Alright, I posted this just to get this section rolling or such, I was wondering exactly how large or small were the Silmarills? Tolkien never really goes into size for description in The Silmarillion, so I have always pictured them at some points to be the size of baseballs, and at other times to be the size of golfballs or smaller...anyone have any ideas?
:blink:
Oh yeah, the topic description wasn't serious, I do know what they are...^_^
Full Version: The Silmarills
Well,
They had to be small enough to be thrown, or grasped in a single hand. Morgoth wore them in his iron crown, but you must remeber he's pretty big. I wouldn't think they were round, either. Probably cut with alot of facets.
And that's about all I can remeber..
They had to be small enough to be thrown, or grasped in a single hand. Morgoth wore them in his iron crown, but you must remeber he's pretty big. I wouldn't think they were round, either. Probably cut with alot of facets.
And that's about all I can remeber..
Yeah, that's what I thought. Also, I was wondering, if Tolkien had lived longer, would he have continued the Middle-Earth Universe and it's stories? I heard that he meant to write more, but old age got to him and he couldn't.
Who can say? I'd like to think he would have. I wish there were more stories about the second age, myself. Arnor, Angmar, the splitting of the kingdom, etc.
Yeah, you can always read 'Unfinished Tales' but it leaves you wanting more, especially the 'Aldarion and Erendis' story, that was an awsome and most excellent story if ever there was one.
Though, I enjoyed the explanation of the Palantiri and the Istari as well, that was very interesting.
Though, I enjoyed the explanation of the Palantiri and the Istari as well, that was very interesting.
what are silmarills? throwing magic weapons?
In a nutshell, they were three gems made from the original light of the two trees of Valinor, Telperion, and Laurelin.
Almost the whole of the Silmarillion is about those jewels.
Almost the whole of the Silmarillion is about those jewels.
is Silmarillion a good book? its all kinda before my time...i'm 20 
but my parents are into Tolkien stuff and my mom said she started Silmarillion and got bored...it didn't hold her in like LOTR's or the Hobbit. (my mom used to read me the hobbit as a kid...awwwwww 
)
but my parents are into Tolkien stuff and my mom said she started Silmarillion and got bored...it didn't hold her in like LOTR's or the Hobbit. (my mom used to read me the hobbit as a kid...awwwwww )
I think it's a great book.
'Course I'm a huge Tolkien nerd, and therfore abit biased, but you should look into reading it. You'd be surprised how many more references and what not in the LOTR trilogy will make sense.
'Course I'm a huge Tolkien nerd, and therfore abit biased, but you should look into reading it. You'd be surprised how many more references and what not in the LOTR trilogy will make sense.
On the Silmarillion -
It's not really a beginning to end adventure that is as cohesive as the LotR or the Hobbit. Imagine it as the Tolkien version of the Greek Myths combined with a history of Ancient Greece - complete with heroes, heroic deeds, things that border on deities, all explaining a history and the reasons why things are they are in the present (or at least the time of the third age).
I have read it several times, and that is my impression of it. I am sure that others who read it will have their own. Many people cannot get into it, as they expect it to be like the LotR or The Hobbit.
I feel that if Tolkien had continued writing, it would have been second age stuff - who knows - he might have been the predecessor to Lucas and his Star War prequels....
By the way - DMKW - my six year old daughter listens to me and the tapes of the LotR to go to sleep at night, and her first two books that she's reading that are "big people books" are A Wrinkle in Time and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
It's not really a beginning to end adventure that is as cohesive as the LotR or the Hobbit. Imagine it as the Tolkien version of the Greek Myths combined with a history of Ancient Greece - complete with heroes, heroic deeds, things that border on deities, all explaining a history and the reasons why things are they are in the present (or at least the time of the third age).
I have read it several times, and that is my impression of it. I am sure that others who read it will have their own. Many people cannot get into it, as they expect it to be like the LotR or The Hobbit.
I feel that if Tolkien had continued writing, it would have been second age stuff - who knows - he might have been the predecessor to Lucas and his Star War prequels....
