"The Fall of Gondolin" Due Out August 30th, 2018

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

That bit struck me as being decidedly unlike Tolkien.

I thought it hewed very closely to the Silm theme that most evil in the world doesn't come from the Dark Lord, but from the Children of Iluvatar doing things which could be classified as 'extremely stupid'. Think of the great cities of Beleriand: Menegroth, Nargothrond, Himring, Gondolin. None of them were taken by Morgoth by sheer force of arms - every single one of them was betrayed from within. Thingol's greed, Turin's hubris, Ulfang's treachery, Maeglin's jealousy - these were the causes of Beleriand's fall, not the strength of Angband.

We're told this explicitly in the Silmarillion, of the Nirnaeth:

Some have said that even then the Eldar might have won the day, had all their hosts proved faithful; for the Orcs wavered, and their onslaught was stayed, and already some were turning to flight. But even as the vanguard of Maedhros came upon the Orcs, Morgoth loosed his last strength, and Angband was emptied. There came wolves, and wolfriders, and there came Balrogs, and dragons, and Glaurung father of dragons. The strength and terror of the Great Worm were now great indeed, and Elves and Men withered before him; and he came between the hosts of Maedhros and Fingon and swept them apart.

Yet neither by wolf, nor by Balrog, nor by Dragon, would Morgoth have achieved his end, but for the treachery of Men.

And this is a theme that echoes all down the tales of the Elder Days. Why did Numenor fall? Because its inhabitants grew prideful. Why did Khazad-dum turn black? Because the dwarves delved 'too greedily'. Why were the Noldor doomed to such great anguish? Because they slaughtered their kin in Alqualonde. Why, in fact, did Melkor ever return to Arda? Because Tulkas let the watch on the Walls of Night fail.

You're right that this idea that 'we could fix this if we didn't keep doing the wrong thing' doesn't really apply to the Third Age writings. But for the Silmarillion, and especially for the Book of Lost Tales, it is a strong theme that Tolkien never lets up on.

hS

PS: On balrogs, I was interested to see how much description we actually get of them. They have iron claws, iron helms, and shoot darts of fire as well as wielding their fiery whips.

... now I just want to know why Alan Lee decided to draw a tail on the one Glorfindel is fighting??

hS