I found the chapter about The Silmarillion intriguing. Probably due to the fact that the book itself interests me and having a bit of background knowledge on the events that take place within it is quite useful. Some things Shippey said about the book itself were what I would’ve expected. Such as Stanley Unwin politely telling him that the book was not really one that was meant to be published, but one that Tolkien should pull stories much like The Hobbit out of to make more popular books like it. It makes sense that he would say that, seeing that The Hobbit was so popular and The Silmarillion is so complicated and difficult to read. I guess he simply didn’t understand the importance of such a collection of work.
Another point I thought was kind of interesting was how Tolkien meant for The Silmarillion to be told through the words of a stranded Anglo-Saxon who learned the history of the Elves from them telling him. I guess this element would make the seem more authentic as Tolkien was fabricating a whole mythology. The only thing that make me wonder though, is how an early Englishman from the tenth century or whenever was able to somehow get to Beleriand (Because of course we all know that it’s indeed quite difficult for anyone but an elf to get to Valinor). If Middle Earth eventually becomes earth as we know it, then he would have to go through time. I don’t know, thats just my two cents. I suppose things don’t always have to make perfect sense, this is a mythology after all.
The last thing that caught my interest was how closely the war against Morgoth mirrors the fall of Lucifer. I’m not to keen on the Bible, however I know enough to get me by and then some. Morgoth disobeying Iluvatar is very similar to Lucifer disobeying God’s will. Just showing that not not only is The Lord of the Rings a Christian book, but so is The Silmarillion.
Also, Shippey does a much better job at summarizing the first age than I do. Alas…
Brian Nacov November 13, 2008, at 05:33 PM
