Four long expected parties

J.R.R. Tolkien decided to begin writing a follow-up to his highly successful Hobbit. This would prove to be a daunting undertaking. With his thoughts consumed by the Silmarillion tales he sought to connect hobbits to that world. It became evident quickly to Tolkien that Bilbo's mysterious magic ring would provide the connection; but how was another question. As Christopher Tolkien noted the most laborious part of the writing of The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) was the beginning. How do you connect this isolated children's story to a sprawling epic mythology that has been brewing in the mind for over 20 years? And this isn't speaking of other challenges to the writing process: namely a full-time professorship and a full-scale world war.

Case in point the adeptly titled first chapter of (LOTR) "A long expected party" which is a clever rift on the first chapter of The Hobbit "An unexpected party". Tolkien wrote this chapter four times. I've never attempted the writing of book; I would think starts and stops are not infrequent. I do not envy Tolkien's process void of Microsoft Word and the Internet. So each time he rewrote the opening chapter it was either a jumbled manuscript full of editorial marks or a complete rewriting. The painstaking time involved.

In general the first germs of LOTR felt very Hobbity. A narrator was still present, perhaps not as frequent as The Hobbit, and it still feels a bit playful. I will comment on a few highlights from the four versions of a long-expected party. Version one:

• The first version references Bilbo's disappearance some 20 years ago to which Bilbo never fully explained but "...he wrote a nonsensical account" (p. 13, The Return of the Shadow). That adequately addresses The Hobbit as existing and perhaps of a slightly different style than that which this new account would take shape. 
• The special occasion of the party is Bilbo's 70th birthday and 20 year anniversary of his return.
• Bilbo's last statement (which he wasn't sure why he said) before disappearing: "I am going to get married" (p. 14, The Return of the Shadow).
• "That's that. It merely serves to explain that Bilbo Baggins got married and had many children, because I am going to tell you a story about one of his descendants, and if you had only read his memoirs up to the date of Balin's visit -- ten years at least before his birthday party -- you might have been puzzled" (p. 15, The Return of the Shadow). 
• The next day Bag End was open with an ENTER sign; everything in the house was bequeathed to admirable hobbits; often with a bite to the gift: "'For Gorboduc Grubb with best wishes B. Baggins'-on a gold fountain pen; he never answered letters" (p. 15 The Return of the Shadow).
• It is revealed that Bilbo had completely spent everything from his share of the Lonely Mountain profits (albeit a pretty penny was spent on the large penny).
• And the chapter ends a bit mysteriously noting that Bilbo's younger friends missed him; "But he had not said good-bye to all of them - O no. That is easily explained" (p. 17, The Return of the Shadow). Many elements from version one survived all the way through while many others did not. 

Version Two:

• It is now Bilbo's 71st birthday. 
• More details on the party preparation including strange folks who brought many supplies: Elves, Dwarves and Men. The latter of who led to a rather disagreeable situation: "All the beer at the inn vanished as if down a drain when they came downhill again" (p. 20, The Return of the Shadow).
• A reference to hobbit children as hobbit-fry; I rather like that name. 
• Gandalf and his amazing fireworks show up in this version--several of the firework names tie into the Hobbit: dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, and goblin-barkers. His display is quite grand and of course his dragon themes finalé startled the party-goers.
• The extra special 144 guests are mentioned for the first time. 

Version Three:

• Picks up with Bingo, son of Bilbo preparing for his 72nd birthday. 
• I love this line: "It is no good telling hobbits about dragons: they either disbelieve you, or feel uncomfortable; and in either case tend to avoid you afterwards" (p. 29, The Return of the Shadow).
• Bilbo was married at 71 and disappeared at 111. Bingo was a mere 39 when his father left; and odd to all around, never went into mourning regarding his parents disappearance. 
• Bingo never married and had lived in Bag-end for some 33 year on his own (we start to see the familiar numbers of 111 and 33 come through). 
• Much of the rest of the story follows version two closely; although Bingo remarks he is half the man of his father (not coincidental it was his 72 birthday and Bilbo's 144th).
• The ring now becomes Bilbo's parting gift to his son.
• In this version Bingo is present for the "gifts" he left in Bag-end. He was able to hear the commotion as hobbits found their parting gifts as he sat invisibly in a cupboard. 
• This version ends with Bingo locking Bag-end (and leaving the key) and trotting off so as to not keep some folks waiting too long. 

