If you have not read the Silmarillion, it may be worth coming back to this page after having read the remainder of the site, except for Metaphysical Elements which should be read after this page.

This page gives a commentary on the mythology and creation of Middle-earth and compares it with traditional Catholic doctrine and understanding of our own universe's creation. This page deals more with the Silmarillion than the Lord of the Rings but it is still essential in the overall understanding of Middle-earth and of how Tolkiens world is a mythical reflection of our own.

Introduction:

Before discussing some of the details of the creation story of Middle-earth it's worth looking into the art of story telling....

This page should really be called 'Sub-creation', as that is what Tolkien understood his artistic pursuits to be, [see Truth and Myth].

" Since the Christian joy, the Gloria, has redeemed Man, it has also redeemed the sub-creativity of man... " [M&M p.105].

" Great harm can be done, of course, by this potent form of 'myth' - especially wilfully. The right to 'freedom' of the sub-creator is no guarantee among fallen men that it will not be used as wickedly as is Free Will. I am comforted by the fact that some, more pious and learned than I, have found nothing harmful in this Tale or its feignings as a 'myth'..." [Letters p.194-195].

In Truth and Myth it was explained how Tolkien viewed Myth [from his own words] and its place in relation to the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

This is not a new understanding, but comes from a combination of Ancient Philosophy and the Catholic Church.

Tolkien's attitude to man's artistic pursuits has very much been derived from St Thomas Aquinas.

God --> God's Art [Primary Creation] --> Man --> Man's Art [Sub-Creation]

From the ancient philosophers, myth was understood to have carried certain Truths [Aristotle, Plato, Cicero]. In their pursuit of Truth and understanding of Reality and Being, the Ancients, especially Plato, believed that certain Truths could be contained in old Myth and could be grasped from it. Myth was considered sort of untouchable, beyond critique. Tolkien has adopted this attitude, and has considered certain Truths as being held in the old pagan myths, though sometimes they are distorted or mixed with other lies. So they carried some Truths or splintered light. It is because these stories are essentially a reflection of reality and an attempt to grasp at eternal concepts.

In the Theology of the Body [here & Christopher Wests commentary here & here], Pope John Paul II gives reflection on the Genesis creation accounts. He mentions that they are almost mythic in their nature. He uses this term in the sense that they use a language that conveys and transfers a deeper truth than is apparent on the surface of the story. He does not mean that they are not true. This has always been Tolkiens understanding of myth and the Pope confirms this in a small way [see Truth and Myth].

When we say 'Truths' in old myth above, we are referring more to the Natural Moral Law that has been wirtten into the heart of every man by the Creator. When these myths were written and developed by men, they have contained and transported Truths and Realities from this Natural Law; and they have even, at times, expressed higher elements above and beyond that.

The Catholic Church has always taught and maintained that belief in the existence of God can be attained through the natural light of the reason, i.e. through philosophy & natural wisdom [cf. Aristotle, Plato]. This is why the Church has always respected these searches for Truth from men who searched for Reality from being, essence, and life. They didn't understand everything correctly [they got some things wrong], but their sincere search lead them into Divine Objective Truth through their reasoning and subjective experience of reality.

But to go any further than that, we have needed Revelation, which is God revealing the true nature of Himself to man. And that has been done in the Old Law of Israel and in Jesus Christ.

Now, in the Revelation of Christ, all these stories and myths have found true culmination and expression. True Reality. All these myths and legends have inadvertently pointed towards the appearance of God becoming Man and the Redeeming Act [Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurection] of Jesus who is the Fullness of the Truth.

It is the true story, true legend and True Myth.

But with one fundamental difference. The Gospel of Jesus is God's True Story revealed by Him to man through the very real, tangible and concrete facts of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: the Word made Flesh. The flesh can be touched, seen, experienced. Jesus' Body reveals the reality of the His person [One Divine Person with two natures: divine and human] and His disciples witnessed this. They ate with Him. They spoke with Him. They recieved the Full Revelation of God in the world through their real experience of Jesus.

Whereas the other 'myths' are man's stories, attempting to express some perception of God, 'gods' or eternal things. If you like, they have grasped at something revealed to them from within their minds and souls which reflect their creator; they have tapped into their moral conscience, reflected on reality and understood some part of the Truth. Though not all of it due to their fallen nature.

In Revelation, Jesus comes and reveals the True Nature of God and True Reality. True Reality because God is the Author of All Reality and Being.

Consider Tolkiens own words:

" Christianity, the True Myth, has reconciled all lesser myths to itself. The lesser myths, in the form of fairy story or romance, were derived from Reality, or are flowing into it. However inadequate in themselves, they still offered a glimpse of the greater Truth from which they spring or into which they flow. "

" But this story has entered History and the Primary World; the desire and aspiration of sub-creation has been raised to the fulfillment of Creation. The Birth of Christ is the 'eucatastrophe' of Man's history. The Resurrection is the 'eucatastrophe' of the story of the Incarnation. This story begins and ends in joy. "

" It has pre-eminently the 'inner consistency of reality'. There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many skeptical men have accepted as true on its own merits. For the Art of it has the supremely cnvincing tone of Primary Art. That is, of Creation. " [M&M p.104-105].

" Man the story teller would have to be redeemed in a manner consonant with his nature: by a moving story. But since the author of it is the supreme Artist and Author of Reality, this one was also made to Be, to be true on the Primary Plane. " [M&M p.104-105].

Now, from this perception, Tolkien has delved into expressing his love of languages, fairy tales and belief in Truth,

through myth....as a sub-creative art-form;

so as to reveal deeper Truths lying behind the fabric of the story. The Lord of the Rings is beautifully mythic.

But, interestingly, he didn't consider himself a philosopher.

Fairy Tales:

Tolkien said his stories were a literary expression. He wrote to excite, move, entertain and please. He wrote a story: a fairy tale and a fantasy saga.

Most Fairy Tales are quest stories. Usually they are journies to find something at the end. They are quests to find something that will save the world or the person in focus. And in Quest, the character(s) pass through fire, trial and suffering and come out the other side changed.

It usually involves a physical journey, like a pilgrimage, that reflects the inner movement of the soul towards change and a greater existence. This is why Catholics [and Muslims and Jews] make pilgrimages to holy sites. The external movement reflects the internal spiritual reality.

In the case of the Lord of the Rings, the Quest is to destroy something at the end. But, in ridding the world of the object, true freedom is found. In killing the Ring, there is life. In destroying evil, Goodness can prosper.

Tolkien confirmed this thinking;

" God created us incomplete, because the kind of creature than can only be perfected by its own choices [ and so through Quest and trial ], is more glorious than the kind that has only to be, whatever it was made to be by another. " [M&M p.107].

