Links Between The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, Part 5
Book V
(avg. read time: 5–10 mins.)
Since Book V is Gondor-centric, the links to The Silmarillion stem largely from engaging with its history. Of course, there are notable exceptions, mostly from the narrator. Unsurprisingly, then, many of the links have to do with Númenor, Númenóreans, and their war with Sauron.
One of the connections that was first noted at the end of Book III was the palantirí, which reappear here. Gandalf notes that the usefulness of the beacons of Gondor is a more recent part of Gondor’s history because, “in the ancient days of Gondor they were not needed, for they had the Seven Stones” (V/1). Denethor will deceitfully say, “for though the Stones be lost, they say, still the lords of Gondor have keener sight than lesser men, and many messages come to them” (V/2). For now, he is concealing that he has used the palantír of Minas Tirith, though he will show that he used it before immolating himself (V/7). This was Sauron’s means of weakening Denethor with despair by what he made him see in the palantír. By contrast, Aragorn, whom the palantirí rightfully belonged to, contended with Sauron using the Stone of Orthanc (V/2), and he caused Sauron to put his gargantuan plans into motion before they were fully wrought (and even then, they almost succeeded). Finally, Gandalf references both men looking into the Stones, comments on some of Denethor’s last words, and clarifies to others what he had said to Pippin previously:
The Stones of Seeing do not lie, and not even the Lord of Barad-dûr can make them do so. He can, maybe, by his will choose what things shall be seen by weaker minds, or cause them to mistake the meaning of what they see. Nonetheless it cannot be doubted that when Denethor saw great forces arrayed against him in Mordor, and more still being gathered, he saw that which truly is. (V/9)
Gandalf has already indicated why this is in the fact that Sauron had no part in their making. As such, the backgrounds for this quality of palantirí and for how these things came to Middle-earth to be in the positions to be used by the three characters involved are provided by The Silmarillion.
As indicated above, there are many references to the Dúnedain and Númenor in this book. When Denethor refers to, “our own kindred in the North” (V/1), he is referring to the common ancestry the people of Arnor and Gondor have in Númenor. Gandalf even says of Denethor, “He is not as other men of this time, Pippin, and whatever be his descent from father to son, by some chance the blood of Westernesse runs nearly true in him; as it does in his other son, Faramir, and yet did not in Boromir whom he loved best” (V/1). Naturally, the Dúnedain of the North play a large role in the entire chapter “The Passing of the Grey Company” (V/2), as the titular group are those Rangers (plus Elladan and Elrohir) who come and join Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli (also see V/6; V/9). The black Stone of Erech upon which the King of the Mountains swore allegiance to Isildur was said to have been brought from Númenor (V/2). Dunharrow is said to have been built long ago, “before ever a ship came to the western shores, or Gondor of the Dúnedain was built” (V/3). Pippin would also think of Faramir as being like “one of the Kings of Men born into a later time” (V/4). The Númenóreans are referred to in those terms and as “Númenóreans” later in the same chapter. Denethor refers to a time before the Númenóreans in Middle-earth by stating his intention to “burn like heathen kings before ever a ship sailed hither from the West” (V/4). Ghân-buri-Ghân will say he and his fellow Wild Men lived in the Drúadan Forest since long ago, “before Tall Men come up out of Water” (V/5). The sword of the Barrow-downs with which Merry struck the Lord of the Nazgûl is said to be a work of Westernesse (V/6). The possibility is suggested that Aragorn had some “forgotten power of Westernesse” (V/8) when he heals Éowyn. It is also suggested that the Mouth of Sauron was one of the Black Númenóreans, those who were once some of the King’s Men, the enemies of the Faithful (V/10).
Elendil is also referenced at multiple points. The Guards of the Citadel are said to be the only ones in all of Gondor who wore “the livery of the heirs of Elendil” (V/1). Aragorn motivated Sauron to move by showing that Isildur’s heir lived and that he bore the sword of Elendil (V/2). Aragorn’s arrival to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields contains multiple tributes to Elendil:
There flowered a White tree, and that was for Gondor; but Seven Stars were above it, and a high crown above it, the signs of Elendil that no lord had borne for years beyond count. And stars flamed in the sunlight, for they were wrought of gems by Arwen daughter of Elrond; and the crown was bright in the morning, for it was wrought of mithril and gold.
Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur’s heir, out of the Paths of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the Sea to the kingdom of Gondor; and the mirth of the Rohirrim was a torrent of laughter and a flashing of swords, and the joy and wonder of the City was a music of trumpets and a ringing of bells. But the hosts of Mordor were seized with bewilderment, and a great wizardry it seemed to them that their own ships should be filled with their foes; and a black dread fell on them, knowing that the tides of fate had turned against them and their doom was at hand. (V/6)
Aragorn is also said to have led the forces he brought to Minas Tirith, “with the Flame of the West, Andúril like new fire kindled, Narsil re-forged as deadly as of old; and upon his brow was the Star of Elendil” (V/6). Éomer notes that when Aragorn entered the city that he would be right to enter as king since, “Already you have raised the banner of the Kings and displayed the tokens of Elendil’s House” (V/8). Gandalf also makes reference to the fact that Sauron is studying the signs, including, “the Sword that robbed him of his treasure re-made” (V/9).
