Synopsis - The Silmarillion

[Lessa]

Right as an introduction I found this very brief synopsis which we will expand on chapter by chapter


quote from here

Well, this book is really complicated, but I'll try to hit the high points real quickly. Maybe someday, when I have more time, I can improve on this.
God created the angels, and the angels created the world. But the Elves created the Silmarils, the Great Jewels, and fought over them for generations until Melkor, one of the greatest angels, took them away for safekeeping. But Melkor's brother Morgoth stole the Silmarils, and the Elves swore they would fight the angels forever until they got the Silmarils back. The story is an allegory for greed, and also a tale JRRT told to demonstrate that you can never hope to fight God. In the end a brave Man named Beren steals the Silmarils from Morgoth, and when the Elves try to kill him to get them back (this is where the estrangement of Elves and Men occurs, which is to haunt JRRT's other works), he gives them to his son Earendil to take across the Sea and back to Heaven. And that's how peace is restored to Middle-earth.

So the first chapter is Ainulindalë The Music of the Ainur. I will go read it and try to summarise it.

Lessa

[Lessa]

Ainulindalë - The Music of the Ainur

The Ainulindalë is the title of the first section of the Silmarillion. It deals with the creation of the fictional universe of middle-earth and the beings who become central to the following sections.

The supreme being of this universe is Eru Ilúvatar also called Father of All. The tale began with Ilúvatar's creation of spirits of lesser power than he, yet of independent natutre, named the Ainur or Holy Ones.  Ilúvatarthen made divine music with them. Melkor, who was one of the strongest Ainur, broke from the harmony. Then Ilúvatar began the music once more, this time with Manwë Sulimo, Melkor's brother, singing the lead part. Yet again the harmony was broken by Melkor.
Finally Ilúvatar began a thir theme which the Ainur could not understand at all, since they were not it's source. Ilúvatar then ceased the music and showed the Ainur what their song symbolized, the history of the whole world. This is known as the Vision of  Ilúvatar. The Ainur were fascinated by it and asked Ilúvatar to put it into existance.
Ilúvatar muttered the word ''Eä'' which means ''be''. This is the order which created the universe of middle-earth, hence the universe became known as Eä. The Ainur who possessed the greatest powers formed a region of Eä which they called Arda, a world which later would be the scenes of all the tales of the Silmarillion. Melkor, one of the four, attempted to take it as his very own. However Manwë, another of the four, asked for help from his fellow Ainur. They descended to Arda to help him and so Melkor was forced to flee to an unknown part of Eä.
The dead souls of Men go beyond existance to sing along with Eru Ilúvatar the second music of the Ainur, this is the reason why Men are not constrained by the fate of the music like the elves and other beings of Arda are.

Right that's it if anyone has anything to add then please feel free.

Lessa

[Elenwe]

Thanks for that Lessa. I've decided to give the book another go. Got about half way through before , then got distracted

[EG]

thats great Lessa!  Just what we need!  i need inspiration to pick this up again!

[Beleriel]

I anyone gonna help with this then?  Starting from chapter one?   

[Lessa]

Valaquenta - Account of the Valar and Maiar according to the lore of the Eldar

Valaquenta is the second part of the Silmarillion and it means ''The Tale of the Valar''. It describes the Valar and their enemies.
The Valar is the name given to the chief Aniur seen in the  Ainulindalë after their descent to Arda. The most powerful of which was Melkor until he was discovered to be evil and so thereafter was not counted in their number. The remaining fourteen were always considered to be good.
All things created by Eru were in balance and so had both male and female forms. It was so with the Valar (male) and Valier (female). Some of the Valar were siblings and others spouses how this was determined is not clear. Of these fourteen 8 were greater than the others, these were the Aratar. Each Aratar was responsible for certain aspects of the life of Arda, such as crafts, mining or agricultural growth. The King of the Valar was Melkor's brother Manwë.

Lords of the Valar
 • Manwë Súlimo
 • Ulmo   
 • Aulë the Smith 
 • Oromë
 • Mandos (Námo) 
 • Lórien (Irmo)   
 • Tulkas Astaldo

Queens of the Valar (Valier)
 • Varda Elentári
 • Yavanna Kementári
 • Nienna
 • Estë the Gentle
 • Vairë the Weaver
 • Vána the Ever-young
 • Nessa

In addition to the Valar descending to Arda other lesser Ainur came as well, these were the Maiar. The Valar ruled over the Maiar who were theri students and assistants in governing and shaping Arda. The Valar and initially Melkor had the ability to change their pyshical appearance or indeed have no shape at all. This was also possible for a few of the Maiar but to a lesser degree. Some of the Maiar bore the form of animals permanently, Like Huan, the hound of the Valar, and the eagles of Manwë.
Not all the Maiar who descended stayed with the Valar some came and joined forces with Melkor.


