Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Silmarillion, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Unity vs. Division
Fate, Doom, and Free Will
Pride and Arrogance
Greed, Jealousy, and Obsession
Inevitable Loss
Myth and Memory
Summary
Analysis
Ilúvatar creates a group of beings called the Ainur before anything else exists and teaches them each a different part of a song he created. Each one sings alone at first, only understanding their part, until Ilúvatar shows them a “mighty theme” that contains his plans for the universe. The Ainur bow, amazed.
In the beginning, there is perfect unity among the Ainur, created at the same time by different parts of the same mind. All things come from one single being: Ilúvatar, who has a plan for the fate of the world even before it’s created.
Themes
Ilúvatar commands the Ainur to harmonize their individual parts of the song to make “Great Music.” He reveals that since he gave the Ainur something called the “Flame Imperishable,” they each have the power to create variations within their individual part of the song as long as it remains in harmony with the others.
Though the Ainur are individuals with free will, they exist initially in perfect harmony with each other, as shown through their music. Each sings a slightly different part and adds their own ideas to it, but still adheres to the greater unifying theme.
Themes
The Ainur begin to sing the theme together in harmony and the music spills out of the dwellings of Ilúvatar and into the Void, filling it. The Ainur have never made music like it since, though it’s believed they’ll make even greater music—sung perfectly—at the end of days.
The elven narrator alludes to the end of the world even before the world has been created, revealing the elves’ interest in both the world’s decline and its subsequent salvation. The clarification that, one day, the Music of the Ainur will be sung correctly implies that the music being sung now is about to be marred or disrupted in some way.
Themes
The theme continues without flaws until Melkor, one of the Ainur, attempts to empower his part of the song by adding a melody that doesn’t harmonize with the greater theme. Before the beginning of the song, Melkor often went to the Void looking for the Flame Imperishable because he wanted the power to create new Beings, like Ilúvatar can. He never finds it because “it is with Ilúvatar.” In the Void, Melkor begins to think differently than the other Ainur and expresses those thoughts in the song, creating discord. Some of the Ainur stop singing, and others alter their parts to harmonize with his.
Melkor’s rebellion is driven by his greed and envy. He longs for Ilúvatar’s power of creation, not understanding that only Ilúvatar can truly create life. Melkor’s separation from his fellow Ainur is both physical and mental—he goes off on his own, and, because of it, begins to think of himself as an exceptional individual rather than an equal part of a whole. Once divided from the Ainur, he creates more division by not only changing the song but causing others to join him.
Themes
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Ilúvatar listens as the music of the Ainur grows more chaotic, then stands, smiles, and lifts his hand. In the song, a new and different theme begins and takes over. Again, Melkor’s discord contends with it, the two songs clashing until Melkor’s takes control.
As the creator of the Music, Ilúvatar is the ultimate master of the fate of the universe. Where Melkor creates discord, Ilúvatar, able to accept and incorporate the changes into his plan, restores harmony.
Themes
Ilúvatar stands again, looking stern, and raises his hand. Another theme, softer and sadder than the others, rises among the Ainur. The Ainur sing the two themes at the same time, though Melkor’s theme, vain and repetitive, grows louder, attempting to overpower Ilúvatar’s.
Now the Music itself is divided. This Music, which creates the blueprint for the creation of the world, is marred by Melkor’s arrogance and selfishness. The world that results from the Music will be similarly tainted with evil and loss.
Themes
Ilúvatar, “terrible to behold,” stands a third time and raises both hands. With a single chord, he ends the Great Music. Ilúvatar warns Melkor that he can’t play any music that isn’t ultimately part of Ilúvatar’s plan.
Melkor may attempt to take control from Ilúvatar, but he can never meaningfully subvert Ilúvatar’s will since—in some way no one but Ilúvatar understands—every act of free will exists within and contributes to the fate of the world.
Themes
Ilúvatar then leads the Ainur to the Void and shows them a vision of the World their music will become—a home for the Children of Ilúvatar (elves and men). The more the Ainur watch, the more they love the Children, and many wish to go prepare the World (called Arda) for them. Melkor pretends he wants to do the same, but actually envies them and wants to rule them.
Much of the Ainur’s knowledge about fate and the plan for the world comes from this vision. In it, the purpose of the world is revealed: it is a home for more of Ilúvatar’s creations, and the role of the Ainur is to craft it. Melkor, who previously envied Ilúvatar, now envies his beloved creations—elves and men, who are not yet even born. Though still proud and wrathful, Melkor learns to feign humility to gain access to Arda.
Themes
The Ainur contemplate different aspects of Arda as they observe it. Ulmo, a great musician, thinks of water. The noblest Ainur, Manwë, thinks of wind and air. Aulë thinks of earth. Ilúvatar explains how Melkor’s meddling hasn’t ruined Arda, but only made it more beautiful—his bitter cold makes Ulmo’s water into snow and frost, and his intense heat creates clouds and rainstorms. The vision of Arda fades before the Ainur can witness the Later Ages or the end of the world.
The Ainur, though born from parts of Ilúvatar’s mind, don’t fully understand it. Though they can’t comprehend how, Ilúvatar assures them that every act of free will contributes to the ultimate beauty and glory of Arda—even acts of rebellion. Though the Ainur see much of the fate of Arda, Ilúvatar doesn’t allow them foresight about the end of the world, which only he sees clearly.
Themes
Ilúvatar knows the Ainur want the vision to become real, so he says, “Eä! Let these things Be!” and sends the Flame Imperishable into the Void to form the heart of the World. Some of the Ainur decide to remain with Ilúvatar, and others descend to the World and bind their powers to it—these Ainur are called the Valar, “the Powers of the World.”
The Ainur are divided again, though this time it is by their own choice and Ilúvatar’s will. Those that leave Ilúvatar to descend to the world become inextricably tied to it—bound to Arda, its fate, and its people until the unknown end of the world.
Themes
When the Valar reach the world, they realize everything is still unformed. They have to craft the world they saw in the vision and planned in the Great Music. They spend “uncounted” ages constructing Arda, and Melkor meddles with everything Manwë, Aulë, and Ulmo create. Melkor attempts to declare himself the king of Arda, but Manwë leads the other Valar to oppose him, and he withdraws to other regions.
Even before the construction of the world is finished, Melkor fills Arda with loss, destruction, and evil. By rebelling in the Music of the Ainur and subverting the Valar’s efforts on Arda, Melkor begins the cycles of loss and renewal that form the world. Melkor can cause destruction but fails to create anything—he doesn’t have the power to make himself a king.
Themes
The Valar clothe themselves in physical forms—some male and some female as a reflection of their “difference of temper”—to look like the Children of Ilúvatar. When Melkor sees them walking around he becomes jealous and also takes on a “dark and terrible” physical form. Melkor again fights the Valar for control of Arda. He destroys or corrupts everything the Valar create, but Arda still slowly takes shape and becomes finished, though it looks different than the Valar intended.
The Valar have no natural physical forms, yet they have innate gender and take on bodies that reflect their spiritual selves. The Valar appear as the Children of Ilúvatar, whom they love and anticipate, while Melkor takes on a form that reflects his evil and malice. Melkor can’t completely subvert Ilúvatar’s will. He causes suffering and loss, changing the world from its initial concept, but the world is still created as Ilúvatar intended.
Themes
