Tolkien Reading Day - a bit late!

[inzilbeth]

OK, I'm two days late, but I'm been very busy and 'free' time has become extremely short!

Something different this year.

As soon as my life is my own again [ie once lambing is over] I'll  return to writing a piece I begun over a year ago. Having recently finished what I call my 'King Sheave' chapter, I took a quick look at this next project a couple of weeks back and gulped when I saw the scale of the task ahead of me! Facing a word doc that is 27 pages long and full of disjointed  notes is, I've decided, a bit like emptying a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle onto the table. Somehow the pieces have to be assembled accurately so that you end up with an attractive and complete picture but it's a daunting task when your haven't even got the corners in place!

However, I've found the best place to start unravelling the puzzle is by rereading the source material for said notes. The working title of this chapter  is 'The Importance of Hope' so inevitably a major source is the 'Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth'. Quite apart from the invaluable insight this work provides into Tolkien's thoughts on death, I always find myself falling in love with Finrod for the compassion and sympathy he offers the bitter Andreth, still sore from Aegnor's rejection, their love a victim of the differing fates Eru granted his Children.

Their parting words, as Finrod leaves to go to war, even when out of context, are particularly moving, I think.

Darkness fell in the room. He took her hand in the light of the fire. ‘Whither you go?’ she said.

 

‘North away,’ he said: ‘to the swords, and the siege, and the walls of defence – that yet for a while in Beleriand rivers may run clean, leaves spring, and birds build their nests, ere Night comes.’

 

‘Will he be there, bright and tall, and the wind in his hair? Tell him not to be reckless. Not to seek danger beyond need!’

 

‘I will tell him,’ said Finrod. ‘But I might as well tell thee not to weep. He is a warrior, Andreth, and a spirit of wrath. In every stroke that he deals he sees the Enemy who did thee this hurt.

 

‘But you are not for Arda. Whither you may go may you find light. Await us there, my brother – and me.’

Morgoth's Ring

 

 

Comments

[shirebound]

Whither you may go may you find light.

What a lovely blessing. Good luck with the writing!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Isn't it! And thank you. I think I'm going to need it!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

That is, as Shirebound says, a lovely blessing. But Tell him not to be reckless. Not to seek danger beyond need!’ is so much the cry of women through all the Ages, isn't it?

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed, how many women have said that in the past and still are saying it.

[rakshathedemon.livejournal.com]

Ooh, lovely stuff. I don't remember Andreth and Aegnor very well; was Aegnor a brother of Finrod's? Finrod is my second-favorite Elf (after Elrond, who is technically Peredhil), always loved the guy.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Yes, they were brothers. I think I would agree with you! Elrond is my favourite too and Finrod comes in a near second.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

The Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth is and will ever be one of my favourite unpublished Tolkien texts. Great choice.

I'm sure once you have more leisure time, you'll have a much easier time putting yur King Sheave chapter into shape than you fear. You're waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than halfway there.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you approved lol!

Oh dear, I was rather hoping that one was finished, bar the editing!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

It most certainly is, and that is why I said you were waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than halfway there. The editing though pleasurable will take you awhile yet, since it's such a complex and well argued chapter, and since you're now deep into lambing time. So, I would only start worrying about the next project when you really have to start tackling it. *g*

Besides, I'm sure it will end up to be an easier task than you're expecting it to be.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, this next one will be much easier. I also have to finish Anderson's book before I can all that chapter completely done.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

I bet it won't be half as complicated as writing the King Sheave chapter was.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

You're right there lol!

[suzll.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a lovely excerpt. Tolkien Reading Day is such a beautiful thing :)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

It's a wonderful idea, isn't it!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Ah, my favorite chapter in "Morgoth's Ring" (so far, anyway!). That entire conversation is so chock full of goodies... but I do love Finrod's line, "‘North away,’ he said: ‘to the swords, and the siege, and the walls of defence – that yet for a while in Beleriand rivers may run clean, leaves spring, and birds build their nests, ere Night comes.’" So nobly heroic... I like to think that Aragorn may have read this story as a child and kept this particular line in his heart--it seems to perfectly suit his own willingness to give all for the sake of the good and right.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love that line too.

Now, Aragorn knowing of this conversation, there's an intriguing thought! I have wondered what thoughts he might have had when still a child about being given the name Estel.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I often wonder, if like most little boys, he would have rather had a name that meant "Mighty Blade" or "Deadly Warrior". *g*