The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Silmarillion - Chapter 14

Aiwendil · 06-10-2007, 04:32 PM

This somewhat unusual chapter is devoted entirely to an account of the geography of Beleriand, the setting in which the remaining history of the Silmarils will unfold. It is, of course, striking and perhaps for some readers perplexing that Tolkien interrupts the story of the Noldor with this; the more usual practice (at least in modern literature) would be to work in any necessary geographic information bit by bit, while telling the story.

It has often been observed in connection with LotR that Tolkien describes the settings and natural scenery more vividly than the characters; it would seem that a related impulse is at work here. Most of the characters in the Silmarillion receive very little in the way of physical description, but Tolkien pointedly interrupts the flow of the story for a vivid description of Beleriand itself. This is perhaps to be compared with the “Description of the Island of Numenor” given in Unfinished Tales, which is just what it sounds like – a detailed description of the geography of Numenor.

The vivid geographic description of Beleriand first appears in the 1937 ‘Quenta Silmarillion’. Besides this written account, there are also two maps of Beleriand drawn by Tolkien, the first (probably) in the late 1920s and the second in the early 1930s. Both were revised extensively, and the revisions to the second map may be thought of as constituting a third, post-LotR map. Christopher Tolkien includes with this chapter in the published Silmarillion a small map indicating the various realms of the Elves, but as far as I am aware there is no precedent for the inclusion of a special map with this chapter in his father’s work.

Additional reading:
HoMe IV – first Silmarillion map
HoMe V – QS version of this chapter and original version of second Silmarillion map
HoMe XI – Post-LotR revisions to both chapter and map.

06-10-2007, 04:32 PM	#1
Aiwendil Late Istar Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,224	Silmarillion - Chapter 14 - Of Beleriand and Its Realms This somewhat unusual chapter is devoted entirely to an account of the geography of Beleriand, the setting in which the remaining history of the Silmarils will unfold. It is, of course, striking and perhaps for some readers perplexing that Tolkien interrupts the story of the Noldor with this; the more usual practice (at least in modern literature) would be to work in any necessary geographic information bit by bit, while telling the story. It has often been observed in connection with LotR that Tolkien describes the settings and natural scenery more vividly than the characters; it would seem that a related impulse is at work here. Most of the characters in the Silmarillion receive very little in the way of physical description, but Tolkien pointedly interrupts the flow of the story for a vivid description of Beleriand itself. This is perhaps to be compared with the “Description of the Island of Numenor” given in Unfinished Tales, which is just what it sounds like – a detailed description of the geography of Numenor. The vivid geographic description of Beleriand first appears in the 1937 ‘Quenta Silmarillion’. Besides this written account, there are also two maps of Beleriand drawn by Tolkien, the first (probably) in the late 1920s and the second in the early 1930s. Both were revised extensively, and the revisions to the second map may be thought of as constituting a third, post-LotR map. Christopher Tolkien includes with this chapter in the published Silmarillion a small map indicating the various realms of the Elves, but as far as I am aware there is no precedent for the inclusion of a special map with this chapter in his father’s work. Additional reading: HoMe IV – first Silmarillion map HoMe V – QS version of this chapter and original version of second Silmarillion map HoMe XI – Post-LotR revisions to both chapter and map.