Three Times the Ainur Clashed: The Meaning Behind the Clash in the first tale of the Silmarillion
Here we are now with an analysis of my favourite book
While I’ve promised to write more regularly about Zelda, and to make a concerted effort to do the same for Warcraft. I think that in some ways I’ve failed where it matters most to me, as there is no auteur who matters more to me than Tolkien.
I love Tolkien. Love his world, love his passion for his family and nation, love his characters and so I’ve decided to begin writing every two weeks essays about the Silmarillion while Dan will write about the Hobbit. This way you get plenty of Tolkien goodness (and don’t worry
we will be starting in a week or two on some Mousquetaire essays). So that aside, let’s get this started.In the Music of the Ainur, in contrast to the creation myths of other tales there is an immediate clash, one of a different sort than any other writer has striven to present to people.
Eru the One creates the Ainur from his thoughts, then behaves as their father and then he arranges them into an Orchestra and begins to conduct (I imagine that Ulmo played a mean tune on a Cello, and as I’m a ‘self-proclaimed misogynyst’ I like to think someone to shut Varda up stuck her with a flute). It happened that in the story as anyone who has read the Silmarillion can vouch for there are three clashes between those who follow Manwe and those who follow Melkor.
The three clashes I have already gone over symbolise the victories in the 3 different ages; the first two go to Melkor, then the last goes to the faction led by Manwe & Ulmo.
It is also interesting what Tolkien also does with the creative process; he knows that most of it is unconscious and therefore it seems that the Ainur created the whole of Arda in what was an unconscious act.
We do not know what part Melkor played exactly in the formation of the people, and of the world, what part Manwe played, and so on. At least not exactly. It is hinted at, with Ulmo being responsible for some of the waters (which retain the most of all things in Arda the remnants of the Music), and with steam for example a mixture of his and Melkor’s natures together.
Thus, there was some good especially where things such as Winter are concerned that Melkor did though it was not by design.
This brings us to the last issue of Melkor’s actions and schemes throughout the opening of the Silmarillion; namely he schemes to seize the ‘kingdom’ for himself. This he is warned will not be outside the considerations of Eru Iluvatar, who has foreseen this possibility, foreseen that the time would come when Melkor would misbehave and foreseen the betrayal that Melkor has in store for all.
Now many take this to mean that Iluvatar is the villain (dunno how they read this into the text), but I’ll tackle this stupid argument in spite of it being so obtuse and beneath all those capable of thought since I’m a nice guy. It is not that Iluvatar PLANNED for all the wicked things that Melkor intended to do. It’s that he foresaw it. He sees it before it’ll happen, and everything that happens within Arda has its uttermost roots in him because he is the Flame Imperishable and the Flame is at the centre of the world. This flame that Melkor once sought but could not find (a metaphor for his journey away from goodness and into evil as much as it was a physical journey in the story), is one that has its roots in the Catholic/Christian idea of the ‘Holy Spirit’ or ‘Secret Fire’ that Gandalf proclaims himself a servant of.
It should come as no surprise then that Tolkien who was a lifelong and very pious Catholic, decided that his story should reflect those ideas that are to be found within his religion. The truth is that Eru is supposed to for all intents and purposes be a mythological version of sorts of God. Therefore, since it is believed that God knows all and sees all, and that he knows what Satan will do before the idiot does it, Eru knows what the monstrous Melkor will do.
Does this mean he wishes it to happen? Of course not. God is Hope, as is Eru. So therefore he must ‘Hope’ for his eldest son, must fervently take heart that in time Melkor will return to him. He doesn’t.
Now I propose this reading of the text and the possibility that Eru also knows that the ‘tale’ he wishes to tell requires a villain, and that were he to interfere it would damage the narrative, and also damage things within Arda (see the fall of Numenor for an example of how damaging his interference can happen). Now just because he’s got a plan, doesn’t mean events can’t surprise him or that he can’t change his plans. Remember that he held out hope for Numenor yet still it chose the wrong path so that Eru resorted to destroying the island when it fell to wickedness.
Eru is the kindly ‘Allfather’ who dotes on his children, and holds out hope that Melkor will turn around. He’s not a fool for doing so, I think but rather holding out for an ideal. That said he punishes Melkor indirectly and seeks to counter his nefarious influence firmly and fearlessly, so that Melkor’s schemes cannot possibly win out.
We must also bear in mind that Melkor’s greatest enemy is not Eru but himself. He’s irrational, greedy, gluttonous and psychotic with little in the way of foresight. Therefore many of his schemes collapse in on themselves and rebound back onto him.
In contrast Ulmo is shown from the beginning to be smarter than his elder siblings Manwe and Melkor. Seeing through Melkor he takes a dislike to him, and heavily mistrusts him for this he is reprimanded by Eru. Both know Ulmo is right, yet still Eru must as a father seek to do what is right.
It is fascinating how Eru behaves very much like a parent here, rather than in the manner akin to a King. Certainly he is a ruler, but one should not discount the possible way of reading this piece of literature that Eru truly did seek to dissuade Melkor. He might even have considered it possible to do so, even though it was impossible as was later to be proven by Melkor’s misbehaviour.
When at last the Ainur descend upon Arda to become the Maiar and the Valar, Melkor would descend with his own followers and supporters. All of whom, were to become demons just as the angelic opposite faction became patrons of those races that were to populate the whole of Arda.
For further mythological aspects, let’s also refer to the references to how Brigid sung the world into being (Celtic mythology), the title of ‘Allfather’ is Nordic, as is the idea of a benevolent sea-god (Njord). As to the idea of all lesser gods being different aspects or ‘angelic’ beings who are created by one great deity is Egyptian in nature, and even somewhat Japanese in essence, heck the notion of a sun-goddess as later appears is very much a Nordic & Japanese mythological detail.
One can thus see that Tolkien not only borrowed from his own faith but also from mythologies of other eras and countries. It is this that makes him so brilliant; his ability to weave all these details and little intricacies together so well.
Everything Melkor did and meant to destroy turned into things of beauty that brought glory to Eru.
He boiled the seas, and snow formed out of that. He brought down mountains, and Eru raised them back.
That would continue all throughout the ages.
Loved it! It's very likely that Melkor represented fire in the mind of Eru and therefore sought it everywhere as the Flame Imperishable. But he sought it for himself with greedy love as Feanor would later down the road. It makes perfect sense that Eru wanted Melkor to return. Thanks!