In Feanor's Footsteps - Page 5
© Michael Martinez
The original stories are lost, but we do have a few medieval epics, such as the "Nibelungenlied" and "Beowulf", which look back to an older time. Most of their events may be fantasy, but the names are often the names of real people. And it is generally assumed that some historic connections survive, even if in significantly altered form.
That all sounds very much like the War of Wrath, doesn't it? We tend to compare The Silmarillion to the Bible or the Greek epics, because the stories are so rich and detailed. But the War of Wrath is not really an event. There is no particular story associated with it. It evolves, apparently, mostly out of a need to resolve the evolution of Earendil's character. In the older mythology, he moved around the landscape with (what would become the War of Wrath) unfolding in the background. In The Silmarillion, Christopher Tolkien needed to bring the full narrative to some sort of conclusion. His father had made one attempt in 1925 and another 1937, and in doing so had altered the story of Earendil considerably. But there was no final text for Christopher to use which was compatible with the post-Lord of the Rings texts which made up a large part of the published Silmarillion.
So, in seeking for details on the War of Wrath, we must concede that it is no better conceived of or elucidated by J.R.R. Tolkien than are the events which unfold as background for the handful of our most ancient Germanic stories. Such details as we can point to are simply generalizations. But from the generalizations, and what we know of Beleriand's geography, we may be able to draw a few rational conclusions.
For example, in rewriting the story of Earendil, Tolkien brought forward the key elements of A) Earendil's voyage to Valinor (making it both purposeful and successful in the final version), B) Earendil's return to mortal lands (but only as an airborne combatant who never sets foot on the ground), and C) Earendil's twin sons (Hengest and Horsa, now replaced by Elrond and Elros). Of course, other basic elements of the Earendil myth were preserved (and altered as well).
The Great Lands became Middle-earth, and the focus of the wars between the Gnomes (Noldor) and Morgoth became Beleriand, an unidentified region of northern Middle-earth (northwestern Europe). The chief events of the conflict also remain: Feanor's failed attempt to recover the Silmarils, the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the fall of Gondolin, the story of Beren and Luthien, the tale of Turin, the Kinslaying which results in the destruction of Thingol's (Tinwelint in The Book of Lost Tales). But instead of having Ingwe lead an Elven army to Middle-earth in a failed attempt to help the Noldor, The Silmarillion brings about a compassionate change of heart from the Valar. Even when they doom the rebellious Noldor, and ban them from Valinor, the Valar know they will one day follow the Elves east.
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