Version four:

• One key change Bingo Baggins now becomes Bingo-Bolger Baggins nephew of Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo's marriage was short-lived indeed not surviving after version three of a long-expected party. 
• Bilbo was 99 when he adopted Bingo (27) and named him heir of Bag-end (sorry Sackville-Bagginses).
• Bilbo disappeared shortly before his 111th birthday and Bingo, carrying the strange ways of his uncle, continued to celebrate Bilbo's birthday (which is now the same day has his own).
• Much of the rest of version four is found in the previous three with some minor adjustments here and there.

The Return of the Shadow

The 6th volume from The History of Middle-earth series is The Return of the Shadow. It marks the first of the next four books which focus on J.R.R. Tolkien's writing of The Lord of the Rings. A beautiful piece of literature but not what Tolkien or his publishers would have ever imagined as the sequel to The Hobbit. Starting with Return these next four books will mark the ups and downs, starts and stops, and surprising findings Tolkien discovered along the way. In some ways Tolkien is very much like the main protagonist, Frodo Baggins, carrying a heavy burden in what many days must have seemed like an impossible task. And like Frodo Tolkien saw his task to completion.

Tolkien in one of his numerous letters has this to say: "...I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombidal I knew already; but I had never been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner at the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than Frodo. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlórien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there. Far away I knew there were the Horse-lords on the confines of an ancient Kingdom of Men, but Fangorn Forest was an unforeseen adventure. I had never heard of the House of Eorl nor the Stewards of Gondor. Most disquieting of all, Saruman had never been revealed to me, and I was as mystified as Frodo at Gandalf's failure to appear on September 22." (p. 216-217, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien).

The History commentaries put together by Christopher Tolkien obviously focuses on his fathers creation of Middle-earth. A key aspect is trying, as much as possible, to arrange these writings as they were written chronologically. From the earliest Lost Tales written around 1915-1916 through the last writings in the early 1970's. However, there is one rather large omission: the history of the the writing of the hobbit. I cannot recall a reason given as to why Christopher Tolkien did not address this. Perhaps because, when originally written, it was peripherally related to the Middle-earth mythology. However, with the blessing and help of Christopher Tolkien the hobbit history received it's own two volume series by John Rateliff. At some point I'd like to cover that as well.

[Correction] if I had read a bit farther in the introduction of Return of the Shadow my questioned would have been answered--or maybe I did recall but didn't give myself credit. Chrisopher Tolkien expressed his rationale for not covering The Hobbit: it was indeed because it was not, originally, meant to be anything other than a stand alone children's story. As his father wrote in one of his letters (I stumbled on this last night too): Mr. Bilbo Baggins was dragged into my mythology against my will (slightly paraphrased).

The "Last" Silmarillion

The last, large, section of The Lost Road covers the Quenta Silmarillion. I will only give some brief overview as I have already detailed the early Quenta earlier this year and of course in much detail during the year 2013. Christopher Tolkien can definitively identify the timeline of his father's manuscripts based on some rather uncharacteristic dates applied by his father. Tolkien had written Stanley Unwin in December, 1937 after receiving back the Quenta manuscript he had offered up for publishing consideration. On some scrap notes dated in November 1937 Tolkien jotted down changes that needed to be made in regards to the Quenta when it returned. His mind was clearly on his ancient mythological world.

