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Athrabeth na Dorthonion
Artaquetta Sondinóresse
'But
why dost thou say 'mere words'? Do not words overpass the gulf between
one life and another? Between thee and me surely more has passed than
empty sound?' ~Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth
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Findaráto
Hewer of Web Sites
Joined: 25 Apr 2008
Posts: 208
Location: Nargothrond
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 Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject: Favorite Parts of the HoME? |
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I'm just trying to get some literary discussion going here, but I'm not exactly sure where to start. 
I thought I'd ask everyone - what's your favorite part of the HoME and why? Which parts really grab at you?
My three favorite essays are:
Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth
Laws and Customs of the Eldar
and
The Shibboleth of Fëanor.
The Athrabeth is amazing - both in its writing and in its content - I truly believe it's one of the most beautiful (if not the most beautiful) things that Tolkien ever wrote.
Laws and Customs is fascinating - and gives a lot of good insights into
Eldarin anthropology. I really don't think anyone should attempt to
write a fan fiction that has Elves in it without reading this. It would
perhaps get rid of some of the Dreck out there that passes for fan
fiction.
The Shibboleth is also fascinating - a combination of a linguistic essay and a history of the House of Fëanor.
I also really like the 'Music of the Ainur' chapter in BoLT I. It's
always struck me as more beautiful than the later versions, in writing
and content, and certainly better than the version in the published Silmarillion. This is a quote from one of my favorite parts:
| Quote: | | "Mighty
are the Ainur, and glorious, and among them is Melko the most powerful
in knowledge; but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am
Iluvatar, those things that ye have sung and played, lo! I have caused
to be -- not in the musics that ye make in the heavenly regions, as a
joy to me and a play unto yourselves, alone, but rather to have shape
and reality even as have ye Ainur, whom I have made to share in the
reality of Iluvatar myself. Maybe I shall love these things that come
of my song even as I love the Ainur who are of my thought,' and maybe
more. Thou Melko shalt see that no theme can be played save it come in
the end of Iluvatar's self, nor can any alter the music in Iluvatar's
despite. He that attempts this finds himself in the end but aiding me
in devising a thing of still greater grandeur and more complex wonder:
-- for lo! through Melko have terror as fire, and sorrow like dark
waters, wrath like thunder, and evil as far from my light as the depths
of the uttermost of the dark places, come into the design that I laid
before you. Through him has pain and misery been made in the clash of
overwhelming musics; and with confusion of sound have cruelty, and
ravening, and darkness, loathly mire and all putrescence of thought or
thing, foul mists and violent flame, cold without mercy, been born, and
death without hope. Yet is this through him and not by him; and he
shall see, and ye all likewise, and even shall those beings, who must
now dwell among his evil and endure through Melko misery and sorrow,
terror and wickedness, declare in the end that it redoundeth only to my
great glory, and doth but make the theme more worth the hearing, Life
more worth the living, and the World so much the more wonderful and
marvellous, that of all the deeds of Iluvatar it shall be called his
mightiest and his loveliest." |
_________________
'But
why dost thou say 'mere words'? Do not words overpass the gulf between
one life and another? Between thee and me surely more has passed than
empty sound?'
~Finrod, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth
Avatar art by Alice i Angel Falto. |
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Eluchil
Atani
Joined: 26 Apr 2008
Posts: 21
Location: Menegroth
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| Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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There are so many texts I like - or I should rather say sentences.
For a change I will quote this from the rather unknown Dangweth Pengoloð (HoMe XII) :
| Quote: | | But
behold! Ælfwine, within Eä all things change, even the Valar; for in Eä
we perceive the unfolding of a History in the unfolding: as a man may
read a great book, and when it is full-read it is rounded and complete
in his mind, according to his measure. Then at last he perceives that
some fair thing that long endured: as some mountain or river of renown,
some realm, or some great city; or else some mighty being, as a king,
or maker, or a woman of beauty and majesty, or even one, maybe, of the
Lords of the West: that each of these is, if at all, all that is said
of them from the beginning even to the end. From the spring in the
mountains to the mouths of the sea, all is Sirion; and from its first
upwelling even to its passing away when the land was broken in the
great battle, that also is Sirion, and nothing less. Though we, who are
set to behold the great History, reading line by line, may speak of the
river changing as it flows and grows broad, or dying as it is spilled
or devoured by the sea. Yea, even from his first coming into Eä from
the side of Ilúvatar, and from the young lord of the Valar in the white
wrath of his battle with Melkor unto the silent king of years uncounted
that sits upon the vanished heights of Oiolosse and watches but speaks
no more: all that is he whom we call Manwë. |
_________________
"But
behold!" said he, "in the armour of Fate (as the Children of Earth name
it) there is ever a rift, and in the walls of Doom a breach, until the
full-making, which ye call the End. So it shall be while I endure, a
secret voice that gainsayeth, and a light where darkness was decreed."
Avatar Art by Alice Picard. |
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Maikanare
Atani
Joined: 15 May 2008
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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Athrabeth
is a personal favorite for reasons mentioned above, and I think it
gives a unique glimpse into JRRT's own doubts as a religious man. I
have always identified with Andreth more than with most characters.
Dangweth Pengolodh is also a beautiful dialog as Eluchil demonstrated (Pengolodh - or should I say Quendingoldo?
- became one of my favorite elves after I read that). Yes Dangweth is
fairly unknown. One of the most under-rated essay in the HoME if you
ask me. It is rarely mentioned, even by people who read and discuss
Shibboleth, Athrabeth and all those texts. Same goes for Q&E, and
The Notion Club Papers.
Quendi & Eldar is a favorite of mine, for all the cool
information - plus its appendices. But as a general rule any section
that is unique within HoME and concerns the First Age or Elves is good.
Much of the Later Quenta is of great interest - The Dabate of the
Valar, Laws and Customs, Statute of Finwe and Miriel.
As characters go, Rumil and Nuin from BOLT are pretty interesting guys I think. And of course FoG in BOLT is outstanding.
I'll add that I have not read all
of HoME. I have only skimmed and looked a couple things up where the
LOTR drafts are concerned. I will at least say there was some funny
material in the drafts as I recall.  |
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Findaráto
Hewer of Web Sites
Joined: 25 Apr 2008
Posts: 208
Location: Nargothrond
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| Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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Greetings, Maikanare!
Glad to have a new member who has read the HoME.
Head over to the Newbie forum and tell us a bit about yourself, if you will. 
I agree with you about loving everything First age having to do with
Elves - I'm particularly interested in anything to do with the house of
Fëanor. I love reading and re-reading even the little parts about him
in The Later Quenta Silmarillion, or the Annals.
_________________
'But
why dost thou say 'mere words'? Do not words overpass the gulf between
one life and another? Between thee and me surely more has passed than
empty sound?'
~Finrod, Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth
Avatar art by Alice i Angel Falto. |
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