Morgoth's Ring (62 page)

Note 2.

Arda, or 'The Kingdom of Arda' (as being directly under the kingship of Eru's vice-gerent Manwe) is not easy to translate, since neither 'earth' nor 'world' are entirely suitable. Physically Arda was what we should call the Solar System.(11) Presumably the Eldar could have had as much and as accurate information concerning this, its structure, origin, and its relation to the rest of Ea (the Universe) as they could comprehend. Probably those who were interested did acquire this knowledge. Not all the Eldar were interested in everything; most of them concentrated their attention on (or as they said 'were in love with') the Earth.

The traditions here referred to have come down from the Eldar of the First Age, through Elves who never were directly acquainted with the Valar, and through Men who received

'lore' from the Elves, but who had myths and cosmogonic legends, and astronomical guesses, of their own. There is, however, nothing in them that seriously conflicts with present human notions of the Solar System, and its size and position relative to the Universe. It must be remembered, however, that it does not necessarily follow that 'True Information' concerning Arda (such as the ancient Eldar might have received from the Valar) must agree with Men's present theories. Also, the Eldar (and the Valar) were not overwhelmed or even principally impressed by notions of size and distance. Their interest, certainly the interest of the Silmarillion and all related matter, may be termed 'dramatic'. Places or worlds were interesting or important because of what happened in them.

It is certainly the case with the Elvish traditions that the principal part of Arda was the Earth (Imbar 'The Habitation'),(12) as the scene of the Drama of the war of the Valar and the Children of Eru with Melkor: so that loosely used Arda often seems to mean the Earth: and that from this point of view the function of the Solar System was to make possible the existence of Imbar.

With regard to the relation of Arda to Ea, the assertion that the principal demiurgic Ainur (the Valar), including the originally greatest of all, Melkor, had taken up their 'residence' in Arda,(13) ever since its establishment, also implies that however minute Arda was dramatically the chief point in Ea.

These views are not mathematical or astronomical, or even biological, and so cannot be held necessarily to conflict with the theories of our physical sciences. We cannot say that there

'must' be elsewhere in Ea other solar systems 'like' Arda, still less that, if there are, they or any one of them must contain a parallel to Imbar. We cannot even say that these things are mathematically very 'likely'. But even if the presence elsewhere in Ea of biological 'life' was demonstrable, it would not invalidate the Elvish view that Arda (at least while it endures) is the dramatic centre. The demonstration that there existed elsewhere Incarnates, parallel to the Children of Eru, would of course modify the picture, though not wholly invalidate it. The Elvish answer would probably be: 'Well, that is another Tale. It is not our Tale. Eru can no doubt bring to pass more than one.

Not everything is adumbrated in the Ainulindale'; or the Ainulindale' may have a wider reference than we knew: other dramas, like in kind if different in process and result, may have gone on in Ea, or may yet go on.' But they would certainly add:

'But they are not going on now. The drama of Arda is the present concern of Ea.' Actually it is plainly the view of the Elvish tradition that the Drama of Arda is unique. We cannot at present assert that this is untrue.

The Elves were of course primarily and deeply (more deeply than Men) concerned with Arda, and Imbar in particular. They appear to have held that the physical universe, Ea, had a beginning and would have an end: that it was limited and finite in all dimensions. They certainly held that all things or 'makings', that is constructed (however simply and incipiently) from basic matter, which they called erma,(14) were impermanent, within Ea. They were therefore much concerned with 'The End of Arda'. They knew themselves to be limited by Arda; but the length of its existence they do not seem to have known. Possibly the Valar did not know. More probably, they were not informed by the will or design of Eru, who appears in the Elvish tradition to demand two things from His Children (of either Kindred): belief in Him, and proceeding from that, hope or trust in Him (called by the Eldar estel).

But in any case, whether adumbrated in the Music or not, the End could be brought about by Eru at any time by intervention, so that it could not be certainly foreseen. (A minor and as it were foreshadowing intervention of this sort was the catas-trophe in which Numenor was obliterated, and the physical residence of the Valar in Imbar was ended.) The Elvish conception of the End was in fact catastrophic. They did not think that Arda (or at any rate Imbar) would just run down into lifeless inanition. But this conception was not embodied by them in any myth or legend. See Note 7.

Note 3

In Elvish tradition their re-incarnation was a special permission granted by Eru to Manwe, when Manwe directly consulted Him at the time of the debate concerning Finwe and Miriel.(15) (Miriel

'died' in Aman by refusing to live any longer in the body, and so raised the whole question of the unnatural divorce of an Elvish fea and its hroa, and of the bereavement of Elves that still lived: Finwe, her husband, was left solitary.) The Valar, or Mandos as the mouthpiece of all commands and in many cases their executor, were given power to summon, with full authority, all houseless fear of Elves to Aman. There they were given the choice to remain houseless, or (if they wished) to be re-housed in the same form and shape as they had had.(16) Normally they must nonetheless remain in Aman.(17) Therefore, if they dwelt in Middle-earth, their bereavement of friends and kin, and the bereavement of these, was not amended. Death was not wholly healed. But as Andreth saw, this certitude concerning their immediate future after death, and the knowledge that at the least they would again if they wished be able as incarnates to do and make things and continue their experience of Arda, made death to the Elves a totally different thing from death as it appeared to Men.

They were given a choice, because Eru did not allow their free will to be taken away. Similarly the houseless fear were summoned, not brought, to Mandos. They could refuse the summons, but this would imply that they were in some way tainted, or they would not wish to refuse the authority of Mandos: refusal had grave consequences, inevitably proceeding from the rebellion against authority.