However, what Unwin really wanted was a sequel to Tolkien's successful Hobbit story. Written as a children's story and not meant to be connected to the world of the Quenta it ended up being so with some rather arbitrary names used, Elrond and Gondolin for example, when Tolkien needed more names. As fate would have Tolkien wrote Unwin again, three days after receiving back his Quenta manuscript, stating he had taken a shot at writing the first chapter of the Hobbit piece. One other scrap note dated February, 1938 laid out a Elvish name change.

All in all Christopher Tolkien writes: "I conclude therefore that it was precisely at this crucial time (December 1937 - January 1938) that my father - entirely characteristically - turned back again to the beginning of the Quenta Silmarillion, revising the opening chapters and starting a new text in typescript ('Eldanyáre'). This soon petered out; and from that time the 'Silmarillion' narrative remained unchanged for some thirteen years" (p. 200, The Lost Road). Indeed, most of Tolkien's work on the Quenta in later years focused on bringing his earliest writings congruence with The Lord of the Rings. Hence my title for this post: the 'last' Silmarillion.

It's a bittersweet situation. Of all Tolkien's works the stories of The Silmarillion most captivate me. I wish he was able to fully flesh out these ideas and stories. But Tolkien was distracted (I'm not sure if that is a fair word) by the massive undertaking that became Rings. And but for that highly successful endeavor would I have even known this English philologist and discovered Silmarillion?

One final note: the title page of Tolkien's Quenta, similar to the Lhammas, is attributed to Pengolod of Gondolin and translated into English by Aelfwine.

The Lhammas

The next section of The Lost Road is the account of tongues or The Lhammas. I'm sure this was a delight for Professor Tolkien to think about being a philologist. He gave a couple of title pages and both attributed Lhammas to Pengolod of Gondolin. It was in turn taken from Tol Eressëa by Aelfwine to the realms of Men. Tolkien created a couple of versions of The Tree of Tongues which looks like a rather complicated family tree. But the Lhammas and the Tree trace languages from Valarin through the differing forms of Elvish by the end of the First Age. Dissensions among elves, the tarrying of the Teleri and many other factors contributed to the very similar yet very unique tongues of Elves both in Valinor and for those who never came and resided in the Hither Lands. The Lhammas contains eleven sections and even touches upon the languages of Men and Dwarves.

Ainulindalë

During the mid 1930's Tolkien rewrote his account of Middle-earth's creation. It is very similar to his Lost Tales account and his later Silmarillion account. If I were to compare the three texts simultaneously I'm sure I'd be able to see the beginning germ, the evolution of details/wording, and the necessary changes due to his writing of The Lord of the Rings. In this intermediary version the story is attributed to Rúmil of Tún who was a Lost Tales character. I will point a few quotes that stood out to me for:

• There was Ilúvatar, the All-father, and he made first the Ainur, the holy ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before Time" (p. 156, The Lost Road). The term All-father really appeals to me for some reason and this beginning line is beautiful to me. 
• "...for Ilúvatar made the Elves most like in nature to the Ainur, though less in might and stature; but to Men he gave strange gifts" (p. 161, The Lost Road). Free will and death--strange gifts indeed for all the hurt and pain they caused in Middle-earth. They continue to cause much hurt and pain in our world too. 
• "But they added much to his teaching and delight much in tongues and alphabets and in the figures of broidery, of drawing and carving. For art was the especial gift of the Children of Ilúvatar" (p. 162, The Lost Road). This is in reference to the Elves; and gives great insight into their culture. 
• "But Varda was the Queen of the Valar, and was the spouse of Manwë; and she wrought the stars, and her beauty is high and aweful, and she is named in reverence" (p. 162, The Lost Road). An amazing description of Varda.
• "Behold the raiment of Manwë is blue, and blue is the fire of his eyes, and his sceptre is of sapphire; and he is king in this world of Gods, and Elves, and Men, and the chief defence against Melko" (p. 163, The Lost Road). An equally amazing description of Manwë.
• "...Men should seek beyond the world and find no rest therein; but they should have a virtue to fashion their life, amid the powers and chances of the world..." (p, 163, The Lost Road). An interesting view of Men and I think true of this Earth as well as Tolkien's creation. We find moments of joy and contentment in life but do we find true rest and satisfaction in this world? I long for something more; I think most of us do. It doesn't feel like 75-80 short years is enough. And yet we have a free will that we can bend to grab all we can in this world before the end or seek faith and service beyond ourselves for the good of others. 

