Eris and Melkor: Unraveling the Threads of Discord | Tolkien's inspirations

[@WolfeRavenwood]

I am a simple Rohirrim, i see a Council of the Ring video, i click a like.

[@GerardoVillarreal1101]

Inspiration and similarities are everywhere, is inevitable. This is a cool finding, would be cool to know if Tolkien was a fan of Greek Mythology.

[@CounciloftheRings]

He was a fan of Norse mythology, so it’s very plausible 😁

[@istari0]

@@CounciloftheRings From what I remember reading, while Norse mythology was his greatest interest, he did have an interest in Greek and other mythologies. He did, after all, study the Greek language.

[@CounciloftheRings]

@@istari0yeah I remember him studying Greek language, but if I remember correctly he wasn’t too interested in it. He could of course still find their mythology interesting.

[@Crafty_Spirit]

​@@CounciloftheRings Both are offsprings of Indoeuropean mythology, the study of one is always also a study of all its cousins... from Ireland in the North all down south to India 🗿

[@backredfire]

4chan released a potential leak on what the Rings of Power season 2 will be about. Will you be covering it? I really admired your review of the 1st season so I would consider you as an authority if dedicated a video on your thoughts of this leak.

[@CounciloftheRings]

Yes it will come out in a few days 😁

[@amydoyle6404]

It seemed like the story of Lucifer the angel when he fell out of God's (Lucifer's maker) because he felt he deserved as much power as his creator. His own agenda.

[@JaneBlount-z1b]

Its all evident he got ut from the Christian story of creation, melkor and the fallen maiar are just a replica of lucifer andvhis demons

[@Enerdhil]

Are you intimating that Eru is the ultimate source of darkness? Tolkien would never agree. Just sayin'....

[@CounciloftheRings]

Well both yes and no. I think it taps into a very complex (and interesting) topic well-known in Christian theology. "Why does Evil exist?" or "Why does God allow Evil to exist?". I've heard several answers to this question - some are about Free Will - and that in order to have Free Will it also gives room for Evil. Others say that Evil in the world allows for Good to exist. There are many other interesting answers. Perhaps none of them are right or perhaps all of them are right. I think it's a very complicated issue, especially for me that haven't even studied theology or philosophy - and far too complicated for a short video like this. In The Silmarillion Eru does say this: "Then Ilúvatar spoke, and he said: ‘Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor; but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Ilúvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see what ye have done. And thou, Melkor, shalt see *that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite.* For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.’" and shortly after this: "...Ilúvatar said again: ‘Behold your Music! This is your minstrelsy; and each of you shall find contained herein, amid the design that *I set before you, all those things which it may seem that he himself devised or added. And thou, Melkor, wilt discover all the secret thoughts of thy mind, and wilt perceive that they are but a part of the whole and tributary to its glory.*’" both of these are right after the Discord and indicates Eru knew what Melkor would do. At the same time it's also said he started to have thoughts of his own, which could be "the source of evil" if you like. But I think it's interesting Eru's lines come afterwards and implies he knew all along what Melkor would do. At the end of it all, what truly makes Morgoth/ Melkor evil is his desire to dominate the will of others, while Eru does not. So I'm not saying Eru is evil - they are fundamentally different on this issue. I guess one could argue that there is both Good and Evil in all of us and Melkor and Sauron's corruptions simply brings out the worst in us. It's more my own observation, but it's interesting to think where the "source of evil" comes from within the balrogs, or Saruman or en elf like Fëanor. Where does this Evil come from? Both in them and in Melkor. I hope that paints a far more nuanced picture than what I could present at the end of the video! Cheers!

[@Enerdhil]

@@CounciloftheRings Thank you for this wonderful clarification. I have always thought that the first quote you posted was in regard to the physical creation of Arda, meaning that Melkor had evil intentions when he tried to destroy the work of the other Ainur and that Eru was able to take these marred, corrupted works of Melkor and transform them into features of wonder and beauty. I think of Melkor's Ring as separate from the actual creation of Arda, since it is spiritual and not physical.