Chapter One ends with several paragraphs speaking of the Valar, Elves, and Men. I shall split it into two sections because I'm annoying for vague reasons of my own. The story itself does not progress. The Silmarillion tells it's story in a sort of back and forth motion, going off into tangents a lot. Tolkien also has a habit of referencing events and details that he hasn't shared with you yet, which is rather confusing. This is why I strongly recommend reading it twice in a row, and not waiting a year or so. You want everything fresh in your mind the second time round, so that you can properly appreciate things you overlooked the first time.
As events aren't really being discussed, I shall just jump right into some quotes.
"[A]s the ages drew on to the hour appointed by Ilúvatar for the coming of the Firstborn, Middle-earth lay in a twilight[...]And in the darkness Melkor dwelt, and still often walked abroad, in many shapes of power and fear, and he wielded cold and fire[...]and whatsoever was cruel or violent or deadly in those days is laid to his charge."
The Firstborn being the Elves. Tolkien then goes on to speak of what the Valar were doing, which was mostly sitting in Valinor and not paying terribly much attention to the rest of the world. But some of them were vigilant.
"From the beauty and bliss of Valinor the Valar came seldom over the mountains to Middle-earth, but gave to the land beyond the Pelóri their care and their love."
He first speaks of Aulë, Friend of the Noldor, who is the great craftsman. "Of him comes the lore and knowledge of the Earth and of all things that it contains: whether the lore of those that make not, but seek only for the understanding of what is, or the lore of all craftsmen: the weaver, the shaper of wood, and the worker in metals".
The Noldor were his chief pupils, and are the 'most skilled of the Elves'. "The Noldor also it was who first achieved the making of gems; and the fairest of all gems were the Silmarils".
Manwë "highest and holiest of the Valar' did not forget the "Outer Lands. He stayed in his throne and sent out his servants in the forms of eagles and hawks, to tell him of all that occurred in Arda, "yet some things were hidden even from the eyes of Manwë[...]for where Melkor sat in his dark thought impenetrable shadows lay."
Beloved of Manwë were the Vanyar, "and of him they received song and poetry; for poetry is the delight of Manwe, and the song of words is his music."
And of course, Ulmo, who is one of my favourite Valar. He does not dwell in Valinor, but in the Outer Ocean. "Thence he governs the flower of all waters, and the ebbing, the courses of all rivers and the replenishment of springs, the distilling of all dews and rain in every land beneath the sky.[....]this is was by the power of Ulmo that even under the darkness of Melkor life coursed still through many secret lodes, and the Earth did not die."
Ulmo was a particular friend to the Teleri, but to all 'the ear of Ulmo was ever open; nor has ever forsaken Middle-earth'. He plays a large role in the Silmarillion, as messenger, friend, and counsellor to the elves.
Yavanna also cared for the outer lands, and at times went forth to heal what she could of the wounds Melkor left upon the earth.
Oromë, tamer of beasts, often rode out "pursuing to the death the monsters and fell creatures of the kingdom of Melkor".
The Firstborn:
We learn more about the elves later, but I'm going to go ahead and provide a little information, since, as I have mentioned, Tolkien references them before he ever actually explains it all. I will never be able to remember all the different names and divisions of the clans, and which elves are from which groups, but there are a few main ones.
They all began in Cuiviénen, and first named themselves the Quendi (those that speak). The first sundering took place when Manwë summoned them to Valinor. Most of the elves went, but one group stayed behind: the Avari (the Unwilling). Those that went on divided into the three most well known clans.
1. Vanyar: The first, firstborn, led by Ingwë. They were a small group, and for the most part, spend the whole book in Valinor. Galadriel's grandmother was one of the Vanyar (her grandfather being the infamous Finwë)
2. Noldor: The second firstborn, led by Finwë. Certainly the most well-known group, and the ones that have the most to do with the story. Most of the famous elves came from the Noldor. They eventually broke into two groups, those that were banished to Middle-earth, and those that were not.
3. Teleri: The third firstborn, a group large enough to have two lords, Elwë and Olwë (brothers). Elrond is a direct descendant of Elwë. They loved the sea and were known as the "Sea-elves". Known for their ships, which were the cause of dispute behind the Kinslaying.
And the incredibly useful diagram thing provided in the appendix of the Silmarillion.
When reading Silmarillion, don't forget the stuff at the back. There are family trees back there, and index of names and certain words and events. And a couple maps.
(Lest there should be any confusion or matter of rights and whatnot, all quotes in this post are from the works of JRR Tolkien, unless otherwise mentioned. There may be slight errors, misspellings, or alternate punctuation in the quotes, and if you notice such, please inform me so that I can speedily remedy them.
Header image by John Howe.
End by Goldenrod Gardener.)
End by Goldenrod Gardener.)
