im confused

[The Lady of the Wood]

im reading the silmarillion and im on page 109 i think.i like it so far, but its really confusing.could someone help me??? understand it :confused: :)

[Sister Golden Hair]

What do you want to know? Can you be more specific about what you don't understand?

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by The Lady of the Wood
im reading the silmarillion and im on page 109 i think.i like it so far, but its really confusing.could someone help me??? understand it :confused: :)

I'll try to help!:D

[Insidious Rex]

Well I dont know how much help it would be but theres a Chronology of the Silmarillion online you can use while you are reading the book. The address is http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mithrandircq/Silmarillion-Chronology.htm but its not an in depth discussion of the work or anything. now what you really need is one or more reading buddies to bounce thoughts off as you read it. thats kind of what im doing now (im up to chapter 21). That helps more.

[The Lady of the Wood]

thanks guys, hopefully by using these tips ill be able to understand it better :)

[Blackboar]

It hurts your eyes even trying to read what it says in green!

[Agburanar]

had to read the first few chapters a couple of times before I managed to absorb enough for the rest to make sense. Once you've cracked which elves are going where it begins to get a lot easier. I found it very useful to keep a map of arda (at the particular age pbviously) handy for reference.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally posted by Agburanar
had to read the first few chapters a couple of times before I managed to absorb enough for the rest to make sense. Once you've cracked which elves are going where it begins to get a lot easier. I found it very useful to keep a map of arda (at the particular age pbviously) handy for reference.

I made the mistake of reading it while going to and from work on the subway. A bad idea because you can never really get a grasp of time line and character development and the names, god, the names become unmanigable. i had to keep going back and reading passages again: ok who was this Hurin person again? How did so and so die again? whats this strange reference to a dwarf helm again? This is definitely a book you set aside time for not one you read lightly. and its probably one you want to read a few times over a few years. and yeah taking notes is a great idea. I wish i had done that. are there crib notes somewhere?

[Aeryn Evenstar]

I'm currently on Chapter 21 and I am loving this book. It reads like a mythology book....or history book. I have my Complete Guide to Middle-Earth handy at all times and a notebook for making notes. lol. At the beginning when they are talking about all the Valar and Valier it was confusing. There is an index at the back of the book that helps also. :)

[Ruinel]

The Lady of the Wood

Hints:
a) read the Sil when there are no distractions (if possible).
b) read a "story" all the way through before putting the book down.
c) if you find the names of elves and men to be a bit confusing, start making flow charts of who is related to whom... etc.
d) on the flowchart, start putting symbols next to names that are special. Example: someone dies... put an x next to their name; someone is king... put a crown next to their name.


I really loved the Sil. I think you will also.

[Lady of Rohan]

I am sure that I will also find these tips useful. I am currently writing down all the important bits of information that I think will help me to understand the rest of the book as it gets more complicated. I am only on page 40 so it hasn't had a chance to get complicated yet, but every one has said that is so I am writing it all down. I think that I will make a flow chart with little symbols next to them as the book goes on, and I actually have something to confuse me.

Thank you for all of the tips! :D

[Ithilwin]

I'm on page 61 and fortunately I don't find it confusing.Not as confusing as the Book of Lost Tales...Reading this I understant better about the Ainur,the Valar,the Maiar,where each place was,things that were a bit hard to understand in BoLT.It's really a great book

[Blackboar]

I'm reading it for the second time now, and its alot better than the first.

I'm now on the Return of the Noldor!

[Ithilwin]

I'm still at the Flight of the Noldor.It seems that I don't have time for reading...:( Let's hope now I finished that school contest drawing I'll find all the time I want:)

[Lady of Rohan]

I am now on chapt 3. I understand the 2nd chapter very well, but there is one thing I would like to ask. What exactly are the valar? Are they gods, or what are they? If I find out later, or if it already has told me, then just say so.

[Sister Golden Hair]

It has already told you. Go back and read Valaquenta. Also, if you scroll down the main page of this forum, there is a thread that discusses what the Valar are.

[Lady of Rohan]

Oh, thank you! :o Pardon my ignorance (I just didn't want to read any threads because it might give away something that I haven't yet read). :o

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Lady of Rohan
Oh, thank you! :o Pardon my ignorance. :o You are not ignorant. The Silmarillion is a very hard book.

[Ithilwin]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
The Silmarillion is a very hard book
I wouldn't say very hard,a little maybe.But not as confusing as BoLT:rolleyes:

[Agburanar]

I find the Sil very confusing... but BoLT???

I started it and about five minutes later my head exploded... (figuratively of course). That has to be the most confusing book he wrote, though maybe because it is a collection of stories not arranged or finished by Tolkien.

