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==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
===Overview===
===Overview===
Christopher Tolkien presents ''The Book of Lost Tales'' mentioning the complicated edition of ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and his wish of publishing his father's mythology from its beginning. Although Tolkien wrote the Lost Tales in different order and left some of them in a stub stage, his son published them in narrative order, so the book has a similar structure to ''The Silmarillion''. At the end of each chapter, Christopher comments the different manuscripts and compares the narrative with the published ''Silmarillion'' and ''[[Unfinished Tales]]''. He also includes an analysis of the evolution of the names used in the chapter and poems related with the story.
In the Preface of ''Part One'', Christopher Tolkien presents ''The Book of Lost Tales'' mentioning the complicated edition of ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' and his wish of publishing his father's mythology from its beginning. Although Tolkien wrote the Lost Tales in different order and left some of them in a stub stage, his son published them in narrative order, so the book has a similar structure to ''The Silmarillion''. At the end of each chapter, Christopher comments the different manuscripts and compares the narrative with the published ''Silmarillion'' and ''[[Unfinished Tales]]''. He also includes an analysis of the evolution of the names used in the chapter and poems related with the story.


===Part One===
===Part One===

Revision as of 16:16, 27 October 2021

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Cover of one of the notebooks containing The Book of Lost Tales

The Book of Lost Tales is the first narrative work of J.R.R. Tolkien's mythology, written and left unfinished between 1916 and 1920. It was published posthumoustly by Christopher Tolkien as The Book of Lost Tales Part One (1983) and The Book of Lost Tales Part Two (1984).

Synopsis

Overview

In the Preface of Part One, Christopher Tolkien presents The Book of Lost Tales mentioning the complicated edition of The Silmarillion and his wish of publishing his father's mythology from its beginning. Although Tolkien wrote the Lost Tales in different order and left some of them in a stub stage, his son published them in narrative order, so the book has a similar structure to The Silmarillion. At the end of each chapter, Christopher comments the different manuscripts and compares the narrative with the published Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. He also includes an analysis of the evolution of the names used in the chapter and poems related with the story.

Part One

Eriol, a mariner, was led to Tol Eressëa, which he walked through for many days till he reached the Cottage of Lost Play, where he was welcomed by its owners Vairë and Lindo. During dinner, they explained how the isle was the home of Elves, but in ancient times it was visited in dreams by the children of Men until the path from the Great Lands was blocked. Then, Meril-i-Turinqi the queen of Tol Eressëa, allowed Vairë and Lindo to build the Cottage of Lost Play, where the old stories were gathered and sung for the children of the Fairies.

The following day, Eriol talked with the guard of the door, Rúmil, which told him about the Elvish languages. After Eriol asked him about the Gods or Valar, Rúmil told the tale of "The Music of the Ainur": how Ilúvatar, the Lord beyond the world, created the Ainur, and they sung a Great Music before him, and from it the world was created. Ilúvatar allowed some of the Ainur to enter the world, so the greatest from them became the Gods therein, and the greatest among them were Manwë, Aulë and Ulmo. Eriol asked Rúmil for more details about them, so the guardian told him the next tale: the names and relations of the many Valar and their dwellings. How Melko tricked them destroying the Two Lamps, so the Valar had to build Valinor separated from the Great Lands, and how they created the Two Trees to give light to their land.

The following morning, Vairë told Eriol about limpë, a magic drink, which only their queen Meril could grant him. Therefore Eriol left the Cottage of Lost Play and went to Meril's korin, but she explained that he could not be allowed to drink limpë until he had heard all the Elven tales. Thus, she told him "The Chaining of Melko", about how the Valar tricked Melko and put him in chains, followed by "The Coming of the Elves", about how the Valar summoned to Valinor, and those who accepted were called Eldar. They were Teleri, Noldoli and Solosimpi, and were brought to Valinor, where they built Eldamar and many beautiful things.

Back in the Cottage of Lost Play, Eriol heard from Lindo the three following tales: Melko stole the jewels of the Noldoli and destroyed the Two Trees; and Fëanor rose in rebellion against the Valar and lead the Noldoli into exile, killing some Solosimpi in the way. Then the Valar created the Sun and Moon with the remains of the Two Trees.

Vairë proceeded telling the tale of "The Hiding of Valinor", in which the Valar closed their land from the Greater Lands with mountains and magic, although Oromë created the Olórë Mallë as a way in. Also, with help of Aluin and his sons, the Valar ordered the Sun and Moon in a cyclical calendar.

The next day, Gilfanon, an Elf visiting the Cottage, began the following tale, which was about the sufferings of the Noldoli in exile and about the awakening of Men in the Great Lands. However, Tolkien left this tale unfinished, although he wrote many and contradictory notes about the first Men and the battles of the Noldoli against Melko.

References