—the fundamental void at her core. This differs from her Unlight power (Theme 2) and from evil's self-destruction (Theme 4). It's about what she IS (emptiness incarnate) rather than what she does.

Theme 4: Evil's Autocannibalistic Nature

Core idea: Evil inherently turns on itself when external targets are exhausted—the self-destructive logic of pure consumption. Evidence: - Ultimate fate: "In her uttermost famine she devoured herself at last" - Attacks Morgoth after consuming all available light: the hunger turns on her ally - Scholars: "Evil is known for having a fragmentary, self-defeating aspect" - "In the end, 'according to legend', it runs out of food and feeds on/eats itself. This too has its representation in other religious backdrops, with regard to evil" - Theological principle: evil has no creative capacity, only consumptive, thus must eventually consume itself - Her offspring also violent and self-destructive (she devoured the spiders she mated with) Distinction: This is about the INEVITABLE TRAJECTORY of evil—its self-destructive endpoint. Not about her hunger as existence (Theme 3), but about where that hunger logically leads. This is teleological (focused on the end/purpose) while Theme 3 is ontological (focused on the nature of being).

Theme 5: The Privation Paradox—Evil That "Seems" Substantial

Core idea: Ungoliant presents a theological crisis for Tolkien's Catholic worldview about evil as privation, not substance. Evidence: - Augustinian doctrine: "Evil is only the privation of the good" - Ungoliant's challenge: "A Darkness that seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own" - Scholars: "Perhaps the closest Tolkien could be said to come to a Manichaean affirmation of evil as an ontologically independent force" - Tolkien's careful resolution: "seemed not lack" (appearance, not reality) and "made by malice out of Light" (derivative) - Debate about whether she was originally good (thus could be corrupted, preserving privation) or primordially evil - "The Darkness was More than Loss of Light: the Case of Ungoliant" (scholarly article on this problem) Distinction: This theme is THEOLOGICAL—about Tolkien's struggle to represent compelling cosmic evil while maintaining Catholic orthodoxy. It's not about what Ungoliant does (Themes 2-4) or her unknowability (Theme 1), but about what her existence MEANS for Tolkien's moral cosmology. This is the philosophical problem she represents.

Theme 6: The Power Dynamics of Consumption vs. Dispersal

Core idea: The confrontation at Lammoth reveals opposing mechanics of power—concentrated consumption vs. dispersed domination. Evidence: - "Ungoliant had grown great, and he less by the power that had gone out of him" - Ungoliant grows stronger by consuming and hoarding (Trees, light, gems) - Morgoth grows weaker by dispersing his power into Arda (the "Morgoth element") - At the moment of confrontation, the consumer overpowers the disperser - Yet Morgoth's dispersed power (Balrogs in Angband) ultimately saves him - Neither approach sustainable: Ungoliant's leads to self-consumption, Morgoth's to weakness Distinction: This is about POWER MECHANICS specifically—how power is gained, held, and lost. Unlike Theme 3 (hunger as emptiness) or Theme 4 (self-destruction), this is about the strategic dimension: concentrated vs. dispersed power. It analyzes the confrontation as revealing different philosophies of power, not just different characters.

Theme 7: The Monstrous Feminine and Patriarchal Fear

Core idea: Ungoliant's gendering as female and her independence from male authority code her as threatening to patriarchal order. Evidence: - Christopher Hansen: "Women who have exited patriarchal gender roles of subservience, obedience, and docility" - "She had disowned her Master, desiring to be mistress of her own lust" - Sexual/procreative (mates with spiders, produces offspring) - Attacks male authority figure (Morgoth) when he denies her demands - Scholar: "Lack of subservience to men and strict monogamy makes them monstrous" - Joe Abbott: "Female giants" in Northern folklore tradition - Comparison to Milton's Sin (female, monstrous, attacks her progenitor) Distinction: This is a CRITICAL/FEMINIST reading, examining how gender functions in her portrayal. Completely separate from the theological themes (5), power mechanics (6), or hunger metaphysics (3). This asks: what does it mean that independent, consuming, sexual female power takes this monstrous form in Tolkien's work?

