The Lays of Beleriand (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 3) [Paperback]

J.R.R. Tolkien (Author), Christopher Tolkien (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 1988

The Lays of Beleriand are epic stories in verse form of the Elder days of Middle-earth. Contained herein is The Lay of the Children of Hurin, which tell the tale of Turin Son of Hurin and Glorund the Dragon. The Lay of Leithian tells of Thingol, of the meeting of Beren and Luthien, and of the battle between Fiingolfin and Morgoth. Together these Lays form an important backdrop to The Silmarillion, and illuminate some of the oldest tales of Middle-earth.
Included in the volume is C.S. Lewis's original commentary to Tolkien when the work was first read at a literary gathering of The Inklings.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is the third volume culled from Tolkien's unpublished manuscripts. Two tales from the Silmarillion the tragedy of Turin Turambar and the epic quest of Beren and Luthienappear in early versions. Turin's story is told in alliterative verse, the other in rhymed couplets. The multiple extant versions of each poem have been painstakingly arranged and synthesized by Tolkien's son Christopher, who has also provided elaborate notes on their relation to previously published works. While the power of Tolkien's central characterstragic, cursed Turin; the lovers Beren and Luthienshines through these poems, they are of interest chiefly in showing the development of a writer's ideas. For comprehensive literature and fantasy collections. Beth Ann Mills, New Rochelle P.L., N.Y.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'A worthy addition to The History of Middle-earth' Mallorn 'Anyone loving the oiginal books will want to study this one' Daily Mail --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 393 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (October 28, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395486831
• ISBN-13: 978-0395486832
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #553,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892.1973), beloved throughout the world as the creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford, a fellow of Pembroke College, and a fellow of Merton College until his retirement in 1959. His chief interest was the linguistic aspects of the early English written tradition, but even as he studied these classics he was creating a set of his own.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Contains the greatest epic poem of the 20th century, December 13, 2000

By 

Michael Martinez - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lays of Beleriand (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a book about Middle-earth. Middle-earth didn't exist when Tolkien wrote the poems contained in this book. But the legends they established were taken up into the later Middle-earth mythology even though we were only treated to glimpses of them in the years preceding the publication of this book.

Lays of Beleriand unveils the true source of the Beren and Luthien story told in The Silmarillion. Although the characters predate "Lay of Leithian", Tolkien brought them forward in a radical evolutionary process which changed many things. The product of his changes was a fantastic poem which would make a wonderful book in its own right. Alas! He never finished the lay.

Deemed too "Celtic" by an early reader at Allen & Unwin, the poem was set aside by Tolkien as he turned to lighter projects. And though he tried to return to it later in life, the flame had dwindled and he was unable to rekindle the ancient fire which inspired this masterpiece. The last lines of the poem seem to describe the work's own fate: "An gleam of swords in fire there flashed/the fangs of Carcharoth, and crashed/together like a trap, that tore/the hand about the wrist, and shore/through brittle bone and sinew nesh,/devouring the frail mortal flesh;/and in that cruel mouth unclean/egulfed the jewels holy sheen."

A few snippets followed, disconnected from the primary narrative. All that could have been, that should have been, was lost forever, unless Tolkien is singing the final stanzas for his beloved Edith beneath the trees in a faraway paradise even now....

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only Tolkien has the linguistic skill to laud his works, December 17, 1998

By 

Nocturnal_Rapture "flossran" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lays of Beleriand (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 3) (Paperback)

"The Lays of Beleriand" is one of my favorite books by Tolkien. It is the epitome of his poetic achievement. As the previous reviewer said, no praise formed by me would be worthy of this exquisite work. Truly, only Tolkien himself has the deep linguistic skill needed to properly laud this work. I had long loved Tolkien's prose before I read this book. But once I was exposed to his poetry, I quickly realized that he is as masterful in verse as he is in prose. Reading "Lays" was a euphoric revelation of another aspect of Tolkien's ingenius literary style. Rich, archiac language coupled with smooth-flowing meter and rhyme is employed to weave into verse the captivating tales of the star-crossed loves of Luthien Tinuviel with Beren Erchamion, and of Turin Turumbar with Neinor Niniel. The noble and deeply touching epics immerse you in their plots, engraving in memory an unforgetable image of this vastly intricate world. The verse, especially in "The Lay of Leithian", is spangled with particularly entrancing descriptions of the grandeur of Elven kingdoms long lost and the starlit enchantment of the Dancer of Doriath. These passages contain such delicate imagery presented in metaphor so elegantly phrased that they surely could entrall even Morgoth himself. Any devotee to Tolkien, and especially those who savor poetry, will be thoroughly enamoured with "The Lays of Beleriand".

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The light upon the leaves of trees", January 2, 2003

By 

Larry Bridges "thebachelor" (Arlington, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lays of Beleriand (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

"The Lays of Beleriand" contains two of the most ambitious (but sadly unfinished) of J. R. R. Tolkien's retellings of stories from his "Silmarillion" mythology in various literary forms. "The Lay of the Children of Hurin" tells the story of the early life of Turin in alliterative verse. "The Lay of Leithian" tells the story of Beren and Luthien and their quest for a Silmaril in octosyllabic couplets.

"The Lay of Leithian" is considered by many Tolkien fans, including myself, to be one of the greatest pieces of literature composed by Tolkien, ranking alongside "The Lord of the Rings" itself. Although unfinished, it is the most complete and elaborate version he ever wrote of the story of Beren and Luthien, which was probably closer to his heart than any other legend of his Middle-earth. Reading this poem lets one see that, in a very real sense, Beren and Luthien are the heart of Tolkien's entire legendarium.

"The Lay of the Children of Hurin" also holds an important place in Tolkien's total corpus of writings as the only source for fully detailed versions of important episodes in the story of Turin: his accidental slaying of his best friend, his healing by the Lake of Ivrin, and his coming to Nargothrond and first meeting with Finduilas. This poem should be read in tandem with "The Children of Hurin" (the book published in 2007) to gain a full picture of Tolkien's total imagination of Turin's tragic story.

"The Lays of Beleriand" is one of the three or four most important volumes in "The History of Middle-earth," and is my own personal sentimental favorite of all of J. R. R. Tolkien's books.