The Silmarillion

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1977

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Parts 1-2

Part 3, Chapters 1-3

Part 3, Chapters 4-6

Part 3, Chapters 7-9

Part 3, Chapters 10-12

Part 3, Chapters 13-15

Part 3, Chapters 16-18

Part 3, Chapters 19-21

Part 3, Chapters 22-24

Parts 4-5

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Themes

Good Versus Evil

Perhaps the most dominant theme of the novel is the constant struggle of good versus evil. As something of a creation myth and a religious text, there are clear allusions to Christian doctrine throughout the text, though this comparison is rarely explicit and is frequently portrayed through the lens of traditional fantasy motifs, rather than classical Christian imagery. There is, however, a very similar value system evident throughout the text. The world, created by a benevolent deity, is populated by Men (as well as other races) who face constant temptation at the hands of an “evil” figure. Like Satan in Christian doctrine, Melkor is a fallen member of the deity’s inner circle and was present during the creation of the world. Likewise, characters demonstrate their preference for individual free will and freedom, while searching for power outside of the structures laid down by the deity. Fëanor, for instance, comes to resent the Valar while numerous Men resent the short lives they have been given. In both cases, the characters seek to address what they perceive to be failings in the world and use their free will to do so, even when it goes against the benevolent creator.

Within the paradigm of good versus evil, it is important to consider the Valar. They are the immortal representations of Eru, who assisted him in creation and now help him watch over the world and make minor adjustments where they see fit. While the Valar are immortal and free to make minor adjustments, mortal characters (and those who can die) feel compelled to make more drastic changes. The Men of Númenor, for example, eventually go to war with the Valar. They lose quickly; a race of mortal beings attempting to storm the land of the immortal Valar seems a doomed mission from the start. The morality of the situation is complicated. Men, corrupted by Sauron, begin to view the Valar as evil; the Valar, they believe, are withholding the possibility of immortality. To Men, this is an evil act and their war is morally right. To the audience, this reasoning is inherently flawed. Not only are the Valar incapable of providing immortality to Men, but dark forces are corrupting the Men. The hand of Sauron is evident, and Men’s supposedly moral crusade becomes another proxy for the battle of good versus evil. Though the Men can attempt to reason their positive morality, the audience knows that it is not true. The boundaries of good versus evil are typically drawn along strict lines.

This is because the text advocates a very clear delineation between good and evil. Eru and the Valar, for instance, are almost always portrayed as “good.” Manwë may be distant and noninterventionist, but he rarely exhibits any “evil” behavior. Likewise, most of the Valar are constantly attempting to help the Elves, the Dwarves, and the Men, even when those species err. In contrast, Melkor is almost always portrayed as “evil.” As the prototypical Dark Lord, he sets out a very clear moral framework that is based on envy, spite, and resentment. Not only do these emotions corrupt Melkor’s character (and those he interacts with), but they also corrupt the world itself: Melkor’s lands become poisonous and unlivable, physical embodiments of his “evil” morality.

The struggle against Melkor forms the spine of the narrative and, in that sense, there is a clear struggle between good (the Valar) and evil (Melkor), with Men, Elves, and Dwarves becoming morally shifting pawns in this game. They are rewarded when they move in the direction of good and punished when they move in the direction of evil. As such, the text demonstrates a clear inclination toward the “good” side of the struggle, consistent with the biblical influences that are clearly evident throughout the novel.

Religion and Mythology

As outlined in the section above, the religious aspects of the good versus evil theme in the novel are clear. There are many more allusions that can be drawn, especially as it is possible to consider the novel more of a religious or mythological text than a typical novel. For instance, the style, syntax, form, and literary devices employed in The Silmarillion differ from Tolkien’s other works. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, for instance, are both more focused on a single, continuing narrative, with more emphasis on characterization, dialogue, and the more intricate details of the world. When read alongside The Silmarillion, there is a clear difference in the tone and style of the texts.

Better comparison for The Silmarillion are, perhaps, the foundational texts of world religions, as well as important works of mythology. Tolkien was a professor of medieval literature and provided translations of texts such as Beowulf. The literary style of The Silmarillion is far more comparable to the Old Testament, the Torah, Beowulf, and similar mythological texts. The narrative maintains a distance from the characters, rarely exploring their thoughts or emotions. The narrative skips and jumps across years and decades, providing brief overviews of historical and geopolitical matters as a backdrop for stories that have a heavily symbolic meaning. There are stories of creation and of Men taking their first steps in the new world. The sun and the moon are created; the world is populated and shaped; mythological explanations are provided for natural phenomena; and there is a clear moral framework that is instructive for the reader. While The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are the stories of individuals, The Silmarillion is a text written for the individuals of those worlds, explaining the histories and mythologies of Middle-earth in the style of a saga, a religious text, or a medieval poem.

