The White Council

Re: The breaking of middle earth

Tolkien and Inklings Discussion

: Michael,

: Thanks for your response to my queries.

: On one hand I disagree with the idea that the catastrophe occurred when Angband was broken as it is known that after Melkor (who is called Morgoth) was taken, bound and had his hands and feet severed (ouch) the silmarils were removed from his iron crown by Eonwe and were subsequently pinched by the two remaining sons of Feanor. It strikes me, from my reading of this episode, that Beleriand remained unbroken at this point. However I do concede that the great battle and 'liberation' of Angband may well have taken some time and have been progressively more and more destructive, ultimately causing Beleriand to sink beneath the waves. This would have given considerable warning to all species, Elves, Men, Orcs yes and Balrogs to 'clear the area'.

: I am broadly in agreement with your second point concerning the fate of the lost/forsaken silmarils. The Valar may indeed know of their location and have the ability to reclaim them, yet it was foretold that there final resting places would bound in with air, fire and water (symbolically one missing though - four silmarils would have been tidier) and even the Powers of Arda may not interfere with the dooms of Mandos and the fate of the world.

: I suppose the thrust of my thought rests with the motivations and inclinations of the Valar. I am aware that I echo the blandishments and cunning talk of Sauron Gorthaur in saying that the Valar seem to have little love (indeed possibly fear) of men and their potential. I am appalled at their actions concerning Atalante, surely there must have been a better solution to the issue than to kill everybody and cause enormous damage to both Eldamar and Middle Earth. I agree with your assumption that the Eldar would have been warned of the destruction of Tirion, yet the Dunedain had only a little (somewhat specious in my opinion) advice concerning their desire for a) eternal life and b) the freedom to sail where they would, they certainly received no warning, Amandur disappeared without trace and Elendil and his sons made what turned out to be a bloody good guess.

: OK Eru actually did the deed but only upon the request of the Valar.

: P.S I really liked your piece on 'What do the Elves do all day in Aman', not sure they really need UFOs to come back to Middle Earth though, surely a ship would do after all it worked for the Istari.

I have always envisioned the destruction of Beleriand as a slow build-up, with larger and larger quakes resulting from the terrible powers unleashed in that titanic struggle. As for Númenor, I think that Tolkien's view is basically "Christian", humanity needed an Original Sin (is that the English name for it, I have never concerned myself overly much with religion?), and, as the idea of a much longer past history of Endor, as it emerges in the last volumes of the Story of Middle-earth, and mankinds corruption by and subsequent escape from, Morgoth had not emerged truly yet, the Akkalabéth was convenient. UFOs, how do you know the construction of Elven ships, they might be airships for all we know, actually they have to be after the aforementioned Akkalabéth. But I agree, the essay is fun. You call yourself Gorthaur and speak with his honeyed voice, thus, I am bound to slay you with my faithful sword Gurthang (actually my sword is named Fjörsvafnir, which is ancient Norse and means "Ecstinguisher of Life"- that is not correctly spelled?- no matter).