Again feel free to add anything you think I have missed

Lessa

[Korsrol]

Does anyone want a chapter by chapter summary of Valaquenta or Akallabeth?
(sorta take the fun out of reading it all though)

[Lessa]

Well you can if you like it is kind of what we are trying to do for those who find it really tough going.

Lessa

[Korsrol]

I have nothing better to do, and I think I understood most of it first time round
(was the unfinished tales that confussed me since it contradicts other tolkien works so much  )

[Korsrol]

I anyone gonna help with this then?  Starting from chapter one?   

Here goes 

Chapter 1 – The Beginning Of Days[/b]

Before the completion of Arda Melkor fought the rest of the Vala (known as the First War) and had the upper hand until Tulkas joined the Vala, at which point Melkor fled to the outer darkness.

After Melkor fled there was peace in Arda, and the two lamps Illuin and Ormal were set on the highest mountains to provide light. In this time plants grew and beasts walked among them.

A great feast was help by the Vala to celebrate ‘the spring of Arda’, at which point Melkor entered Middle Earth unnoticed and began building the fortress Utumno. When Utumno was completed Melkor attacked and destroyed the lamps and escaped back to his fortress.

After the attack the Vala left Middle Earth and went to the Land of Aman in the most west part of the earth, which they fortified with vast mountains. Here they planted the Two Tress of Valinor. The Vala on occasions ventured to Middle Earth to heal the hurts by Melkor and to hunt his servants.

At this point Iluvatar decided that elves would be immortal unless they be slain or waste in grief, and that men would be mortal.

[Korsrol]

Chapter 2 – Of Aulë and Yavanna[/b]

Aulë, unwilling to wait for the coming of the children (elves, men etc) created the Dwarves in secret. He made them strong and unyielding as Middle Earth was still ruled by Melkor.

Ilúvatar at first was not pleased, but after seeing that they had life and speech of their own spared them. However they were put to sleep until the firstborn (elves) were put upon the earth.

Aulë told Yavanna of the dwarves, to which she replied “…thy children will have little love for the things of my love. They will love things first made by their own hands, as does their father…” Yavanna was saddened that all her works would be dominated by the first and second born, so she spoke to Manwë, who in turn spoke to Ilúvatar. It was decided that when the firstborn awoke, in the forests would walk the Shepherds of the Trees
(I presume this means ents.)

[Korsrol]

Chapter 3 – Of The Coming Of The Elves and The Capture Of Melkor[/b]

Whilst the Valar dwelt in the light of the Trees beyond the mountains of Aman Melkor built his strength in the north. He gathered his demons (Balrogs) and other servents to Utumno. On the north-western shores of the sea Melkor built a fortress named Angband to resist assaults from Aman. In charge of the fortress was Melkors lieutenant Sauron.

The Vala held council because they knew the time for the elves to be born was near, and didn’t not want middle earth to be ruled by Melkor when they awoke, Varda began making new starts to challenge the darkness over middle earth, and as she ended her labours the elves were born and the first things they saw were the stars of heaven.

The first of the Vala to meet the elves was Oromë, and he named them the Eldar (though they previously had called themselves the Quendi). The elves were cautious of Oromë because when the elves went far abroad in small groups they would often not retuen, and evil spirits and shadows spied upon them (Melkors doing, who discovered the elves before the Vala). The elves that were captured by Melkor were imprisoned in Utumno, where by cruelty they were bred into Orcs.

For the sake of the evles the Vala attacked Utumno, and when its gates were finally broken Melkor hid in the deepest pits if Utumno until Tulkas found him and captured him. However many of Melkors servants were not found, including the Balrogs and Sauron.

Melkor was imprisoned in the Halls of Mandos for 3 ages, at which point his case would be tried again. The Vala summoned the Quendi to Valinor, and Oromë took 3 ambassadors to Valinor and then returned them to their kin. The ambassadors perswaded most of the Quendi go to Valinor, and those that did were named the Eldar. Those that did not go were titled the Avari.

The 3 groups that set out to Valinor were The Vanyar, Noldor and Teleri. Many elves that started the journey did not complete it because they made their abode at several points on rout. 

[Korsrol]

Chapter 4 - Of Thingol and Melian

Melian, a Maia, dwelt in the gardens of Lórien. Elwë (lord of the Teleri) met Melian near the end of his journey to Valinor and followed her into Nan Elmoth. There a spell was laid on them and they stood still for many years. Olwë took the kingship of the Teleri and led them to Valinor.

[Beleriel]

This is great Sol.... Im really enjoying it... dont stop!   

[Lady*Elentári]

do you want help? im reading it again for the umpteenth time... and my cables just been cut off lol soo ill have lots of time to make notes at night now. 

Call to undefined function tportal_version()