In this comparison, Eru takes on the role of God. Eru is the creator, the being who brings forth everything into existence. As God speaks the world into existence with a word, Eru does so with a song described as “a mighty theme” (3). Once creation has been completed, Eru differs from the Christian God in that he deputizes the parochial care of the world. While the Old Testament is filled with interactions between Yahweh and Moses, Noah, and other characters, Eru entrusts these interactions to the Valar. Manwë becomes Eru’s representation and the moral arbiter of everything that occurs in Middle-earth and Valinor. In this respect, Tolkien’s mythology deviates from the Christian norm. There are influences from many places: The lengthy genealogies are reminiscent of the Old Testament; the pantheon of Valar is similar to the assortment of Greek or Roman gods; the battles against mythical beasts (dragons and werewolves) can be compared to the Old Norse sagas, particularly Beowulf; and the reverence for the natural world is decidedly pagan. The Silmarillion emerges as a combination of these various religious styles, a mythological melting pot whose role differs from other novels set in the same universe. While The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings tell very specific stories, The Silmarillion creates a mythological and spiritual foundation for the world, building up the religious lore and history to provide depth and understanding for later stories.

Hubris

Hubris—excessive pride or overconfidence—is a repeated theme throughout the novel. A number of characters possess this fatal flaw and, as is tradition, their hubris leads to their downfall. Typically, hubris has been associated with tragic heroes. Literary figures such as Macbeth are known for their hubristic tendencies: Their arrogance causes them to overreach and, in doing so, they sow the seeds of their own destruction. This can be seen repeatedly in the novel, especially with regard to Fëanor and Thingol.

Fëanor is one of the most complicated characters in the novel. He creates the jewels that give the text its name and he is noted—at first—for being “the mightiest in skill of word and of hand, more learned than his brothers” (26). Fëanor’s skills are so evident that, as soon as he creates the Silmarils, every being in the world seems to lust after his creation. In addition to his high degree of skill, Fëanor is hindered by his arrogance. Even after he has made a mistake, he finds it impossible to admit to his previous mistakes. During his time in Valinor, for example, he is corrupted by Melkor, who whispers in his ear and fills his head with resentment against the Valar. When Melkor breaks free and steals the Silmarils, Fëanor is unable to contradict the anti-Valar sentiments he has already outlined. He leads the Noldor to Middle-earth, placing a doom upon them, even though his thoughts have obviously been influenced by Melkor. He is unable to admit that he was wrong and leads his band of Elves on a long and arduous journey as a way of proving that he was right. This blunt pigheadedness leads not only to Fëanor’s downfall but to the downfall of his people.

In another instance, Fëanor is unable to acknowledge the extent to which the pursuit of the Silmarils has ruined his life. Long after Melkor steals the jewels, Fëanor has been on a quest to take back his creations. He has been unsuccessful and, ultimately, this quest leads to his death. Rather than taking his oath to the grave, Fëanor forces his seven sons to swear the very same oath. The hubris that he has exhibited—the prideful arrogance that has blinded him to his mistakes—no longer affects just Fëanor. Now, his sons are caught up in the hubristic fatalism too. Like Fëanor, his sons will perish in the pursuit of the Silmarils and many people will die because of the oath he has forced his children to swear. Fëanor’s hubris does not just doom the individual or his family or the Noldor, but it also has wide-ranging implications for all of Middle-earth. In his final hubristic act, Fëanor lays the foundations for the destruction of the world.

Thingol’s hubris manifests differently. While Fëanor’s arrogance is perpetually evident, Thingol slowly becomes corrupted while he possesses the Silmaril. After spending many centuries as a somewhat wise and benevolent king, Thingol comes into possession of the Silmaril after it is stolen from Melkor by Beren. He decides that he should set it in a Dwarven necklace that he acquires. This is a prideful action, demonstrating Thingol’s need to show off his possession of the Silmaril and wear it at all times. To achieve this, he hires a team of Dwarves. When the Dwarves are finished, Thingol enters their workshop. The Dwarves state that they will keep the necklace (and the Silmaril). Thingol, outnumbered, surrounded, and in possession of no weapon, refuses them. He is so blinded by the Silmaril that his own pride will not allow him to realize the clear and immediate danger in front of him. He is killed and the Dwarves escape with the necklace. Thingol is killed because he has become blinded by the possession of a jewel; his hubris swells, his arrogance becomes insatiable, and he feels indestructible. This is quickly proven to be false and he is struck down with little ceremony, his entire kingdom falling a short while later. Thingol’s hubris not only robs him of his life and his Silmaril, but it robs him of his reputation as a wise king.