Post by Andorinha on Jan 16, 2009 16:31:26 GMT -6
The Sil ARCHIVE: Week Two - Reading Hints
______________________________________
Reply
Message 1 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/17/2002 6:21 PM
You are sitting in the library at Rivendell. You have read a short volume called Ainulindale – the music of the Ainur. You put that back on the shelf, and in another area you found a short book called Valaquenta. It was a reference book – a short encyclopedia of the Valar. Now you scan the shelves, and a large book in the history section catches your eye. It is called Quenta Silmarillion. You take it down and begin to read...
It is immediately obvious that it is not a sequel to Valaquenta. In fact, it feels much more like a sequel to Ainulindale. Valaquenta tells of the Valar once they are established in their homes in Valinor. Quenta Silmarillion goes back to the time before Valinor was made, and before Tulkas had joined the Valar. It begins by telling how the Valar came to make Valinor.
As you study it, you realize that although Arda is the Earth, at the time that Quenta Silmarillion begins it is flat – with outer edges surround by a sea. It is not a round globe. There are stars, but no sun or moon. One recurring struggle between the Valar and Melkor is over light. The Valar attempt more than one way to provide light to Arda. Melkor seeks to destroy the light. The first form of light for Arda is two great pillars, with lamps on top. The second form of light is an image so beautiful it breaks your heart with longing.
The book you are holding contains some maps, but hard as you try you cannot find the places you are reading about on those maps. You realize that the maps depict places which have not yet been formed, at the time of the opening chapters.
As you read the second chapter of Quenta Silmarillion, you find yourself saying "Ah-ha," and "Oh, I get it," over and over again.
Happy reading!
_________________________________________
Reply
Message 2 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 9:20 AM
Remember, we are reading chapters 1-6 of Quenta Silmarillion this week.
(I forgot that when I wrote the above... I thought we were only reading two chapters)
So some more reading hints:
Geography
Place names multiply fast and furiously (and confusingly - Tolkien seems to use Valinor and Aman interchangeably, to mean the same place). And we still can't use the maps, because he doesn't give us one of Valinor.
If you are reading Sil for the first time, don't put a lot of effort into mastering the geography of Aman/Valinor. You will be able to follow the story fine, even without a clear picture in your mind of where things are. Focus instead on Elf geneology (see below).
Use the index at the back. All the place names are there, so if you forget what something is, you can always check it. This is another reason why you don't need to memorize it all.
Maps. If you look at the main map in Sil, you find that it looks nothing like the Middle Earth that you know so well. That's because the Ered Luin mountains, in the far east of the Sil map, are the Ered Luin mountains in the far WEST of the LOTR maps. All of the land in the Sil map will ultimately be lost under the sea. So it is a whole new territory to learn.
We get to use the maps a little, and even find references to some places we know (the river Anduin, the Misty Mountains) as the elves trek west.
The geography of Beleriand (the area covered by the map in Sil) will become very important, but you should work on that as it comes into the story.
Elves
I've said before that if you are having trouble getting the Valar sorted out, don't worry. I said above to forget about the geography of Aman. But now we arrive at the sundering of the elves, and the various elven family trees. Here my advice is different: you need to master an understanding of these divisions and relationships. Much of the later stories hinge on the interwoven and confusing links between the different kinds of elves. So now it's time to work!
Tolkien provides a helpful chart near the back of the book, titled "Quendi." In my edition it is on page 383. Read and re-read the last part of the chapter "Of the Coming of the Elves" with that chart before you, until it makes sense.
Then there is the divisions within the different kinds of elves. Don't worry about the Vanyar - they arrive at Aman, are content to sit at the feet of the Valar, and never move again. But the Noldor and the Teleri are very important. Particularly the descendents of Finwe among the Noldor. Learn his family well, because it is all important. (There's an extra bonus here, in that we find an old friend among his grandchildren.) A family tree for Finwe is also provided in the back of the book - very helpful. The family is briefly described at the end of chapter five, but we learn more about the reasons behind their relationships in chapter six.
Enjoy!
___________________________________________
Reply
Message 3 of 7 in Discussion
From: Azurite
Sent: 4/18/2002 10:06 AM
I must say that I appreciate the reading hints, especially the comments on what we won't have to worry about - like the geography of Valinor. The Eldar and their divisions confuse me already but it's starting to come clear - I think.
Can we guess at the identity of the grandchild of Finwe whom we already know?
namaste,
Azurite
_____________________________________________
Reply
Message 4 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 2:42 PM
Everyone will know the name when they see it. Let's wait until Sunday to mention it here, so that everyone can have that moment of "ah-ha."
_________________________________________
Reply
Message 5 of 7 in Discussion
From: Sunflowerwoman
Sent: 4/18/2002 5:36 PM
Megn,
Am I reading the genological chart correctly? As I see it Finwe had two wives, Miriel and Indis of the Vanayar?
Sunflowerwoman
________________________________________
Reply
Message 6 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 6:56 PM
Sunflowerwoman,
That is correct, and it is an important detail. The story of how it happened is in the first part of chapter 6 (the last chapter we are reading this week).
_________________________________________
Reply
Message 7 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 11:16 PM
I will be away from all computers this weekend. I have emailed the discussion starters for this week's lesson to DaleAnn. She will post them some time on Saturday.
(DaleAnn, if you haven't received them yet, email me quick!!)
