The aim of this work is to analyze of J.R.R. Tolkien’s book “The Silmarillion”, which is about the creation of the Middle Earth, and “The Lord of the Rings”, which describes the upheads of the world in his fictional universe, in terms of their obvious inspiration by the motives of Greek Mythology and Norse Mythology as well as Christian elements. I try to identify the symbols and to analyze them how they are used.
Tolkien created his own mythology based on mix themes from classical Greek and Norse Myths and Tolkien was Middle-Earth’s unique creator. The relationship between Middle-Earth and the real Middle Age is presented as examples of major themes and similarities between Tolkien’s writing. Tolkien’s interest in languages, especially the ancient ones. For instance, he became interested in Old and Middle English, fascinatedly Norse Mythology. So, he was influenced by ancient texts on his works like “The Silmarillion”, “The Lord of the Rings” so on. In addition to this, Christian religion played an important role in Tolkien’s life as he often proudly admitted and much of his belief and values, naturally, penetrated into his writing. In the book “The Silmarillion” and especially first two chapters Ainulindale and Valaquenta, in which the Biblical allusions are doubtlessly intentionally the most implicit. These two chapters describe how Eä, the world from Tolkien’s fantasy universe was created at the beginning of time by Eru Ilúvatar, the greatest divine being who rules over everything, in a way very similar to the story of Creation as provided in the book Genesis in the Bible. As follows in “The Silmarillion”, Tolkien reflected his philosophy of creation and sub-creation. “Tolkien’s Middle-Earth is a sub-creation where the Medieval Chivalry is parodied through the industrial revolution from late Victorian Era to Modernism. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth is ‘intensively self-reflective and parodic.” (Edman 216) Realizing the investigation of the resemblance of Eru Ilúvatar to Christian God and the act of creation and discussion the similarity between the Secret Fire and the Holy Spirit. Then Tolkien analyzed the nature of the Ainur and their interpretation as angelic beings, deal with Melkor as a representation of the embodied Devil and dedication to the explanation of understanding of the two races of the children of Ilúvatar, Elves and Men, as two different aspects of human nature. Apart from this, it also commented on the similarities in the depiction of Valinor and Paradise. Greek Mythology influenced Tolkien, who may have borrowed many attributes from the Olympian Gods. The Valar, like the Olympians lived in the world but on a high mountain, separated from mortals; Ulmo, Lord of the Waters, owes much to Poseidon, and Manwe, the Lord of the Air and King of the Valar, to Zeus. (Pallardy) Tolkien borrowed ideas from Greek Mythology, but did not model the Valar and Maiar on Greek deities. He also compared Beren and Lúthien with Orpheus and Eurydice with the gender roles reversed. Feanor has been compared with Prometheus by researchers such as Verlyn Flieger. They share a symbolical and literal association with fire, are both rebel against gods’s decrees. Tolkien’s godlike characters, the Valar, were intended to be based on Norse Myths than Greek ones. Manwë reminds us at least as much of Zeus as Odin, and his high mountain domain Taniquetil owes as much to Olympus than Hlioskjalf. Ulmo seemed as much like Neptune as Aegir. Mandos is kind of faintly like Hades, if you squint at it right. Turin may owed tiny bit to Oedipus, but he owed far more to Kullervo. Beren and Lúthien have been compared to Orpheus and Eurydice, but I think it’s a lot of a stretch. There is one strangeness is that he had originally called some of his elves Gnomes, after the Greek word for knowledge. But that is almost completely disappeared by the time his material was published. (Tolkien, Speculative Philology: Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien)
Furthermore, there are three focal and common symbols in Tolkien’s works. Firstly, the most effective symbol is the one Ring or the temptation of the Ring in “The Lord of the Rings”. The Ring represents is power and power to control and influence things and other people. For instance, love which is the recognition of another person’s happiness, can work well against a person’s will to dominate. But the ring is so tempting that even love can not lasts forever. “That is, the ring would use the owner as a host and consume his or her till it becomes the sole regulator of the mind and body by establishing an unbearable paradox. Thus, the ring bearer would become a parasite-like living thing who needs power and authority to satisfy his or her greed.” (Edman 268) The Ring actually reflect has two individual personalities, sort of like Gollum. But while Gollum has a nice personality and an evil one, the Ring has two evil personalities. Gollum’s attacks to Frodo several times to try to take it from him. Then, the sons of Denethor, Boromir and Faramir, both try to take it from Frodo in the novel. (Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings) The ring tempts Gandalf and Galadriel, each of them drawn to the thought of the immense power it could give them. Even ingenuous Sam briefly wonders how it would be to possess the ring. No one, apparently is immune to its temptation, and Frodo is no exception. Though he is chosen as ring-bearer because he is most resistant to the ring’s charm, Frodo must constantly fight his desire for it. He is sometimes tempted to hand it over to his more powerful friends, while at other times