Of the Ainulindalë (pt-2)

Throughout a major part of his life, Tolkien wrote a series of legends that, in the end, were put together in order to give form to a great history of Ages and years beyond count. The beginning of this world is due to the Music of the Ainur (offspring of the thought of Eru, the One): the Ainulindalë. Whist the Sacred sang, the world was being given the exact shape future creatures knew, creatures that eventually inhabited it.

It could be said that this sacred music hadn’t any other chance than creating a world reflecting its own virtue. Yet, that wasn´t the case: Melkor, the mightiest of the Ainur, raised its voice while the harmonies were being woven, challenging Eru. The dissonance that came with it saw itself reflected in Eä, the World that Is, the realization of the Song. It became Arda Marred.

As the Ages go by we’re witnesses of the consequences of Melkor’s power; a series a tragedies stretching for such a long time in different lands inhabited by these creatures mentioned before: Elves and Men (Sons of Eru), Dwarves (creations of Aüle, one of the Ainur) and many more.

There’s talk about a Second Theme once the world comes to an end, and now that Melkor won’t be present because of having been annihilated by someone who, in life, suffered its curse first hand, the Second Theme won’t have any dissonance, making the original design of Arda happen at last.

I believe this prophecy will take place on our own Earth. Tolkien, with his pure spirit and incredible imagination, talked to us about a fantasy world with elements which bond what he imagined with our reality. His feat is such that when people read his masterpiece and dig deeper in it, they feel they’re reading History, events that made the world the way they know it. In fact, that’s the truth. His conviction for what he wrote is undeniably huge. One doesn´t read about Middle-earth as just another Fantasy tale, another source of entertainment to pass the time. One is able to read History, to be witness of things that were and had impact in later years over and over again; just like the history of Earth itself, right?

Now, with the epic mention of a Second Theme, Tolkien is leaving us a message of hope. He’s no longer amongst us, and a lot he did already by tackling such an ambitious and magnificent work, something that goes beyond the pleasure of reading and that’s it (which by the way there’s nothing wrong with it). Evidently, he wasn’t meant to write this unmarred Music. He was witness of a scarred world, wounded by the discordance provoked by the first sign of Evil. I fail to believe his idea was for someone else to make a sequel of his work in terms of Fantasy Literature. Can anyone match or surpass such thing? Would it make any sense even to try? It’s my belief that it isn’t more than our duty to write it, to clear it of any dissonance by just dedicating our time to live and make this a better place while we´re here. That’s what I think was his vision.