Tolkien once made the assertion that he considered;

“ ...fairy story one of the highest forms of literature. ” [Letters p.220].

But why is this? His understanding of man's pilgrimage through life and hence his salvation are caught up in this statement. God has created us as free rational creatures. He would like us to choose and love him freely.

After the fall, man needed ennoblement. This is granted in Jesus; but the application of it in our lives causes purification and regeneration. It causes change in our lives - otherwise called daily conversion, - if we pray and co-operate with the Grace offered to us each day.

It is through trial, self-sacrifice, inner struggle, practice of virtue; all driven and aided, in and by the Grace of Christ, through prayer, the sacraments and the teachings of the Church, that we are regenerated.

Fairy tales being quest stories reflect this Truth of our salvation.

Also caught up in this statement, is Tolkien's understanding of sub-creation. God is the Creator of the universe; He is eternal and true and what he has created is universally good. Satan, on the other hand, cannot create, he only corrupts and destroys what God has created.

Satan despises God for having 'lowered Himself' and 'dirtied Himself' with matter, so he has wanted to implicate creation in his own fall to show God how he was wrong.

Satan often mocks God. He is often referred to as the great Ape of God. In making us in his image and likeness God has given us the ability to pro-create and also sub-create; using our artistic talents; incorporating our imagination, reason, memory and all our faculties, etc.... and from this it can be said that...

one of the highest forms of art is in fact fantasy,...

because we are truly participating in God's gift. Fantasy is a true expression of 'Let it be'.

Let there be hobbits! Let there be Elves!. Let there be Middle-earth!. Tolkien once stated that the words 'in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' just came up out of him; from his inner being, from his imagination.

Of course, the themes and morals must be in-line with God's Law to be pleasing to him for the use of the gift to be fully realised.

But in creating like he did, he participated and expressed his gift of sub-creation that the Lord has given.

With this same understanding, one of the lowest forms of art is satire, because it mocks. And one of the lowest forms of humour is sarcasm, because it mocks.

Morality in Sub-creation:

It is easy to overlook the fundamental structure that Tolkien has infused into the story. It can be even be 'belittled' with the idea that the morals have only come from the times in which Tolkien lived. Or due to him being a devout Catholic, he had some archaic ideas that he just accepted because he was brought up that way (conventionalism)...

In Conflict of Good and Evil, it will be discussed how Tolkiens world and mythological makeup reflects and mirrors Christian philosophy and theology. In Eomer's first discussion with Aragorn, Tolkien points out that a man must judge:

" ...as he ever has judged. Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men. It is a man's part to discern them... " [LotR p.428].

Man must judge his times and his course of action in those times in the same way as he has always done. His course of action is principally still the same now as it is from the beginning of time. Right and Wrong haven't changed. Certainly the complexity of our lives have changed but this shouldn't effect the:

Moral Principles versus Moral Practice.

The Practice of morality has always been hard due to our fallen nature, but the Principles of morality have generally been solid for many thousands of years. One can know the moral yardstick in llfe, but may find it hard to practice or impliment it. This has changed in later times.

Morality has become a fog of feelings, of intentions, of experiences. The practice, rather than the principles, is redefining and even driving our moral principles. This reversal is leading to the very breakdown of our modern societies....the destruction of the family, and hence the destruction of man in his very being.

What's interesting is that almost every major culture and religion in man's history has believed in Absolute Moral Principles to some degree. It is only in the last 100-200 years that western man believes he is more enlightened and thinks that his morals should shift to fit his times. In other words, morality has become relative, i.e. 'whatever you choose is right and wrong is right and wrong' -- 'That's true for you but this is true for me'.

Subjective experience is no longer answerable to objective reality. The relativistic idealology:

'I think, therefore I am'

...leads to a method of referencing reality, and morality, in oneself rather than in objective reality: God.

This relativism is something that Tolkien dispels with the very nature of his story.

St Thomas Aquinas would say 'God is, therefore I am'.

All our pains, sufferings and experiences of life should look to and seek understanding in light of Jesus Christ who has suffered like us all and even more than we could ever have.

G.K Chesterton, a famous Catholic intellectual, once said;

" To a man who has lost all his principles, morality is always dreadfully complicated "

Now, there are those who say that Tolkien's world is morally simplistic. Once again this is not the truth. Usually those who say this are uncomfortable with the objective nature of Good and Evil as they are set out in the story.

These black and white pillars of Truth in the story do not mean that there is no grey between these pillars.

This is the same in our world. This 'grey' exists in our beings as we struggle between Good and Evil; and it makes the reasons why we struggle to do the good and fall into sin, very complex. But if you remove the Black and White poles, if you remove the Eternal Truths of:

• Right and Wrong,
• Justice and Injustice,
• Natural and Un-natural,
• Love and Selfishness, ....etc...

... you end up with everything being clouded by a fog of confusion and uncertainty as to what is Truth and what is Lie; as to what is Good and what will lead to destruction of the human person.

You end up being able to rationalize and justify anything because there is no true Good and Evil. The 'first premise' or first principles are wrong, therefore all the reasoning and understanding that flows from this incorrect starting point will be wrong. Truth has become just what each man or society thinks is his own truth or collective truth.

This does not mean that correct moral paths are always easy to discern, but they can be properly reasoned through a process based on Correct Moral Principles [correct 'first premise'] which are solid, and flow from Truths of Classical Philosophy [not purely existential philosophy which is often disordered lacks objectivity] and Revealed Divine Truth [Revelation] about man in his dignity, as a created being of God, and Jesus offering man the Way Home.

While the Lord of the Rings has these poles of Light and Dark in the story; there is still the reality of our human condition that reflects the truth of our complex struggles. The very temptational nature of the Ring, weaknesses of certain characters, and pressures of what is at stake, bring a reality and depth of the human condition at play on the field between the Light and Dark of Middle-earth [c.f. Boromir, Gollum, Frodo, Denethor and Bilbo & Saruman].

This reflects the realities of our world and the 'grey' in each of us as we struggle to live according to justice and love. But we mustn't fool ourselves into thinking everything is grey, including our moral principles and understanding of Truth.

Another key aspect often missed by many Tolkien analysts is the pervading presence of the inviolable Catholic principle: "one can never do evil in order to achievie a perceived or actual good". Or perhaps when written this way more readers will recongnise it: "the ends do not justify the means".

This moral principle is one of the most important principles in Catholic morality and this principle is held and taught consistently throughout the Lord of the Rings.

In the book, those who are evil or who are tempted or ensnared by evil want to do the contrary; e.g., use an intrinsic evil (the ring) to try to save the world (Boromir, Denethor, Saruman). Contrast this with Gandalf who knows his weakness, and recognises that he could possibly be ensnared by evil to use the ring to do good; and therefore ensures that he never touches it.