he wants to keep it for himself. When he finally arrives at Mount Doom, Frodo elects to keep the ring, despite the tremendous misery it has caused him. At no moment in the trilogy is Frodo more tempted by the ring’s power. Frodo gives up the ring only because Gollum appears and fights him for it, a fight that leads to its destruction. The ring has possessed so many and that has served as a kind of connective tissue among all the races of Middle-earth is ultimately destroyed by its own power. “On the other hand, Smeagol was suppressed and tried to get rid of Gollum, though he cannot do it. Eventually, the signifier of powers in his hands enslaved him to dwell in double personality. At the end of The Lord of the Rings, the One Ring would be destroyed together with Gollum’s fall into lavas of Mount Doom, killing with himself Smeagol, still holding the One Ring in his hand.” (Edman 244) So, it has the “Ring” personality, and the “Sauron” personality. When Sauron created the Ring, he poured so much of his own essence into it that the Ring is, more or less, an embodiment of Sauron himself. The only other enduring embodiment of Sauron is “the Eye”, which also looks like a ring. So the Ring and Sauron “are one”, yet they have been separated. Because they are separated, they are both incomplete, and must come together again to be whole. This wholeness, however, is a false wholeness, because no evil can ever be truly whole. Sauron in other words, The Ring is a personification of evil itself. They are of the same archetype as “Satan”, in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Obviously, Sauroman refers to Sauron as “Lord of the Earth” like in the Bible, Jesus refers to Satan as “Prince of this World.” So that, “the Ring” and “Sauron” are the same character in “The Lord of the Rings”. Clearly, the ring is the center of the trilogy and it gains multiple changeable meanings as Frodo’s journey proceeds. Created by the evil Sauron, it is at first synonymous with its makers evil power. Those who encounter the ring are overcome with longing for power over others, and the ring could give more power to Sauron. For all, the ring suggests the dangerous urges that lurk even in the most harmless beings of Middle-Earth. It is also suggests slavery and weakness, since whoever gives in to the temptation of the ring becomes a slave to it. Gollum is an example of what happens physically when overwhelmed by the ring. Man is so weak and Isildur failed to destroy the ring in Mordor. The fact that weakness affects every race of Middle-Earth shows the extent of the ring’s power.
Secondly, the other significant symbols in the trilogy and the other works are nature like water and mountains. Mountains represent the difficulties and perils that the external world may present to the inner journey. While the movie does not portray the physical world as naturally evil, it does show that evil can easily use the physical world in its efforts to destroy the soul. Melkor was, in Tolkien’s mythology, almost the exact equivalent of Satan, more than Sauron. So the mountains which stood in Frodo’s way as he tried to carry the ring to its source were created by the very personification of evil to make it difficult for a holy being to pass that way. The mountains represent all physical things like gold or wealth or any other attractiveness the physical world may offer used by evil personified to entrapped the soul. The soul would seek to find the source of the evil within him or her in order to destroy that evil, must either rise above these things or go experience without being trapped by them. Additionally, Mount Doom is in The Lord of the Rings, both the birthplace of the ring and the place where it can be destroyed. This is Frodo’s final destination, and it also presents him with his greatest challenge. Destroying the ring is in many ways more difficult than reaching Mount Doom, and twice we see characters fail when faced with the task. Isildur, after defeating Sauron’s armies, enters the fiery mountain intending to destroy the ring, but at the last moment he turns back and decides to keep it for himself. When Frodo brings the ring to Mount Doom, he intends to destroy it but like Isildur he decides at the last minute to keep it. Though the ring is ultimately destroyed after Frodo and Gollum’s struggle for it, Frodo did not let it go on his own. Though he passes many tests on his journey, Frodo fails in this final test at Mount Doom. Mount Doom in this case suggests the darkness and weakness that exists even in the most ingenuous, a charm so powerful that even the most determined voyager needs additional help to resist temptation. Mount Doom also marks the furthest Frodo gets from the security and familiarity of the Shire. He is out of place at Mount Doom as the ring was in the Shire, and this is the place where Frodo comes closest to actually giving himself over to evil. Throughout “The Lord of the Rings”, water serves as a lifesaving force for the good beings of Middle-Earth. Gandalf and Aragorn are saved from death after long falls when they land in bodies of water. When Arwen races to Rivendell on horseback with a badly injured Frodo, she escapes the pursuing Ringwraiths namely Nazgul, are the ghosts with undead shadows without a body, when they are flooded by water. Similarly, Saruman’s tower loses power when its plain is flooded. Water also suggests the afterlife. The elves depart Middle-Earth on a boat and sail out to a great body of water. When Boromir dies, his dead body is placed on a pyre and sent down a river. Although he is dead, this journey suggests that he will live on in the memory of others.
