The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien: A Brief Account of the Book and Its Making

Abstract

Christopher Tolkien shares the making and initial thoughts of the Silmarillion, starting from the beginning. His father’s essays are quoted throughout the account to supplement the world building that establishes the Middle-earth explored in The Lord of the Rings. Acting as a mythology, the Gods and Elves of the Early Ages found in the Silmarillion provide a history that J.R.R Tolkien always drew from and explored when writing. Christopher Tolkien reflects on his father’s creativity even in the unfinished works and short stories, all contributing to the history of Middle-earth.