The History of Middle-earth: Difference between revisions

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Not for the faint-hearted by any means, but a must for anyone who wants to really understand Middle-earth inside and out.

* [[All Myths Are True]]: In particular with ''The Book of Lost Tales'' and still to a lesser extent later. As Tolkien's friend [[C. S. Lewis|CS Lewis]] would go on to do with ''Narnia'', the works reconcile the idea of pagan gods with Christian theology, and include stories based on those from [[Norse Mythology]].

* [[Animal Jingoism]]: The original ''Tale of Tinúviel'' is a mythological origin for Cats vs. Dogs - in that version, Huan fights great cats rather than wolves (except for Karkaras/Carcharoth).

* [[Badass Creed]]: The Oath of Feanor, as expressed in ''The Lays of Beleriand'':

Manwë and Varda! }}

* [[Canis Major]]: Huan and Karkaras Knife-fang (the later Carcharoth).

* [[Cats Are Mean]]: Actually mythologically justified in the ''Lost Tales'':

* [[Composite Character]]:

** Sauron grew from a combination of three characters from the ''Lost Tales'' - he has the name of the wizard Tu (Tu - Thu - Thaur - Thauron - Sauron), the position of Fankil/Fangli ([[The Dragon]] to Melko), and the narrative role of Tevildo Prince of Cats in ''The Tale of Tinuviel''.

* [[The Fair Folk]]: Subverted, the ''Lost Tales'' say that the Celtic notion of evil elves is due to conflicts and misunderstanding, and that the more positive English view is correct. To take one example, Tolkien plays with the idea that eating fairy food traps you in their land forever - the Elves of Tol Eressea drink something called ''limpë'', but warn the human traveller Eriol against drinking it, for his heart will forever be filled with their own sadness and he will be compelled to fight for their causes against his own kindred.

* [[God]]: Ilúvatar. Interestingly treated in ''The Lost Tales'', which uses 'Gods' in a pagan sense to describe the Valar:

'''Rúmil:''' Nay, that he was not, for he made them. Ilúvatar is the Lord for Always who dwells beyond the world; who made it and is not in it or of it, but loves it. }}

* [[Heel Face Turn]]: Figuratively speaking, some characters in early drafts of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' started out evil but were then reworked into different, good characters. Farmer Maggot was originally an antagonist who was even responsible for setting the Black Riders onto Frodo's trail, while Treebeard was originally an evil giant who had the same role as Saruman in the final book, imprisoning Gandalf.

* [[Interspecies Romance]]: Besides the ones already present in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'', ''Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth'' adds a failed one between the Elf Aegnor and the mortal woman Andreth, noteworthy because all the others Tolkien wrote about were between a mortal man and an Elf woman. Also, Beren and Luthien were originally written as two Elves, albeit from different kindreds, and the idea of their [[Interspecies Romance]] was added later.

* [[Jesus]]: Implied in a prophecy of Men mentioned in the ''Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth''. Tolkien, after writing it, thought it was a bit too explicit and seemed like 'a parody of Christianity', so he dropped it.

* [[MacGuffin]]: The Silmarils in ''The Book of Lost Tales''. Tolkien rewrote it because he realised that there was nothing to justify their importance in driving the later story, resulting in the idea that they preserve the light of the Two Trees.

* [[Literary Agent Hypothesis]]:

* [[Steampunk]]: Númenor under Sauron's tutelage in ''The Lost Road'' has steam-powered ironclad ships, some form of aircraft and what sound from the description like some kind of guided missiles. In an example of [[Schizo-Tech]], however, they also still fight with swords and armour. Also, in ''The Book of Lost Tales'' Morgoth attacks Gondolin with mechanic dragons.

* [[Time Abyss]]: The earlier drafts of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' offer a few more details about [[Inexplicably Awesome|Tom Bombadil]]:

'''Tom:''' Eh, what? I am an Aborigine, that's what I am, the Aborigine of this land. I have spoken a mort of languages and [[I Have Many Names|called myself by many names]]. Mark my words, my merry friends: Tom was here before the River or the Trees. Tom remembers the first acorn and the first rain-drop. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the Little People arriving. He was here before the kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward Tom was here already - before the seas were bent. He saw the Sun rise in the West and the Moon following, before the new order of days was made. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless--before the Dark Lord came from Outside. }}

::Also in an earlier draft, Treebeard mentions that Tom Bombadil has the longest name in the world. He also says that Ents give people or things names that are longer the older they have existed.

* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]: The group of rogue Maiar that accompany Melkor and Ungoliant in an early account of the Darkening of Valinor. After assisting Melkor in the theft of the Silmarils and accompanying him when he meets with Ungoliant, they all flee after the destruction of the Two Trees, and never appear again. Although it is mentioned that the Valar found many of these rogues in the Northern regions of Valinor, and slew them, they are mostly forgotten by the time the next part of the story sets in.

** Several characters, both major and minor, also suffer from this throughout the various drafts of the stories.

* [[Write Who You Know]]: ''The Notion Club Papers'' is an [[Affectionate Parody]] of Tolkien's own experiences with the Inklings. Also, [[Author Avatar|Author Avatars]] Alvin Arundel Lowdham from that story and Alboin Erroll from ''The Lost Road'' are both linguists.

 

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[[Category:Literature]]