The Later Annals

The next 50 or so pages of The Lost Road from The History of Middle-earth series (not to be confused with the abandoned Lost Road time travel story I've looked at in the last couple of posts) cover the later Annals of Valinor and Beleriand. Once again J.R.R. Tolkien sought to lay out a possible chronology for his quickly expanding mythology. While this chronology was never fully completed it helped his son, Christopher, greatly in the arranging of The Silmarillion for publication. And of course, it is great helpful for a chronological junkie as myself. As with the earlier annals I will not be going over year by year; rather I encourage you to look it through if you have the opportunity.

Historical-Mythological-Legendary writings

After the Lost Road Christopher Tolkien discussed a few scattered notes that may or may not have been where his father sought to take the story next (one that sticks out to me is his father's note to save the Númenor chapters until the end). And it seems there was a thought to connect the Lost Road to The Lost Tales via Aelfwine.

In any case Christopher Tolkien's commentaries walk us through various historical, mythological, and legendary histories that inspired his father: in general and for Lost Road in particular. One figure was King Sheave who was later used in another abandoned story The Notion Club Papers and appeared to be slated to connect to the Lost Road. A poem about King Sheave by Tolkien is given along with the roots of this mysterious character:

• Of Northern Germanic legend
• 3 primary sources: two historians (circa 1000 AD and 1143 AD) and the poem Beowulf
• All sources are similar: a young boy arrives to an island by boat (accompanied by some corn; hence the name Sheaf), he is taken in by the people, later he becomes a ruler or king among/of the people

And much commentary follows. 

Next a series of poems is given (The Nameless Land, The Song of Aelfwine I and II). The poem ends up being a tribute to the star of Eärendil as can be seen in the last stanza:

O Shore beyond the Shadowy Sea!

O Land where still the Edhil are!

O Haven where my heart would be!

The waves still beat upon thy bar,

The white birds wheel; there flowers the Tree!

Again I glimpse them long afar

When rising West I see

Beyond the world the wayward Star, 

Than beacons bright in Gondobar

More fair and keen, more clear and high.

O Star that shadows may not mar, 

Nor ever darkness doom to die.

Indeed, it's fun to see how many of Tolkien's other writings wound there way back to Middle-earth. His personal historical-mythological legend. 

The Lost Road

I finished up Tolkien's four chapters of his aborted time travel story: The Lost Road. It's clear what he really wanted to write about was his Middle-earth mythology. It was all over the place in these short writings. It was also very interesting to see Tolkien's interests play into the characters: philology, ancient history, etc. The premise of Lost Road was as follows: sets of father/son duo's that (in a sense) reappeared through history into pre-history and the fall of Atlantis/Númenór.

It begins with Alboin Errol and his father Oswin. Alboin, the main character was as Christopher Tolkien notes: "...closely modelled on my father's own life..." (p. 53, The Lost Road). An interesting conversation is had between father and son where Alboin asks about the origin of his name. His father begins telling him some of the great Lombardic legends: of Audoin and his son Alboin and their wars with the Gepids. Alboin's defeat of the Gepids twice over and his murder by the machinations of his Queen Rosamunda who was the daughter of the Cunimund, Gepid king slain by Alboin. It is said that Alboin gave Rosamunda wine to drink from a cup fashioned from the skull of Cunimund. Paul the Deacon (died circa 790 AD) said: "'I declare that I speak the truth in Christ: I have seen [Radgil] the prince hold this very cup in his hand on a feast day and showing it to those who sat at the table with him'" (p. 54, The Lost Road). It is clear to me I need to read more ancient history.