They 'normally remained in Aman'. Simply because they were, when rehoused, again in actual physical bodies, and return to Middle-earth was therefore very difficult and perilous.

Also during the period of the Exile of the Noldor the Valar had for the time being cut all communications (by physical means) between Aman and Middle-earth. The Valar could of course have arranged for the transference, if there was sufficiently grave reason. Bereavement of friends and kin was, apparently, not considered a sufficient reason. Probably under instruction of Eru. In any case, as far as the Noldor were concerned, these had, as a people, cut themselves off from mercy; they had left Aman demanding absolute freedom to be their own masters, to carry on their war against Melkor with their own unaided valour, and to face death and its consequences. The only case of a special arrangement recorded in the Histories is that of Beren and Luthien. Beren was slain soon after their marriage, and Luthien died of grief. They were both re-housed and sent back to Beleriand; but both became 'mortal' and died later according to the normal human span. The reasons for this, which must have been done by an express permission of Eru, were not fully apparent until later, but were certainly of unique weight. The grief of Luthien was so great that according to the Eldar it moved the pity of even Mandos the Unmoved. Beren and Luthien together had achieved the greatest of all the deeds against Melkor: regaining one of the Silmarils. Luthien was not of the Noldor but daughter of Thingol (of the Teleri), and her mother Melian was 'divine', a maia (one of the minor members of the spirit-race of the Valar). Thus from the union of Luthien and Beren which was made possible by their return, the infusion of a 'divine' and an Elvish strain into Mankind was to be brought about, providing a link between Mankind and the Elder World, after the establishment of the Dominion of Men.

Note 4.

Sooner or later: because the Elves believed that the fear of dead Men also went to Mandos (without choice in the matter: their free will with regard to death was taken away). There they waited until they were surrendered to Eru. The truth of this is not asserted. No living Man was allowed to go to Aman. No fea of a dead Man ever returned to life in Middle-earth. To all such statements and decrees there are always some exceptions (because of the 'freedom of Eru'). Earendil reached Aman, even in the time of the Ban; but he bore the Silmaril recovered by his ancestress Luthien,(18) and he was half-elven, he was not allowed to return to Middle-earth. Beren returned to actual life, for a short time; but he was not actually seen again by living Men.

The passing 'oversea' to Eressea (an isle within sight of Aman) was permitted to, and indeed urged upon, all Elves remaining in Middle-earth after the downfall of Morgoth in Angband. This really marked the beginning of the Dominion of Men, though there was (in our view) a long twilight period between the downfall of Morgoth and the final overthrow of Sauron: lasting, that is, through the Second and Third Ages. But at the end of the Second Age came the great Catastrophe (by an intervention of Eru that foreshadowed, as it were, the End of Arda): the annihilation of Numenor, and the 'removal' of Aman from the physical world. The passing 'oversea', therefore, of Mortals after the Catastrophe - which is recorded in The Lord of the Rings - is not quite the same thing. It was in any case a special grace. An opportunity for dying according to the original plan for the unfallen: they went to a state in which they could acquire greater knowledge and peace of mind, and being healed of all hurts both of mind and body, could at last surrender themselves: die of free will, and even of desire, in estel. A thing which Aragorn achieved without any such aid.

Note 5

They were thus capable of far greater and longer physical exertions (in pursuit of some dominant purpose of their minds) without weariness; they were not subject to diseases; they healed rapidly and completely after injuries that would have proved fatal to Men; and they could endure great physical pain for long periods. Their bodies could not, however, survive vital injuries, or violent assaults upon their structure; nor replace missing members (such as a hand hewn off). On the reverse side: the Elves could die, and did die, by their will; as for example because of great grief or bereavement, or because of the frustration of their dominant desires and purposes. This wilful death was not regarded as wicked, but it was a fault implying some defect or taint in the fea, and those who came to Mandos by this means might be refused further incarnate life.

Note 6.

Because the Valar had no information; or because information was withheld. See Note 2 [fifth paragraph].

Note 7.

See Note 2. The Elves expected the End of Arda to be catastrophic. They thought that it would be brought about by the dissolution of the structure of Imbar at least, if not of the whole system. The End of Arda is not, of course, the same thing as the end of Ea. About this they held that nothing could be known, except that Ea was ultimately finite. It is noteworthy that the Elves had no myths or legends dealing with the end of the world. The myth that appears at the end of the Silmarillion is of Numenorean origin;(19) it is clearly made by Men, though Men acquainted with Elvish tradition. All Elvish traditions are presented as 'histories', or as accounts of what once was.

We are here dealing with Elvish thought at an early period, when the Eldar were still fully 'physical' in bodily form. Much later, when the process (already glimpsed by Finrod) called

'waning' or 'fading' had become more effective, their views of the End of Arda, so far as it affected themselves, must have been modified. But there are few records of any contacts of Elvish and Human thought in such latter days. They eventually became housed, if it can be called that, not in actual visible and tangible hroar, but only in the memory of the fea of its bodily form, and its desire for it; and therefore not dependent for mere existence upon the material of Arda.(20) But they appear to have held, and indeed still to hold, that this desire for the hroa shows that their later (and present) condition is not natural to them, and they remain in estel that Eru will heal it. 'Not natural', whether it is due wholly, as they earlier thought, to the weakening of the hroa (derived from the debility introduced by Melkor into the substance of Arda upon which it must feed), or partly to the inevitable working of a dominant fea upon a material hroa through many ages. (In the latter case 'natural'