The Third Set of Stories
THE SECOND AGE
OF THE SUN
(lasting 3,441 years)
(Some
conjecture that this began on December 26, 9564 BCE in our reckoning)
Chapter Ten: The General History of Numenor
FOR REFERENCE AS YOU READ
THIS:
Map of Numenor, Unfinished Tales beginning
of Second Age (p164).
Numenor kings' geneology from Eldros, Unfinished Tales Aldarion and Erendis chapter (p210).
THE STORY:
Return
of the King: Appendix A, its introduction + I, i only, Numenor (re the
First Age through end of the Second Age)
Silmarillion's
Akallabeth (the Chapter after its long Quenta Silmarillion)
+ Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age (its last Chapter) only up to "Thus began the Third Age" (my p.304) (re year 3441)
Akallabeth (the Chapter after its long Quenta Silmarillion)
+ Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age (its last Chapter) only up to "Thus began the Third Age" (my p.304) (re year 3441)
The
Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, p155 2nd on early history of the Numenoreans;
156 2nd through 157 1st on their downfall.
INTERESTING RETELLING(S):
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part 1
Chapter II: The Fall of Numenor (I prefer just a quick skim of a lot of it and
skipping some of the notes)
OTHER FASCINATING FACTS:
How many people moved to Numenor:
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 12: The
Peoples of Middle Earth, Part One,
V: The History of the Akallabeth pp144-145 re §5
Numenoreans lived about 3x longer
than normal humans, and they looked more like elves. (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, p154)
Remember we've lost a lot because of
the way Numenor was destroyed.
Note that the above Lost Road Fall of Numenor chapter has
interesting details about the changed geography. Also note its comment p23 on
there being no religion in the Silmarillion.
Re geology: The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, p224's
Letter 169.
On the splendid accuracy of the Numenorean
calendar! The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, p229
3rd.
Note, however, that we'll see a bit
more in with notes that concern the Third Age.
Chapter Eleven: Some Stories of Numenor
FOR REFERENCE AS YOU READ
THIS:
Do read the notes in Unfinished Tales, which even include further
stories.
THE STORIES:
Unfinished
Tales in its Second Age section:
Numenor (re
whole Second Age)
+ Aldarion and Erendis (re Second Age years 451-1285 including the notes)
+ Aldarion and Erendis (re Second Age years 451-1285 including the notes)
+
Line of Elros Kings of Numenor
+ Galadriel and Celeborn up to Amroth and Nimrodel story (p240) (if you wish, you can finish this whole part of the "Second Age" here, but I found there was just too much I wanted to read about the Third Age after The Lord of the Rings; chapter includes stuff from First through Third Ages)
+ Galadriel and Celeborn up to Amroth and Nimrodel story (p240) (if you wish, you can finish this whole part of the "Second Age" here, but I found there was just too much I wanted to read about the Third Age after The Lord of the Rings; chapter includes stuff from First through Third Ages)
The History of Middle Earth Vol. 12:
The Peoples of Middle Earth:
Part One, V: The History
of the Akallabeth, just On the Marriage of Miriel and Pharazon (pp159-163)
(only if you're interested)
+ the last story in the
book, Part Four, XVII, Tal-Elmar (re Second Age possibly years 1800-2251)
OTHER FASCINATING FACTS: Don't miss in the above Unfinished Tales:
Numenorian holidays,
p166
where some artefacts
went to, pp.171-172
INTERESTING RETELLING(S): The History of Middle Earth
Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle Earth:
Part One, VI: The Tale of Years of the Second Age just pp172-177 plus note 17 p186
(more a summary, but also further, short stories)
Re Gilgalad: The History of Middle
Earth Vol. 6: The Return of the Shadow:
Chapter XII, pp. 215-216.
Re shape and reshaping of
Middle-Earth, also of the universe in this mythology: The History of Middle
Earth Vol. 4: The Shaping of
Middle-Earth: Chapter V.
If you'd like, Tolkien provides a
summary through the 1st 2 ages in a letter in the beginning of my new
Silmarillion edition.
