* An unofficial New Silmarillion Outline * - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

ArcusCalion · 07-11-2018, 09:45 PM

Now that we have finished step 1) and 2) of our to-do list, we come to step 3). I am pretty much resolved to use the Synopsis of LotR at this point, as I think it is a fairly safe assumption that Tolkien wrote it himself. It is nearly identical in form and style (and sometimes even in words) to the letter to Milton Waldman which Tolkien wrote. Therefore, for that reason, and the reason that it was present in all multi-volume editions, even the first one, as well as the editor's explicit desire that each book should be able to be read alone, I think we can assume that Tolkien did in fact write the Synopsis at the front of Return of the King. If we are agreed on this, I will move on to step 4) and post the draft for The Hunt for the Ring.

Sidenote: Since making the last post, I have revised (again) my outline for the final chapters. The first of these is still The Hunt for the Ring, but what follows is different. As I currently have it, the chapter that follows I have entitles The Ring Sets Out, which was one of the rejected titles for one of the books of LotR. I think it fits, and in this chapter I have the subheading The Battles of the Fords of Isen. Following that chapter, I have The War of the Ring, which was another rejected title for one of the books of LotR, as well as the title of volume 8 of HoME. Finally, after that, I have The End of the Third Age, which was (again) another rejected title for one of the books of LotR, as well as the title of one edition of volume 9 of HoME. We can discuss these in more detail in their respective threads, but I wanted to lay out the structure so we can all be on the same page.

07-11-2018, 09:45 PM	#34
ArcusCalion Quentingolmo Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 525	Now that we have finished step 1) and 2) of our to-do list, we come to step 3). I am pretty much resolved to use the Synopsis of LotR at this point, as I think it is a fairly safe assumption that Tolkien wrote it himself. It is nearly identical in form and style (and sometimes even in words) to the letter to Milton Waldman which Tolkien wrote. Therefore, for that reason, and the reason that it was present in all multi-volume editions, even the first one, as well as the editor's explicit desire that each book should be able to be read alone, I think we can assume that Tolkien did in fact write the Synopsis at the front of Return of the King. If we are agreed on this, I will move on to step 4) and post the draft for The Hunt for the Ring. Sidenote: Since making the last post, I have revised (again) my outline for the final chapters. The first of these is still The Hunt for the Ring, but what follows is different. As I currently have it, the chapter that follows I have entitles The Ring Sets Out, which was one of the rejected titles for one of the books of LotR. I think it fits, and in this chapter I have the subheading The Battles of the Fords of Isen. Following that chapter, I have The War of the Ring, which was another rejected title for one of the books of LotR, as well as the title of volume 8 of HoME. Finally, after that, I have The End of the Third Age, which was (again) another rejected title for one of the books of LotR, as well as the title of one edition of volume 9 of HoME. We can discuss these in more detail in their respective threads, but I wanted to lay out the structure so we can all be on the same page.