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Chapter 6
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Silmarillion, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Unity vs. Division
Fate, Doom, and Free Will
Pride and Arrogance
Greed, Jealousy, and Obsession
Inevitable Loss
Myth and Memory
Summary
Analysis
Fëanor has a new idea—or possibly has some premonition of his fate—about how he can preserve the light of the Trees of Valinor. Using all of his craft and skill, he creates the Silmarils. Though they look like clear diamonds, they’re completely unbreakable. Inside the jewels, Fëanor traps the blended light of the Trees. The Silmarils are “indeed living things” and find joy in refracting the light of the Trees into new colors. All of Valinor is amazed by them. Varda blesses them so that anything evil that touches them will be scorched and Mandos predicts that the fate of the world is locked inside them.
The Silmarils, though Fëanor’s creation, are composed of the living light of the Trees—light meant to be shared and enjoyed by all of Valinor. The Silmarils themselves are almost alive and take joy in creating beauty. Their light is perfectly pure and untainted—taken from the unsullied Trees, encased in jewels, and blessed by Varda. Most of Mandos’s predictions are vague—though he reveals that the Silmarils are important to the fate of the world, he doesn’t indicate how. Only time will tell whether they provoke goodness, evil, or some mixture of both.
Themes
Melkor, who craves to possess the Silmarils, works secretly to destroy Fëanor and ruin the relationship between the elves and the Valar. He begins to subtly corrupt the Noldor with his words, convincing them that the Valar are jealous of them and suppress their power. He also reveals the secret of the coming of men, which the Valar haven’t yet explained to the elves. The rumor spreads that the Valar are holding the elves captive so that men can take over Middle-earth.
Melkor covets almost everything he sees—he is the first of many to become obsessed with the Silmarils and try to steal them at any cost. To satisfy his own greed and anger, Melkor sows chaos and destroys Valinor’s peace. He works harder to divide the Noldor and the Valar, taking advantage of his own foreknowledge and the Noldor’s innate pride and stubbornness.
Themes
Valinor’s peace is poisoned as the Noldor become prideful and begin to speak against the Valar. Fëanor is especially influenced by the rumors and desires “freedom and wider realms.” He becomes greedy with the Silmarils, preventing others from seeing them and forgetting that their light doesn’t belong to him. Melkor spreads lies that Fingolfin and Finarfin plan to usurp Fëanor as Finwë’s heir with the support of the Valar. When the Noldor are angry enough, Melkor coaxes them into creating weapons.
Melkor’s plan succeeds, and the happiness of Valinor begins to decline. Fëanor is the next person to be possessed by greed for the Silmarils—though their light belongs to all of Valinor, he hides them away, suspicious of his allies and brothers. Melkor subtly urges him towards rebellion by convincing the Noldor to think of it as freedom instead.
Themes
Fëanor begins to speak openly about rebellion against the Valar and promises to lead the Noldor back to Middle-earth. When Finwë holds a council, Fëanor walks in—fully armed—to hear Fingolfin speaking against him. Fëanor publicly threatens Fingolfin, who ignores him and leaves the council.
The division Melkor has sown in Valinor has become physical—Fëanor plans to leave altogether to return to Middle-earth and threatens his brother with violence. In his pride, he has ceased to respect or fear the Valar.
Themes
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The Valar are dismayed by the arrogance of the Noldor and assume Fëanor is the leader of the unrest. They summon him before their council and discover that Melkor is the true agitator. However, Fëanor is still guilty of drawing his sword on his brother and is banished from Tirion for 12 years as punishment. Mandos promises that, after those years, everything will be resolved if Fingolfin forgives him, and Fingolfin is quick to promise that he will.
Though Melkor is ultimately to blame for the trouble in Valinor, that fact doesn’t diminish Fëanor’s own pride and transgressions, which the Valar decide he must be punished for. Fingolfin recognizes the division around him and tries to heal it by forgiving and placating Fëanor, volatile where Fingolfin is steady.
Themes
Fëanor leaves silently for exile with his sons, and Finwë also follows him, leaving Fingolfin to rule the Noldor in his absence. In doing so, Finwë accidentally convinces Fëanor that he was right to mistrust his brothers, making Melkor’s lies seem true. They make a stronghold in the north called Formenos and fill it with gems and weapons.
Even with the Valar’s intervention, the Noldor are divided. Finwë’s decision to leave Fingolfin in charge only further inflames Fëanor’s mistrust of his brothers and makes his suspicions seem justified.
Themes
Melkor takes the form of a cloud and disappears as the Valar search for him. He appears to Fëanor and attempts to befriend him by offering his aid and suggesting that the Silmarils aren’t safe in Formenos. Though Fëanor considers the offer, Melkor’s mention of the Silmarils convinces him that Melkor wants them for himself. Fëanor curses Melkor and sends him away. Finwë sends a messenger to Manwë about Melkor’s appearance, but Melkor has already fled Valinor to the north. Valinor is safe for the time being, but the threat of Melkor’s return troubles the elves and the Valar.
In this case, Fëanor’s paranoia around the Silmarils is justified. Melkor wants the jewels and will do anything to get them. This, too, contributes to Fëanor’s certainty that others like the Valar and his brothers are attempting to steal what is rightfully his. The Valar recognize the threat that Melkor poses to Valinor and the harm that he’s already done—Valinor’s age of peace has ended, and the world is sliding into conflict again.
Themes
