The Religion of Middle-Earth

[Vandiablo]

If you read a recent copy of The Hobbit, there is a foreword about all the differing versions of The Hobbit (it was slightly modified years after the original to bring it in line with LoTR)... IIRC that is where it's also mentioned about a publisher's evaluator giving the book to his nephew (IIRC again) to read-- the kid came back wanting more, or to keep it, or something, and the evaluator then suspected it was worthy of printing.

[Vandiablo]

a publisher's evaluator giving the book to his nephew (IIRC again) to read-- the kid came back wanting more, or to keep it, or something, and the evaluator then suspected it was worthy of printing

or maybe that was about the first book of the Hairy Porter series. Damn my memory.

[SwissMercenary]

or maybe that was about the first book of the Hairy Porter series. Damn my memory.

Your memory was not entirely at fault. That publisher would have his son evaluate books on a regular basis, and his son labled The Hobbit as an "Excellent story for children of seven to twelve"

[Jarulf]

I don't think your initial questions actually got answered. Skiping to your "god" part, I really don't know if he says the same thing in the book, I really doubt that. You should not take the film and its lines as a guide to the "religions" in Tolkien wolrds.

As have been sugested, Silmarilion is the book to read if one wants to get all the background so to speak. It is considered by many as booring and hard to read. I found it quite entertaining and interesting although I skiped a few sections about various elf stories. The first chapter is really a sort of book of creation.

Basically, in the beginning there was Eru, the only one. He created his "children" of thoughts (sorry, I am translating back from a swedish translation here so I might get something wrong) called Ainurs. Those children would also be considered as "gods" I would say. Basically he gave them musical themes and they sang for him and this song created the universe really. Melkor, however, started to add elements of his own, that was not part of Eru's theme. He was actually the one of Eru's children with the greatest power and knowledge and was part of all the others gifts. His song hence became disharmonic with that of the others. It would still be a part of the world however with the "permission" of Eru (since nothing could really go against his will any way).

In this world, Eru also created his "children", the elves and the humans. They would not awake until quite a bit later though. Various of the Ainurs now turned their attention to the created world, each with his or her own special ability. Ulmo wnet towards the water and the seas, Manwë, the oldest of them all turned the focus on the air, Aulë towards the earth and so on (he was the one that created the dwarfs, partly in secrecy in the beginning and they was the third "children" of thw world (Eru obviously found out about them). Melkor went for fire (although fire really was part of Eru and not his) and sort of clashed allready at this time. he would eventually be the "evil" of the world although evil is not the normal evil of our world for Tolkien.

When the world was finally created for real and started to exist some of Eru's original children stayed with him, while some went into the world. They would have limited powers in there though, well compared to what they had had, basically being part of the world. They are the ones called Valar, and can be considered as the prime "gods" of the world. They went on with the creation of it and Melkor wanted to make it all his basically (you see the thread here of him working against the others so to speak). Valar is the name of the Elves really (humans seems to call them something like "god" though). There were 14 of these valar, 7 men and 7 women. In addition, Melkor existed but was never considered as a Vala by the elves although he was brother to them (and he got to be called Morgoth later). They have internal orders of power and improtance and so on, pretty much like the old north myth from which Tolkien borrowed a lot.

Apart from the vala, there came other spirits (not sure what they are actually called in english) to the world, they were called maia. They had also existed since before the creation of the world and was actually of the same order of power so to speak (I don't think it is ever explained how they were created, and if by Eru, but I assume so). However, in the world created where they entered they got a lower order than the valar. They were considered the people and servants of the vala. Their numbers and names are not really now save the name of a few. These can be seen as a sort of lesser gods I assume, still with quite some power. Gandalf and Sauruman are such Maia. As is Sauron, who was one of Melkors servents (hence his "evil" part).

Well, that sums up very scetchy and quickly the pantheon of Tolkines universe. Hope it was of some use.


Edit: I checked and the Maia are indeed also part of the ainur (just like the Valar) although of lesser order so to speak. As a side note, if you have seen the movie, the Balrog (that big fire guy in Moria) was a maia too. Balrogs were maia that served Morgoth back in the old ages.

[Occhidiangela]

Is in Tom Shippey's "Author of the Century."

I like the extended DvD's coverage of Tolkein: are you alluding to the National Geographic documentary style disc that covers the author? We very much enjoyed that, far more than the somewhat longer discs that delved into the putting on of hairy feet each morning. ;)