Lord of the Lore: An In Depth Analysis of Many of Tolkien’s Works

     The game we played in class really helped me understand the moral weight of the actions of Feanor and his Sons. I was assigned to be a prosecutor, which meant my job was to argue that Feanor and his sons bore full responsibility for the destruction that followed their oath.      I had to look past the tragic surface of these characters and focus purely on logic. At first, I saw Maedhros and his brothers as victims of fate, bound by an oath they couldn’t escape and manipulated by Melkor’s lies. But as I studied their actions, I realized that even if they were misled or trapped by their vow, they still utilized free will, which led to death, betrayal, and war. Their reckless intent, especially during the Kinslaying, showed that they allowed pride and obsession to consume them. They may not have originally intended to kill their kin, but their willingness to use violence to achieve their goals made conflict an inevitability. They could have and should hav...

 I find myself reflecting on the choices I have made and the chains that still bind me—chains of both iron and oath. After my humiliation upon Thangorodrim, I thought that maybe my suffering had tempered me, but the truth is, the oath my brothers and I swore to reclaim the Silmarils drives me still, even when wisdom tells me that the path forward will bring nothing but destruction. The core moment that causes me to stir in the middle of the night is the Dagor Bragollach , the Battle of Sudden Flame. In an instant, the long Siege of Angband was crushed, and the hopes of the Noldor crumbled. The fire of Morgoth swept across Beleriand, and my people were forced to retreat, scattered and leaderless. I had thought it possible to contain our foes. For a time, perhaps we even did. Yet as the flames consumed our defenses, the bitter truth set in. We had only delayed the inevitable. Just the thought of that makes me want to retch. I fear above all the dishonor of abandoning our oath, for ...

  Melkor’s Song In my land, I obliterate harmony and peace, An ocean of shadow where the weak will break. In chains the stars twist and they bend to my will, And power is the root from which my life is blessed. Chaos is the tearing of sky and sea, I demand a world that the strong must control. Everyone’s will breaks in my kingdom, And joy is a means to set me free. Power hungers, devours, and never gives, For all beauty dies in my sacred land. Alone I sing, and alone I live, The weak forgotten, and all shall echo my name. From me flows a hunger, no bound, no end, A discord eternal, that I’ll lead with glee. For the lyrics of Melkor’s song, I wanted to make it a direct parallel of Eru’s song. Every line is a distorted version of Eru’s lyrics. I wanted to make it seem like Melkor stole Eru’s song, corrupted and bent it to his design, and then shot it back out and into the world. It conveys a very dark and selfish outlook of the world. The population of Middle Earth would certainly be...

  Eru’s Song In this land, I encourage harmony and peace, A river of hope where all may thrive. In unity the stars shall shine, bright and free And love is the root from which all life is blessed. Order is the eternal pact of sky and sea, I offer a home where all are welcome. Everyone joins hands in this kingdom, And joy is a means to set you free. All powers shall give and none shall take, For beauty will thrive in these sacred lands. Together they sing, and together they live, Darkness forgotten, no chaos named. From me flows a gift, with no bound or end, A harmony eternal, that I offer with glee. For the lyrics of Eru’s song, I wanted to convey his ideology of order and harmony. These beliefs are so central to his world design that he simply cannot fathom the fact that Melkor is evil. Eru wants to guide the people of Middle Earth into living peaceful lives. He does not want to force them into submission and rule with an iron fist. His song will be a beacon of light and hope for ...

I am Maedhros, eldest son of Fëanor and one of the princes of the Noldor. I stand tall among my kin, 7’8” according to some, with long red hair and eyes of sapphire. I was born in Valinor but went into exile with my father once he was banished from Tirion. But everything changed when that foul Morgoth killed my grandfather Finwë and stole his Silmarils that my father had forged. Consequently, my brothers and I swore the Oath of Fëanor to reclaim them, no matter the cost. We now do everything in our power to get them back. When the neighboring kingdom of Alqualonde refused to supply us with ships to aid in our mission, we slaughtered them. This was simply wrong. I and many others knew that. Never would I have imagined mercilessly killing our own. To make matters worse, Father ordered that the ships be burned after we were done with them. I refused to join in this senseless act and I am appalled by this event to this very day. I thought I understood fully the lengths we were willing to g...