Orgulas' Sil Study CH 2

[Desi Baggins]

CHAPTER 2 Of Aulë and Yavanna

The Dwarves have been made by Aulë in the darkness of Middle-earth. He desired the coming of the Children greatly, as he wanted to teach them his knowledge and skills, and he grew impatient. Since he was afraid the other Valar would blame his work, he made the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves in secrecy. Because Melkor’s power still was over Middle-earth, he made them strong to endure, stubborn and fast in frienship, which is as they still are today. But Ilúvatar knew what he was doing, and he spoke to Aulë just as he had finished his work. Ilúvatar asked him why he had done something that was beyond his power and authority, and explained him the Dwarves would only move as he thought to move them, but stand idle when he was elsewhere. Aulë answered he did not want such lordship, but only wanted to love them and teach them, so that they could gaze upon the beauty of the Earth. He then offered his creations to Ilúvatar, and asked him if it would be better when he’d destroy them. Yet as he took a great hammer to smash them, the Dwarves recoiled in fear. But Ilúvatar, who had mercy, spoke. He told he had accepted Aulë’s offer and would take on the Dwarves as if they were his own children. Else they wouldn’t have been frightened and have stood still when Aulë raised the hammer. But Ilúvatar did not want to reward Aulë’s impatience. Therefore he did not allow the Dwarves to come before the Firstborn, but instead they would sleep until their coming, and Aulë should wait for them. So Aulë took the Seven Fathers with him and laid them asleep on far places. Then he returned to Valinor to wait many years.

When Aulë laboured on the making of the Dwarves, he kept it secret from the other Valar, but at last he told everything that had happened to Yavanna. She answered Eru was merciful and saw his heart was rejoiced, but she also knew Aulë’s children would care little for growing things, but would love to make things and delve in the earth, as their father did. She feared what might happen on Middle-earth, and was grieved. She went to Manwë and told him about her fears when the Children would take rulership over all of her creations. She entrusted him she wanted something free of dominion, and when Manwë asked her what she would choose she told she liked the trees most of all things that grow. She wanted the trees to speak for all the growing things, and to punish those who hurt them. Manwë thought it strange, yet when Yavanna ensured him it had been in the Song, he heard it again. In it, the Vision was renewed, and he understood many things that had still remained hidden before. He then told Eru had spoken to him, and had told him Yavanna’s thoughts also would wake up along with the Children, and that the Shepherds of the Trees would wander in the woods.

Aulë has exceeded his power and authority. Why? What does he do? And what effect will his actions have in Middle-earth?

Aulë and Yavanna are husband and wife. Why is it important for them to work together in the creations of Arda?

Yavanna wants something to speak for the trees, plants and anything that grows. What do we know about these Shepherds of the Trees? How does it fit in Tolkien’s mind for nature?

[Andorinha]

RE Androga's: 3. "Yavanna wants something to speak for the trees, plants and anything that grows. What do we know about these Shepherds of the Trees? How does it fit in Tolkien’s mind for nature?"

The section of the Silmarillion titled "Of Aule and Yavanna," is a fairly late addition to the body of JRRT's Middle-earth mythology. It does not appear in the original versions of his mythology, and seems to post-date the publication of LotR in 1954-56. Some of the Ent-material, especially their background story, was actually outlined as late as 1963. (see HOME XI "The War of the Jewels," p. 356)

Ents being "Tree-shepherds" was so late a development that JRRT, even at the end of writing LotR, may have had no good idea as to the origin of Ents himself. When he prepared his old tales for publication as "The Silmarillion," he found it necessary to write an entirely new chapter ("Of Aule and Yavanna") to fill this gap. In the first drafts of LotR, Treebeard was a "mere" human-type giant, in fact a malevolent character, and not a decent spokesperson for nature. This early Treebeard was seeking to capture and delay the Fellowship, perhaps to find the Ring for himself, or for Sauron. But, sometime in the late 1940's, the idea that Ents would be "Tree-shepherds," and have treeish connections themselves was finally conceived. When he made this transition -- changing Treebeard from a fairy-story type giant to a tree-shepherd -- JRRT could have left Treebeard and the other Ents as "evil" characters, perhaps tying them in with the menacing type of tree seen in the Old Man Willow of the Old Forest. But, I think JRRT's own love of trees and forests convinced him to alter the Ents from evil giants into the good, nature-loving, nature-protecting entities that we find in the final LotR version. Here, I think Androga is very correct in pointing out that Tolkien's own deep committment to the unspoiled realm of nature, and his celebration of trees in particular, would not allow him to portray the new Treeish Ents as foul creatures. So, in LotR, they become dangerous entities, capable of reacting harshly when Men, Dwarves, or even Elves get too enthusiastic in collecting firewood and lumber, but still they act predominantly as forces of "good." They are quite willing to make alliances with the better sorts of Men, Elves, Hobbits, even Dwarves to fight a more dreadful, common foe.