Thirdly, “The Lord of the Rings” is a trilogy about a journey, but this long journey contains many smaller journeys that advance the greater one. Individuals and groups are again and again setting off for someplace, to pursue a goal of their own, rescue someone, or escape. Merry and Pippin’s engage in an involuntary journey when they join forces with Frodo and Sam early in The Fellowship of the Ring. Aragorn takes many dramatic journeys across Middle-Earth with his horse, mounted troops type figure taking the brave and vital steps to save his people. Gollum’s journeys with Frodo and Sam and also within his own conflicted soul. The elves’ journey to their land of immortality, though Arwen elects to remain behind her own journey will be one that leads her to Aragorn and a mortal life. At the very beginning of their journey, Sam notes to Frodo that they have just passed the spot that marks the farthest he has ever before been from home, the first of many thoughts the hobbits will have about home and their distance from it. Homesickness for their home or the Shire, even to the point of nostalgia, annoys Frodo and Sam throughout their journey. When Sam and Frodo travel to Mordor, Frodo’s eager to focus on the journey to Mount Doom is balanced by Sam’s focus on for the return journey. The Shire is very green, happy place untouched by the confusion disturbing much of Middle-Earth and compared to the rocky and dangerous terrain Frodo and Sam face on their journey seems for them a kind of paradise. However, their talk of returning to their home, the Shire, is rooted in more than the physical Shire itself. The Shire suggests a childlike innocence, which the hobbits left behind with the very first step of their journey. It also suggests a different kind of life, where hobbits live simply, unworried, and free from war, greed, evil, death, and all the other vices and hardships that complicate life in much of Middle-Earth. In their memories, the Shire becomes a sort of Eden, where life was perfect and could be perfect again, if they can only get back. The thought of returning animates them and gives them strength in their darkest moments. The last time we see Frodo in the last part “The Return of the King”, he is embarking on yet to another journey. But this time with the elves, to pursue his next adventure.
“Frodo, together with Elrond, Gandalf, Galadriel and Bilbo was departing for the Havens. While the ship was moving to the West, the land of the Valar, Sam was watching the ship passing with Merry and Pippin. Then, Sam returned his home to his wife and daughter where he was going to complete the diary first filled by Bilbo then Frodo to put the accounts of the long history of the Middle-Earth.” (Edman 260)
Edman noticed that, a stable feeling of movement stretches through the trilogy and though the destinations are always clear and the journeys often seem endless for the characters and readers.
