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.

[Galadriel55]

I found it interesting that the sun is a "she" and the moon is a "he". I understand why they are opposite genders - it's a balance of nature, just like light and dark, - but why specifically that way? Before reading this chapter, I associated the moon with a feminine character, and the sun with no constant gender attatched to it. Though that might be because my first language is Russian, where the word for "moon" is feminine and the "sun" is a 'heshe', 'middle-gender' sort of thing.
Tolkien could have made the moon a lady and the sun a man. That wouldn't have changed the story. What could the genders imply?

When the Valar put a "fence" around Valinor, they were not only severing their bonds with the exiles, but also in a way with the rest of the world. After the hiding, there is much less interaction between the Valar and ME. I don't think they fenced themselves in though. Gildor said to Frodo something like "You can fence yourself in from the rest of the world, but the world did not fence you out". This is an instance where it wouldn't work that way. Somehow it works out to be "the Valar fenced the rest of the world out from Valinor".

Makes any sense?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

In reply to your first paragraph, there are differences in the perceived genders of sun and moon in different languages. In German, for example, the sun is female and the moon male (die Sonne, der Mond). On the other hand, Lewis Carroll has the opposite in one of his (English, of course) nonsense poems - despite the fact that there is no mandatory gender of the words in English:

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:...

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun...

(The Walrus and the Carpenter)

In Arda, the sun is guided by Arien, a female Maia - perhaps that is the reason for Tolkien's choice. The moon is guided by Tilion, a male Maia. An additional factor could be the traditional "man in the moon", also used by Tolkien in some of his lighter poems.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

In reply to your first paragraph, there are differences in the perceived genders of sun and moon in different languages. In German, for example, the sun is female and the moon male (die Sonne, der Mond). On the other hand, Lewis Carroll has the opposite in one of his (English, of course) nonsense poems - despite the fact that there is no mandatory gender of the words in English:

No mandatory genders in English, but I've always had the impression that we incline toward calling the sun male and the moon female. Possibly this is because of the influence of Greek and Roman myths, with Apollo the sun-god and Diana/Artemis the moon-goddess.

Is the reversed position true of other Nordic languages, besides German--I'm especially thinking of the Scandinavians? Given that Tolkien's mythology has its origins in being a mythology for the English, in the sense of a Nordic mythology, I wonder if the Arien/Tilion choice was influenced thereby.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

An additional factor could be the traditional "man in the moon", also used by Tolkien in some of his lighter poems.

Probably this was the only real reason for it to be that way. Tolkien wrote these poems before he wrote the books, so he made the books fit the poems, in such a way that it seems that he made the poems fit the books.

He has a poem where the sun is a "she" and the moon is a "he". Why would hobbits attach these genders? Because they heard whisps of lore/legends from men and elves. And what lore could it be? The making of the Sun and the Moon. But when we read the book, it seems to be the opposite way.