Happy Tolkien Day!
Letter 131 cont'd!
"So, proceeding, the Elves have a fall, before their 'history' can become storial . (The first fall of Man, for reasons explained, nowhere appears-- Men do not come on the stage until all that is long past, and there is only a rumor that for a while they fell under rthe domination of the Enemy and that some repented.) The main body of the tale, the Silmarillion proper, is about the fall of the most gifted kindred of the Elves, their exile form Vailnor (a kind of Paradise, the home of the Gods) in the furthest West, their re-entry into Middle-earth, the land of their birth but long under the rule of the ENemy, and their strife with him, the power of Evil still visibly incarnate. It receives its name because of the vents are all threaded upon the fate and the significance of the Silmarilli (radiance of pure light ) or Primeval Jewels. By the making of gems the sub-creative function of the Elves is chiefly symbolized, but the Silmarilli were more than just beautiful things as such. There was Light. There was the Light of Valinor made visible in the Two Trees of Silver and Gold. These were slain by the Enemy out of malice, and Valinor was darkened, though from them, ere they died utterly, were derived the lights of Sun and Moon. (A marked difference here between these legends and most others is that the Sun is not a divine symbol, but a second-best thing, and the 'light of the Sun' (the world under the sun) become terms for the fallen world, and a dislocated imperfect vision."
My thoughts within:
It is interesting to me how Tolkien viewed the Silmarils and also the fall of the Elves in the First Age regarding the Silmarils. I do not fault the elves in their entirety because they were against a power too fell and too powerful in Melkor. It was not till the end of First Age did the Valar actually helped the Elves take down Melkor and i think that was too little too late and that was at the expense of all those kingdoms in Beleriand having been defeated. It really was a tragic First Age. Yes, the First Age Elves made mistakes and i think Tolkien wrote to show what happens when you take an oath that is over your head (for the seven sons of Feanor). I do feel bad for most Elves and i'm glad though for the most hopeful story out of First Age- Beren and Luthien they won against Melkor at least once.
Turin, Thingol, Beleg and others sadly do not and depart this world after a short battle with the almighty Melkor.
First Age woes...