I'm having trouble figuring out how the Silmarillion relates to the rest of Tolkien's world. So, I have a couple questions.

1. Is Middle-Earth the name of Tolkien's entire world, or just one land-mass?
2. Where is Beleriand, in relation to the area that LOTR pertains to? Is it another landmass, or is it just very far away from that area?

Middle earth is just the area that on one side of the ocean. Where the elves were first brought into being.

Its not antother landmass. Its on the other side of the ble mountains where the elves passed through to get to the undying lands.


-Syko

And to explain further: Almost the complete landmass of Beleriand sunk into the sea at the time of the War of Wrath and therefore are no more at the time of the Fellowship..


pharzon..

In the very east of the maps in the Silmarillion, you see the Ered Luin, the Blue Mountains, on the very edge of Beleriand. Beleriand was a part of Middle-Earth. When you look at the maps in your Lord of the Rings copy, then, you will see that the is now just barely past the western edge of the Ered Luin. After the War of Wrath at the very end of the First Age, where the Valar and the Vanyar came to Middle-Earth to defeat Morgoth for the final time in the Silmarillion, Beleriand was so wrack with destruction that it was completely sunk into the ocean.

In answer to your first question, Middle-Earth was only one land-mass, which included what we know as the Middle-Earth in the Second and Third ages, plus in the First Age what we know to be Beleriand. A great, wide ocean separated the continent of Middle-Earth from the landmass of Valinor. Early in the First Age, there was an ice bridge connecting Middle-Earth and Valinor in the North, due to Melkor's great cold. He did not forsee the ice and great cold helping the Noldor to pass into Middle-Earth.

I diverged from the point of topic a bit, I think, but you will find your answers in there. Toodles.



~FFL

simply put...

Valinor used to be the west of Middle Earth until it was taken from this world.
Middle-earth is in the middle (hence the name). Beleriand was the northern 1/3 of middle earth until it sunk.
The Sun Lands are to the East.
The Dark Lands are to the south.

Arda is the name of the whole world, Beleriand sunk in the First Era (as stated before) and lies after that between the Helcaraxe (polar passage through which men came to middle-earth ) and Middle Earth.

I have a question about The Silmarillion too. What does it tell? I feel like I'm missing a big part of the story, because I have not yet read it. Does it tell about the history of Middle-Earth? (I do not want the entire story, I just want to know what is told in it. I'm thinking of buying a copy.)

It's seperated in different sections explaining the creation of the world, creation of elves,dwarves, and men. It tells of the struggle between Melkor the first dark lord, and the Valar. It gives a history of the Elves leaving, then returning to MiddleEarth. The Rise of Numenor and Sauron's play in everything is explained. Hope that helps. Great read, and It makes the MiddleEarth world that much deeper.

I'm buying it, but I'm not sure in what language yet. English or Dutch. I'd rather have the English, original version, because I think the book is translated very bad (but I'm not sure, I haven't read any Tolkien book in English yet). Is it hard English?

In short, The Silmarillion begins with the biblical-like creation of Tolkien's world, called Arda. Eru, a god-like being, creates his angelic children, and creates the universe of Ea within the void, where his children create the world of Arda frpm the music of Eru. These children are called Valar (the 14 greatest) and Maiar (the numberless lesser), the race itself is called Ainu. The greatest of the Ainu is called Melkor, or Morgoth by the residents of Arda, and he is the first and the source of the evil in the world. This is how the story begins.
The Silmariliion continues with the creation of the world, and the battles between the Valar (who are the powers, keepers and creators of the world) and Morgoth and his servants (from corrupted beasts of Middle Earth to corrupted Maiar otherwise known as Balrogs). The Silmarillion tells about the creation of Elves, of Man, of Dwarves, of the wars of Men, Elves, and Dwarves with the evil of Morgoth. It tells about the passing of the Elves to the west, into the Undying Lands, and mainly focuses on the Silmarils - stunning magical jewls made by the hands of the most skilled elf, Feanor, and coveted by Morgoth.

The war of the Silmarils is of the first age of Middle-Earth, and Silmarillion also gives some details about the second age. The Silmarillion tells about many stories that you hear of in the Lord of the Rings, and have no or little idea about - like the story of Luthien, the history of Numenore, the Two Trees of Valinor, the creation of the world, etc.

I've bought it. The English version. At first I had trouble understanding everything. With Eru and the Ainur, but it becomes easier after some time.
I have two questions, though. It will probably be told later in the book, but right now it's confusing me; what is Valinor? It's mentioned a lot, and there's no explanation what it is. My guess is it's the Undying Lands, but I want to know for sure. And my second question, who are the Eldar? They're mentioned a lot too, and I have no clue what they are.
I really love the book, with the explanations of what Balrogs are, and who Sauron is, and Morgoth, and all the other Valar. I shouldv'e bought it a long time ago.

EDIT: I know now what Valinor is. But who are the Noldor? Are they the dwarves?

The Noldor are one of the three kindred of Eldar (Elves who went to Valinor). The other kindred are the Teleri and the Vanyar. Most of the stories in the Quenta Silmarrillion have to do with the Noldor's history, seeing as they are the kindred that returned to Middle-Earth and fought against Morgoth. On an aside, the Dwarves are also known as Naugrim.

Beleriand was west of Middle Earth, and it sank when Morgoth was defeated in the War of Wrath. The only remaining part of Beleriand is the Blue Mountains in Lindon.

The Silmarillion is essentially the Noldor Bible. Its divided into several sections, the first of which is the Ainulindale, then the Quenta Silmarillion (dealing with the Noldor's War of the Holy Jewels), then the Akalabeth (The Downfall of Numenor aka - the Atlantis story of Middle-Earth) and finally the The Third Age and the Rings of Power (I think I got them all.....dont have my copy at the moment).

The Silmarillion could be thought of as a biblical text. Its also been called a history book (and its essentially written like one). The main thing to realise is that its presented as if it has been translated from a book in Eressea and brought into the modern world (much how The Hobbit is Bilbo's book and The Lord of the Rings is Frodo and Sam's book).

Well, I suppose ObsidianKnight has had his question answered about 15 times now by various people.

pharzon..

Let me ask another question then, I only read The hobbit, Silmarilion and Lotr but when reading the Silmarilion I never encountered Tom Bombadil. As he is the oldest creature in Middle-Earth I thought he might be in it. So what is his part in the story really, does anyone know?

Did you read "The adventures of Tom Bombadil" ?

Me neither, but I believe you could find something in this book.
Or read "Letters from JRRTolkien". There in a letter he
explaines the Tom Bombadil issue.

I don't know exactly which one it was...

Find it out by yourself

I live in a small town and we don't have a big library and they only have lotr and the hobbit so isn't there anyone who can tell me who he is or should i give a right answer in the quiz first