Middle-earth Journeys

Yoo hoo! Time to dust out the cobwebs and light the fire in this cold room!

Serinde wrote this in another thread:

I made a comment that the Silmarillion reads like the Bible to me. Actually the Old Testament. There's the beginning of the universe, Middle-Earth's genesis; there are wonderful broad, sweeping sections that deal with the mythological history, the migrations of the Elves & the First Men; then there are the detailed stories of certain persons, the heroes and the anti-heroes. I like starting there.

I thought it was a great analogy! Comments?

In another thread I wrote that I chose/choose to ignore the religious aspects of LOTR. With the Silmarillion it's pretty much impossible. Strangely enough, I'm ok with that. The way Tolkien describes the creation of this Middle-earth is very spiritual to me.

I agree that large parts of The Sil do resemble biblical stories - there's even a "fallen angel" amongst the Valar, and the Valar themselves could be likened to Archangels - but they also struck me as having equivalents in Greek/Roman mythology. So I think Tolkien was drawing on several sources here, but he certainly wrote in a biblical way!

I agree that describing The Silmarillion as being rather like The Old Testament is indeed very, very apt. While Tolkien's Catholicism and some Christian imagery can be perceived within the work, let's keep in mind that Tolkien designed LOTR as a pre-Christian mythic history for his beloved England.

In his letters, the Professor had the following to say about the nature of religion in Middle-earth:

From Letter 153 to Peter Hastings: "There are thus no temples or 'churches' or fanes in this 'world' among 'good' peoples. They had little or no 'religion' in the sense of worship. For help they may call on a Vala (as Elbereth), as a Catholic might on a Saint, though no doubt knowing in theory as well as he that the power of the Vala was limited and derivative. But this is a 'primitive age': and these folk may be said to view the Valar as children view their parents or immediate adult superiors, and though they know they are subjects of the King he does not live in their country nor have there any dwelling. I do not think Hobbits practised any form of worship or prayer (unless through exceptional contact with Elves). The Numenoreans (and others of that branch of Humanity, that fought against Morgoth, even if they elected to remain in Middle-earth and did not go to Numenor: such as the Rohirrim) were pure monotheists. But there was no temple in Numenor (until Sauron introduced the cult of Morgoth). The top of the Mountain, the Meneltarma or Pillar of Heaven, was dedicated to Eru, the One, and there at any time privately, and at certain times publicly, God was invoked, praised, and adored: an imitation of the Valar and the Mountain of Aman. But Numenor fell and was destroyed and the Mountain engulfed, and there was no substitute. Among the exiles, remnants of the Faithful who had not adopted the false religion nor taken part in the rebellion, religion as divine worship (though perhaps not as philosophy and metaphysics) seems to have played a small part; though a glimpse of it is caught in Faramir's remark on 'grace at meat', Vol. II p. 285."

From Letter 165 to the Houghton Mifflin Co.: "The only criticism that annoyed me was one that it 'contained no religion' (and 'no Women', but that does not matter, and is not true anyway). It is a monotheistic world of 'natural theology'. The odd fact that there are no churches, temples, or religious rites and ceremonies is simply part of the historical climate depicted. It will be sufficiently explained, if (as now seems likely) the Silmarillion and other legends of the First and Second Ages are published. I am in any case myself a Christian; but the 'Third Age' was not a Christian world."

As Merry said in another thread, "But in his letters, Tolkien says that the story is 'fundamentally Catholic'. Many, including myself (I'm a Catholic), have speculated about what that means, since he doesn't exactly identify it with a big neon sign! One speaker at the Oxford conference said that if the LOTR were a painting, the religious element would be the canvas, not the paint."

I think the "fundamentally Catholic" nature of LOTR comes from Tolkien's effort to portray a "natural theology," one that emerges when good people try to do the right thing outside of the influence of religion or superstition. In other words, what is the good and proper way to behave and interact with each other in a peaceful and productive manner.

I hope this is helpful as our discussion proceeds!

I agree (of course, since Tolkien said it himself!) that the predominant kind of religious thought in Tolkien is natural theology, Lindariel. Your explanation of that is a good one. Natural theology is a long-standing intellectual tradition in the Catholic Church.

But there are some glimpses of 'supernatural' theology, too, like stars peaking through the night canvas. An example would be the several times when the Valar are mentioned or invoked in a prayer-like way--O Elbereth! Even the hobbits begin to do this, maybe in imitation of elves.

In terms of the Sil, JRRT mentions in his letters that there is an event that he thinks of as 'The Fall' of the elves, like the Fall in the Garden of Eden. Any guesses?

Merry, in my opinion, the "Fall" of the Elves began when Feanor convinces many of the Noldor to disobey the Valar and pursue revenge against Morgoth for the killing of Finwe and the theft of the Silmarils -- the dreadful "Oath of Feanor." But their "Fall" was certainly sealed with the First Kinslaying at Alqualonde (the murder of the Teleri shipmasters) and the declaration of the Doom of Mandos:

Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentation shall pass over the mountains. On the House of Feanor the wrath of the Valar lieth from the West unto the uttermost East, and upon all that will follow them it shall be laid also. Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well; and by treason of kin unto kin, and the fear of treason, shall this come to pass. The Dispossessed shall they be forever.

Ye have spilled the blood of your kindred unrighteously and have stained the land of Aman. For blood ye shall render blood, and beyond Aman ye shall dwell in Death's shadow. For though Eru appointed to you to die not in Ea, and no sickness may assail you, yet slain ye may be, and slain ye shall be: by weapon and by torment and by grief; and your houseless spirits shall come then to Mandos. There long shall ye abide and yearn for your bodies, and find little pity though all whom ye have slain should entreat for you. And those that endure in Middle-earth and come not to Mandos shall grow weary of the world as with a great burden, and shall wane, and become as shadows of regret before the younger race that cometh after. The Valar have spoken.

