> get lamp

Who has two thumbs and just for the first time noticed the linguistic connection between Amon Ereb (Lonely Hill) and Erebor (Lonely Mountain, the second element shortened from orod)? This person.

</nerding out>

Celegorm by BellaBergolts on DeviantArt

Silmarillion Writers' Guild July 2019 Challenge: Solve a Problem

I only sporadically read fic from silwritersguild (or any fic anymore, really), but if people take up some of these prompts it could be a hoot. For example:

Why does a utopian place like Gondolin have a designated place for executions?
What was the ecosystem of Middle-earth like when there was only darkness? [ha, I've picked on this one myself]
Did Húrin's chair have a flush? … or any matters related to excremental necessity.
So about all those "tallest" Elves and Númenóreans: Who was actually the tallest?
If the palantíri were made by Fëanor, why do we not see them being used in all sorts of canon situations when communications were critical?
Anything to do with the logistics around the anatomical and aerodynamic likelihood of a bird big enough to carry two men on its back. (Also what that might say about the bird poop issue around Gondolin.)

(Yes, I meant to post this here and not arcanetrivia, because I have more audience here who would be interested in this kind of thing.)

Gil-galad by Naochan003 on DeviantArt

Miruvor by AsliBayrak on DeviantArt

The Inequality Prototype: Gender, Inequality, and the Valar in Tolkien’s Silmarillion

If you want to start a flamewar in the Tolkien fan community, pose the question, “Was Tolkien sexist?” It doesn’t matter how you answer it, you will upset someone.

Heh.

Maedhros sketch by Tottor on DeviantArt

Teleri by Irsanna on DeviantArt

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, from a letter to his son Michael Tolkien ca. October 1968:

The 'protestant' search backwards for 'simplicity' and directness -- which, of course, though it contains some good or at least intelligible motives, is mistaken and indeed vain. Because 'primitive Christianity' is now and in spite of all 'research' will ever remain largely unknown; because 'primitiveness' is no guarantee of value, and is and was in great part a reflection of ignorance. ... Still more because 'my church' was not intended by Our Lord to be static or remain in perpetual childhood; but to be a living organism (likened to a plant), which develops and changes in externals by the interaction of its bequeathed divine life and history -- the particular circumstances of the world into which it is set. There is no resemblance between the 'mustard-seed' and the full-grown tree. For those living in the days of its branching growth the Tree is the thing, for the history of a living thing is part of its life, and the history of a divine thing is sacred. The wise may know that it began with a seed, but it is vain to try and dig it up, for it no longer exists, and the virtue and powers that it had now reside in the Tree. Very good: but in husbandry the authorities, the keepers of the Tree, must look after it, according to such wisdom as they possess, prune it, remove cankers, rid it of parasites, and so forth. ... But they will certainly do harm, if they are obsessed with the desire of going back to the seed or even to the first youth of the plant when it was (as they imagine) pretty and unafflicted by evils.

The professor is speaking here of Roman Catholicism, but it's an interesting reflection on religion in general and I think it could be quite applicable to Paganism.

[Silmarillion]Sauron by Wavesheep on deviantART