One of the hallmarks of High Fantasy is that the author creates a new world within their work. We all recognize some of the names: Middle Earth, Narnia, Alera, Panem, Oz, Nevernever Land, Earthsea. Even when the story is set in “The Real World” there is often some sort of parallel world or hidden underworld existing unnoticed right next to the human world. Some of the earliest fantasy books I ever read had, completely aside from the main story, beautiful, and wonderfully detailed worlds. I would find myself as captivated by learning new things about the structure of the world as I was about the story itself. For those of you who are aware of this seemingly hidden aspect of fantasy stories, read on, and you might discover some new ones you didn’t know about before, and for those who’ve never thought about, I hope I can share with you one of my favorite parts of high fantasy. In this and a few subsequent posts, I will look at the structure of several different fantasy worlds (or universes if applicable) and a few major themes in them.
For me, I first realized the intricacies of fantasy universes when I read J.R R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is a collection of stories and writings complied and published posthumously by Tolkien’s son. The stories chronicle “The First Age of Middle Earth” (where as the Lord of the Rings is set at the end of the third age, and the beginning of the fourth). As the name suggests, most of these stories center in some way around the Silmarils, three of the most beautiful jewels eve created. The story, however, starts long before that.
Spoiler Warning: There will occasionally be minor spoilers for the books discussed here. They will usually be minor, and not plot relevant, however, I make no promises. You have been warned……
The Silmarillion is divided into five parts: “Ainulindalë” (The Music of the Ainur), “Valaquenta” (The Tale of the Valar), “Quenta Silmarillion” (The Tale of the Silmarils), “Akallabêth” (The Downfall), and “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age.” Each of these sections is a related collection of stories that begin at the creation of Middle Earth, and end at the creation of the fabled One Ring, the central MacGuffin in The Lord of the Rings. These parts are roughly in chronological order, and that’s how I will address them. Like anything else, it all starts with the creation of the world. In the beginning there was the Void, and outside of the Void there was Eru Ilúvatar, The One, The Father of All. Essentially, this is a parallel of the Judeo-Christian Creation story. From his thoughts and mind Eru created the Ainur. The Ainur are celestial beings that exist with Eru in The Timeless Halls. Each Ainur knows only that part of the mind of Ilúvatar from which it was created, but there was one, called Melkor, who had some of the gifts of the others. Melkior was the greatest of the Ainur. Those of you who know the book of Genesis in both the Jewish Torah, and the Christian Bible will recognize this set up. If you’re about to say that Melkor is an analogy of Lucifer, then in the words of the Grandfather for Princess Bride: Yes, you’re very smart. Shut up. This is where things get a little bit interesting. Eru gathered all of the Ainur together, and taught them the art of music, and together they sang The First Great Music. The music begins as Ilùvitar introduces a first theme, and teaches it to the Ainur, but as this theme progressed Melkor grew prideful. He tried to twist the theme, and corrupted it. Some of the Ainur began to follow Melkor instead of the original theme and discord clashed within the music. Then Ilùvatar raised his left hand a new soft sweet theme began, a theme unlike the others, and for a time this restored the balance of the music, but Melkor’s disharmony grew louder to match this new theme. Then Ilùvatar stood and raised his right hand, and third theme, soft, subtle, and completely unlike the others began to take shape. Melkor and his followers tried to drown out this new theme with pure volume, but they were unable to. Finally in one immense powerful chord the music came to an end. Ilùvatar then reveals to the Ainur that the music they made had purpose. He tells them that their songs shaped the entire history of the world Eru Ilùvatar was about to create. Then the Ainur saw a vision of the whole history of Arda, the world. Then Ilùvatar created Middle Earth, and gave the Ainur the chance to go out into it and shape it themselves. Not all of the Ainur chose to go, and those that did became known as the Valar. Among the these was Melkor. This is more or less the end of the Ainulindalë.
The Valaquenta begins as the Valar start to shape Middle Earth. As they do so, Melkor works against them. If one Valar created lakes and rivers Melkor would boil or freeze them. If they raised mountains, he would flatten them. Despite this Middle Earth took shape. The Valar created two great lamps to light the world but Melkor destroyed them. After this act Melkor fled from the rest of the Valar. The Valar created the Land of Valinor, far across the sea to west separate from the rest of Middle Earth. There they created the Two Trees, Telperion and Laurelin. These two trees would glow with silver and golden light respectively, and they lit the land of Valinor, but the rest of Middle Earth was lit only by the stars. If you will note, all of this parallels the progress of the first theme of the music, and as this conflict came to a head, the second theme entered into Arda. The Elder Children of Ilùvatar, the elves, awoke beneath the stars. Melkor found the elves first, and twisted them into orcs. During this time Melkor also gathered many Maiar (spirits like the Valar, but less powerful) and other servants to him. Among these Maiar are creatures like the Balrogs (yes plural). These fire demons served as Melkor’s personal bodyguards. Melkor’s Chief Lieutenant was a Maiar name Sauron (yes, yes you’re very smart. Shut Up.). When the Valar learned what Melkor had done they went to war against him, destroyed his fortresses, and killed many (although not all of his servants). The War of the Powers ended with the destruction of both of Melkor’s fortresses in Middle Earth, and the capture and imprisonment of Melkor. They invited the elves with them back to Valior, and those that came with them became known as the high or light elves, and those that remained were known as dark elves. In this case light and dark referred to whether or not they had seen the light of the two trees. With Melkor’s imprisonment, and Middle Earth knew peace, at least for a time, although the enemies Chief Lieutenant Sauron remained in Middle Earth. It was during this time that the elven craftsman Fëanor created the three Silmarils. Within these three jewels of unmatched beauty, the great craftsman managed to capture the light of the two trees.
So in summary, Eru Ilùvatar created the Ainur. A great music was made that planned out the entire history of Arda, the world. Eru then created the world, and sent some of the Ainur into Arda to shape it. These became the Valar. Melkor, one of the greatest of the Valar, opposed their work. Shortly after the elves first awoke in Middle Earth, a great war was waged between the Valar and Melkor and his minions. In the end Melkor was defeated and imprisoned in Valinor, the land the Valar created for themselves. Some of the elves also came with the Valar back to Valinor, and in the time there, Fëanor created the three most beautiful jewels ever crafted: The Silmarils.
And now, alas, this post must end, because my girlfriend (Angel in the Mirror) is insisting that we go out to dinner but fear not! In my next post I will explain what the jewels are, why they’reimportant, and how all of this is relevant to the Lord of the Rings that we all know and love.
I need to make a slight disclaimer here. Much of the material in the Silmarillion is presented in multiple locations, sometimes with conflicting names, dates, and other minor details. I have drawn from the Silmarillion because it is the source I know the best, but there are other sources and writings out there.
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