[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Originally Posted by Pio

The Ainulindalë, for me, is one of the loveliest oral/aural pieces I've come across. It has a rhythm and flow to it that is very pleasant to my ear . . . the repetition of sounds in the sentences and how the words are put together or spaced apart reminds me at times of a river's water sliding over stones of differing sizes, over sandy bars, and bumping with varying degrees of force against those things which have fallen into it before flowing on again.

It is funny how different we read the Sil. We all love it, but it is very different things that intrique us. I for one found Ainulindalë kind of dry and dull, especially the first time I read it. Just a creation that needed to be there, where as I found the rest of the Sil thrilling almost more exiting than LotR. I am sure it is my love for history and historical works that shines through here. After reading about how pio expirience the Ainulindalë, it makes me wonder if I read through it to quickly or is just prejudice towards it. I would hate missing out at something so wonderful as pio describes it.

I guess I see the Ainulindalë as an intro that explains a few things, but realy confusses me more. Well it did the first time I read it.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

It is interesting to compare the Ainulindale with other creation myths. Perhaps the most obvious comparison one can make is with the Judeo-Christian creation story told in Genesis. We know, of course, that Tolkien was Catholic; but I think that there are as many interesting differences between the Ainulindale and Genesis as there are similarities. One thing that strikes me is the crucial role that the Ainur play in the creation, which doesn’t seem to be mirrored by anything in the Judeo-Christian story.

A survey of other creation myths – Greek, Norse, Egyptian, etc. – might also shed interesting light on the Ainulindale. From the little I know about these various stories, it seems to me that Tolkien’s creation myth is at once quite novel and firmly in the tradition of “real” origin stories.

I agree that the most obvious creation myth is the Judeo-Christian, but then again I don't know the Egyptian and it has been some time since I read the Greek and Norse.

I do see some simulareties in Norse and Greek with Ainulindale, although they are not that clear. Of course you have the "theme of Melkor" wich is some sort of rebelion, if my memorie does not fail me you also have a rebeilion in these two myths. How ever the rebellions succede in these. I am sure there are others and better simulareties, but in the end I think the Ainulindale is more like the Judeo-Christian creation myth than anyothers. With the one god who creates it all.