As pointed out in Truth and Myth, Tolkien held that there was a further purpose embedded in writing myth; he wanted to pass these moral and spiritual truths that he held onto all his life. Modern man would do well to heed Tolkien's ideas.

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The Mythology:

Finally, the mythology....

There is so much in the creation mythology of Middle-earth that this section won't endeavor to cover it all, but just give an overview of how Tolkien's world is similar to our own in its creation narrative and mythological makeup.

Tolkien's world is not a direct mirror of our own. However there are certain similarities and structures that give interesting insight into Middle-earth and the mythology of the Lord of the Rings.

" There is of course a mythological structure behind the story.... It is a 'monotheistic' but 'sub-creational' mythology. " [Letters p.235-236].

[Monotheistic = belief in One God].

Tolkien describes his creation as sub-creational. Why? The first reason is that like St Thomas Aquinas, he understood God as the Primary Artist in the universe and his artisitc pursuits flowed from this reality. But another reason why he mentions this, is to firmly and humbly submit his sub-creation under the authority and majesty of the True Artist.

Tolkien hasn't set up a new religion or philosophy of mythological beliefs for man to then give worship or reverence to. He has written a story, a story that sits inside and under the fundamental creative power of God. By mentioning it is sub-creational he is acknowledging that the Truth in its fullest sense, is far greater and deeper than anything he could write or invent. But his story does reflect and point to the greater Truth [see Metaphysical Elements].

And what is the Truth, as Pontius Pilate asked?

The Truth is Jesus Christ, " I am the Way, the Truth and Life. "

Origins:

At the beginning of the Silmarillion there are in fact two accounts of the Source and Creation of Middle-earth, much like the Bible.

The two accounts in the Bible are figurative & symbolic stories that give us the deep Truths of our Being and Existence.

The first one is very transcendant. In it God uses light [which reflects his intellect] and wills the unvierse into Being through his Word. It is metaphysical and powerful in the way it describes how man and woman is created. It is often referred to as the Yahwist text because God is named this way and it is quite objective.

The second is more immanent [closer and personal]. God uses gestures [rather than word] in creating the world and man. The gestures demonstrate a loving kindness and fatherly touch. God caresses as He shapes and molds man and woman. It is more personal and interactive. This text is referred to the Elohist version of the Genesis creation account and is more subjective as it looks at man as a created subject of the Loving God.

Tolkien's two accounts of the Creation of Middle-earth are in fact similar to this. The first is very metaphyscial and transcendant as it uses Music to describe the Creation. The second is more personal and interactive as it delves into the position and figures of the Valar and their roles and interactions in the created world.

In both stories, Tolkien explains that at the very beginning of the mythology there existed an eternal being Eru [Ilúvatar], the Father of All. And that from his thought came the Holy Ones.

" There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before him before aught else was made. " [Sil p.4].

These 'Holy Ones' are the Ainur, or Valar, or " angelic guardians ... " who have been created by Eru before all else [Letters p.387]. They are the 'offspring of his thought'.

First of all, we have One Being, existing before all else; who is eternal, all-powerfull, infinite and divine. He is also 'good' and acts with love. His actions and thoughts prove this. He is the One-God of Middle-earth. This is the first major and critical parallel in the mythology with the Judeo-Christian God.

Next, we have the 'thought' of Eru that brings into life the Ainur [angelic powers or Valar]. They are the 'offspring of his thought'. The thought of Eru is efficacious. It is in movement and produces an effect: it creates. It gives life.

For those familiar with Orthodox Catholic teaching, this sense of the thought of Ilúvatar having offspring, and the fecundity [fertility] of it, is reflective of Jesus as the Word of God. When God begins to create the world he used the words 'Let there be light'. He uses the verb to be.

St John writes in his Gospel:

Jesus is the Word of God; the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, co-existing eternally with the Father from the beginning. Through Jesus, everything has been made. Every person has been brought into being by the Father, through Jesus and in the Spirit.

In French the expression for the Word of God is Le Verb de Dieu, which in english translates closer to The Verb of God. And as we know, a verb is a doing word. It produces an effect. Everything has been brought into being by the Verb of God, when the Father said 'Be'.

We have all existed in the thought of the Father since eternity, existing from the beginning. And it is through the Verb [Word] of God, Jesus, the great 'I AM' who IS, that we are all brought into being at the particular moment [in time and space] of our conception. The angels are the same as they have also been created through Jesus and owe their existence to Him. Jesus, the Word of God is efficacious, not just in creating but also in saving.

So there is a similar theme of thought existing with Tolkien's God of Middle-earth and our own Truine God. Gods Thought is one with His Word and His Will. There is no disunion.

Regarding the Ainur [Valar], Tolkien continues:

" And he [Eru] spoke to them, profunding to them themes of music; and they sang only each alone, or but a few together, while the rest hearkened; for each comprehended only that part of the mind of Ilúvatar from which he came, and in the understanding of their brethren they grew but slowly. Yet ever as they listened they came to deeper understanding, and increased in unison and harmony. "

" And it came to pass that Ilúvatar called together all the Ainur and declared to them a mighty theme, unfolding to them things greater and more wonderful than he had yet revealed; and the glory of its beginning and the slendour of its end amazed the Ainur, so that they bowed before Ilúvatar and were silent. " [Sil p.3].

So Eru begins to reveal to the Valar his glory and majesty, but he does this is the form of musical themes. The Music of Ilúvatar is bascially the term of his thought, but put into Music. The Music is like his Word. The Music [Word] of Eru. It is not an exact reflection as will be shown a little further on but it has similar characteristics.

"...In this Music the World has begun..." [Sil p.15].

" Through him [the Word] all things came into being,..." [John 1:1-3]

The Valar, like the angels in Heaven adoring God, bow towards Eru in a jesture of worship and reverence in awe of the Great Plan they have seen and understood in the music. Each Vala understood only a part at first, but as they listened more intently they began to 'see' the overall plan in relation to others. This is another major parallel to the Judeo-Christian God and His plan being shown to the angels in Heaven and the profound adoration and worship they give Him in response.

Eru then invites the Valar to contribute to this music themselves. In fact he wills it.

" Then Ilúvatar said to them: 'Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth your powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thought and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song.' "

" Then the voices of the Ainur, like unto harps and flutes, and pipes and trumpets, and viols and organs, and like unto countless choirs singing with words, began to fashion the theme of Ilúvatar to a great music; and a sound arose of endless interchanging melodies woven in harmony that passed beyond hearing into the depths and into the heights, and the places of the dwelling of Ilúvatar were filled to overflowing, and the music and the echo of the music went out into the void, and it was not void. "

" Never since have the Ainur made any music like to this music, though it has been said that a greater still shall be made before Ilúvatar by the choirs of the Ainur and the Children of Ilúvatar after the end of days. Then the themes of Ilúvatar shall be played aright, and take Being in the moment of their utterance, for all shall then understand fully his intent in the part, and each shall know the comprehension of each, and Ilúvatar shall give to their thoughts the Secret Fire, being well pleased. " [Sil p.4].

