Why is it so difficult? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Lhunardawen · 10-28-2006, 02:27 AM

This coming from one who had just recently tried to re-read the Silm completely...and failed...

Too many names. At first it was easy, when you could distinguish Olwë and Elwë from Finwë and Ingwë and you were about done, but when Tolkien started expounding on almost everyone's life stories (naturally inevitable) and kept adding new names to the mix it started to get kind of confusing. Especially when those pesky Mortals joined in the fun...

Also, there's something about the different literary style that's not too...captivating. Granted, LotR also tends to be on the boring side, but at least the conversations were a bit closer to home. And not everyone has English as a first language.

Reading Silm, though, was an excellent warm-up to crawling through Leviticus and Numbers and 1 Chronicles.

10-28-2006, 02:27 AM	#7
Lhunardawen Hauntress of the Havens Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: IN it, but not OF it Posts: 2,538	This coming from one who had just recently tried to re-read the Silm completely...and failed... Too many names. At first it was easy, when you could distinguish Olwë and Elwë from Finwë and Ingwë and you were about done, but when Tolkien started expounding on almost everyone's life stories (naturally inevitable) and kept adding new names to the mix it started to get kind of confusing. Especially when those pesky Mortals joined in the fun... Also, there's something about the different literary style that's not too...captivating. Granted, LotR also tends to be on the boring side, but at least the conversations were a bit closer to home. And not everyone has English as a first language. Reading Silm, though, was an excellent warm-up to crawling through Leviticus and Numbers and 1 Chronicles. Last edited by Lhunardawen; 10-28-2006 at 02:30 AM.

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