about the Valar&Iluvatar

[Manardariel]

When I read the begining of the Sil I was kind of confused about the whole Valar/Iluvatar thing.The first impression you get is: "Ok- Iluvatar is god. He created the earth with all its beings." And then you go wait... the Valar are gods too. They helped Iluvatar create the earth. It´s kinda like in Greece, every Valar has its one "subject", where he/she belongs and what he/she has to do. But then you go wait again. Because if the Valar are the gods and Manwe is their king(sort of like Zeus) then who is Iluvatar- the Over-overgod? And so, is the whole thing monoteistic,with only one god, (Iluvatar) or polytheistic, with all of these gods (Valar)?Or is it a combination? Or....??

I´ve read neither the HoME, nor the leters, so I´m pretty clueless... could someone help me out???

[ December 29, 2002: Message edited by: Manardariel ]