The Silmarillion in one word

[FlimFlamSam]

Galadriel55 spoke: [I do not quite understand how The Sil is "fungal growth".]
A metaphor and a joke on a Hobbit's love of mushrooms.

Galadriel55 spoke: [And it's not "attatched" to LOTR - more the opposite; even though LOTR was published first, The Sil was the original idea.]
Oh, I'm quite aware of the relationships. Moreso than you would believe.

Galadriel55 spoke: [Can you please explain why you think so?]
The ideas in The Silmarillion were quite "fluid" when it came to writing Lord of the Rings. I liked that Gil-Galad was the only son of Feanor, that Neldoreth (home of Thingol and Melian) was the forest abutting the Sea of Rhun (see HOME War of the Ring; the second map) and other massive changes that he was considering when writing Lord of the Rings.

Those stories were meant as a backdrop, not something to be forever encapsulated in Silma and sworn an oath by.

Galadriel55 spoke: [And welcome to the Downs! Enjoy your stay!]
Thank you.

[Galadriel55]

In that case, we will just have to disagree. I think that The Sil is a beautiful work, even if it wasn't completed by JRRT.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

In that case, we will just have to disagree. I think that The Sil is a beautiful work, even if it wasn't completed by JRRT.

I think this guy's just trolling, G55– see his post on the "Why is it so difficult" thread.

[FlimFlamSam]

Galadriel55 spoke: [In that case, we will just have to disagree]
Yeppers.

Nice summation of the exisitng words used in the thread so far.
Good work.

Nerwen spoke: [I think this guy's just trolling.]
Yeah... No--that's not it.

[Nerwen]

FlimFlam–

You do know that just saying you're not a troll by this stage carries about as much weight as insisting that a violet-eyed half-Elf fan-fic heroine is "not a Mary Sue"?

[Narnangol]

I would like to add WISTFUL.

I agree with everyone who said it was nostalgic or regretful in some way. The gradual diminishing of the world and its tainting - Arda Marred, if you will - is, at least to me, the the most prominent theme of The Silm, even THE theme. Especially so with the last lines, which I don't have on me now.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Narnangol

Especially so with the last lines, which I don't have on me now.

Here they are:

Yet the lies that Melkor, the mighty and accursed, Morgoth Baugir, the Power of Terror and of Hate, sowed in the hearts of Elves and Men are a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it aprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days.

This is probably my most favourite passage in all the books. I have many favourites (too many for them to be called "favourites"... ), but this sentence is simply unbeatable.

Wait... there's more...

Here ends the SILMARILLION. If it has passed from the high and beautiful to darkness and ruin, that was of old the fate of Arda Marred; and if any change shall come and the Marring be amended, Manwe and Varda may know; but they have not revealed it, and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos.

This does indeed summarise the whole Sil.