Nevertheless, in “The Silmarillion”, by J.R.R. Tolkien, tells the story of creation and the war between good and evil. This companion to “The Lord of the Rings” begins with Ea, the world, and the Valar, who pave the way for the arrival of the children of Iluvatar. Together they fight against the Melkor, the force of evil in the world. This creation story both mirrors the story in Genesis in the Bible, and creates its own mythology. Iluvatar like God, begins with creating the Ainur, who fills with angels. He lays out his plans for Eä, and sends some of the Ainur to Eä, where they become the Valar. The children they are preparing for become the races of Elves and Men. Meanwhile, Melkor the evil one wants to rule Eä though his plots are undone. They also cause the Valar to go to Valinor. When Aule creates the Dwarf race, Iluvatar makes them sleep until the Elves wake up. They wake up, and Melkor is imprisoned. Briefly, there are three important and prominent themes in “The Silmarillion”. These are sacrificial love, betrayal, and pride drive characters of all groups and races. Tolkien served in World War I, most notably in the Battle of the Somme. Professionally, he was a linguist and professor of English language and literature. Prior to writing “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”, Tolkien created the languages spoken by the races that figure in the plot of that series, as well as in “The Silmarillion”. In addition to that, “The Silmarillion” introduces a different image of evil from the image of evil presented in other works. Moreover, this image is in opposite with
Tolkien’s view of evil and good in which good is absolute and evil is just its absence, the shadow of good. Evil in “The Silmarillion” is a more powerful and more enlargeable force than good. It spreads itself very quickly in a shape of darkness and corrupts everything around. Hope and luck turn into helplessness and sadness and even good intentions almost always turn out badly. In order to understand the opposition between Tolkien’s own beliefs about evil and the image of evil in “The Silmarillion”, it is necessary to examine Tolkien’s views of evil and compare them with the position of Tolkien’s critics on his views of good and evil. Next, the role of evil in the creation of the world will be considered and its part in the shaping of Middle-Earth. Darkness, Melkor and their servants represent evil in Tolkien’s fiction therefore it is significant to discuss their origin, nature and active role in the war with good. Finally, examples of the varied presentation of evil between “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Silmarillion” will be introduced. It seems like the nature of evil in The Silmarillion is more powerful, complicated and complex than in other works of Tolkien. Therefore, it can be argued that evil in Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion” is absolute and a more powerful force than good. Notwithstanding, the language of “The Silmarillion” is old and elevated with irony, sadness and melancholy rule humour and romance. Love is difficult to sustain or win for almost all characters. For example, Beren has to steal Silmarills from the hands of Melkor in order to get permission from Luthien’s father to marry her. It seems like all creatures in “The Silmarillion” are doomed to failure and disaster. Unlike in “The Silmarillion”, in “The Lord of the Rings”, luck, opportunity and chance words are forces that guide events and have influence on the decisions of the characters. All living creatures have the chance to choose, resist Sauron or work for him. In “The Silmarillion” the fate of many characters is already preordained. They cannot change their future even if they want to prevent what is unavoidable. For example, the fate of Hurin’s family is predestined by Melkor. Hurin of the race of Men fiercely fighting Melkor’s army of orcs was captured by Melkor who cursed his family. In addition to this, in “The Silmarillion” darkness is the evil power that rules Arda and Middle-Earth whereas in “The Lord of the Rings” the shadow represents evil. Darkness is like being and it is spreads quickly infecting everything around. And evil is turning even good intentions to evil outcomes. For example, Feanor created Silmarils with the intention of preserving the light of the Trees of Valinor but his possessiveness and obsession caused the fall of his family and partition among tribes of Elves. Conversely, in “The Silmarillion”, in “The Lord of the Rings” evil deeds turned often into good ends.
The greedy possessiveness of the Ring is leading to good, for example Gollum’s addiction to the Ring, which is his precious, is so strong that he tracks Frodo to Mount Doom and when he sees him with it and shouting: “The Ring is mine!” (Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings 123). Clearly, he loses control and his mind, and in his madness he falls with the Ring into the Fire of Doom, thereby execution of Frodo’s duty. Shadows in Lord of the Rings are represented by characters and the Ring, they are perceived as part of them but not as a separate and independent force. Shadow is just greyness where darkness is blackness; evil in the Lord of the Rings is powerful but not horrifying and omnipresent as in “The Silmarillion”.
Last but not least, pride is first revealed in the background of the moral beings who are the Children of Illuvatar in “The Silmarillion”. The Dwarves, the children of Iluvatar’s adoption, build and dig the earth. The Elves, the firstborns, can see clearly into the future. In addition to their ability of seeing into the future, being the fairest creatures, more powerful and enduring and less prone to sickness and disease, the Elves are immortal. So, they do not die. Providence is outside of time and is therefore of spirit, spirit is immortal, and spirit is more powerful than matter. All of these qualities of spirit are also qualities of the Elves so that it is reasonable to say that Elves are spiritual. Men are a combination of spirit and matter being exactly as man of the real world is. They have a body and a soul and in reality die in our due time and leave the world. Tolkien is critiquing mankind in his work of Elves, Men, and Dwarves. However, pride is explored in the subdivision of the conflict between good and evil. The theme of pride is seen not just in the various creation elements in the story, but also can be seen in the conflict between good and evil which permeates through the entire work. The conflict between good and evil holds together “The Silmarillion”. Good and evil are clarified via conflicts between virtue and vice and between pride and humility. Pride is the most evil of all sins because from pride, flows forth all sin and evil. Pride was that which caused Melkor to fall. This brought about his final punishment on a ruinous path down to the Void. When Aule made the dwarves, in contrast, humility was exercised and good things and happiness came. Iluvatar had compassion upon Aule and his desire because of his humility. Thus, because of the infinite opposition of the two forces, there is a moral conflict that the nature of Eä and our world are dependent upon because of how much they are part of the world.
