Mythological Foundations of Tolkien's Work

[Aldarion]

Put here all your thoughts and resources - be it blog posts, videos you had found etc - discussing various myths and mythologies that did, could have or may have inspired Tolkien.

I will start here with something I found researching Celtic mythology... for my work I based world creation myth on the Slavic mythology, but I did read on Celtic myths - and this in particular has some significant similarities to Tolkien's story of creation of Arda. Specifically, the myth of Oran Mor or the Great Melody:

A Celtic Creation Story

A Celtic Creation Story - from Orna Ross - Historical Irish Novelist & Poet

ornaross.com

Once upon a time, there was no time. There were also no Gods and no man or woman to walk the land. There was only the depths of the sea and its dark, eternal quiet. A strain of melody moved across the endless waters, a whisper first. The music was the Oran Mór “The Great Melody” and it grew into a great spiraling, gathering sound and momentum, reaching further and louder, building to a great crescendo until, where the sea met the land, a sea-horse came to be born of white sea-foam. She was a mare, and her name was Eiocha.

Oran Mór did not cease with the initial creation. Many more came then, emerging out of the sound that was singing itself through the waters, one thing begetting another until, from an oak tree, Eiocha sprouted a plant which gave birth to the first God. They mated and begot more Gods, who felt lonely because they did not have anyone to be Godly with, and so from the wood of an oak tree they created the first man and woman, as well as the other animals. Giants too were born from the bark of that tree, when Eiocha hurled it into the water, once.

Oran Mór, in great delight, sang on, still sings on today, filling creationn— for all those who can hear — with its divine harmony.

About - Òran Mór – Wholistic Center

Share in the journey. Òran Mór – Wholistic Center Today’s world is fractured by division and increasing in polarity spawned often by religious and political rhetoric fueled by religious differences. More than a quarter of Americans now say they are “spiritual but not religious” and do not attend...

oranmorcenter.org

The name comes from an ancient Celtic creation myth, “A great spiraling strain of Melody moved across the endless waters quickly gathering momentum until it reached a great crescendo. It continued its song, filling all of Creation with its divine harmony…the Oran Mór. ‘The Great Melody’ did not cease with the initial creation, but goes on and on and on, inspiring Creation along its holy pilgrimage of giving and receiving blessing. Deep within each of us lies a yearning for our lost (w)holiness. Thus, we discover our co-creative role within divinity, and with it the holiness of Creation.”

 

[Server Room Gremlin]

I was interested in Irish mythology some years ago. Parts of the legend of the Tuatha Dé Danann (ancient Irish gods or fairy folk) are very reminiscent of things in the Silmarillion.

According to Lebor Gabála Érenn, they came to Ireland "in dark clouds" and "landed on the mountains of [the] Conmaicne Rein in Connachta", otherwise Sliabh an Iarainn, "and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights". They immediately burnt the ships "so that they should not think of retreating to them, and the smoke and the mist that came from the vessels filled the neighbouring land and air. Therefore it was conceived that they had arrived in clouds of mist".

A poem in the Lebor Gabála Érenn says of their arrival:

It is God who suffered them, though He restrained them
they landed with horror, with lofty deed,
in their cloud of mighty combat of spectres,
upon a mountain of Conmaicne of Connacht.

Without distinction to discerning Ireland,
Without ships, a ruthless course
the truth was not known beneath the sky of stars,
whether they were of heaven or of earth.

According to Tuan:

From them are the Tuatha Dé and Andé, whose origin the learned do not know, but that it seems likely to them that they came from heaven, on account of their intelligence and for the excellence of their knowledge.

Led by king Nuada, they fought the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh on the west coast, in which they defeated and displaced the native Fir Bolg, who then inhabited Ireland. In the battle, Nuada lost an arm to their champion, Sreng. Since Nuada was no longer "unblemished", he could not continue as king and was replaced by the half-Fomorian Bres, who turned out to be a tyrant. The physician Dian Cecht replaced Nuada's arm with a working silver one and he was reinstated as king.

Tuatha Dé Danann - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

These legendary people, who were knowledgeable yet dangerous, arrived in Ireland during a time of darkness, burned their ships and fought a battle on the west coast.
Fëanor and his followers arrived in Middle-earth and did the same.

Their king, Nuada, lost an arm and had to give up his position to another.
Maedhros had his hand cut off and then passed the kingship to Fingolfin.

Nuada had a new hand made of silver, which is reminiscent of Celebrimbor's name (which means 'hand/fist of silver'). He was later killed by Balor of the Evil Eye, a giant with a single large eye, whose gaze was deadly.
Celebrimbor was killed by Sauron, whose symbol and defining trait was his watchful Eye.

 

[Olorgando]

I'll grab the easy one: the part of the Finnish Kalevala dealing with Kullervo the hapless greatly influencing JRRT's story of Túrin Turambar.