Of course, Elendil’s sons must also be mentioned. I have already noted some references to Isildur. In another case, the One Ring is referred to as Isildur’s Bane (V/1). The Dead Men of Dunharrow can be called upon by Aragorn because he is Isildur’s heir, and the story is related of how Isildur originally called them to join the Last Alliance, they betrayed their promise to come, Isildur cursed them, and they have continued on in their cursed existence from which only Isildur’s heir could free them (V/2). Denethor says he is Steward of the House of Anárion, while Aragorn is of the line of Isildur (V/7). Aragorn is also identified multiple times as the Heir of Isildur (V/9).
We see the current state of the White Tree, now shriveled after thousands of years of life after it came of a sapling of a tree that came from a fruit of Nimloth (the original sapling was burned by Sauron when he briefly took over Minas Ithil the first time). Pippin sees it up close when he and Gandalf arrive at the Citadel (V/1). We have already seen how the Tree was a symbol borne on livery in Minas Tirith (V/1; V/4) and on Aragorn’s flag (V/6). Indeed, Aragorn is referred as “the Lord of the White Tree” (V/9).
There are also frequent references to the “Dark Years.” There are some Men who mingled with the Númenóreans who are said to have lived in parts of what became Gondor “in the Dark Years ere the coming of the kings” (V/1). The Dead Men of Dunharrow are said to have broken their oath to Isildur because, “they had worshipped Sauron in the Dark Years” (V/2). The term is also brought up in reference to when Dunharrow was built and when the Dead Men had lived (V/3). The Wild Men of the Woods (or Woses) are said to be fearful “lest the Dark Years be returning” (V/5). When Gimli recounts the coming of the Dead Men of Dunharrow, he says, “it was like the echo of some forgotten battle in the Dark Years long ago” (V/9). Like the Black Years, this phrase appears to mainly be a reference to the Second Age, specifically to the majority of it before the coming of the Númenóreans to establish their kingdom (that is, presumably, even after the times when they had established some ports and fortifications).
Beyond this, there are several singular references to connections with The Silmarillion. One, the narrator refers to Faramir as being like one “touched with the wisdom and sadness of the Elder Race” (V/4). Again, the story behind why the Elves might be referred to as “Elder” is explored in The Silmarillion.
Two, the battering ram brought against the gates of Minas Tirith is itself a tribute to what is told in The Silmarillion. As the narrator says, “Grond they named it, in memory of the Hammer of the Hammer of the Underworld of old.” This is something of a two-for-one reference, in that “the Underworld” refers to Melkor/Morgoth’s domain. Grond itself is not especially prominent in The Silmarillion, as Morgoth was not one to take part in battle himself, but it is a prominent feature of one story in which Fingolfin challenges him to single combat.
Three, Théoden is said to have ridden into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields “like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great” (V/5). Oromë was the Hunstman of the Valar, one of their mightiest warriors, and the one who first encountered the Elves in his trips to Middle-earth. He rode upon the horse Nahar, who is said to have been the ancestor of the Mearas, the exceptional horses that (typically) only the Lord of the Mark could ride. Two of his descendants are featured in this story: Snowmane and Shadowfax.
Four, the rest of the sentence in which Oromë was referenced speaks of, “the battle of the Valar when the world was young” (V/5). Besides being the second reference in LOTR to the Valar as a group, this is a reference to the Battle of the Powers, in which the forces of the Valar fought against the forces of Melkor on behalf of the recently awakened Elves. There is not a lot of detail to the battle, as the Elves—the putative sources of the stories in The Silmarillion—never heard anything but rumors of it. But there is more detail surrounding the circumstances that led to it and the outcomes of it.
Five, the Warden of the Houses of Healing speaks with Aragorn concerning his request for kingsfoil to help in his work of healing. The following exchange takes place:
Thereupon the herb-master entered. “Your lordship asked for kingsfoil,a s the rustics name it,” he said; “or athelas in the noble tongue, or to those who know somewhat of the Valinorean…”
“I do so,” said Aragorn, “and I care not whether you say now asëa aranion or kingsfoil, so long as you have some.” (V/8)
Some deep memory of the language of Valinor remains among a few in Gondor and among the Dúnedain like Aragorn (though he perhaps learned it from his time in Rivendell more than from the Dúnedain). Of course, this exchange also illustrates how knowledge of lore, as important as it may be for wisdom, is not all there is to wisdom, as Gandalf replies to the Warden’s verbosity, “Then in the name of the king, go and find some old man of less lore and more wisdom who keeps some in his house” (V/8).
The sixth, seventh, and eighth cases appear in the same section of “The Last Debate” (V/9), wherein Legolas and Gimli recount their journey from Dunharrow to Minas Tirith. First, Legolas mentions how the gulls stirred in him the sea-longing, which is the desire to cross the sea into the West to Aman. In another case, Legolas refers to Gimli as “Durin’s son,” (V/9). Finally, Legolas says of Aragorn that he is of the “children of Lúthien” (V/9), since he is descended by many generations from Elros, Elrond’s brother, of whom one can learn a little more in The Silmarillion.