And from the second account of Creation:

"...In this Music the World has begun; for Ilúvatar made visible the song of the Ainur, and they beheld it as a light in the darkness. And many among them became anamoured of its beauty, and of its history which they saw beginning and unfolding as in a vision. Therefore Ilúvatar gave to their vision, Being, and set it amid the Void, and the Secret Fire was sent to burn at the heart of the World, and it was called Eä. " [Sil p.15].

Eä = It IS

This is where there is a marked difference in Tolkiens mythology and Christian understanding of creation. In the Catholic understanding, the angels had no part in the creation of the world.

The world was brought into Being soley by the Love of the Trinity: the Father willed it through Jesus and in the Spirit. There is a continual movement of love in the Holy Trinity: the Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father. This love between them is a person, the Spirit. And this perpertual movement of love overflows so that God wants to create and share His Life with other beings. Therefore he creates rational creatures to freely love Him. It is the same in Christian marriage which is a reflection of the Trinity, but also a reflecton of Christ, the Bridegroom, and the Church, the Bride.

In Tolkien's mythology Eru invites the Valar to contribute to the Music [which will form the world] and this then will go out into the Void and it will be Void no longer. Eru gives Being from the Music, that has it source in him, but that the Valar have also contributed to.

So the angelic powers have a limited role to play in helping with the creation of Arda [the created world]. BUT, their role is partial and derivitive; and more importantly, they have no part in the creation of the Children of Middle-earth: i.e. the free rational creatures, Elves and Men. As Tolkien points out:

" They [the Valar] shared in its making - but only on the same terms as we make a work of art or story. The realization of it; the gift to it of a created reality of the same grade as their own, was the act of the One God. " [Letters p.235-236].

" For the Children of Ilúvatar were conceived by him alone [Ilúvatar]; and they came with the third theme [of music], and were not in the theme which Ilúvatar propounded at the beginning, and none of the Ainur [Valar] had part in their making. " [Sil p.7].

" Elves and Men were called the 'Children of God', because they were, so to speak, a private addition to the Design, by the Creator, and one in which the Valar had no part.... " [Letter p.285].

Refering to the Children of Ilúvatar [Elves and Men] Tolkien again mentions:

" For help they [the children] may call on a Vala [like Elbereth], as a Catholic might on a Saint, though no doubt knowing in theory as well as he, that the power of the Vala was limited and derivitive. "

That is, the Valar could help in the creation of the world and subsequently help the peoples in that world; but this participation and aid always found its source, power and authority in the One God who granted them the ability to do so.

Therefore, their participation in the primary-creation is sub-creative, like making a work of art, as Tolkien stated. Eru is the sole Creator, and the Valar, through a gift and invitation of Eru, become sub-creators. And their succour for the peoples of Middle-earth, who were created solely by Eru*, is something granted to them by Eru [Ilúvatar].

* - The dwarves are an exception - see below.

While this difference between Tolkien's mythology and Christianity is critical, it is not at odds with the natural moral laws in our own universe as it is love which gives this gift of sub-creation to the angels [Valar]. Our own God has given us the ability to pro-create [share in creation], but there are always moral guidelines for this, and it is always the Lord who gives life, while we participate in a natural way. So, in co-operating with the Will of Eru, the Valar fulfill the Divine Plan. But it always must be within the Will of Eru that the Valar may enter into the operation of the created world and aid it.

" But now Ilúvatar sat and hearkened, and for a great while it seemed good to him, for in the music there were no flaws. "

" The Lord looked on his creation and saw that it was good. " [Gen 1:1-1-31].

Eru looks upon His Plan [in the music] and sees the beauty and majesty of it. This aspect of Eru revealing himself and his plans through music is extremely beautiful and poetic; but also metaphysical.

Metaphysics is the philosophical science of the most universal principles that hold true of everything that is. It is the study of the princicples of being. It looks in behind the natural sphere to discover what truely holds being in Being. And in Middle-earth, everything owes its being to Eru and to the Music of Eru. And in our world the source of Being and Reality is Our God [Father, Son and Holy Spirit], the source of all life.

Melkor was the greatest of the Ainur [Valar] and to him were gifted the greatest gifts of Eru.

" To Melkor among the Ainur had been given the greatest gifts of power and knowledge, and he had a share in all the gifts of his brethren. He had gone often more alone into the void places seeking the Imperishable Flame; for desire grew hot within him to bring into Being things of his own, and it seemed to him that Ilúvatar took no thought for the Void, and he was impatient of its emptiness. "

" But as the theme progressed, it came into the heart of Melkor to interweave matters of his own imagining that were not in accord with the theme of Ilúvatar, for he sought therein to increase the power and glory of the part assigned to himself." [Sil p.4].

Melkor, very much like Lucifer who was the greatest of the Archangels in Heaven, begins to invert reality and put his thoughts and imaginings, and even himself above Eru. He introduces themes that are not in accord with the mind and will of Eru. He seeks the Flame in the void but ends up preferring it to Ilúvatar. He prefers the darkness and emptiness and wishes to fill it with his own imaginings and desires. He desires to create beings on his own accord and make himself into a 'god'. He becomes full of his own self-importance and pride.

Of Melkor, Tolkien continues to write:

" Yet he found not the Fire, for it was with Ilúvatar. But being alone he had begun to conceive thoughts of his own unlike those of his brethren. " [Sil p.4].

This is the beginning of the Fall for Melkor, who will eventually become known as Morgoth; just as Lucifer became known as Satan. He begins to resent Eru for having created him and does not reference reality in Eru but in himself [the sin of pride that leads to relativism].

" From splendour he [Melkor] fell through arrogance to contempt for all things save himself, a spirit wasteful and pitiless. Understanding he turned to subtlety in perverting to his own will all that he would use, until he became a liar without shame. " [Sil p.23].

Melkor then begins to effect all of the other Music about him. He implicates the melodies of those about him in his own discord and glory. Now, this is where the Music also reflects Creation [which the Music forms in a vision].

" He [Melkor] began with the desire of Light, but when he could not possess it for himself alone, he descended through fire and wrath into a great burning, down into Darkness. " [Sil p.23]. Lucifer means Light. Melkor originally had a good desire for Light, but desired to possess it for his own.

In the Catholic understanding of creation and the subsequent Fall from Grace, tradition affirms that Lucifer, after beholding the majesty and beauty of God's plan of creation for Man, resented that Man would have such friendship with God.