Theme 8: Discord Incarnate—Escaping the Creator

Core idea: Ungoliant may represent Melkor's discord made flesh—evil that escapes even its originator's control. Evidence: - Christopher Tolkien: "Out of the discords of the Music... evil things appeared in Arda" - Scholarly theory: Melkor's fragments in the Music "could have resided the essence for Ungoliant's formation" - She "disowned her Master"—independent from Melkor despite possibly originating from his discord - "Evil is known for having a fragmentary, self-defeating aspect. It would not be entirely surprising if a piece of Melkor's song got away from him" - Attacks Melkor at Lammoth—the created turning on the creator - Described as "reversal on the concept of the Music... a product of the void which was made non-existent" Distinction: This theme is about ORIGINS and the concept of unintended consequences of evil. Unlike Theme 1 (unknowability as such) or Theme 5 (theological paradox), this is about the GENERATIVE process—how evil might spawn things beyond its creator's control. It's cosmogonic (about how things came to be) rather than epistemological or moral.

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Quality Check:

✓ Overlap test: Each theme addresses a distinct aspect: 1. Epistemology (unknowability) 2. Mechanism (how her power works) 3. Ontology (what she fundamentally is) 4. Teleology (where evil leads) 5. Theology (what she means for good/evil doctrine) 6. Power mechanics (strategic dimensions) 7. Gender criticism (feminist reading) 8. Cosmogony (how evil generates beyond control)

✓ Coverage test: Themes span her unknowable nature, unique powers, existential meaning, ultimate fate, theological implications, her confrontation with Morgoth, modern critical readings, and mythological origins.

✓ Distinction test: Each theme's "Core idea" and "Distinction" clearly differentiate it from others.

✓ Evidence test: Each theme has 4-7 supporting quotes/facts with citations.

Sources: Ungoliant Research

Primary Tolkien Sources

Published Works

The Silmarillion (1977, edited by Christopher Tolkien) - Chapter 8: "Of the Darkening of Valinor" - Chapter 9: "Of the Flight of the Noldor" - Most important source for canonical Ungoliant story The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 1) - Contains earliest versions of Ungoliant as Móru - Shows evolution of her relationship with Melkor - Provides "primeval spirit of night" conception Morgoth's Ring (The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 10) - Later Silmarillion versions showing textual evolution - Discussion of evil emerging from discord in the Music - Changes in Ungoliant's fear/relationship with Melkor The War of the Jewels (The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 11) - Additional later versions of the Silmarillion material - Further development of Ungoliant narrative The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien (edited by Humphrey Carpenter) - Letter 131: To Milton Waldman (overview of mythology) - Letter 144: To Naomi Mitchison (references to Ungoliant as "primeval devourer of light") The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 4) - Gandalf's reference to "nameless things" older than Sauron - Shelob narrative as Ungoliant's descendant - Watcher in the Water as possible related entity Unfinished Tales - Additional context on First Age geography - References to Nan Dungortheb and spider-infested regions

Secondary Sources - Tolkien Gateway

Ungoliant - Tolkien Gateway https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ungoliant Comprehensive wiki article with citations to primary sources - Most useful for: Timeline, name etymology, textual variants Unlight - Tolkien Gateway https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Unlight Detailed article on the nature of Ungoliant's darkness - Most useful for: Theological implications, power descriptions Darkening of Valinor - Tolkien Gateway https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Darkening_of_Valinor Full narrative of the destruction of the Two Trees - Most useful for: Chronology, Valar's response, consequences Years of the Trees - Tolkien Gateway https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Years_of_the_Trees Timeline context for when events occurred - Most useful for: Dating, chronological framework Nameless things - Tolkien Gateway https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Nameless_things Context for category of unknowable evil entities - Most useful for: Cosmic horror parallels, unknowable evil theme Void - Tolkien Gateway https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Void Cosmological context for darkness before creation - Most useful for: Origin theories, primordial darkness concept