[Lady of Rohan]

I just bought a book of maps, that happened during the Silmarrilion time, and I bought my own copy of The Silm. :D

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Good luck! The Silmarillion can be a tough read (I floundered terribly on my first try), but it's well-worth it!

[Shadowfax]

Originally posted by Lady of Rohan
I just bought a book of maps, that happened during the Silmarrilion time, and I bought my own copy of The Silm. :D What is the book of maps called?

[Insidious Rex]

Is that the Atlas of Middle Earth?

[Elvellyn]

I got a copy of the Sil from the library. I haven't gotten very far yet, but what I have read is facinating!
Can't wait to get my own copy though.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

My copy is from the first American printing, so :p. Of course, it IS a bit torn up... :(

[ArwenEvenstar]

i started it 4 times before i actually finished it. I fully read it for the first time when I was 11.

[Elvellyn]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
My copy is from the first American printing, so :p. Of course, it IS a bit torn up... :(

Where did you find it and how much did it cost?

[Gwaimir Windgem]

A friend gave it to me. :) As a direct result, it didn't cost a cent. ;) :D

[Sister Golden Hair]

Well, I have the first edition also:p , and I bought it new for $25.00 when it first came out in 1977. I guess I'm showing my age with that brag.:(

[Fëannel]

Yeh the Silmarillion is really hard to read at points cuz theres so many characters and there are bad Easterlings that marry good women and then good people kill them... but it's my favourite book and it's really good if you can grip the story. Just get a few of the main points straight first:
Fëanor & Sons: &#$*#(*@# ~ very mean people
Finrod ~ o so nice, and o so pretty. *Prettier than Legolas, and that's confirmed by Tolkien himself!*
Lúthien ~ prettiest of the 'Children of Ilúvatar' ever to walk the earth

You'd better have read Valaquenta and Ainulindalë, otherwise it'll NEVER make sense... the first parts of it anyway, and those are some long long first parts!

O, and, just so you know: savour 'Of Beren and Lúthien', and just get 'Of Túrin Turambar' over with as fast as u possibly can!

[Sister Golden Hair]

Finrod ~ o so nice, and o so pretty. *Prettier than Legolas, and that's confirmed by Tolkien himself!* Oh no, another Finrod admirer! Can I stand the competition?
:D

Welcome to Entmoot.:)

[Inderjit Sanghera]

Fëanor & Sons: &#$*#(*@# ~ very mean people

Oh really? I'll debate with you if you want on how 'mean' the Sons of Feanor were. As Public Enemy said 'Don't believe the hype'.

Finrod ~ o so nice, and o so pretty. *Prettier than Legolas, and that's confirmed by Tolkien himself!*

Maybe, but Ectehlion, Feanor and Finarfin we're all prettier. :D

[Sister Golden Hair]

Maybe, but Ectehlion, Feanor and Finarfin we're all prettier WRONG! :D :p

[Inderjit Sanghera]

SGH do you want quotes?

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Inderjit Sanghera
SGH do you want quotes? Nope, don't need any quotes. I already know.:p

[Inderjit Sanghera]

You REALLY am in love with you aren't you? Ah.....how sweet.

[Sister Golden Hair]

:D

[BeardofPants]

In Love? More like obsessive. *runs very fast away from the admin stick.* :p

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
WRONG! :D :p

I believe Maedhros was well shaped...like his father!:D

[Inderjit Sanghera]

Youre right-Maitimio, one of beautiful bodily form, called so by his....mother :eek: Feanor was also good with his hands ....his Jewels had quite the reputation, or so I hear. ;) Finrod eat you're heart out :p

[Artanis]

Originally posted by Inderjit Sanghera
Youre right-Maitimio, one of beautiful bodily form, called so by his....mother :eek: Hmm - If you are going to :eek: that, I would be more concerned if he was called so by his father :rolleyes: :D

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by Inderjit Sanghera
Youre right-Maitimio, one of beautiful bodily form, called so by his....mother :eek: Feanor was also good with his hands ....his Jewels had quite the reputation, or so I hear. ;) Finrod eat you're heart out :p

Dirty Noldor! :eek:

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
In Love? More like obsessive. *runs very fast away from the admin stick.* :p Not fast enough. WHAP!:p

