Silmarillion - Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age

[Estelyn Telcontar]

...in which these tales come to their end

This final chapter is a bridge between the events of The Silmarillion and those of The Lord of the Rings. It gives the readers background information that is not included in LotR - and also gives us a taste of what the story would have sounded like had it been told in the Sil's historic style instead of from the Hobbits' point of view! I find it very useful as a research source but do prefer the tale JRRT gave us in his book.

Sauron's story comprises a good deal of this chapter - of course, since he was responsible for the making of the Rings of Power. We discover that he even repented of evil, at least after a fashion, and though Morgoth's influence was strong enough to sway him to return to evil, it does seem that he could have genuinely repented had he wanted to do so.

The history of the realms of Gondor and Arnor are also an important part of this narrative. The foundations for Aragorn's claim to the throne after the War of the Ring are shown. We are given information about the palantíri and the White Tree, which come into the later tale, as do the cities and fortresses, the Rohirrim, and much more...

The chapter finishes almost as LotR does, with the parting of the Three Rings from Middle-earth.

What makes this chapter special to you? Which information do you find most helpful and interesting? And which parts of it show up in the movie prologue? Did you enjoy seeing it visualised there?

Our discussion of The Silmarillion ends with this chapter. The family trees, index and appendix finish off the book; unless someone thinks there is enough material for discussion there, I am not starting a thread for them.

Thanks to all of you who have contributed! Thanks especially to Aiwendil for his expertise and research, which were vital for this chapter-by-chapter discussion.

Please join us for the discussions of the Unfinished Tales in the coming weeks!

[Pitchwife]

Most of this chapter reads to me like a rehash of matters treated more fully elsewhere (the Akallabeth for the fall of Númenor and Appendix A to LotR for history of the realms in exile), and as such, I don't find it dreadfully appealing. What it looks like to me is the work of a Fourth Age author trying to sum up the whole matter of the Rings of Power in a brief digest for future generations - sort of an article Rings of Power in a 4th Age Encyclopedia of Arda.

One minor aspect I find interesting is the statement that "Frodo the Halfling" (how much remoter from the story we all know and love can you get?) "threw the Ring into the fire in which it was forged" (or words to that effect; I'm retranslating from my German version here). Clearly the author of this text had no access to an unredacted copy of the Red Book.
(Don't get me wrong - it's only logical that Frodo's failure at Sammath Naur, as recorded in his own memoirs, got glossed over in 4th Age tradition, and I certainly don't begrudge him the laurels; still, the difference is interesting if you try to construct an imaginary sitz im leben for this text.)

(Also, being a nutter for language, I can't help noting that this text alone AFAIK gives us the Quenya word for Nazgûl: Úlairi, the un-living; same as 'undead', only the other way round - an interesting way to put it, if you care for such things.)

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Sauron's story comprises a good deal of this chapter - of course, since he was responsible for the making of the Rings of Power. We discover that he even repented of evil, at least after a fashion, and though Morgoth's influence was strong enough to sway him to return to evil, it does seem that he could have genuinely repented had he wanted to do so.

Hm, I don't think he repented of evil as such, or he wouldn't have minded humiliating himself before Manwë; what he repented of was joining the losing side in the previous conflict and letting himself be put into such an embarrassing position in the first place. As soon as he figured out he could return to his bad old ways without immediate retaliation from the West, he went back to emulating Morgoth's example, probably with the ambition to do better than his master and succeed where Morgoth failed. Like Gandalf said: Wise fool.

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

Our discussion of The Silmarillion ends with this chapter. The family trees, index and appendix finish off the book; unless someone thinks there is enough material for discussion there, I am not starting a thread for them.

Well, personally, I'd adore a discussion of the linguistic appendix, but I suppose that would turn into a monologue on my part pretty soon, so yeah.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

One minor aspect I find interesting is the statement that "Frodo the Halfling" (how much remoter from the story we all know and love can you get?) "threw the Ring into the fire in which it was forged" (or words to that effect; I'm retranslating from my German version here). Clearly the author of this text had no access to an unredacted copy of the Red Book.

The English version runs thus:

For Frodo the Halfling, it is said, at the bidding of Mithrandir took on himself the burden, and alone with his servant he passed through peril and darkness and came at last in Sauron's despite even to Mt. Doom; and there into the Fire where it was wrought he cast the Great Ring of Power, and so at last it was unmade and its evil consumed.

From that I would think the author to be a Man, and most likely a Gondorian, judging from the use of "halfling". It's odd though, that Frodo was said only to have gone to Mordor "with his servant". No mention of Boromir son of Denethor, Captain of the White Tower, or King Elessar himself being part of the party in which Frodo traveled. Perhaps the events of that time were still fresh enough in the minds of many for the author to feel comfortable with giving only the Cliff's Notes version of the War of the Ring.

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

(Also, being a nutter for language, I can't help noting that this text alone AFAIK gives us the Quenya word for Nazgûl: Úlairi, the un-living; same as 'undead', only the other way round - an interesting way to put it, if you care for such things.)

"Unliving" to me is a much more negative term than "undead", emphasizing that the state of the Ringwraiths was not at all to be envied.
What I find ironic about the Nazgûl, especially those of Númenórean descent, is that by their subjection to the One, they finally achieved the nearest thing to immortality they could possibly have obtained, and yet found it to be everlasting torment, just as their people were warned by the Eldar long years before.

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Hm, I don't think he repented of evil as such, or he wouldn't have minded humiliating himself before Manwë; what he repented of was joining the losing side in the previous conflict and letting himself be put into such an embarrassing position in the first place. As soon as he figured out he could return to his bad old ways without immediate retaliation from the West, he went back to emulating Morgoth's example, probably with the ambition to do better than his master and succeed where Morgoth failed. Like Gandalf said: Wise fool.

I agree. It was said that Sauron's real motivation when he contemplated turning his back on evil was fear, brought on by seeing his mentor laid low. Once he'd had a taste of the power he'd possessed under Morgoth, dominating and controlling, it's hard to see him laying that aside and going back to the West where he would have been just another "servant" to the Valar, and one who would have been watched carefully, on "probation" for who knows how long. What's the saying about preferring to "rule in Hell than serve in Heaven"?

Overall, I do like the chapter, especially the Ring-lore, where some juicy details are given of the effects of the Nine upon those who received them. I get a lot of insight there of what "life" must have been like for those poor devils.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Well, personally, I'd adore a discussion of the linguistic appendix, but I suppose that would turn into a monologue on my part pretty soon, so yeah.

I would totally participate in a discussion on linguistics, if I only found enough things to discuss from the appendix.

I think that this chapter reflects best Frodo's line to Sam: "They never end as tales. The people in them come, and go when their part's ended." It's a bridge between three Ages.