Sil Study Ch 17

[Androga Erindalant]

Ch 17: Of the Coming of Men into the West

The first of the race of Men to enter Beleriand were led by Bëor the Old. They were discovered by Fingolfin near the lands of the Green Elves. Men spoke a different language, but as their language shared the same origin, Felagund quickly learned to understand them. He learned about them, yet Bëor did not speak of their past, as he knew little himself, safe that it was dark. Only later was suspected that Morgoth had mingled in the fate of Men.

The Green Elves however were troubled by the newcomers, who made noise and slew trees. Therefore, they asked them to either return or move on. Thus Bëor's people settled in Estolad, near the borders of Doriath, under his son Baran's lead. Bëor himself accompanied Felagund to his house. Other peoples of Men arrived in Beleriand as well. Among them were the Haladin, who started to dwell in Thargelion, while the people of Marach settled east of Baran. The Elves often visited Men, and Men went into service of the Elves, whom they loved and learned from. This way Men spread across Beleriand, even though they were not welcome with king Thingol in Doriath. Only Haleth was allowed in Brethil, under the condition that her people would guard the pass against enemies.

Not all of the race of Men were content. They longed for the Light of the West, but learned that they could not reach it. Meanwhile, the Dark Lord remained close, and some did not want to be a part of the everlasting war. Others thought that Elves themselves were greedy of the world. Thus a host left Beleriand again, to be forgotten. Yet otherwise there was friendship. Men learned greatly from the Elves, and their lives were lengthened. Yet when Bëor died of old age, the Elves grieved. For the first time they were confronted by the doom of Men. They wondered about it, yet had no knowledge of it.

[Androga Erindalant]

Houses of Men
There are three main houses of the Men who settled in Beleriand. Since there are a lot of names mentioned, and some settled in different regions, we will present a short summary here. It's hard to represent the different branches in characters only, but here's my attempt.
“One dash” are the children of the last name in the first line.
“Two dashes” are the children of the “one dash” above them. Behind the “two dashes” follow a straight line descendant.

Bëor the Old – Baran – Boron – Boromir - Bregor
- Bregolas
- - Baragund – Morwen
- - Belegund – Rían
- Barahir
- - Beren – Elwing

Haldad (of the Haladin) – Haleth (wife of Galdor) & Haldar – Haldan (son of Haldar)

Marach – Malach – Magor – Hathol – Hador
- Galdor
- - Húrin – Túrin
- - Huor – Huor
- Gundor


Question
How is the new race of Men accepted? What are the mixed feelings at both sides?

[Andorinha]

A Most Religious Enthusiasm

This is a particularly interesting passage for me. I studied enough anthropology in my youthful college days to become highly sensitized to "First Encounters:" Margaret Mead meets the Samoans, Pizarro says "Allo" to Atahualpa, Cortez greets Moctecuzuma II (and then shortly later has him strangled), Richard Dreyfus shakes paws with a flying-saucer pilot, etc.

So how does Tolkien handle the first encounter of his two "species," Elf and Man?

Tolkien was writing in the period of high racism that marked WWI and WW II, the epoch that saw the flowering glory of the nastiest sort of Social Darwinism, a time of high xenophobia, of nationalistic militarism, and exploitative monopoly-capitalism. This Middle-earth juncture of Man and Elf should (by the standards of the real-world times in which JRRT was writing) have been a complete disaster, "pop," and Finrod Felagund (not Fingolfin!) would have gone into the pot; or the lowly, miscreant Men would have been enslaved by the dominant, technologically superior Elves. Instead, Finrod sits down to sing the boys a song...

Ah, no conquest and devastation here, a different sort of "encounter-model" is being followed, the Victorian Missionary mode seems to be the operative mechanism for Tolkien's Middle-earth encounter.

This in itself is quite refreshing, a cultural encounter that does not lead to the inevitable clash/ destruction which our own "real-world" history teaches us to expect. Instead, the "song" Finrod sings to Men (as a cynic might observe) is, of course, a bit of missionary propaganda, a paternalistic chant designed to reveal the gospel truth to the untutored savages: "...for the things of which he sang, of the making of Arda, and the bliss of Aman beyond the shadow of the Sea, came as clear visions before their eyes..." (hb version Silmarillion, chpt 17:p.141). But, within the context of this Tolkien tale, I suppose it was indeed the "true gospel" of Middle-earth, and might serve to counter what "lies" may have been planted in the minds of Men by their previous encounters with Morgoth or his emissaries? It is Tolkien's book, after all!

In this sense, I believe the most important result of this encounter (to Tolkien's way of thinking?) is the act of passing on Truth (heavily capitalized!) to the otherwise, truly agnostic Men (they literally are "without knowledge," agnostic). There is a "religious" motivation in all Finrod first does when he meets Men -- but, as Tolkien tries to make clear (I think!), this is also an initial, "love at first sight" situation impelling Finrod to approach Men. ""Long Felagund watched them, and love for them stirred in his heart..." (hb Sil. chpt 17, p. 140). Is this merely missionary zeal? Maybe, but I wonder also if we are to see Finrod as the sort of person who is not merely seeking a quota of converts for the revenues they may eventually raise, but rather the tale of an Elf who is genuinely, fully convinced of the Truth of his beliefs. Nothing exploitative here? At any rate, I tend to see Finrod as an innocent "enthusiast," one who is so filled with Agape through his own belief, that his love immediately spills over to include these Men as potential converts to that same Truth.

But later, does Tolkien "realistically" show us the ugly face of racism, especially in the encounters of Turin and Saeros? (hb Sil, p. 199)?

[Stormrider]

It is surprising that Finrod would be so willing to accept another cruider race of beings in their land. Perhaps he felt like a mentor to them and wanted to bring them the finer things in life believing that they were a rough race to begin with and the Elves could guide them.

I would have thought Finrod would be more cautious with the creatures and slaves of Morgoth/Melkor abroad. How was he so certain that the Men were not another breed of slave? The Green Elves seem to be less willing and more on the alert than Finrod was. I can sympathize with the Green Elves because I would not want strangers coming onto my lands and chopping down trees and killing all the game.

I can't imagine the Elves wanting to enslave Men but rather to watch and see what Men were like and then see how they could trade or deal with them. Morgoth/Melkor would be the one to enslave them. I think the Green Elves may have been suspicious as to whether Men were already enslaved by Morgoth/Melkor beside their gripe against destroying their land and animals.

But it seems Finrod may have been more modern in his thinking than most Elves by embracing the Men and helping them learn about the creation of Arda.