February 6

Day 37

Basic Reading: 

    The Silmarillion: Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 20: Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
    *Read the second third of this chapter today.

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Supplementary Reading:

• Background:

  • The Lost Road: Appendix: I. The Genealogies, II. The List of Names, and III. The Second ‘Silmarillion’ Map

• Prior Versions:

  • The Shaping of Middle-Earth: Section VII. The Earliest Annals of Beleriand, Year 172 (including corresponding Commentary)

  • The Lost Road: Part Two, Section III. The Later Annals of Beleriand, Year 272

  • The War of the Jewels: Part One: The Grey Annals, YS 472 (including corresponding Commentary)

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Enrichment Activities:

• Maps: 

  • Beleriand: River Sirion, Eithel Sirion, Rivil, Fen of Serech, Nargothrond, Angband, Hithlum, Anfauglith, Thangorodrim, Brethil, Ered Wethrin, Gondolin, Pass of Sirion, Mount Dolmed, Belegost 

• Character Cards: Gwindor

• Timeline: First Age 472

• Other: Look up some illustrations of the battle-masks of the Naugrim. Consider what makes such a mask effective for intimidating foes, and what makes it effective in deflecting dragon-fire.

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Discussion Questions:

    1. What is Morgoth afraid of?
    2. Did the sons of Fëanor behave honorably during the battle?
    3. What was the white flame that sprang from Fingon’s helmet?