By Jay C.
There are few authors who can create worlds with such depth and technique as J.R.R. Tolkien, whose writings of the fictional world of Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. However, Tolkien's greatest feat, published posthumously and meticulously assembled by his son, Christopher Tolkien, is The Silmarillion. The mythopoeic collection of stories follow the creation and early history of Arda, the "planet" so-to-speak on which Middle-earth is a continent. Tolkien writes in an omniscient perspective that does not follow a single character, a strategy that allows the stories to feel more like a historical accounting than a piece of fantasy fiction.
Before Middle-earth and the universe itself, there was Eru (also referred to as Iluvatar), Tolkien's version of God. Through his great power, Eru created the Ainur, his godly children whom he instructed to play a grand symphony. Fifteen of the greatest of the Ainur, known as the Valar, do as Eru asked, and conducted music that resounded through the heavens. Yet there was one, Melkor, who sought to exceed his brethren and impress Eru. Breaking from the piece, Melkor repeatedly created discord despite the wishes of Eru. The great God ended the performance to show the Ainur that the music was His interpretation of the coming world, and subsequently created Arda and Middle-earth. Eru sent the Valar to Arda to prepare the world for the coming of His children, the Elves and humans. While the Valar shaped the world, the greed and jealousy of Melkor grew, and he fought his siblings for control of the world.
Despite Melkor's attempts at thwarting the world, he was captured and imprisoned by the Valar, and the Elves would be born relatively safely from his influence. Over time they journeyed to the home of the Valar beyond Middle-earth, and in time, Melkor was released. He began to seed corruption among the Elves, and his lies sparked an rift among them all. His actions forever change the landscape of the world and cause a chain of legendary conflicts. Between Melkor, the Elves, the Valar, and the coming of Men, Tolkien covers a tremendous amount of story-telling. Eventually, the stories lead to the rise of the powerful villain of The Lord of the Rings, Sauron, and the forging of the Rings of Power.
J.R.R. Tolkien's passion and dedication is so truly and uniquely revealed in myths spun throughout the pages of The Silmarillion. It is a book that can be described as a bible, as it details tales of genesis, genealogical accounts, and epic conflicts. Tolkien sacrifices character creation, to some extent, to provide ample description of thousands of years — if not more — of fictional history. As such, The Silmarillion lacks the humor and friendly nature of his other writings, such as The Hobbit. At times, the enormous number of characters and locations can overwhelm the reader, but part of the fun is flipping back and forth from the map and glossary accompanied in the back of the book. However, there is such beautiful content within each chapter and page that calling the book anything short of a masterpiece would be a grave injustice.
I found the style of writing to be far different from what I had expected, but it was a welcome surprise. Despite the frugal use of dialogue, the book enchanted me, and for days my mind remained within Middle-earth. The Silmarillion is a must-read for fans of Tolkien's other books, but I would not recommend it as an entry into his work because of the nature of content. I found my copy at my public library, but it's sure to be readily available in most bookstores as well. The Silmarillion is sure to be as hypnotic and captivating as One Ring itself!
The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien, Houghton Mifflin, 1977, 365 pages
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