[ Daily Tolkien ] A Tolkien Virgin - Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad

Tolkien Online ^ | February 16, 2000 | Mark-Edmond

[JameRetief]

A Tolkien Virgin: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
by Mark-Edmond

The Journey Continues

I've waited for a bit before putting my thoughts down about this chapter. I've digested it, as well as my feelings, so here goes: I can see why you don't want people to read the Silmarillion first. It's a story that gets worse and worse. People may turn away from it early out of boredom, or turn away from it later out of disgust. The Silmarillion may be beautiful, well written, and intense, but it is also a horrible story. Up to the story of Beren and Luthien I had hopes that there would be some beautiful or adventurous stories with happier (even if just temporarily so) moments or endings in the midst of the devastation. As you know, I was heartily disappointed by the story of Beren and Luthien and upon returning to the mass destruction and slaughter of the story in the account of the Fifth Battle, I'm ready to put the Silmarillion down for good. I'm not going to--even though I suspect the story gets worse. It's just overkill. Okay, Tolkien, we get it, the Elves are going to pay for the kin-slaying, the curse is going to work its way to the end, everyone (or nearly) is going to die, Belariand is going to be destroyed, the quest for the Silmarils will be the destruction of everyone. Thanks for the story of how justice and fate work hand in hand to make sure everyone pays for their sins in the end. Interesting? Yes. Well-written? Almost always. One of the worst stories I've ever read? You bet. I mean, didn't Herman Melville write a story earlier this century (or was it last century?) about a man's mad quest for a white whale and how that quest was his ruin? Sound familiar? It's like Tolkien had to do the same thing, but on a grander scale. The Silmarils are the objects that are being sought after and they are the ruin of everything. I'm sorry, I'm just not a masochist. I don't take pleasure in this sort of thing. Help me out, all you Silmarillion lovers, what is it about the Silmarillion that draws you to it? Is it the Silmarillion in light of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Is the LOTR trilogy what makes it all seem okay, and even enjoyable? After the Fifth Battle, I need some encouragement to keep going. [ You can read some of the replies he received, here. - JR ]

Author: Mark-Edmond
Published on: February 16, 2000

The next Tolkien Virgin article continues with The Silmarillion: Of Turin Turambar

[JameRetief]

The Daily Tolkien articles by various authors	The Tolkien Virgin articles by Mark-Edmond
ARTICLES 01-10	ARTICLES 01-10
ARTICLES 11-20	11) Of the Sindar
ARTICLES 21-30	12) Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor
ARTICLES 31-40	13) Of Men
ARTICLES 41-50	14) Of the Return of the Noldor
51) And Now for the Other Love Story	15) Of Beleriand and its Realms
52) Kryptic Tales of Middle-earth	16) Of the Noldor in Beleriand
53) The People of Eriador in the later Third Age	17) Of Meglin
54) The Wild, Wild, Wood-elf West	18) Of the coming of Men into the West
	19) Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin
	20) Of Beren and Luthien
	21) Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad

[JameRetief]

Your Tolkien Virgin Ping!

Read along with a Tolkien Virgin as he discovers and comments on the history of Middle Earth as he reads it for the first time.  These articles start with The Silmarillion, journeys through The Hobbit, and finishes with the epic Lord Of The Rings.  At the pace of 2 articles per week (Mondays and Fridays) the articles will wrap up about the same time that the final movie of the Lord Of The Rings story is released. 

If anyone would like for me to ping them directly when I post the Tolkien Virgin articles or my Daily Tolkien articles let me know. I hope that you enjoy them!

[ecurbh]

Ring Ping!!

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

didn't Herman Melville write a story earlier this century (or was it last century?) about a man's mad quest for a white whale and how that quest was his ruin?

This century, last century, what's a hundred years matter more or less?

Help me out, all you Silmarillion lovers, what is it about the Silmarillion that draws you to it?

Sometimes grand tragedy can make our own problems seem tiny in comparison.

The next Tolkien Virgin article continues with The Silmarillion: Of Turin Turambar

Oh, boy, if he didn't like the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the story of Turin Turambar is just gonna sink him.

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh. Well, he was told not to read Silmarrillion first.

As for what makes people want to read it.... It is for people with established love for the world of Tolkien, who have a longing for more.

It is not the kind of story one puts on the table on the first date. Rather, the stuff that falls into the "for better or for worse" category, once commitment is already promised.

[delapaz]

yep Turin was a sad case, and the fall of Gondolin is even worse.