Secondary Sources - Fan Wikis

Ungoliant | The One Wiki to Rule Them All https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Ungoliant Comprehensive overview with some unique interpretations - Most useful for: Power comparisons, scholarly references Ungoliant - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ungoliant Good scholarly overview with academic citations - Most useful for: Academic source references, Milton comparison

Scholarly Articles

"The Monstrous Feminine: Ungoliant, Shelob, and Women in Tolkien's Middle-Earth" by Christopher Hansen Crossroads: A Journal of English Studies, 2021 https://czasopisma.filologia.uwb.edu.pl/index.php/c/article/view/1659 Most important academic source on gender analysis - Feminist critique of Ungoliant as monstrous feminine - Analysis of patriarchal gender roles in Tolkien - Sexual freedom and subversion coding "The Darkness was More than Loss of Light: the Case of Ungoliant" by Jonathan McIntosh The Flame Imperishable blog https://jonathansmcintosh.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-darkness-was-more-than-loss-of-light-the-case-of-ungoliant/ Theological analysis of privation paradox - Most useful for: Catholic theology, privation theory, Manichaeism discussion "Ungoliant: A Fragment of Melkor's Discord?" A Tolkienist's Perspective blog / The Tolkien Society https://atolkienistperspective.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/ungoliant-a-fragment-of-melkors-discord/ https://www.tolkiensociety.org/blog/2014/06/ungoliant-a-fragment-of-melkors-discord/ Discord theory of Ungoliant's origins - Most useful for: Music of the Ainur connection, origin theories "Ungoliant's Unfulfilled Desires: The Significance of the Seven Deadly Sins, Part 2" Tolkien Talk blog https://tolkientalk.home.blog/2020/03/25/ungoliants-unfulfilled-desires-the-significance-of-the-seven-deadly-sins-part-2/ Moral/theological analysis through lens of Seven Deadly Sins - Most useful for: Gluttony, greed, lust interpretations; existential void theme "Cosmic Horror and Tolkien" A Phuulish Fellow blog https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/cosmic-horror-and-tolkien/ Analysis of Lovecraftian elements in Tolkien - Most useful for: Cosmic horror comparison, unknowable evil theme "Lovecraft and Tolkien: Lovecraftian Horrors in Middle-earth?" The Lovecraft eZine https://lovecraftzine.com/2017/04/28/lovecraft-and-tolkien-lovecraftian-horrors-in-middle-earth/ Detailed comparison of cosmic horror elements - Most useful for: Lovecraft parallels, nameless things, primordial darkness

Analysis Articles and Essays

"Ungoliant" - Character Biography by Oshun Silmarillion Writers' Guild https://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/reference/references/pf/ungoliant.php Comprehensive character analysis - Most useful for: Textual evolution, scholarly interpretations summary "Ungoliant" - Character of the Month Silmarillion Writers' Guild https://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/reference/characterofthemonth/ungoliant.php General overview for fans - Most useful for: Accessible introduction, key quotes "Ungoliant: Lord of the Rings Character Analysis" Pride and Prophecy https://www.prideandprophecy.com/2025/09/ungoliant.html Modern character analysis - Most useful for: Contemporary interpretations, symbolic meaning "Guide to The Silmarillion: Of the Darkening of Valinor (Ch. 8)" Tea with Tolkien https://www.teawithtolkien.com/blog/quentasilm8 Chapter-by-chapter Silmarillion guide - Most useful for: Context, close reading of key passages "Tolkien: Medieval and Modern: Ungoliant" http://tolkienmedievalandmodern.blogspot.com/2017/05/ungoliant.html Academic blog analysis - Most useful for: Medieval influences, theological context

Discussion Forums and Q&A

Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange - "Was Ungoliant more powerful than Morgoth?" https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/108630/was-ungoliant-more-powerful-than-morgoth Most useful for: Power dynamics analysis, diminishment discussion

- "What happened to Ungoliant?" https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/71385/what-happened-to-ungoliant Most useful for: Fate theories, self-consumption interpretation

- "How did Ungoliant die?" https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/126385/how-did-ungoliant-die Most useful for: Textual evolution from Eärendil slaying to unknown fate