As a result, the Ring or the temptation of the Ring, nature like water and mountains which strongly mythologize The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings and journeys with the good and evil, and pride themes are the critical symbols in Tolkien’s works which are form all plot in Middle-Earth. Influence of power and knowledge directly effects the plot and characters. Tolkien’s interpretation of power and knowledge in such a way fits into with how Foucauldian perspective tends to see the relationship of power and knowledge. “Power creates paranoia since owner of power pursues ways to maintain the power that he or she has.” (Edman 278) Gollum’s obsession and ultimate schizophrenia formed through his paranoia of losing the ring, which is his precious, is the important fact in the book. For this reason, power controls the knowledge and consciousness. So, power affects owners decisions. For example, Saruman’s dissatisfaction of power blinded him. “Not only did he lose his powers, but also Sauron turned his back to him. He was a traitor for both sides now. Once he was the head of the council that the elders of the council trusted much. His status was not enough for him.” (Edman 280) Eventually, Tolkien reflects knowledge with the strong character Gandalf, who is a powerful wizard. Gandalf himself is more than just an old man with powerful spells and a pointy hat. Tolkien imbues Gandalf with a sense of heightened awareness, ensuring that Gandalf always knows more about what is happening. Briefly, Tolkien usually reflects loyalty with one of the most significant protagonist Aragorn, who is the heir to the throne of Gondor, but at the beginning of the trilogy, he hides this identity. For instance, Aragorn’s immortal love Arwen, turned into passion in the story. Aragorn was a Numenorean descendant and Arwen was an Elf. Notwithstanding, their union is eternal, beyond possibilities, a kind of a paradox of impossibilities with hope and purity.
“Conversely, neither Aragorn nor Arwen gave up loving each other even at the cost of their lives. On the contrary, both Lancelot and Guinevere followed their passions for the sake of their happiness. Not only did they abandon the confidence of their King, but also they sacrificed their country in return of their love.” (Edman 290)
“The Silmarillion” is the work of Tolkien’s heart, which explores a wide field of philosophical and theological themes including one of the most researched topics of the ages like the nature of good and evil. Tolkien’s view of the nature of good and evil was shaped in the first place by Catholic theology, rather than Norse, Celtic and Greek mythology, though these too had a great influence on his world view. In “The Silmarillion”, Tolkien presented good and evil in all their complex nature, as forces that steer and control the world, in opposition to each other inseparable. However, “The Silmarillion” is the story of the struggle between light and darkness, where light symbolises good whereas darkness symbolises evil. Moreover these symbolic powers are also a metaphor for divine order and rebellion, for creativity and destruction. Evil in “The Silmarillion” is a more strong and more enlarged force than good. It spreads itself very quickly in a shape of darkness and corrupts everything around. Hope and good luck turn into hopelessness and sadness and even good intentions almost always turn out badly. In order to understand the contradiction between Tolkien’s own beliefs about evil and the image of evil in The Silmarillion, explains Tolkien’s views of evil and compare them with the position of Tolkien’s critics on his views of good and evil. Then, the role of evil in the creation of the world will be considered and its part in the shaping of Middle-Earth. Darkness, Melkor and their servants represent evil in Tolkien’s fiction, therefore it is important to discuss their origin, nature and active role in the war with good. Finally, examples of the different presentations of evil between “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Silmarillion” briefly explained.
Consequently, the nature of evil in “The Silmarillion” is more powerful, complicated and complex than in other works of Tolkien. Therefore, it can be argued that evil in Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion” is absolute and a more powerful force than good.
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