Of the Silm and Catholicism

[maggiehoneybite]

So I signed up for the Silmarillion Daily, which condenses the events of the Silm into one year so that you receive daily emails roughly "at the same pace the events happened," along with suggested reading passages. It's kind of like what they did with Samuel Pepys' diary -- an entry a day. Except, you know, seriously condensed since we're not actually immortal. Anyway, I find it amusing that the suggested readings feel an awful lot like Bible verses. "Today's reading is from Chapter 6: Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor: Paragraphs 9-10..." The bit about Finwë seeking the judgment of the Valar so he could be allowed to marry again felt eerily similar to seeking an annulment from a Catholic Marriage Tribunal (and I should know). The same arcane legal arguments, the same baffling bureaucracy, the same sense of a judgment sent from on high. And the reasoning that, had you been content with your lot, Fëanor would not have gone rogue life would have been easier, but now that the children from your second marriage are here, well, we guess they were meant to be after all. Ah Tolkien. RC through and through.

Comments

[sauronnaise]

Is the subscription worth it? Debating whether or not I'm willing to suscribe.

[maggiehoneybite]

It's only been going on for a few days but I like it. If I get busy I can always skim the daily email or leave it for later. And it keeps me in a Silm state of mind and pondering aspects of the legendarium while I go about my day.

[melusine6619]

You know, it didn't even strike me when I read it that his begging the Valar for a chance to marry again was similar to the annulment process, which I should have seen. *embarrassed grimace* Of course spelled out it makes perfect sense.

[maggiehoneybite]

I think it's hitting me more because I'm going through the process. But yes, the whole legendarium feels very Catholic to me. The whole special cult of Elbereth has Virgin Mary written all over it. And don't get me started on LaCE.

[melusine6619]

Mine was finalized in 1995, but yes, it's a lot. I hope yours goes more smoothly.

I agree; there are so many parallels. Maybe one of these days it would be fun to look into the scholarly works about it.

[maggiehoneybite]

Thanks! I've gone through the interviews, as have my witnesses, so now just waiting for final judgment. It's a slow process (and quite intrusive for private people, having to hash out some very private matters), but as far as I understand it's been simplified and made less onerous than it was when you went through it.

And yes, it would be interesting to read what's been written about that.