Alboin told his father that he had Dreams and in them words came to him. First it was Eresseän  (Elf-latin) and then Beleriandic (Alboin called it), and later Old English, and Númenórean. His father was concerned this preoccupation would interrupt the boy's studies. As he grew he would still discuss these things with his father and a common message was beginning to emerge: "a straight road lay westward, now it is bent" (p. 43, The Lost Road). But life moved on, his father passed, and Alboin had a 16 year old son he named Audoin (reversing the Lombard line).

One night, bereft of sleep, more words came to Alboin. Mulling over the new words he peered out his window and saw huge clouds forming and to his great surprise uttered: "'They look like the eagles of the Lord of the West over Númenor" (p. 47, The Lost Road). See what I mean--Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology is all over this story. Alboin wished audibly for a time machine to go back. Finally he fell asleep but found himself in a mysterious dream being addressed by Elendil of Númenor (who reminded Alboin of his father). The mysterious messenger offered Alboin the chance to "go back".

There is a rather philosophical discussion on the ability to go back but in the end the following conditions were given: Alboin's road and halts were predestined and he would not travel alone: Audoin was to travel with him. The choice was Alboin's. But, Audoin could not be protected from the consequences of that choice.

The next day Alboin did not know how to bring this up to Audoin though the son opened the door for such conversation. Alas, the two departed for the day. That evening Alboin drifted off to sleep again and met the messenger having decided to go back with his son. Audoin came home finding his father asleep but roused enough to say goodnight and address him as Herendil. The son was used to strange words slipping from his fathers tongue and did not think much of it. "And he went out, and stepped into sudden darkness" (p. 53, The Lost Road). Tolkien had a natural talent for writing suspense. I found myself longing for more in this read.

Chapters three and four find us in Númenor with a father and son: Elendil and Herendil (presumedly Alboin and Audoin gone back). The father was strolling his garden looking for his son. Their discussion was tense when they met. They were talking of Sauron and his coming to Númenor and his growing power. The father clearly displeased to the dismay of the son. "Thou are mad,' said his son, turning at last upon his side and facing Elendil, with dread and fear in his eyes. 'Do not say such thing to me! They might, they might...'" (p. 61, The Lost Road).

The father took the son inside to being a candid discussion on his assessment of Númenor's dire situation. The deception of Sauron, the pride of the King, of the One and the Lords of the World (the Valar). Elendil ended with: "...if I must choose between Sauron and Manwë, then all else must come after. I will not bow unto Sauron, nor his master" (p. 69, The Lost Road). Herendil noted his father talked as if he were a leader in a rebellion. To his dismay his father said it was such and gave his son a choice: to stay and here more of his plans or to leave and do as he saw fit--even report his father to Sauron's followers.

"'I stay, father'" (p. 70, The Lost Road). And thus the time travel story was abandoned. An entertaining and tense read. But clearly Tolkien was itching for ways to flesh out his Fall of Númenor sketches we looked at last post. As far as my dream to connect the various bits of Tolkiens notes and writings into one continuous chronological whole there is much in chapters three and four of this story that could be caused to fit. That shall be a fun challenge should the day ever arrive.

The Fall of Númenor

Christopher Tolkien begins The Lost Road with his father's first outline of the Fall of Númenor and his subsequent sketches of the story. Once again it's rather amazing to see the bones of the story pretty well intact at first outline with various supporting details would consist of the later edits. I don't know if Tolkien spent a great deal of time thinking through his mythology, destroyed his earliest notes that we cannot see, or was just remarkably resolute at first writing. The earliest outline has some of the following details:

• Men are given a land in the Western Sea
• Old name was Númar; named Atalantë (The Falling) after. Notice the resemblance to Atlantis (which disappeared or fell into the sea?)
• The people were great mariners
• The Ban on sailing West by the Valar was in effect (they could go as far as Tol Eressëa
• They became long lived due to the radiance of Valinor; but weren't satisfied
• Thû comes and turns hearts away from the Valar
• The Númenóreans rebel 
• Atalantë is destroyed; the World was made round; a remnant of the Númenóreans survived in Middle-earth ever longing for the Straight Path to the West

From this first outline Christopher Tolkien gives a couple of sketches of the story with great detail: some additions; some changes, but the main ideas stated above remain closely intact. 