The Tolkien Forum - "Ungoliant: The First of the Free Agents" https://thetolkien.forum/threads/ungoliant-the-first-of-the-free-agents.2569/ Most useful for: Independence from Melkor discussion

- "Where did Ungoliant go?" https://thetolkien.forum/threads/where-did-ungoliant-go.3885/ Most useful for: "Forgotten south" speculation

- "The Nature of Evil in Middle-earth" https://thetolkien.forum/threads/the-nature-of-evil-in-middle-earth.32167/ Most useful for: Privation theory, theological context

Quora - "Why is Ungoliant considered so scary and is seen as a Lovecraftian horror in Tolkien's legendarium?" https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Ungoliant-considered-so-scary-and-is-seen-as-a-Lovecraftian-horror-in-Tolkiens-legendarium-I-mean-yeah-a-gigantic-spider-would-be-scary-but-its-just-that-a-big-spider-Whats-all-the-cosmic-horror-about-it-all Most useful for: Cosmic horror explanation, unknowable nature

Linguistic Sources

Ungoliant - Parf Edhellen (Elvish Dictionary) https://www.elfdict.com/w/ungoliant Etymology and linguistic analysis - Most useful for: Name meanings, Quenya/Sindarin forms Eldamo: Sindarin: Ungoliant https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-1772080551.html Detailed etymological database entry - Most useful for: Evolution of name across texts, root words

Popular Culture and Analysis

"LOTR: Who Was Ungoliant?" Game Rant https://gamerant.com/lotr-ungoliant-spider-explained/ Popular accessible explanation - Most useful for: General audience introduction "This Deep-Cut Tolkien Villain Is Even Worse Than Sauron" Collider https://collider.com/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-ungoliant-explained/ Popular media coverage - Most useful for: Contemporary relevance, power comparisons "Lord of the Rings: Who Is Ungoliant - And How Is She Related to Shelob?" CBR https://www.cbr.com/lord-of-rings-ungoliant-explained/ Fan analysis article - Most useful for: Legacy through Shelob, offspring discussion

Additional Context Sources

"Christianity in Middle-earth" - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Middle-earth Overview of Catholic/Christian themes - Most useful for: Theological context, Augustine, privation theory "Tolkien research" - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien_research Academic field overview - Most useful for: Scholarly context, major themes in Tolkien studies "The Encyclopedia of Arda - Unlight" https://www.glyphweb.com/arda/u/unlight.php Encyclopedic entry on Unlight - Most useful for: Precise definition, canonical status

Comparative Literature

References to Milton's Paradise Lost - Scholar John Wm. Houghton's comparison to Sin/Satan relationship - Monstrous feminine offspring attacking progenitor Northern European Folklore - Joe Abbott (Mythlore) on female giants - Spider form unusual but monstrous feminine archetype present

Notes on Source Quality and Usefulness

Most Authoritative: 1. The Silmarillion (Chapters 8-9) - primary canonical text 2. Book of Lost Tales - earliest versions 3. Morgoth's Ring - textual evolution 4. Tolkien's Letters - direct statements Most Analytically Valuable: 1. Hansen's "Monstrous Feminine" - gender analysis 2. McIntosh's "Darkness was More than Loss of Light" - theology 3. "Fragment of Melkor's Discord" - origin theory 4. Tolkien Gateway articles - comprehensive citations Most Accessible for General Audience: 1. Game Rant and CBR articles 2. Tea with Tolkien guide 3. Silmarillion Writers' Guild character summary Gaps in Available Sources: - No direct references to Ungoliant in Letters 131 or 144 (referenced but not found in searches) - Limited academic papers (mostly Hansen's feminist analysis) - Scarcity of information on why Tolkien changed her fate - No definitive statement from Tolkien on her true nature Research Confidence Level: - High confidence: Events of Darkening, confrontation at Lammoth, offspring - Medium confidence: Theological interpretations, power comparisons - Low confidence: True origins, ultimate fate, Tolkien's intentions re: gender - Deliberate mystery: Origin, nature (Maia vs. primordial spirit), final fate

This research draws from approximately 50 distinct sources across primary texts, scholarly analysis, fan wikis, and academic discussion forums.