November

SOUTHFARTHING TOLKIEN READING GROUP

11 November 2023

Lynn, Tim, Monique, Eileen, Laura

The Silmarillion

Chapter 20   Of the Fifth Battle:  Nirnaeth Arnoediad

 

This chapter is about the terrible defeat of the combined forces of Elves, Men and Dwarves by Morgoth.  There are descriptions of failed communication and treachery as well as the return of monsters created by Morgoth.  This is balanced by hints of what may happen in the future for the survival of the allies.  As one of the officers responsible for communications in WWI, Tolkien would have been well aware of the need for accurate communications and working equipment, even under fire.  Tim said that commanders in WWI would have had log books with accounts from different platoons etc ie Dwarves, Elves and Men.

The first paragraph is a completion of the story of Beren and Luthien.  The poetic phrase “the winter of Thingol” describes not just his sadness but perhaps that he is nearing his end.  Luthien gives birth to Dior, the first person who is part Elf, part Man and part Maia, whose wife, Nimloth, gives birth to Elwing who marries Earendel.   Monique was intrigued that Tolkien used the name of a haute couture designer! Lynn explained that he might have been using an Anglo-Saxon name:  Déor, a name given to a poem about misfortune.  Also Lynn reminded us that there were many versions of the Silmarillion until Christopher edited the final printed one.  Dior may not have been the original name.

There was a discussion about why the first paragraph was in this chapter and not at the end of the previous one.  Lynn felt that what happened to Beren and Luthien provided the motivation for the battle and was appropriately placed.

Monique said that Tolkien’s prose is so near to poetry eg when Huor speaks to Turgon “with the eyes of death”, and prophesies that a new star shall be born from their two families.   The book is similar to the Chanson de Rolande:  heroism, treachery, defeat and revenge. Tim said there was a difference between a poetic description of war and war poetry like that of Sassoon.  Tolkien’s work is a literary depiction.

Maedhros, one of the sons of Fëanor, tries to unite Elves against Morgoth, inspired by Beren and Luthien’s successful attack on him.  His attempt fails because of distrust brought about by the workings of the oath.  A small group of Elves make a sortie against Morgoth and, with Tolkien’s poetic alteration of word order, describes their sad end.  “….and they came never back, save one.”  Who was that one?  A messenger to bring the bad news?

Thingol continues to keep the Silmaril and Celegorm and Curufin are determined to kill him and his people.

Maedhros works with Dwarves to make weapons and also to fight against Morgoth.  They attack too soon and, although there are some territorial gains, Morgoth is alerted to the danger.

Maedhros plans a pincer movement with the combined forces of Elves, Men and Dwarves, one half led by himself and the other led by Fingon.  Maedhros is delayed by the treachery of Uldor the Accursed, son of Ulfang the Black, who has always planned to betray the Elves.  However, Turgon joins the battle.

Against good advice, the Elvish army under Fingon is drawn away from their defences because of great cruelty shown by the Orcs to a captured prisoner, brother of one of the Elves, Gwindor.  Their fury takes them into Angband itself and everyone is killed except for Gwindor.  The battle proper takes place in front of Angband.  The forces of Turgon and Maedhros could have beaten the Orc army but wolves, balrogs and Glaurung, now adult,  emerge from Angband and then Uldor’s Men change sides rather like Lord Stanley betraying Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. Morgoth has nurtured the traitors to this stage.  Uldor’s Men are only one tribe of the race; the others support the Elves and Dwarves.  Fëanor’s sons are matched against those of Ulfang.  Eileen said she had liked the name of the Easterlings as it appeared to have Christian overtones but these Men are traitors.  We do not know if all the Easterlings were traitors.

Lynn reminded us of the betrayal of Beren and Luthien by Daeron and that all runic characters were derived from his first runes.  Elves developed them for their own language.

It was always Morgoth’s aim to split the different tribes of Men to achieve his aim of domination.  He is jealous of Men as they have the gift of mortality.

The motion of the battle is vivid.   Even though it is short, it is a fast paced chapter.

Dwarves are fighting against Morgoth too.  They are described as being able to withstand fire better than Men or Elves, perhaps because of personal protective equipment in the forges!  They also wear hideous masks, perhaps made of leather rather than metal; last time we compared this with masks worn by the Samurai.  Lynn wondered if they were wearing masks and armour made of mithril which would have been stronger than that worn by any of the other armies.  Their axes are stronger than Glaurung’s hide and stronger than Elvish armour.

For interest!

The bizarre horned and bespectacled parade helmet given to Henry VIII by the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I, in 1514.

The Dwarves manage to encircle Glaurung but he kills their king, Azaghal, but not before he manages to stab upwards at the dragon, a pre-echo of Glaurung’s meeting with Turin.  Unfortunately, the Dwarves leave, taking their king’s body, presumably out of respect.  This is in contrast to the Anglo-Saxon approach which would expect huscarls to fight the enemy to the death.

Fingon is killed by Gothmog and another unnamed balrog.  Only the forces of Hurin, Huor and Turgon remain.  Hurin persuades Turgon to return to Gondolin to ensure that it remains secret and safe but in another one of Tolkien’s enigmatic speeches, Huor says to Turgon: “…………..out of your house shall come the hope of Elves and Men.  ……………  from you and from me a new star shall arise.”  Tragically, Maeglin, Turgon’s nephew, overhears this.  (Spoiler alert!)

The remaining Men are killed except for Hurin who Morgoth captures.  Huor dies, like Harold, with an arrow through his eye.  Hurin still has the strength to mock Morgoth and is held on the side of a mountain so that he can see what Morgoth wishes him to see.

Eileen asked do we have to go to war over insults?  Insults are part of the action; insulting the enemy to other people. It happens now.

Lynn reminded us that we are reading a mythology, written by the Elves, the eventual victors; this is not reality.  Followed by shocked silence!  Tim said:  “There is a sense of geo-politics in Beleriand.”

At the end of the battle “….a great storm of wind came out of the West.”  Is this from the Valar?  The battle is a triumph for Morgoth not just because of the fighting but because of treachery and infighting.  Some Elf leaders did not come and there was a split between Men.

Morgoth reneges on his promise to the Men who betrayed their kind and does not let them have the better lands in Beleriand.

Morgoth attacks the Havens and kills many of Cirdan’s people.

Some actions, even if unsuccessful in themselves, go to fulfilling the future like the seven ships travelling west but only one sailor returning, Voronwe.

Morgoth decides to concentrate on Turgon as he is a descendant of Fingolfin and apparently now the King of the Noldor.  He feels that Turgon could destroy him.

The bodies of the Elves, Dwarves and Men are made into a hill by the orcs.  It is called the Hill of the Slain or the Hill of Tears.  Grass grows over it and none of Morgoth’s people walk on it.  It is said that, after the guns fell silent at the end of WWI, the birds started to sing again.  The description is like the mounds of cherry stones in the LOTR that are left in the grass to the annoyance of people mowing, compared by Tolkien to skulls heaped by conquerors.

Richard Armitage, the actor who played Thorin, appeared on the programme “Between the Covers” and said he was distraught as an 11year old when he had finished reading Lord of the Rings as he wanted more.

Next meeting of the core group:

Saturday, 9 December 2023 – Chapter 21 Of Túrin Turambar.  A long chapter so it might take us into the New Year!  Laura sends her apologies but Happy Christmas and New Year!

After that, Saturday, 13 January 2024.

Maxi moot, Saturday, 27 January 2024 for lunch!