Big information dump this week, and not much story! Welcome to The Silmarillion. 😂 Leave any questions you have for me in the comments!

"The trumpets of Manwë are loud, but Ulmo's voice is deep as the deeps of the ocean which he only has seen." Man... That coupled with the rest of his description is absolutely terrifying. No wonder I'm so deathly afraid of the ocean. Ulmo is no joke.

for my future reference: 0:00 Intro 2:57 Manwë 3:41 Varda Elentári 5:42 Ulmo 6:53 Aulë 7:46 Yavanna 8:20 Mandos 9:15 Nienna 9:54 Oromë 10:13 Remaining Valar 10:41 Maiar 12:50 Melkor and his Servants

One thing that did catch me when I was reading this section was how complimentary the spouses' traits were to one another, how Tolkien wasn't just filling out a checklist of elemental and phenomenal attributes. In particular, I really loved Aulë and Yavanna were both seen as creators. With later themes of industrialism vs. nature I thought it was a subtle and wonderful comment that craft and natural growth are both things that can nurture. I find the connection between the weaver being tied to the body of judgement to be both ominous and cautionary. Now that I think about it, this is a tale lathered with the concept of consequences. I'm also tickled by Ulmo's fierce and solitary nature. Being of a coastal region, the fierce and independent nature of the sea is something I witness frequently. I am so glad you explained Varda/Elebereth connection as it had been so long since I had visited the films between revisiting the books that this completely slipped by me. While this again leaves me feeling woefully negligent as a younger fan, I find myself amused as well.

Dan! It's so good. The biggest complaint I've always had with Tolkien is the dense and almost archaic writing style. A wonderful mix of great research and straight forward delivery. Love it love it.

Melodies, pictures, voice tone... Everything is excellent. Especially the pictures and the music made me feel like I'm wandering within the borders of this work. Even if I am at the beginning of this playlist, I really loved it and it is very helpful for my studies. Thank you!

I was brought here by In Deep Geek. I love what you are doing. Having read The Silmarillion just once almost 20 years ago, I have always wanted to revisit it and this is the perfect format. Understanding it more deeply brings a much deeper appreciation to to JRRT's other work.

Great video. Very thorough!! I love the artwork you chose. Thank you for digging Mandos.

Wow.... the deeper you go, the more and more layers of symbolism and IRL influences you find in Tolkien's writing....

Not only are their names hard to remember but they also go by 100 different names aswell 😅

this channel may be dead, but nonetheless, thank you! while reading the silmarillion, i have to constantly look at the index’s because of the onslaught of names and locations thrown at me. i get so lost. i will play this playlist while i’m driving or accidentally falling asleep. regardless, i will watch each video, especially the chapter ones, at least twice. just, thank you for the clarification and breaking down of each chapter and major points. truly, you’re an angel

What a wonderful series on this VERY difficult book, at least for me. Keep up the good work.

Thanks For such a clear, precise and thoughtful explanation of a book that when I first read it, I found difficult and sometimes confusing.

This series should have so many more views. Keep it up, this is so well done!

About to do my stream, but wanted to give you a like. I'll definitely rewatch 💙💙

Another great breakdown! Thank you so much! 😊

bro please , we want more , actually i can't understand the silmarillion on my own . ur are doing a Great JOB helpng us to understand such a massive and beautiful story and mythonlogy , big Thankies!

Another great one 😺 thank you Dan 💙

Starting to read through with the aid of your videos and with The Prancing Pony podcast also. Really helps to understand the text and to justify how I'm understanding it myself. Thankyou 😀

These videos are fantastic. During quarantine Ive been going deeper and deeper into Tolkien and the world is absolutely fascinating. Thank you for this and keep them coming!

Love that asmr style voice and the content focus!!!

you make even the boring stuff good ;)

Awesome work

Wonderful video! Thank you for all your work! Finally reading for the first time!

Great job with these videos! You deserve many more subscribers!!!! Hopefully sometime soon :)

Thanks!

Bro thank you your a real one

Thanks dan

Love the series

You are the best!

I just love your videos. I just feel that associating Silmarillion myth with other myths, like when you said Taniquetil (think of Mt Olympus) takes away from the originality of Taniquetil or the like, I mean I can understand the majesty of Taniquetil by itself by the myth of Silmarillion alone. Why do I need to think of Mt Olympus, like there’s no need for a reference or allegory to another myth. These r my thoughts. I feel Sil is very much authentic to stand n to be comprehended on its own without need for allegory.

Many Melkor was a lesser version of Eru himself since he has the powers of all the Valar combined.

Just a couple of pedantic pronunciation notes: "Námo" is pronounced "NAH-mo" rather than "NAY-mo", "Aulë" is pronounced "OW-lay" rather than "ah-OO-lay", and "Vairë" is pronounced "VYE-ray". JRRT does love his diphthongs! But all told you're doing splendidly handling the shower of names that JRRT hurls at us: we should be thankful that not all of these start with the letter "F" 🤣

wanted to follow this so much, but the music is too loud and distracting...will keep trying future videos in the series, hoping public pressure eventually wins you over to less noise. Love your work, otherwise.

But in the LOTR Frodo does not invoke Varda’s name; not that I remember

The Valar are a metaphor for the Angels God created in The Bible, as Ea is a monotheistic cosmos, where as the pagan religions of the ancient Greco-Roman and Nordic worlds were based on a Polytheistic cosmos. Those gods were not created, but rather had a hierarchy. The Valar are created by Illuvatar (God). They are his offspring. Therefore, they are made to represent the angels, and Morgoth, being the highest of the Valar and choosing not submit to Illuvatar's perfect harmony, is made to represent Lucifer/Satan. The parallels cannot be anymore obvious.

Were was Ulmo during the 3rd age. Were all Valar removed after the destruction of Numenor. Because when the ring was lost why hadn't Ulmo intervened (not much of a story would be left) or did he. Also couldn't he have retrieved the Silmarill thrown into the ocean. Just woundering, Vote Ulmo down with Manwe.😁

I would have to disagree with you that Tolkien’s world is not monotheistic in the judaeo-Christian sense. The reason is simply because like Tolkien’s world there are other gods described in the Bible, at least in the sense that there are beings described as being among the Elohim IE angels, demons, and some idol/lesser gods, granted modern Abrahamists like to forget about this fact and state there is only one god and these other beings aren’t gods, even though the term god is often vague and has multiple varying definitions.

Background music do not help