Lucifer, being pure spirit, could not understand why God would dirty himself with matter. And when he was cast out of Heaven he desired to implicate God's creation, and or course, Man, in his own fall and perversion. He wanted to show God that He made a mistake in lowering himself to deal in the things of matter; and that Man should not have such favour.

[When we use the term Man, it is referring to man and woman].

So Lucifer tempts man and desires the destroy him out of jealousy and hate. Man, through his free will, chooses to follow the temptation and separates himself from God. Satan, causing man to turn away from God was also tempting God himself, 'Look they hate you, hate them back!''.

But of course the Wisdom, Mind and Love of God is infinitely greater than Lucifer, and this is why God saves us Himself. At Easter the Church sings 'O happy fault, O necessay sin of Adam that has given us such a Redeemer'. The Good Lord, in His infinite Wisdom, saw what was to come, and put in place a plan to save His children even before they fall.

Why didn't He just stop the fall before it happened?

Because if He had done that he would have interferred with our free will and Love won't do that. Freedom is a prerequisite of Love. There are those who will freely hate God and there are those who will freely love him; God won't intefere with our freedom. But He will use all things to bless His children, including our fall, and He will continually call and plead with us to come to Him for fulfillment and life and salvation.

Melkor, in sowing discord in the Music [which will ultimately be used by Eru to bring the world into Being] wishes to implicate the creation to follow, in his own fall and disunion with Eru. He wishes to pervert everything in his own disorder.

His strives with Ilúvatar for the mastery while the Music plays out. The Music of Ilúvatar is:

" ...soft and sweet, a mere ripple of gentle sounds in delicate melodies; but it could not be quenched, and it took to itself power and profundity..." and it " was deep and wide and beautiful. " [Sil p.5].

But the music of Melkor was:

" ...loud, and vain and endlessly repeated; and it has little harmony, but rather a clamourous unison as of many trumpets braying upon a few notes. " [Sil [.5].

It is after the Music comes to a climax that Ilúvatar proclaims to Melkor and all the Valar that Melkors own imaginings and desires will be used by Ilúvatar for the ultimate good.

" For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined. " [Sil p.6].

The comment above is also a reflection of our own Redemption. Satan attempts to destroy Man, but in doing so, ends up being the means through which God will prove his greatest Love to Mankind. The Passion, Death & Resurrection of Jesus. The Infinite God will take on our flesh in order to redeem us.

Regarding the question of how can there be a God if there is evil (or suffering) in the world, St Thomas Aquinas had this to say:

" God would not allow any evil, unless his wisdom and power were such as to bring out it an even greater good. "

God uses all things to bless his children. God allows evil in the world; he doesn't create it or beget it, but he can use it for greater good. The devil has brought about evil, then man with his free will chooses to follow temptation and commits further evil.

Then, through the most heinous evil act ever committed in the universe, the killing of the Son of God, the greatest good has been achieved for humanity: Salvation.

C.S Lewis said that suffering is " like God's megaphone to humanity "; crying out to his children to come back to Him; and showing them that they need Him; that they can't solve their problems by themselves, or be happy and fulfilled only in themselves.

Eru then shows the Valar the vision [formed by the music] of the creation to come. But Eru doesn't show them everything that is to come. He keeps certain depths of His Plan to be revealed. The Children of Ilúvatar are the parts to be revealed:

" Therefore when they [the Valar] beheld them [Elves and Men], the more did they love them, being things other than themselves, strange and free, wherein they saw the mind of Ilúvatar reflected anew, and learned a little more of his wisdom, which otherwise had been hidden even from the Ainur. " [Sil p.7].

But Melkor, " desired rather to subdue to his will both Elves and Men; and he wished himself to have subjects and servants, and to be called Lord, and to be master over other wills. " [Sil p.8]. Melkor desire to be God, like Satan.

Then Ilúvatar brings all things into Being:

" 'Therefore I say: Eä! Let these things Be. And I will send forth into the Void, the Flame Imperishable, and it shall be at the heart of the World, and the world shall Be; and those of you that will, may go down into it.' And suddenly the Ainur saw afar off a light, and as it were a cloud with a living heart of flame; and they knew that this was no vision only, but that Ilúvatar had made a new thing: Eä, the World that Is. " [Sil p.9].

Once again Tolkien has followed traditional Catholic understanding. At the very core of our existence is the Breath of Life. This Breath of Life is the most fundamental and universal cause of our existing. If God withdrew His Breath of Life from the created universe it would simply cease to exist. God didn't just make the world and stand back and let all things play out. His very Being and Life hold all things in sway.

It is God that holds each one of us in being at every instant of our life. It is the thing that gives reality to our matter and spirit, body and soul. The Breath of Life is different to the Holy Spirit which is the Person of God living in our being through Baptism; whereas the Breath of Life of God is the very reason for all the atoms of the universe being in Being.

Tolkien gives a metaphysical reality to his sub-created world similar to the reality the Good Lord has given to His own. For those who see and know such truths, it is not hard to see how Tolkien's world reflects the higher and more beautiful one that he himself lived and died in.

Also important is that the created world though affected by the evil of Melkor is still good. The Valar still descend and inhabit creation; and continue to form it.

There is then a drawn-out strife and war between Melkor and the other Valar as they do battle for the dominion of the created world that Melkor has claimed for himself.

" Melkor coveted it, and he said to the other Valar: 'This shall be my own kingdom; and I name it unto myself!'. " [Sil p.10].

" ...for as surely as the Valar began a labour so would Melkor undo it or corrupt it. " [Sil p.12].

Tolkien confirms that the corrupted Valar [Melkor, Sauron and their followers] saw in the Children of Ilúvatar " the ideal material for subjects and slaves, to whom they would become masters and 'gods', envying the Children, and secretly hating them ... " [Letters p.285].

Frodo also confirms this corruption and further illustrates how Melkor and Sauron do not have the power to create, but only corrupt and enslave. They mock the creation of Eru in a distorted and perverted way. The Orcs are a pervertion of an original good: the Elves. Satan is exactly the same in our world.

" No, they eat and drink, Sam. The Shadow that bred them can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own. I don't think it can give life to the Orcs, it only ruined them and twisted them; and if they are to live at all, they have to live like other living creatures. " [LotR p.893].

But Melkor isn't alone in his fall at the beginning. He takes with him many Maiar [lesser angels] as he falls into darkness.

" But he was not alone. For of the Maiar many were drawn to his splendour in the days of his greatness, and remained in that allegiance down into his darkness .... Dreaded among these spirits were the Valaraukar, the scourges of fire that in Midlle-earth wre called the Balrogs, demons of terror. " [Sil p.23].

