Editing Valinor (section)

=== Good against evil ===

{{further|Christianity in Middle-earth#Light}}

The scholar of English literature [[Marjorie Burns]] writes that one of the female Vala, Varda (Elbereth to the Elves) is sung to by the Elf-queen of Middle-earth [[Galadriel]]. Burns notes that Varda "sits far off in Valinor on Oiolossë",{{sfn|Burns|2005|pp=152–154}} looking from her mountain-peak tower in Aman towards Middle-earth and the [[Barad-dûr|Dark Tower]] of [[Sauron]] in [[Mordor]]: she notes [[Timothy O'Neill (camoufleur)|Timothy O'Neill]]'s view that the white benevolent feminine symbol opposes the evil masculine symbol. Further, Burns suggests, Galadriel is an Elf from Valinor "in the Blessed Realm",{{sfn|Burns|2005|pp=152–154}} bringing Varda's influence with her to Middle-earth. This is seen in the phial of light that she gives to [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], and that [[Sam Gamgee|Sam]] uses to defeat the evil giant spider [[Shelob]]: Sam invokes Elbereth when he uses the phial. Burns comments that Sam's request to the "Lady" sounds distinctly [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]], and that the "female principle, embodied in Varda of Valinor and Galadriel of Middle-earth, most clearly represents the charitable Christian heart."{{sfn|Burns|2005|pp=152–154}}