Silmarillion - Chapter 03 - Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

[Anguirel]

This is a chapter with some startling aesthetic touches, which make up for the fact that we still have few characters who are both interesting and not gods. The Coming of the Elves is a strange mixture of lyricism, darkness and dark lyricism. Some of my favourites -

But already the oldest living things had arisen: in the seas the great weeds, and on earth the shadow of great trees; and in the valleys of the night-clad hills there were dark creatures old and strong.

The great weeds particularly unconventional and chilling and conducive to awe, like a moment from The Tempest or King Lear. "The great weeds..."

That stronghold was commanded by Sauron, lieutenant of Melkor; and it was named Angband.

Iconic moment.

"Shall they walk in darkness while we have light? Shall they call Melkor lord while Manwë sits upon Taniquetil?'

Yavanna's best line yet. Sadly, ultimately the answer, for all Tulkas can do, will be Yes, they will.

Great light shall be for their waning.

Typically beautifully ominous Mandos. I think he refers here to the arrival of Fingolfin's host at the rising of the Sun and Moon, ushering in the glories of the noldor which will enrich and destroy the Elves. I think.

...beneath the innumerable stars, faint and far.

How I love stars.

In the changes of the world the shapes of lands and of seas have been broken and remade; the rivers have not kept their couses, neither have mountains remained steadfast; and to Cuivienen there is no returning...

So true. None of us can ever return to our Cuivienen.

"Themselves they named the Quendi, signifying those that speak with voices; for as yet they had met no other living things that spoke or sang."

The wonderful, naive, innocent arrogance of this, a child's self-centredness, especially as Orome is about to ride up to them!

For who of the living has descended into the pits of Utumno, or has explored the darkness of the counsels of Melkor?

Scary Gothic rhetorical question. Poe shivers come upon me.

In the section with Melkor and the Valar fighting and messing up the land, little do we know that words like Dorthonion and the Bay of Balar will later assume crucial significance. This passage in a way makes inevitable the final tragic sinking of Beleriand - born from a divine struggle, it was to be destroyed in one also.

In the debate over whether to summon the Elves, my inclination would initially be to agree with Ulmo and Yavanna. However, if we recall that responding to the summons was to some extent voluntary it seems a little less heavy-handed. No Maia heavies forced Lenwe and Denethor to keep marching on, at least. But by the Third Age all Elves would feel themselves called and the summons would at last, I suppose, win out.

Is this truly a Summons, or only an Invitation? Or does it harden from the latter to the former?