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eí

Eä is the universe in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, the World that Is. It was created by Eru Ilúvatar after the Music of the Ainur, and the name Ea derives from a Quenya word meaning “Let these things be” or, in context, “the world that is.” As a concept, Eä refers to the entire created cosmos—time, space, and all that exists within it.

Within Eä lies Arda, the physical world that includes the earth, seas, skies, and the celestial bodies

The Ainur, spiritual beings created by Ilúvatar, entered Eä and became the Valar and Maiar, taking up

In Tolkien’s writings, Eä stands as the overarching cosmos—the World that Is—distinct from Ilúvatar’s timeless thought

that
illuminate
it
and
mark
the
passage
of
time.
The
light
that
once
emanated
from
the
Two
Trees
of
Valinor
was
preserved
and
later
manifested
in
the
Sun
and
Moon,
which
are
set
in
the
heavens
within
Eä
to
provide
temporal
measure
and
illumination.
The
universe
is
understood
as
dynamic
and
evolving,
not
merely
a
thought
of
Ilúvatar.
roles
within
Arda
to
shape
and
govern
its
development
under
Ilúvatar’s
overarching
plan.
Their
influence
helps
drive
the
histories
of
Elves
and
Men
and
the
unfolding
events
described
in
works
such
as
the
Silmarillion
and
The
Lord
of
the
Rings,
all
taking
place
within
Eä.
and
from
any
realm
beyond
Arda.
It
remains
the
setting
for
the
myths,
ages,
and
legends
that
comprise
his
legendarium.