eä

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 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.

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

In Tolkien’s writings, Eä stands as the overarching cosmos—the World that Is—distinct from Ilúvatar’s timeless thought and from any realm beyond Arda. It remains the setting for the myths, ages, and legends that comprise his legendarium.