Sea-longing
The Unquiet of Ulmo was a strong sea-longing, or desire to return to the sea, that typically affected the Eldar.
The Noldor who lingered in Middle-earth had an unquietable yearning for the Sea, coupled with their nostalgia of their home. It was slumbering in the hearts of the Sindar, until it awoke after seeing Belegaer, the Great Sea to the west of Middle-earth, for the first time. The cry of the gulls awakened the sea-longing in Legolas' heart when he heard them at Pelargir.
Tuor first felt the Unquiet of Ulmo when he looked upon Belegaer, and he felt it ever afterwards. This longing was also passed on to his son, Eärendil. In addition, those that heard the music of the Ulumúri, the horns of Ulmo, would always feel a longing for the sea.
Other versions of the legendarium
The concept of the lust for the sea is already present in the drafts for The Tale of Eärendel; in the several versions, Tuor or Tûr, hears the conches of Ulmo or 'groweth sea-hungry', takes a boat to disapear in the sea leaving Idril and Earendil behind.
Inspiration
In the summer of 1914 Tolkien visited the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall where the sea left a great impression on him, and inspired him to write a poem.
According to Norma Roche, the pull of the Sea in Tolkien's works is not for the sake of the sea and sailing itself, but about what lies beyond the sea: the paradise of the West.
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 29/05/2026.
