[ Daily Tolkien ] A Tolkien Virgin: Summary Of The Silmarillion, Akallabeth and Epilogue

Tolkien Online ^ | March 07, 2000, March 28, 2000 | Mark-Edmond

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A Tolkien Virgin: Summary Of The Silmarillion, Akallabeth and Epilogue
by Mark-Edmond

Summary Of The Silmarillion

As for the Silmarillion on a whole it's been a heck of a ride. It was a lot less enjoyable than I expected based on what I'd read in the Ainulindale and Valaquenta, and all the good stuff about Tolkien that I'd heard. Like I pointed out toward the beginning, the story doesn't really start till things go wrong. And they never do get much better, do they? I can't be too hard on this, since of course every story starts with some kind of plot complication, right?

My take on Tolkien is that he's proven himself as an exceptional writer of epic tragedy in the Silmarillion, but not fantasy. As I went along, I found myself begging for the end to come and wondering how much devastation we had to endure to know that the Noldor and the sons of Faenor got their just desserts.

I did enjoy his writing and I am really looking forward to reading the Hobbit after Akallabeth. I can see how the Silmarillion will serve as great background for the rest of Tolkien's Middle-earth stories, but it's not an easy read that's for sure.

 

Akallabeth and Epilogue

It's been a couple months since I finished the Silmarillion and the Akallabeth. And you know what? The Silmarillion has grown on me. It's actually as if it's become a part of me. In fact, it didn't take long for me to realize that, cause I remember as I was reading the Akallabeth that I was almost offended that the story was about these distant descendents of main characters of the Silmarillion and not about the characters that I'd grown attached to in the Silmarillion, themselves.

The Akallabeth is another people-group tragedy that reads a lot like the Silmarillion, the exceptions being that it's shorter, less interesting, and I found myself attached to none of the characters--in fact I can't remember any of their names or even from whom they were the principal decendents. The story is about the rise (short account) and downfall (lengthy account) of the Numenorians, ending in the utter destruction of Numenor with a handful of survivors...nothing out of step with the Silmarillion there. Tolkien's Atlantis myth I assume. Melkor may be gone, but Sauron is a good disciple. It was spoiled for me many months ago that Sauron is the big baddie in the LOTR, as well, so his presence in the Akalabeth wasn't surprising.

An interesting thing for me was that it was the Numenorians' desire to go to and even dwell in Valinor that was really at the heart of their downfall. And, you know I have to admit that I side with Numenorians on this one. No good reason is given them, they're just not allowed. Immortals only. In other words: racism. That kind of prohibition is only asking, even begging, for someone to ask why. And, when they ask why and there's no good reason for it, they're bound to feel short-handed and jealous--which is exactly what happened. I also find that the Akallabeth feels a lot like the Garden of Eden story: paradise lost thanks to the desire for a forbidden object, and the breaking of the deities' command. The Numenorians had their own serpent to help things along the road to destruction, didn't they? The similarities are really general, I know, but I found them interesting nonetheless.

The Big Picture: Tragedy

The fact that I was so distraught reading it, only to discover later that I enjoyed at least my memory of the Silmarillion surprised me. And after thinking about it for a while I realized there were other tragedies that I have found moving, poignant, and even enjoyable. So, then I find myself asking what it is in us humans that is drawn to tragedy. Cause that's what it all comes down to for me: why is tragedy such a staple of entertainment throughout our history? I know that question is a lot bigger than the scope of the Silmarillion and my thoughts on it, but it would make for some interesting conversation wouldn't you say?

At this point I'm rearing to read the Hobbit and see what Tolkien can do in a children's book format--I can only hope it's not as tragic as the Silmarillion and Akallabeth!

Author: Mark-Edmond
Published on: March 07, 2000, March 28, 2000

The next Tolkien Virgin article covers: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Party

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The Daily Tolkien articles by various authors	The Tolkien Virgin articles by Mark-Edmond
ARTICLES 01-10	ARTICLES 01-10
ARTICLES 11-20	ARTICLES 11-20
ARTICLES 21-30	21) Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
ARTICLES 31-40	22) Of Turin Turambar
ARTICLES 41-50	23) Of the Ruin of Doriath
ARTICLES 51-60	24) Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin
61) Gil-galad was an Elven-king...	25) Of the Voyage of Earendil and the War of Wrath
62) The Folk of Angmar	26) Summary Of The Silmarillion, Akallabeth and Epilogue
63) Is Your Canon On The Loose?

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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 started with The Silmarillion, will now journey through The Hobbit, and finish 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!