1.) Where does the raiment that the Valar clothe themselves come
from? As in, who creates that?
The Valar clothe themselves in their own thoughts i.e. they directly manifest
their own coverings.
2.) What do you picture the Valar to look like? Are they bound to size?
They look like the Children of Iluvatar i.e. probably the elves except with
"greater majesty and splendor" which means more beautiful, radiant, and maybe
larger.
3.) The way I read it, the Valar have gender, but the physical expression of it
is not what makes their gender. Why the inclusion of this specification?
Good question. Since gender usually applies to sexual roles in a culture (for
example the Mohave tribe has 14 gender roles)or physical sexual
characteristics, and Tolkien is clearly pointing out that the "gender" of the
Valar exists prior to physicality or culture, it is not obvious why he did
this. His point is that Spirit has gender. As I consider this, a question comes
to mind, are there any Female Angels in the catholic cosmology? Is he possibly
responding to that along with following the culture prototype of male and
female gods from celtic/saxon etc folklore?
4.) What of the name "Valar?"
Mostly sounds like "valiant" to
me.
"...men's hearts are not often as bad as their acts, and very seldom as bad as their words." Tolkien, letter #250.
