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
In past ages, Morgoth raises the Iron Mountains to guard his citadel Utumno, then builds another fortress called Angband, with a tunnel connecting them. He piles the slag from the tunnel on top of Angband to form the towers of Thangorodrim, which produce smoke and pollution.
As the Valar use mountains to defend themselves, so does Morgoth close himself in from the rest of Beleriand. He, however, pollutes and destroys the land surrounding his fortress.
Themes
West of Thangorodrim is the Land of Mist, called Hithlum, ruled by Fingolfin and Fingon. It’s separated from the rest of Beleriand by the Mountains of Shadow. Most of Fingolfin’s Noldor live there in Mithrim. Fingon has control of the southwest, called Dor-lómin. Turgon rules Nevrast, west of Dor-lómin. Angrod and Aegnor rule a piece of highland as vassals of Finrod, the lord of Nargothrond and the valley of the River Sirion. There, on an island in the river, Finrod builds a watchtower called Minas Tirith. He rules over all the elves of West Beleriand who live between the river and the sea, except in Falas where Círdan rules. Finrod’s land is the biggest, though he’s the youngest of the Noldor’s great lords. Still, Fingolfin is the leader of all the Noldor, succeeded by Fingon.
Rather than all gathering in one region of Beleriand, the Noldor spread around and form discrete cities and settlements. It means they control much of the land, making it more difficult for Morgoth to invade, but it also means that they’re easily isolated—by suspicion, by distance, and by Morgoth’s forces. Still, these realms, each governed by a different king, are united under the leadership of Fingolfin, the High King of the Noldor.
Themes
In East Beleriand, Thingol and Melian rule over Doriath, and the offspring of Ungoliant lurk in the Mountains of Terror. South of Doriath are the Twilight Meres and the Falls of Sirion. Near the valley of the river Gelion is the hill where Denethor died. East of the highlands of Dorthonion, ruled by Angrod and Aegnor, are the plains where the sons of Fëanor live. The area is open to attack, with few hills to guard it. Maedhros’s citadel is on the Hill of Himring, and Celegorm and Curufin fortify the Pass of Aglon between Himring and Dorthonion. Maglor rules the land between two branches of the river Gelion, and the Noldor’s cavalry fortifies that area and the nearby mountains. The cavalry is mainly composed of the people of Caranthir, who control the land east of the river Gelion, called Thargelion. None of the Noldor cross the Blue Mountains east of the Gelion.
Though the Noldor firmly establish their presence in Beleriand by spreading themselves around and establishing cities and kingdoms, Beleriand isn’t completely safe. The elves still face the threat of attack—depending on their location and defenses—from Morgoth and from the dark creatures that live in the Mountains of Terror. Ultimately Fëanor’s speech to the Noldor before they departed Valinor was true—in Middle-earth, there is an opportunity for many of the Noldor to become kings and rule their own lands.
Themes