By the way - DMKW - my six year old daughter listens to me and the tapes of the LotR to go to sleep at night, and her first two books that she's reading that are "big people books" are A Wrinkle in Time and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
i used to love the narnia books as a kid 
To get back on topic a bit, i'm reading the Silmarillion at the moment, and i can roughly quote a pice that might help.
I realise this is probably not the exact words, but i don't have my copy on me. But the point is that they could fit into his palm, which makes sense with what TheDeadTree said. But they were also made by Feanor, who was an Elf (obviously) and despite being tall for his species was still only 6' 6" or so. And towards the end of the book the Elf mariner (name begins with an E, Erandin, or something like that) sails with the last remaining Silmaril mounting in on his brow, which is pretty conclusive that it was small enough for that.
There, i've made my argument. Who's going to prove me wrong, eh?
QUOTE
But Morgoth refused to give up the jewels; even as they burned into his palm and his hand burned with pain, he held onto them.
I realise this is probably not the exact words, but i don't have my copy on me. But the point is that they could fit into his palm, which makes sense with what TheDeadTree said. But they were also made by Feanor, who was an Elf (obviously) and despite being tall for his species was still only 6' 6" or so. And towards the end of the book the Elf mariner (name begins with an E, Erandin, or something like that) sails with the last remaining Silmaril mounting in on his brow, which is pretty conclusive that it was small enough for that.
There, i've made my argument. Who's going to prove me wrong, eh?
Additionally, Beren was able to cover the whole Silmaril with his hand and fingers, since it is stated that the light of the Silmaril shone through his hand (IIRC); another evidence for the Silmarils being quite small. Furthermore, Beren intended to steal *all* Silmarilli from Morgoth, so they cannot have weighed several pounds.
True, and one was even fashioned into an elven necklace. Feanor was the master craftsman, and it seems doubtful he would have made something as unwieldy as to rival a modern baseball.
I think it would be possible that the arkenstone was one of the silmarills.
No. All of the three gems are accounted for, and it's well known the account of the Arkenstone of Thrain.
-- D
-- D
Woah, I never thought about them as being cut before... but that makes sense actually, I don't know why but I always pictured them almost pearlish in shape and golf ball size... I thought that the light shining through Beren's hand and carcharoth's body was just highlighting their brightness so it wouldn't matter how big they were really.
I think Tolkien would have continued his histories from before the third age because that was his life's work. He was pressed into doing LotR anyway. But I do think that everyone has to bear in mind that the reason that the other books are so different is that none of them were ever finished. Even the Silmarillion, which is the most complete history was compiled and edited by Christopher Tolkien because his father had many different versions of the stories within it. For example, have you ever tried to put together the history of Celeborn? it's impossible.
I think Tolkien would have continued his histories from before the third age because that was his life's work. He was pressed into doing LotR anyway. But I do think that everyone has to bear in mind that the reason that the other books are so different is that none of them were ever finished. Even the Silmarillion, which is the most complete history was compiled and edited by Christopher Tolkien because his father had many different versions of the stories within it. For example, have you ever tried to put together the history of Celeborn? it's impossible.
Two literary suggestions, maia, at least those necessary to spur your imagination:
1) The Silmarillion
2) Unfinished Tales
Here's hoping such erudition solidifies a lifelong respect for Tolkien's work and vision!
1) The Silmarillion
2) Unfinished Tales
Here's hoping such erudition solidifies a lifelong respect for Tolkien's work and vision!
*slaps muennin upside the head*
I'm erudite enough, thank you very much- and no thesaurus is big enough to prove otherwise.
"Interpretation is everyting." you know who said that?
I'm erudite enough, thank you very much- and no thesaurus is big enough to prove otherwise.
"Interpretation is everyting." you know who said that?
Ouch...just trying to help. Why the venom? Did I phrase that strangely?
the slap upside the head was for your suggestions that; A- I haven't read two of the most popular Tolkien works; and more damningly B- I lack respect for Tolkien's works.
The rest I was just playing... maybe a little bit for your bad grammar around" erudition"
The rest I was just playing... maybe a little bit for your bad grammar around" erudition"
I always imagined that as the Silmarils wore and tore like other things. That when they were new, they were large. And after years and years they wore down or were hewn down to a smaller size.
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