 

[Radaghast]

I remember reading something about Tom Bombadil having Finnish roots. I haven't (re)read it yet but I think this was it:

Väinämöinen: The Finnish Deity and Hero Who Inspired Tolkien to Create Gandalf and Tom Bombadil | Ancient Origins

J.R.R. Tolkien created remarkable stories that inspired Peter Jackson to make incredible movies.

www.ancient-origins.net

 

[Radaghast]

There is also The Hobbit's use of Eddaic names (which Tolkien later regretted) and Bilbo stealing the golden cup from the hoard of Erebor, which I think is inspired by the Völsunga saga. Gandalf tricking the trolls is inspired by a Nordic myth of Thor tricking a dwarf, who wanted to marry his daughter, in the same manner.

 

[Olorgando]

... and Bilbo stealing the golden cup from the hoard of Erebor, which I think is inspired by the Völsunga saga. ...

Nope, that's straight out of Beowulf by JRRT's own admission.

 

[Radaghast]

Nope, that's straight out of Beowulf by JRRT's own admission.

Right. I knew I was missing something.

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

Not sure if I'm allowed to say this, but the Silmarillion has a lot of parallels to the Christian Bible.

 

[Radaghast]

I don't know how many parallels there are to the Bible. I'd say Milton's Paradise Lost and Dante's Inferno were perhaps more inspirational.

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

I don't know how many parallels there are to the Bible. I'd say Milton's Paradise Lost and Dante's Inferno were perhaps more inspirational.

I mean just a little more than the basic structure.
It begins with a creation story, features a struggle against a great Enemy, is divided into 2 parts, and is intended to conclude with a prophecy about the end and rebirth of the world.

 

[Radaghast]

I mean just a little more than the basic structure.
It begins with a creation story, features a struggle against a great Enemy, is divided into 2 parts, and is intended to conclude with a prophecy about the end and rebirth of the world.

In a general sense, perhaps. But the Bible doesn't really feature Satan that much, especially not the Old Testament in which Satan is a rather different figure than the Lord of Darkness later developed for Christian cosmology, especially by the authors I mentioned. The idea of the fallen angel called Lucifer is one created or popularized by Milton not by whoever wrote the books in the Bible. Melkor-Morgoth is likely inspired by the Luciferian myth which comes from Milton not from the Bible (in which the word 'Lucifer' refers to the planet Venus, which was the name for the planet in Roman folklore).

 

[Olorgando]

Not sure if I'm allowed to say this, but the Silmarillion has a lot of parallels to the Christian Bible.

No question, but don't overlook the differences to the Bible.
JRRT was adamant that he was not writing an allegory to it, that he would not dare to do such a thing.
And his inspiration also came from "northern" sources, the Norse Sagas and Eddas, the Anglo-Saxon "Beowulf" among others, Middle English sources, the Finnish Kalevala, probably a good dose of Celtic, and Classical (Mediterranean) sources, too. All undoubtedly filtered through his pre-Vatican II Roman Catholicism. And Verlyn Flieger has pointed out (as have others) that he probably also got ideas from 19th- and 20th-century authors.

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

In a general sense, perhaps. But the Bible doesn't really feature Satan that much, especially not the Old Testament in which Satan is a rather different figure than the Lord of Darkness later developed for Christian cosmology, especially by the authors I mentioned. The idea of the fallen angel called Lucifer is one created or popularized by Milton not by whoever wrote the books in the Bible. Melkor-Morgoth is likely inspired by the Luciferian myth which comes from Milton not from the Bible (in which the word 'Lucifer' refers to the planet Venus, which was the name for the planet in Roman folklore).

While I agree, both are a struggle between light and dark.

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

No question, but don't overlook the differences to the Bible.
JRRT was adamant that he was not writing an allegory to it, that he would not dare to do such a thing.
And his inspiration also came from "northern" sources, the Norse Sagas and Eddas, the Anglo-Saxon "Beowulf" among others, Middle English sources, the Finnish Kalevala, probably a good dose of Celtic, and Classical (Mediterranean) sources, too. All undoubtedly filtered through his pre-Vatican II Roman Catholicism. And Verlyn Flieger has pointed out (as have others) that he probably also got ideas from 19th- and 20th-century authors.

Yes, I've read as much.

 

[Radaghast]

While I agree, both are a struggle between light and dark.

So are most mythologies 🙂

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

So are most mythologies 🙂

Real 😂

 

[Olorgando]

is divided into 2 parts, and is intended to conclude with a prophecy about the end and rebirth of the world.

I'm afraid you've lost me as far as "two parts" goes ... 🤔

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

I'm afraid you've lost me as far as "two parts" goes ... 🤔

Old and New Testaments.

 

[Radaghast]

Old and New Testaments.

The legendarium is more than two parts, though. And again, there is not really a central adversary in the Bible.

 

[Andromadus the Invictus]

The legendarium is more than two parts, though. And again, there is not really a central adversary in the Bible.

Yeah, notice I did say parallels, not identical. And when I say two parts, I mean Morgoth then Sauron, specifically the Silmarillion. And the central adversary of the Bible is the Devil, personified as anyone who stands against the chosen people of God, I didn't point this out before because I'm 90% sure religion is against the forum rules.