" The great dragon, the priemval serpent, known as the devil or Satan, who had led all the world astray, was hurled down to the earth and his angels were hurled down with him. " [Rev 12.9]. Satan took a third of the angels in Heaven with him when he fell as traditional Catholic teaching confirms.

Now, we have discussed how Melkor rejects the Light and prefers the darkness. Next comes the formation of the world and the awaiting of the Children of Ilúvatar. The Valar descend into the world as guardians and angels and continue to form and shape it. They can take on physical form if needed but are essentially spiritual beings.

Eru, throughout the mythology will remain rather remote. Though at critical junctures he will make himself known. He will step in with a 'Finger of God' to bring about good and instances of Pure Providence [for the overall good] in Middle-earth.

" There is no embodiment of the One, of God [in the story], who indeed remains remote, outside the world, and only directly accessible to the Valar or Rulers. " [Letters p.235-236].

" ... the One retains all ultimate authority, and reserves the right to intrude the finger of God into the story: that is to produce realities which could not be deduced even from a complete knowledge of the previous past, but which being real become part of the effective past for all subsequent time [a possible defininition of a 'miracle']. " [Letters p.235-236].

This 'remoteness' of Eru is another difference in Christian Reality and Tolkien's mythology. The new Law of Love that Jesus has established [which completes and fulfills the Old Law] allows us to approach the Throne of Grace without fear. The Father of All Mercies intensely wishes to be a part of our lives, to forgive our sins and to lead to us all fulfillment and potential. This is why the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us.

The God of Middle-earth is not exactly like this. However, he does implicate himself in the unfolding of events in Middle-earth through his emissaries: the Valar or Maiar [lesser angels]. There are many occasions where the Valar do indeed give help and guidance to those in peril in Middle-earth.

Elbereth, " the most beautiful " is shown to be instrumental, as are many others of the Valar. [cf the Silmarillion & Unfinshed Tales of Middle-earth and Women of Middle-earth]. [Sil p.33].

The Istari, [Order of Wizards] are in fact sent from the True West [Blessed Realm] to help in the war against Sauron. This is a proof of the Providential Goodness of Eru who through the Valar wishes to indirectly, but sustantially, aid and give care to his children. The Valar and Maiar derive their power from Eru.

The Valar, like the saints and angels in Heaven, have a role to play.

" ...The immediate authorities are the Valar [the Powers or Authorities]: the 'gods'. But they are only created spirits - of high angelic order we should say, with their attendant lesser angels - reverend, therefore, but not worshipful; ... " [Letters p.193 footnote].

Thus the Valar are instruments of Eru in the created world They will do his will and aid the children of Ilúvatar in the struggle against evil. Gandalf is a great example of this.

He is, as Tolkiens puts it, an

" incarnate angel " [Letters p.202].

He also affirms that it is Eru, the One God, who sends the Istari [Wizards] to Middle-earth:

"... they are actually emissaries from the True West, and so immediately from God, sent precisely to strengthen the resistance of the 'good'. " [Letters p.207].

A few small examples in the Lord of the Rings of this help are listed below.

• Elven rope miracle when Frodo and Sam are exiting the Emyn Muil.. " Made by Galadriel herself. ... To the complete surprise of the hobbits it came loose.... " [LotR p.597].
• Sam seeing Star in Mordor.
• Frodo has an intuition to hide from Black Rider in Shire.
• The calling of the Council of Elrond.
• The Eagles appearing at the Black Gate and helping save Frodo & Sam.
• Many other little moments of intervention. [see Providence and Hope]

Almaren and Valinor:

The Valar create a peaceful and abundant abode for themselves in Arda:

" The Valar dwelt on the green island of Almaren in the Great Lake. In the mists of time, long before the awakening of Elves or Men, the Valar dwelt east of the Sea in Middle-earth. This was a time called the Spring of Arda, when the Earth was lit by the two Lamps of the Valar, and Almaren lay in the central regions of the World, where the light of the two Lamps mingled. " [arda].

The Two Lamps were made by the Valar to give light to Middle-earth. On this island, Melkor attacks and destroys the Lamps and desecrates the beautiful land of Almaren [city of the Valar]. The Valar flee and Middle-earth is left in darkness.

There are several quasi-Garden of Eden themes in Tolkiens works. This is the first. This beautiful and green dwelling is destroyed by Melkor and the Valar are forced to leave it. Why does Tolkien tap into this original unspoiled sense in his writing. He is contemplating through myth the reality of a fallen world, a lost innocence, a time where Good was unspoiled by Evil. He is forcing home the horrible reality that we live in a world that is a struggle against evil and we must fight to preserve that which is Love and Life, that which is Truth and Goodness: and these have their origins in God, [like it is with Eru in Middle-earth].

" After this, the Valar left Middle-earth and seldom returned. They founded a new land far away to the west, in Aman, that they called Valinor; a land lit by the fabled light of the Two Trees. " [arda].

This new land will be also called the Undying Lands or Blessed Realm.

" In that guarded land the Valar gathered great store of light and all the fairest things that were saved from the ruin; and many others yet fairer they made anew, and Valinor became more beautiful even than Middle-earth in the Spring of Arda; and it was blessed, for the Deathless dwelt there, and there naught faded nor withered, neither was there any stain upon flower or leaf in that land, nor any corruption or sickness in anything that lived; for the very stones and waters were hallowed. " [Sil p.30].

Here the Valar, create a second type of Garden of Eden removed from Middle-earth that has been brought down by Melkor. But Melkor hasn't entirely corrupted Middle-earth and this is shown by the fact that the Valar still bring fair things that were saved from the destruction of Almaren.

It is now, in Valinor that Yavanna, one of the Valar, sings a song before her brethren and the Two Trees come forth from the earth. She isn't the source of their Being who is Eru, but she participates in the creation through singing and it yields fruit.

" And as they watched, upon the mound there came forth two slender shoots; and silence was over all the world in that hour, nor was there any other sound save the chanting of Yavanna. under her song the saplings grew and became fair and tall, and came to flower; and thus awoke in the world the Two Trees of Valinor. " [Sil p.31].

Her song enters into the fecundity of the original Music of the Ainur and sub-creates in that derivation. The Trees wax and wane each day giving light and beauty to the Blessed Realm.

" In seven hours the glory of each tree waxed and waned again...." but their waxing and waning was offset so that Valinor ever dwelt in beauty of the Light of the Two Trees.

Each day had Twelve Hours and the mingling of the Light filled these hours with a blessedness.

" Thus began the Days of Bliss in Valinor... " [Sil p.32].

During this time the Valar did not abandon Middle-earth completely. Yavanna " would come at times and heal the hurts of Melkor... " [Sil p.34]. She would rework the destruction Melkor had caused in parts of the creation. He had continued to delve caverns and dark abysses beneath the earth. Ulmo [another Vala] would also continue to struggle against Melkor.