• Added detail: the Faithful Men who sided with the Valar against Morgoth are rewarded their own land
• The land become Númenor; the chief city Númar (or Númenos)
• Thû "...came in the likeness of a great bird to Númenor and preached a message of deliverance, and he prophesied the second coming of Morgoth" (p. 15, The Lost Road). Interesting that Thú seeks out Númenor in the early versions. 
• Angor and Istar, King and Queen of Númenor fell under Thú's sway
• Angor raises an armada and invades Valinor. This line seemed new to me: "And they passed Tol-eressëa, and it is said that the Elves mourned and grew sick, for the light of Valinor was cut off by the cloud of the Númenóreans" (p. 15, The Lost Road). This gives a powerful picture of the massive amount of ships. I don't remember this line from the published version. 
• Valinor is rent from the earth (by decree of Ilúvatar) and the armada destroyed and Númenor was cast down.
• Interestingly the remnant that survived were on the East side of the island partly by the will of Angor and partly by their own will (they were faithful to the Valar still)--first hints of the King's Men verses the Faithful I think.
• Much more detail in regards to the remnant of Númenóreans: how they sought to build ships to sail the Straight Path high above. "But they achieved only ships that would sail in the air of breath" (p. 17, The Lost Road). This is a curious statement to me; it's clear Tolkien is not talking about ships sailing the sea (at least from what I can discern from contextual clues) but no more info is give. Are these planes of some sort? This type of elusive detail was dropped out of the Silmarillion version of the story. 
• Lastly the first glimpse of the Last Alliance is seen in this sketch. How Amroth and Elrond, Men and Elves assailed Thû. Amroth was killed but Thê forced to flee into a dark forest (again a connection to Mirkwood and The Hobbit's Necromancer). This was the last deed of alliance between Elves and Men. "And here the tale of the ancient world, as the Elves keep it, comes to an end" (p. 18, The Lost Road). Obviously that line had to be struck out after completion of The Lord of the Rings.

A second version, early abandoned, of the Fall of Númenor was begun by Tolkien. Here are a few final points of interest:

• Thû has now become Sauron
• Rumor of Sauron's greatness in Middle-earth reached ears of the King of Númenór (now Tar-kalion)
• It is said that Sauron could not enter Númenor unless summoned and in his pride Tar-kalion sent for Sauron that the king of Middle-earth would give the King of Númenór homage
• Sauron "...being cunning and filled with malice he plotted in his heart to destroy Númenór... (p. 26, The Lost Road).

Of the Fifth Book of The History of Middle-earth

Up next is book number five of the History of Middle-earth series: The Lost Road. Aptly titled since a major section of the book deals with J.R.R. Tolkien's futile attempt at a time travel story called: The Lost Road. He and C.S. Lewis had decided they each would take a stab at writing a time travel bit (Tolkien) and a space story (what became C.S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet trilogy).

Interestingly Tolkien's idea was for a reoccurring father and son duo throughout history (think Dúrin of the Line of Dúrin) and ending with the mythological fall of Atlantis. This particular myth seemed to fascinate Tolkien. That was the story Tolkien really wanted to write (rather than a time travel story) and it always wound it's way back to his main mythology of Middle-earth.

Thus the Fall of Númenor was born out of the time travel attempt; or rather it had pre-existed in Tolkien's mind and The Lost Road allowed for it to come out. I'm looking forward to seeing what other good bits I'll find in The Lost Road.