Silmarillion - Ainulindale

[Mister Underhill]

Originally Posted by pio

I have to say, when I first got a copy of the Silmarillion, sometime in the late '70s, I found it rather a dry read. Histories have never captured my interest; and it was difficult to switch from reading Tolkien as an exciting novelist to Tolkien the historian. Suffice it to say, it took me a long time to read through it.

I think a lot of would-be Silmarillion readers stumble over the Ainulindalë. It's a long way from either An Un- or A Long-expected Party in tone and style. I stumbled on it in the 70's; in fact I don't think I even made it to the Quenta proper back in those days. I didn't get through the Silm until after I joined the Downs.

I won't belabor the praise already offered, except to add that I think the idea of a world conceived in song is a quite extraordinarily beautiful one. There's something so primally dramatic -- and hopeful -- in the image of order and harmony triumphantly incorporating and overcoming Melkor's attempts to ruin the Music with his discord.