Children of Ilúvatar:

Elves and Men are Children of Ilúvatar.

" ...none of the Ainur dared to add anything in their fashion " in the Music concerning Elves and Men, because " they understand not fully that theme by which the Children entered into the Music. " [Sil p.35].

For this reason they [the Valar] " are to these kindreds rather their elders and their cheiftains than their masters... " [Sil p.35].

They " were called the Eruhíni or 'Children of God', and were for the Valar an incalculable element: that is they were rational creatures of free will in regard to God, of the same historical rank as the Valar, though of far smaller spiritual and intellectual power and status. " [Letters p.236].

As the awakening of the Children drew near Eru spoke;

" Behold I love the Earth, which shall be a mansion for the Quendi and Atani! [Elves and Men].

But the Quendi [Elves] shall be the fairest of all earthly creatures, and they shall have and shall conceive and bring forth more beauty than all my children and they shall have the greater bliss in this world. "

The Elves are in fact of a higher nature than Men in Middle-earth. They are called the Firstborn.

" ...they represent the artistic, aesthetic, and purely scientific aspects of our Humane nature raised to a higher level than is actually seen in men... " [Letters p.236]

They awake into the world before Men and are immortal in the sense that they will live in Middle-earth and not die. Their immortality isn't really eternal life but serial longevity. They will carry their sorrows and joys all their lives: it will become a burden for them.

Eru then says:

" But to the Atani [Men] I will give a new gift. " [Sil p.35]. Men receive a special grace different to that of the Elves.

Our God gifts to Man the special state of being both matter and spirit. We are different to the angels and it is precisely this difference and future magnanimity that Satan hates.

" Therefore he [Eru] willed that the hearts of men should seek beyond the world and should find no rest therein; but that they should have a virtue to shape their life, amid the powers of the world beyond the Music of the Ainur ... "

The hearts of men in Middle-earth will seek beyond the circles of the world to find deeper meaning, which is another reflection of our world.

" You have made us for yourself O Lord and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee. " St Augustine. We haven't been made self-complete. We will only find our true fulfillment, completetion and potential in Jesus Christ.

This power to shape their own lives is free will. Their fate within Middle-earth is not governed by what has been laid out in the Music of the Ainur but they have the freedom to choose their path in life; to choose the good or do the evil. All of Ilúvatar's Children have this gift as free rational beings.

" But Ilúvatar knew that men being set amid the turmoils of the powers of the world, would often stray, and would not use the gifts in harmony... "

" It is one with this gift of freedom that the children of Men dwell only a short space in the world alive, and are not bound to it, and depart soon whither the Elves know not. "

"Death is their fate, the gift of Ilúvatar ... " [Sil p.36].

Men shall die after a time within Middle-earth and it is a gift.

While the Elves are of a higher nature than men within Middle-earth, men have received from Ilúvatar, a " higher if unrevealed destiny " outside of Middle-earth [Letters p.286]. Their future outside the circles of the world has not been revealed by Ilúvatar. This future outside the world that is higher than the Elves is like Man receiving a higher destiny than the Angels in our world.

Why is mans future magnanimity greater than that of the angels? Because we can, through free will, make a gift of sacrificial love through our bodily flesh. Martyrs do this, as do those who suffer and offer it up in love for the redemption of the world. Any act of love which sacrifices [denies selfishness] is also enveloped in this [cf Mother Teresa].

Why can we do this? Because Jesus, the Word made Flesh, making a gift of Himself in body and soul, but broken on the Cross, has raised our co-offering of suffering with His to a Divine Level [Col 1:24]. It becomes a prayer. Many unfortunately never hear or understand this beautiful Truth of Christian suffering. Angels cannot do this.

Though of course our future life has been revealed by God through Jesus and in the Church, but as for the fullness of it:

" Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor the mind of man conceived of the riches which God has prepared for those who love Him." [1 Cor 2:9]

Gods mysteries are deeper than we can fully perceive, though we can know certain things about them.

In Tolkiens mythology Death is an original gift for Men. It is through Death that men will receive their higher destiny. Now this is very interesting.

This the same for the Christian understanding of death in the bodily sense.

Many mistakenly think that Tolkiens death gift for men at the beginning is different from the Christian understanding but it is not.

If you haven't read the page First and Last Things , please do so as it gives a fuller account of the original gifts Man had in the Garden of Eden from a Catholic perspective.

Catholic understanding is that original Unfallen Man [women and men] was immortal, but his life would still end after a time on earth and he would be assumed body and soul into Heaven. But this original gift of life ending naturally is not the classical understanding of death as related to Death resulting from Original Sin. Originally, they would 'fall asleep' if you like, when the time was right. They would make an act of trust in the Creator and request to come to Him. They would be assumed into Heaven and their life would end on earth.

In a letter from 1958 Tolkien describes how the original death for Men in Middle-earth is much the same as for original unfallen Man on earth.

"It was also the Elvish [& uncorrupted Númenorean] view that a 'good' Man would or should die voluntarily by surrender with trust before being compelled [as Aragorn did]. This may have been the nature of unfallen man; though compulsion would not threaten him; he would desire and ask to be allowed to 'go on' to a higher state. The Assumption of Mary, the only unfallen person, may be regarded ..." like this. [Letters p.286 footnote].

Thus, the original gift of death was to trust and surrender to Eru when the time was right. The Men of Middle-earth originally had this gift. However, corruption from darkness [Melkor and Sauron] caused a disintegration of this gift and men became afraid of it. They feared and rejected it.

Men of Middle-earth, through their original gift, will enter into their higher destiny.

1. It is the same as Christian understanding because through death a Christian will come Face to Face with God and receive his/her higher calling: eternal union with the Saviour and Creator. Orignally we didn't really die but fell asleep to meet God
2. It is also the same because now, for Christians, latter death resulting from original sin has been vanquished by Christ through the Resurrection. The Lord has raised death to a new level. It no longer has its sting, and is in fact a way back to God, like it originally was.

Now what is interesting:

• is that Tolkien is showing that the orignal gift was a blessing.
• but he is also showing that a thing that often seems like a curse to us, namely death from original sin, can also be used as a way of greater good: Resurrection. God is gift. He donates everything to His Children. God is Father and he provides through all things. In the Garden of Eden we betrayed our trust in God the Father. The Fatherhood of God as been denied and spat at.

Tolkien describes how Melkor twists the Truth about Death for men and uses it to cause fear.

" But Melkor has cast his shadow upon it [death], and confounded it with darkness, and brought forth evil out of good, and fear out of hope. " [Sil p.36].