I'll be back online Sunday evening
______________________________________
Reply
Message 1 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/17/2002 6:21 PM
You are sitting in the library at Rivendell. You have read a short volume called Ainulindale – the music of the Ainur. You put that back on the shelf, and in another area you found a short book called Valaquenta. It was a reference book – a short encyclopedia of the Valar. Now you scan the shelves, and a large book in the history section catches your eye. It is called Quenta Silmarillion. You take it down and begin to read...
It is immediately obvious that it is not a sequel to Valaquenta. In fact, it feels much more like a sequel to Ainulindale. Valaquenta tells of the Valar once they are established in their homes in Valinor. Quenta Silmarillion goes back to the time before Valinor was made, and before Tulkas had joined the Valar. It begins by telling how the Valar came to make Valinor.
As you study it, you realize that although Arda is the Earth, at the time that Quenta Silmarillion begins it is flat – with outer edges surround by a sea. It is not a round globe. There are stars, but no sun or moon. One recurring struggle between the Valar and Melkor is over light. The Valar attempt more than one way to provide light to Arda. Melkor seeks to destroy the light. The first form of light for Arda is two great pillars, with lamps on top. The second form of light is an image so beautiful it breaks your heart with longing.
The book you are holding contains some maps, but hard as you try you cannot find the places you are reading about on those maps. You realize that the maps depict places which have not yet been formed, at the time of the opening chapters.
As you read the second chapter of Quenta Silmarillion, you find yourself saying "Ah-ha," and "Oh, I get it," over and over again.
Happy reading!
_________________________________________
Reply
Message 2 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 9:20 AM
Remember, we are reading chapters 1-6 of Quenta Silmarillion this week.
(I forgot that when I wrote the above... I thought we were only reading two chapters)
So some more reading hints:
Geography
Place names multiply fast and furiously (and confusingly - Tolkien seems to use Valinor and Aman interchangeably, to mean the same place). And we still can't use the maps, because he doesn't give us one of Valinor.
If you are reading Sil for the first time, don't put a lot of effort into mastering the geography of Aman/Valinor. You will be able to follow the story fine, even without a clear picture in your mind of where things are. Focus instead on Elf geneology (see below).
Use the index at the back. All the place names are there, so if you forget what something is, you can always check it. This is another reason why you don't need to memorize it all.
Maps. If you look at the main map in Sil, you find that it looks nothing like the Middle Earth that you know so well. That's because the Ered Luin mountains, in the far east of the Sil map, are the Ered Luin mountains in the far WEST of the LOTR maps. All of the land in the Sil map will ultimately be lost under the sea. So it is a whole new territory to learn.
We get to use the maps a little, and even find references to some places we know (the river Anduin, the Misty Mountains) as the elves trek west.
The geography of Beleriand (the area covered by the map in Sil) will become very important, but you should work on that as it comes into the story.
Elves
I've said before that if you are having trouble getting the Valar sorted out, don't worry. I said above to forget about the geography of Aman. But now we arrive at the sundering of the elves, and the various elven family trees. Here my advice is different: you need to master an understanding of these divisions and relationships. Much of the later stories hinge on the interwoven and confusing links between the different kinds of elves. So now it's time to work!
Tolkien provides a helpful chart near the back of the book, titled "Quendi." In my edition it is on page 383. Read and re-read the last part of the chapter "Of the Coming of the Elves" with that chart before you, until it makes sense.
Then there is the divisions within the different kinds of elves. Don't worry about the Vanyar - they arrive at Aman, are content to sit at the feet of the Valar, and never move again. But the Noldor and the Teleri are very important. Particularly the descendents of Finwe among the Noldor. Learn his family well, because it is all important. (There's an extra bonus here, in that we find an old friend among his grandchildren.) A family tree for Finwe is also provided in the back of the book - very helpful. The family is briefly described at the end of chapter five, but we learn more about the reasons behind their relationships in chapter six.
Enjoy!
___________________________________________
Reply
Message 3 of 7 in Discussion
From: Azurite
Sent: 4/18/2002 10:06 AM
I must say that I appreciate the reading hints, especially the comments on what we won't have to worry about - like the geography of Valinor. The Eldar and their divisions confuse me already but it's starting to come clear - I think.
Can we guess at the identity of the grandchild of Finwe whom we already know?
namaste,
Azurite
_____________________________________________
Reply
Message 4 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 2:42 PM
Everyone will know the name when they see it. Let's wait until Sunday to mention it here, so that everyone can have that moment of "ah-ha."
_________________________________________
Reply
Message 5 of 7 in Discussion
From: Sunflowerwoman
Sent: 4/18/2002 5:36 PM
Megn,
Am I reading the genological chart correctly? As I see it Finwe had two wives, Miriel and Indis of the Vanayar?
Sunflowerwoman
________________________________________
Reply
Message 6 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 6:56 PM
Sunflowerwoman,
That is correct, and it is an important detail. The story of how it happened is in the first part of chapter 6 (the last chapter we are reading this week).
_________________________________________
Reply
Message 7 of 7 in Discussion
From: megn1
Sent: 4/18/2002 11:16 PM
I will be away from all computers this weekend. I have emailed the discussion starters for this week's lesson to DaleAnn. She will post them some time on Saturday.
(DaleAnn, if you haven't received them yet, email me quick!!)
I'll be back online Sunday evening