Silmarillion - Chapter 01 - Of the Beginning of Days

[Aiwendil]

Macalaure wrote:

I see a similarity here between the joy of the Rohirrim and the joy of Tulkas. Tulkas came to Arda because he heard there was a battle in the Little Kingdom, not because the Little Kingdom was in danger or Melkor became too powerful or something like that.

I think you are on to something here. Tulkas's laughter does not seem at all a light-hearted thing, nor does it appear that he's laughing because he finds something funny. It is a grim laughter; he seems to genuinely enjoy battle and violence. There may survive something of the bloodthirsty old war-gods of the Book of Lost Tales in Tulkas.

Bethberry wrote:

I wonder, would it be valuable to have a thread devoted to identifying these changes--at least such major ones as this and the change to the end of the Valaquenta. I don't think there is here on the Barrow Downs one place where the major changes and emendations which CT made are listed. It might be helpful to see those listed.

I had noted this interesting idea but forgot to respond to it earlier. The structural changes that Christopher Tolkien made to the Silmarillion would indeed be an interesting topic. Perhaps I'll start a thread on it - though if anyone else would like to start such a thread, go right ahead. I will, in any event, continue to point out instances of these changes as the Silmarillion discussion continues.