Beren and Luthien

English language

Published May 16, 2017

ISBN:
978-0-00-821419-7
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4 stars (1 review)

The tale of Beren and Lúthien was, or became, an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion, the myths and legends of the First Age of the World conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien. Returning from France and the battle of the Somme at the end of 1916, he wrote the tale in the following year.

Essential to the story, and never changed, is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Lúthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal elf. Her father, a great elvish lord, in deep opposition to Beren, imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. This is the kernel of the legend; and it leads to the supremely heroic attempt of Beren and Lúthien together to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, called Morgoth, the Black Enemy, of a Silmaril.

In this …

3 editions

On the evolution of the various tales that would eventually become about Beren and Lúthien

4 stars

A fascinating look at the various ways the story of Beren and Lúthien would appear as conceived and written by Tolkien before it is set down in the form as appears in The Silmarillion. Some familiarity with the final story and events that take part in the First Age of Middle Earth would help the reader to appreciate this book. While it is mostly a stand-alone tale, it takes part in a larger world and involves events and characters briefly mentioned here that would help to establish the context that the tale takes place.

The first version of the tale presented here is in the form of the story, "The Tale of Tinúviel" which shows the early roots of the story which is told as a 'fairy' tale to a visiting Elf. In this version, Beren is still an elf (a 'Gnome' in Tolkien's language), Tinúviel's power came from dancing …