Silmarillion - Chapter 11 - Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor

[Aiwendil]

This is perhaps the last “mythological” chapter in the Silmarillion. In the last few chapters, the narrative became increasingly historical, or perhaps dramatic, as we moved from the deeds of the gods (or angelic powers) to those of the Elves. Here we return, if briefly, to the deeds of the Valar.

The making of the Sun and Moon continues the theme of Light that is so important in Tolkien’s Legendarium. The genealogy of the cosmological light-givers is now complete: first were the Lamps, then the Trees, and now the Sun and Moon. But whereas there was no apparent loss of purity or holiness associated with the transition from Lamps to Trees, the light of the Sun and Moon is from the outset tainted by the poison of Ungoliant. The Trees were for the Valar, and chiefly for Yavanna, the great deed that could only be achieved once – as were the Silmarils for Feanor, or the white ships for the Teleri.

But the making of the Sun and Moon functions not only on a cosmological level but also on a dramatic one; the creation of these new lights is a tactical stroke against Morgoth, who, we are told, is at first confounded by them. A comparison is even made between the war made against Melkor on behalf of the Elves (the Battle of the Powers) and the making of the Sun and Moon against the coming of Men. Melkor’s antipathy toward the lights also provides the basis for the aetiological myth of his assault on Tilion, which causes the Moon’s waywardness.

The chapter closes with a short account of the Hiding of Valinor. This seems to be one of the more controversial actions of the Valar. Is it right of them to turn Aman into a sort of gated community? Tolkien has some interesting things to say on this subject in the Myths Transformed text ‘Notes on Motives in the Silmarillion’.

It is to be noted that, while all versions of the Silmarillion proper contain only the kind of dry, concise account of the making of the Sun and Moon that is found in the published book, the original ‘Book of Lost Tales’ version of the story was considerably longer and very rich in details and vivid description. Christopher Tolkien notes in HoMe IV that it is difficult to guess how much of that old account was actually rejected by Tolkien and how much was merely omitted from the more remote Silmarillion (which was, after all, supposed to be a synopsis of the great tales). Personally, I think the elaborate Lost Tales version of this story is very beautiful, one of Tolkien’s best early pieces of writing.

During the post-LotR phase of work on the Silmarillion, Tolkien considered making massive changes to the cosmology. In this projected ‘Myths Transformed’ version of the mythology, the Sun and Moon existed from the beginning of Arda. This proposed revision was never actually incorporated into the Silmarillion narrative, but it seems that Tolkien considered the revised cosmology the ‘correct’ version until his death (though there is some room to argue that point).

Additional readings
HoMe I – For the earliest, very elaborate account
HoMe IV, V – Contain pre-LotR Silmarillion versions
HoMe X – Post-LotR versions found in the ‘Annals of Aman’ and the ‘Later Quenta Silmarillion’ are very closely based on the pre-LotR versions. ‘Myths Transformed’ contains notes and outlines for the projected cosmological revision.