A BRILLIANT piece of writing. Whew! Gives me the shivers every time! If that isn't a "Fall" or a "Casting out of the Garden," then I don't know what is!

That does seem to be the Fall of the Elves. I'm reminded of the moment when Feanor is before the Valar; the Trees are dying, but Yavanna says she could revive the Trees if Feanor would give up the Silmarils. He chooses not to. Is this Feanor's Fall? It certainly is his one defining moment.

On the other side of the coin, Earendil crosses the ocean and, with the aid of the one Silmaril, finds the Undying Land. He pleads the case of the embattled Elves & Men of Middle-Earth. This would be called a 'Christ-figure' if Tolkien allowed such allegories. [/b]

Thanks for that quote, Lindariel. It is incredible writing. It reminds me in style of the Oath of Eorl, which is quite powerful.

Yes, indeed, that is the Fall. In one of the letters, Tolkien calls Feanor's oath 'blasphemous'. The tone of all of this is certainly Biblical, isn't it?

Serinde, it is really obvious to me that there are many Christ-figures in Tolkien's work. And so, again, his statement about allegory causes me to wonder what he meant by allegory. Maybe he meant that he didn't sit down and think, hmm, I think I'll stick a Christ-figure in here to try to convert all my readers to Catholicism! Instead, I think that he believed, for example, that all suffering, death, and resurrection are related to that of Christ. And so, in writing about characters that go through these things, it's inevitable that his descriptions should have religious overtones, because his writing springs from the depths of his being.

Of course, I really meant a metaphor.

An allegory is a story in which all the parts are represented, and, I presume, meant to teach a lesson.

There are many 'resurrected' personages in the trilogy, and many who perform good deeds & 'miracles' on behalf of others. But Earendil's story of his sacrifice & the pleading before the throne of Manwe seems to be the ultimate 'Christ-figure'

But back to the style of the writing, I've always been curious about the reader's response. Many of you have mentioned finding the Silmarillion difficult to get through. I think it is partly the 'biblical' style that is hard to read. At least there are no long lists of 'who begat who' (not until you get into the appendices). But the switch from personal strory to broad expanse takes some getting used to.
Also, there is no real reference as to how long these stories are taking; the Elves being so long-lived, you don't realize a hundred years have passed since the last story. Once the humans show up, you can start putting a limit on the years that are passing by.

I think about the Professor sometimes and marvel at how clear & real all the stories of Middle-Earth must have seem to him.

The Bible, whose historical-mythological style Tolkien often imitates, is echoed in the "Ainulindale" and The Silmarillion, which follow a Biblical, mainly Christian pattern of universal history: creation, fall of an angelic being and of many of his followers, ensuing period of extended universal disharmony, and redemption.

Creation, which occurs in the Bible by Fiat- "Let there be", is here "Ea! Let these things Be!" Spoiling the initial perfection is the Satanic Melkor, an Ainu (single tense of "Ainur", the gods of our world) who "meddled in all that was done".

Both Melkor and Satan experience a fall, drawing others with them: Satan, in Revelation 12:9, 12, "was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him...Woe unto the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come unto you", and Melkor "descended through fire and wrath into a great burning, down into Darkness...But he was not alone. For of the Maiar (lesser angels, demi-gods) many were drawn to his splendour in the days of his greatness, and remained in that allegiance down into his darkness". Melkor is persued by the equivalent of the Biblical archangel, Tulkas, the warrior god, "whose anger passes like a mighty wind, scattering cloud and darkness before it; and Melkor fled from his wrath and his laughter" (Helms 26-29, 36).

Following the evil power's expulsion, the labor of creation continues. In The Silmarillion, "Aule (the god of smith-work)...wrought two mighty lamps", just as in Genesis 1:16 "God made two great lights". Close thereafter, "There arose a multitude of growing things great and small, mosses and grasses and great ferns, and trees whose tops were crowned with cloud...beasts...came forth and dwelt in the grassy plains", as in the Bible's "let the earth bring forth grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit" (1:11) and "the living creature after its kind, and the cattle after their kind" (1:25). In both works there is an Eden: In Scripture, "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden", and, in The Silmarillion, the earth entire, which is for the gods "a garden for their delight". In the garden grow two powerful trees, the Biblical trees of Life and Knowledge, and Tolkien's "Two Trees...about (whose) fate all the tales of the elder days are woven" (Helms 29-30).

What a great side-by-side comparison, Beren! Thanks! Another essential similarity, I think, is that once the evil angel reveals his intentions, the God doesn't just smite him down, but allows his actions to become part of a larger picture of salvation history, thereby creating room for free will to operate.

I've had a new experience which I would like to recommend: my little part of the world is covered in ice right now, which means that everyone in my little city lost power for seven or eight hours last night. So, what to read by candlelight, wrapped up in winter coat, blankets, and mittens?

I thought 'The Lay of Luthien' was best. What a great experience!

Did you read the chapter 'Of Beren and Luthien' in the Sil or the Lay of Leithian in History of Middle Earth? Just curious as I've always wanted to read the Lay of Leithian but now I've got it in my bound volumes I'm really daunted by the length ! I've picked it up several times and put it down again.

I know Riv says it's very beautiful and a must read.

I read the HoMe version--maybe I should have posted under poetry rather than the Sil thread, but since it is a Sil story, I put it here.

Anyway, it was perfect for a power failure and no distractions. It is a daunting length, but it is easier reading, in some ways, than Shakespeare or other similar poetry. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would!

I shall have read it! Maybe if I read through it quickly then go back over it more slowly afterwards - I tend to get easly sidetracked by details if I'm not careful and if that happens it could take me a very long time to read it .

I really had no idea it was so long until I saw it .