There are two things here. Melkors twisting of truth begets lies and his incitation of fear comes from the denial of Love of the Creator. Love drives out all fear, it begets Trust.

• Men come to believe the lie about death from Melkor and see it as a curse,
• But they will also begin to deny their trust in the Fatherhood of Eru and the natural order and hence fear him and his gift : true death.

This is very similar to what happened in the Garden of Eden. Satan is the father of lies and spirit of fear. He causes distrust of the Creator and hence the Fall. Man enters a terrible new death.

It is also shown throughout the story. Later the Númenoreans, through the lies of Sauron will reject the natural gift of death and wage war upon Valinor. Compare this with Aragorn who freely chooses the hour of his death and sees it truely as a gift. He surrenders himself back to the Creator even though he may not fully understand. Also compare Aragorns death with that of Denethor who burns himself to death like...

" ... the heathen Kings did so, under the Dominion of the Dark Tower. " [LotR p.835].

But in our world, through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus:

" Death is not an Enemy! " [Letters p.267] as Tolkien attests.

So there is a similar theme for Men in Middle-earth as for Man [men & women] in our world.

But, while living within Middle-earth men have needed ennoblement because of this corruption from Melkor. Men have distrusted the original gift of Eru and have fallen away. This is explained later when Men come from the East and speak of a darkenss that was upon them [see First and Last Things]. They have needed to have their nature raised back to a higher level after this so that they can enter into a deeper wisdom and understanding. And how is this done?

This is acheived by intermingling the race of Men with that of the Elves.

" The entering into Men of the Elven-strain is indeed represented as part of the Divine Plan for the ennoblement of the Human Race, from the beginning destined to replace the Elves. " [Letters p.194].

This is dealt with in depth on the page First and Last Things.

Dwarves:

* - The Dwarves are an exception in the Divine Plan. They are in fact not part of the children of Ilúvatar. They come about through the disobediance of one of the Valar: Aulë.

Aulë fashions the dwarves in secret wishing to create creatures of his own. Eru knows of this act the instant is it done. He says to Aulë:

" Why hast thy done this? Why dost thou attempt a thing which is beyond thy power and authority? For thou hast from me as a gift thy own being only, and no more; and therefore the creatures of thy hand and mind can live only by that being, moving when thou thinkest to move them, and if they though be elsewhere, standing idle. Is that thy desire? " [Sil p.37].

Tolkien confirms this in one of his letters.

" God spoke to him in anger but not without pity: for Aulë had done this thing not out of evil desire to have slaves and subjects of his own, but out of impatient love, desiring children to talk to and teach, sharing with them the praise of Ilúvatar ... " [Letters p.287].

" The One rebuked Aulë, saying that he had tried to usurp the Creator's power; but he could not give independant life to his makings. He had only one life, his own derived from the One, and could at most only distribute it ... Eru says 'this is a mockery of me'. " [Letters p.287].

Aulë replies:

" I did not desire such lordship. I desired things other than I am to love and to teach them, so that they too might perceive the beauty of Eä, which thou hast caused to be ... As a child to his father, I offer to thee these things, the work of thy hands which thou hast made. Do with them what thou wilt. " [Sil p.38].

" Then Aulë in grief and repentance humbled himself and asked for pardon. " [Letters p.287].

Aulë then raises a hammer to crush his dwarven children.

" But Ilúvatar had compassion upon Aulë and his desire, because of his humility ... Thy offer I accepted even as it was made ... Dost thou not see that these things have life of their own and speak with their own voices. "

Aulë replies:

"May Eru bless my work and amend it! " [Sil p.38].

Ilúvatar then says:

" Even as I gave Being to the thought of the Ainur at the beginning of the World, so now I have taken up thy desire and given it a place therein ... " [Sil p.38].

Ilúvatar then commands that the Dwarves shall not awaken in the world before his own Children. Here is it seen that Ilúvatar doesn't like the change in design that is brought about through the disobediance of Aulë, but he knows that Aule has created with imperfect love and his humility is evident. Aulë has created living things, so Eru, being a God of Life, will not now crush these beings out of existence, but give them life. Though what Aulë did was stilll against the Divine Plan.

In todays world there are many medical ways of producing life that are against the Divine Plan. But even though children may come into being through these disordered practices, the Good Lord always loves them and wishes to bring them into His Love and True Life. And so the Church will always baptise children brought into the world in this way: but this does not justify the means of procreation used.

Awakening of the Children:

The Firstborn begin to awaken in Middle-earth and are called by the Valar to come to Valinor. Many respond and travel westwards to the Blessed Realm. The Encyclopedia of Arda gives an account of this time.

" When Oromë discovered that the Elves had awoken at Cuiviénen, great changes came about. The Valar made war on Melkor to protect the Elder Children of Ilúvatar; Utumno [Melkors dominion] was destroyed and Melkor was brought in chains to Valinor. The Valar also summoned the Elves to dwell in their land, and many answered this summons.

A period of three ages [about 2,900 years] followed. Melkor was imprisoned in the halls of Mandos, and the Valar and Eldar dwelt together in the light of the Two Trees. [arda].

Fëanor was the greatest of the Elven craftsmen who had come West from Middle-earth to Valinor. Fëanor wrought the Silmarils, the most hallowed jewels of the Elves that held within them the Light of the Two Trees. Fëanor had captured the beauty and radiance of the Two Trees in the making of the Silmarills.

" In the darkness of Middle-earth, the Dark Elves who had not journeyed to Valinor still dwelt, and the Fathers of the Dwarves stirred.

These Years came to an end when Manwë released Melkor from his imprisonment. For a time, the Dark Lord pretended friendship with the Eldar, but he turned back to the darkness. With Ungoliant, he destroyed the Trees, stole the Silmarils and fled back to the north of Middle-earth. Seeking revenge, Fëanor led a great part of the Noldor out of Valinor and back to Beleriand [a part of Middle-earth].

Melkor [after being unchained] destroyed the most beautiful living things in Valinor, the Two Trees: their Light was extinguished. He stole the Silmarils and fled back to Middle-earth. See the page The Trees of Life for more on this and how a sapling of the Trees survived.

So the Years of the Trees came to an end. At this time, the Valar made the Sun and Moon to give light to the World, and the Years of the Sun began, and with them the First Age. "

Yavanna used the last fruit and leaf of the Two Trees to create the Sun and Moon and Elbereth had previously used the dew from the White Tree, Telperion, to make the Stars of the vault of Heaven.

Men would not appear until some time after the end of the Years of the Trees. [arda].

Thus, many of the Elves [though not all] forsook the blessedness of the Undying Lands and pursued Melkor into Middle-earth. In their wrath, lust and pride, the Elves erred. The Valar forbade them from going but many disobeyed.

Tolkien refers to this as "