Morgoth's Ring
Morgoth's Ring is the 10th volume of
Christopher Tolkien's 12-volume series
The History of Middle-earth in which he analyzes the unpublished manuscripts of his father
J. R. R. Tolkien. This volume along with the subsequent
The War of the Jewels provides detailed writings and editorial commentary pertaining to J. R. R. Tolkien's
cosmology that eventually would become
The Silmarillion. This book mentions a few characters excluded elsewhere, including
Findis and
Irimë, the daughters of
Finwë.
The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: "Just as
Sauron concentrated his power in the
One Ring,
Morgoth dispersed his power into the very matter of
Arda, thus 'the whole of
Middle-earth was Morgoth's Ring'".
Morgoth's Ring presents source material and editorial on the following:
* Later
1951 revisions of
The Silmarillion showing Tolkien's drastic revisiting and rewriting of his legends.
* "Annals of Aman" — Detailed chronology from the creation of the world through the end of the
First Age, including an explanation of time reckoning in
Valian Years .
* "Laws and Customs among the Eldar" — Several essays and legends on the
Eldar, particularly mating and naming customs of the
Elves, and Tolkien's conceptions of the soul and body.
* "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" — A discussion between two characters, an Elven king
Finrod Felagund and
Andreth, a mortal woman, about the metaphysical differences between Elves and
Men.
* "Tale of Adanel" — The Middle-earth version of the tale of the
original sin.
* "Myths Transformed" — Several fragments on Morgoth, Sauron, and the origin of the
Orcs.
