Morgoth's Ring
Encyclopedia
Morgoth's Ring is the tenth volume of Christopher Tolkien
's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth
in which he analyses the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R. Tolkien
. This volume, along with the subsequent The War of the Jewels
, provides detailed writings and editorial commentary pertaining to J. R. R. Tolkien's cosmology
that eventually would become The Silmarillion
. This book mentions a few characters excluded elsewhere, including Findis and Irimë, the daughters of Finwë
.
The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: "Just as Sauron
concentrated his power in the One Ring
, Morgoth
dispersed his power into the very matter of Arda
, thus 'the whole of Middle-earth
was Morgoth's Ring'". As the original rebel against Eru Ilúvatar
, Morgoth is seen as the source and author of all evil
in Arda and in fact, in metaphysical
terms, evil and the working of his will are one and the same thing.
Morgoth's Ring presents source material and editorial on the following:
There is an inscription in the Fëanorian characters (Tengwar
, an alphabet Tolkien has devised for High-elven) in the first pages of every History of Middle-earth volume, written by Christopher Tolkien and describing the contents of the book.
The inscription in Book X reads: "In this book are given many of the later writings of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien concerning the history of the Elder Days
from the Music of the Ainur to the Hiding of Valinor
; here much is told of Sun and the Moon
; of the immortal Eldar and the death of the Atani; of the beginning of the Orcs and of the evil power of Melkor, the Morgoth, the Black Foe of the World.".
Christopher Tolkien
Christopher Reuel Tolkien is the third and youngest son of the author J. R. R. Tolkien , and is best known as the editor of much of his father's posthumously published work. He drew the original maps for his father's The Lord of the Rings, which he signed C. J. R. T. The J...
's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth
The History of Middle-earth
The History of Middle-earth is a 12-volume series of books published from 1983 through to 1996 that collect and analyse material relating to the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, compiled and edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Some of the content consists of earlier versions of already published...
in which he analyses the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
. This volume, along with the subsequent The War of the Jewels
The War of the Jewels
The War of the Jewels is the 11th volume of Christopher Tolkien's series The History of Middle-earth, analysing the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R...
, provides detailed writings and editorial commentary pertaining to J. R. R. Tolkien's cosmology
Cosmology
Cosmology is the discipline that deals with the nature of the Universe as a whole. Cosmologists seek to understand the origin, evolution, structure, and ultimate fate of the Universe at large, as well as the natural laws that keep it in order...
that eventually would become The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion
The Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
. This book mentions a few characters excluded elsewhere, including Findis and Irimë, the daughters of Finwë
Finwë
Finwë, sometimes surnamed Noldóran, is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He was the first High King of the Elven Noldor to lead his people on the journey from Middle-earth to Valinor in the blessed realm of Aman. He was a great friend of Elu Thingol, the King of Doriath...
.
The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: "Just as Sauron
Sauron
Sauron is the primary antagonist and titular character of the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien.In the same work, he is revealed to be the same character as "the Necromancer" from Tolkien's earlier novel The Hobbit...
concentrated his power in the One Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
, Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
dispersed his power into the very matter of Arda
Arda
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Arda is the name given to the Earth in a period of prehistory, wherein the places mentioned in The Lord of the Rings and related material once existed...
, thus 'the whole of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
was Morgoth's Ring'". As the original rebel against Eru Ilúvatar
Eru Ilúvatar
Eru Ilúvatar is a fictional deity in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Silmarillion as the creator of all existence . In Tolkien's invented language of Elvish, Eru means "The One", or "He that is Alone" and Ilúvatar signifies "Father of All"...
, Morgoth is seen as the source and author of all evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
in Arda and in fact, in metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
terms, evil and the working of his will are one and the same thing.
Morgoth's Ring presents source material and editorial on the following:
- Later 1951 revisions of The Silmarillion showing Tolkien's drastic revisiting and rewriting of his legends.
- "Annals of AmanAnnals of AmanThe Annals of Aman is a text written by J. R. R. Tolkien that serves as a chronology of fictional events taking place in his invented world of Middle-earth...
" — Detailed chronology from the creation of the world through the end of the First AgeFirst AgeIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
, including an explanation of time reckoning in Valian Years . - "Laws and Customs among the Eldar" — Several essays and legends on the Eldar, particularly mating and naming customs of the ElvesElf (Middle-earth)In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
, and Tolkien's conceptions of the soul and bodyFëa and hröaIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, fëa and hröa are words for "soul" and "body". The plural form of fëa is fëar and the plural form of hröa is hröar...
. - "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" — A discussion between two characters, an Elven king Finrod FelagundFinrod FelagundFinrod Felagund is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. He appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian and the Grey Annals, as well as other material....
and Andreth, a mortal woman, about the tragedy of death and immortality and the way Elves and MenEdainIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Edain were men who made their way into Beleriand in the First Age, and were friendly to the Elves....
, men suffer their different sorrows differently; and about the healing of death by the Resurrection and the Incarnation. - "Tale of Adanel" — The Middle-earth version of the tale of the original sinOriginal sinOriginal sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
. Included to "Athrabeth", being told by Andreth to Finrod as a story about the past of Men. - "Myths Transformed" — Several fragments on Morgoth, Sauron, and the origin of the OrcsOrc (Middle-earth)In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
. This section is frequently cited in discussions concerning the Tolkien legendariumLegendariumLegendary may refer to:*A hagiography, or study of the lives of saints and other religious figures**The South English Legendary, a Middle English legendary*A legend-Entertainment:*Legendary, an album by Kaysha*Legendary...
, and represents the author's later-evolved views on some central topics.
There is an inscription in the Fëanorian characters (Tengwar
Tengwar
The Tengwar are an artificial script created by J. R. R. Tolkien. In his fictional universe of Middle-earth, the tengwar were invented by the Elf Fëanor, and used first to write the Elven tongues: Quenya, Telerin, and also Valarin. Later a great number of languages of Middle-earth were written...
, an alphabet Tolkien has devised for High-elven) in the first pages of every History of Middle-earth volume, written by Christopher Tolkien and describing the contents of the book.
The inscription in Book X reads: "In this book are given many of the later writings of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien concerning the history of the Elder Days
Elder Days
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Elder Days are the first Ages of Middle-earth.During the Second and Third Age, the term referred to the First Age and before, but in the Fourth Age the term began to be applied to all three ages which came before: a time before the dominance of Men and the...
from the Music of the Ainur to the Hiding of Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
; here much is told of Sun and the Moon
Sun and Moon (Middle-earth)
The fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien of Middle-earth fame included Earth's sun and moon for the cosmology of his fictionalized version of existence....
; of the immortal Eldar and the death of the Atani; of the beginning of the Orcs and of the evil power of Melkor, the Morgoth, the Black Foe of the World.".