[Fëannel]

uno, in case u didnt notice, Fëanor was one of the most vicious of elves... he made his own sons swear on his deathbed that they'd kill anyone hu withheld a Silmaril; he did make them, and I dont deny they were of great repute, but haughtiness has no connection to beauty, only self-pride.
Maedhros, I hold nothing against, he was a good guy.
Think about it: Fëanor withheld the Silmarils and allowed the Darkening of Valinor to pass because of pride.
Curufin and Celegorm were threatening to assail Doriath if Thingol didn't give Celegorm Lúthien, just because Celegorm couldn't control his lust.
Because they didn't find the Silmaril in Doriath wen Elwing took it, they decided to take Dior's other sons and leave them in the forest to starve.
All for the sake of the Oath, which by those wrongdoings and bloodsheds and others in the end was made void, even to Maedhros hu repented, as Eönwë told them.
Or maybe u just havent red Quenta Silmarillion properly -- wat do u think?:o

[Gwaimir Windgem]

You know, I'm not being sarcastic or anything, but I really like the way you spell "who" (hu). I find it far more pleasing to the eye, and, in fact, more practical than the correct spelling. :D

[Fëannel]

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
You know, I'm not being sarcastic or anything, but I really like the way you spell "who" (hu). I find it far more pleasing to the eye, and, in fact, more practical than the correct spelling. :D

aawww, tanx....
wen u say 'Poe Rox' at the end of ur name, r u referrin to Edgar Alan Poe?
just wundrin, cuz i luv him too.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

The one and only. :D

EDIT: And that "hu" thing is unusual coming from me, as I usually don't like "chat-speak" and similar things. :)

[Lanelf]

I liked Maedhros for quite a while - I can't resist the heroic thing, so hit me with an Ent stick for a fangirl - but when he started being nasty... I kinda went off him.
SGH - yet *another* Finrod lover here! *ducks Admin stick* But I'll share him! See you on the Sil-fangirl thread, hmm?
Lanelf.

[Inderjit Sanghera]

Feannel, I will post a detailed reply later on. Oh and I have read the Silmarillion properly, thank you.

[Elvellyn]

Okay, this weekend I'm going to lock myelf in a closet and finish reading the Silmarillion. Wish me luck!:D

[Linaewen]

Thanks for all the good advice in this column. Unfortunately, I'm already at 'Chapter 21: of Turin Turamba', so I can't really put these things into practise until I read it again. Which will be in a while, seeing as I am re-reading LotR again, followed by UT and HoME. It will take me ages to get back to the Silm.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds it difficult. I found I had to backtrack a lot to remember who all the characters were (Why did Feanor have to have so many sons?!), but the index at the back was very useful. Except, it also describes parts of what happened to the character, such as 'slain by ....' which I haven't read yet, so it kind of ruins it.

But it is my favourite book, so far. I think it is so difficult a text because it's a history, so the events are not very slow, like a normal book, which also has more detail and has what characters say etc, making it easier to read and comprehend.

[Lady of Rohan]

Originally posted by Shadowfax
What is the book of maps called?

Well, I ment to say it is a book of map. Its called the Map of the Beleriand.

*tries to stop reading this thread, as it is giving away every thing*

[Elvellyn]

Grr. I didn't get to finish reading this weekend. Stupid history project.:( And now, the library wants it back!:(

[Linaewen]

Originally posted by Elvellyn
Grr. I didn't get to finish reading this weekend. Stupid history project.:( And now, the library wants it back!:(

Buy your own copy. You can take as long as you like to read it (in my case, it's weeks). The downside to this is that every time anyting happens to my copy I have a minor heart attack (just ask my mother). :p

[Maedhros]

Originally posted by Linaewen
Thanks for all the good advice in this column. Unfortunately, I'm already at 'Chapter 21: of Turin Turamba', so I can't really put these things into practise until I read it again. Which will be in a while, seeing as I am re-reading LotR again, followed by UT and HoME. It will take me ages to get back to the Silm.
Hmmmm. Interesting name Linaewen. Very interesting indeed.
From the Published Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms
and there was a great mere in the midst of Nevrast, with no certain shores, being encircled by wide marshes. Linaewen was the name of that mere, because of the multitude of birds that dwelt there, of such as love tall reeds and shallow pools.
I remember seeing someone who had that name in another forum, could that be you? You can tell who I am by my avatar.

[Linaewen]

Hmmmm. Interesting name Linaewen. Very interesting indeed

Ah, well. I was looking through the index and I fell in love with the name. It's beautiful, starts with an L and was thought up by Tolkien. Perfect!
I know what means. So I'm named after a lake of birds. That's how I imagine myself. I am a lake, I have tall reeds, birds love me. :D Plus, other Tolkien characters have been named after trees etc

I remember seeing someone who had that name in another forum, could that be you? You can tell who I am by my avatar.
No, I only live at Entmoot. I spend so much time here (whenever I can- i've been swamped with work lately) that I don't really have much time to go to other forums. The only other forums I've been to were linked from ppl's sigs here anyway.