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The Silmarillion is J. R. R. Tolkien's book of the history of Middle-earth, from the creation of the universe to the end of the Third Age. It was posthumously edited by his son Christopher and published in 1977, though Tolkien had been working on it for most of his life. Originally, The Silmarillion was Tolkien's attempt to make a purely "English" mythology based on Welsh, Saxon, Finnish, and Norse sources. What it eventually became was a "Pan-European" constructed world, growing ever more intricate and detailed through the decades Tolkien worked on it.
The book is subdivided into:</li>
- Ainulindalë (the Music of the Ainur): Eru Ilúvatar, the omnipotent and omniscient (i.e. biblical) God* his names in Elvish mean "the One, the All-father", inspires and directs the Ainur (angels) to sing a "Great Music", through which the universe is created, and history itself playing out as a manifestation of its meanings.
- Valaquenta (the Account of the Valar): a description of each of the Valar (Ainur who have chosen to enter the physical universe and serve as Eru's regents therein) and some of the Maiar, their servants.
- Quenta Silmarillion (the History of the Silmarilli): recounts the creation of Middle-earth by the Valar; the creation of the Elves, Dwarves, and Men; the first war between the Valar and Melkor; and the six-hundred year long war between the Elves and Melkor (with Men and Dwarves caught squarely in the middle) over the eponymous Silmarils.
- The chapter "Of Túrin Turambar" is further elaborated in the book The Children Of Hurin (named Narn i-Chîn Húrin in Grey Elven)
Akallabêth (The Downfall of Númenórë): The isle of Númenórë is given to Men who fought in the war against Melkor as a reward by the Valar. Over the centuries, the Númenórëans grow proud. All culminates in the reign of Ar-Pharazôn, who, driven by his fear of death and the lies of Sauron, dares to invade the land of the Valar. As a punishment, Númenórë is destroyed and sinks into the Sea. Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age: Details the backstory to The Lord of the Rings; fleshes out the Gambit Pile Up of Sauron and Gandalf
Because one of my teachers let me borrow his First Edition of the book I thought I would talk about it
So far it's pretty good, the idea of knowing the history of this world that Tolkien has created intrigued me greatly..
