Last week, I made a video about how Tolkien and his writings were influenced by Norse
mythology. So this is sort of going to be an extension of that. And that’s because
this following story is based on Ragnarök. Now, if you don’t know what Ragnarok is
let me first explain that.
Ragnarök is the story of the end of Asgard and the deaths of the Gods as featured in
the Edda. This means, but not limited to, Thor, Týr, Odin, Freyr, Loki and Heimdall.
Which makes sense considering Ragnarök means “Fate of the Gods” in Old Norse.
So Dagor Dagorath, The Final Battle, which is the topic of our video today, bares resemblance
to both this, and the story of Armageddon in the Bible. It is also known as The Second
Prophecy of Mandos who was the Doomsman of the Valar. He remembers everything that was
and everything that's to come and he resides in his own Halls, just as a Völva does.
This story was abandoned by Tolkien and replaced it with the War of Wrath. The reason for that
is explained in History of Middle-earth Vol X, Morgoth’s Ring:
The Second Prophecy of Mandos (V.333) had now therefore definitively disappeared. This
passage was used to form a conclusion to the published Silmarillion (p. 255). [HoME X/203-204].
This means that Tolkien didn’t want to conclude it there because of the Lord of the Rings
had come after and he didn’t want to mimic mythologies so much. Which makes sense when
you read Letter 131. "This legendarium ends with a vision of the end of the
world, its breaking and remaking, and the recovery of the Silmarilli and the 'light
before the Sun' – after a final battle which owes, I suppose, more to the Norse vision
of Ragnarök than to anything else, though it is not much like it."
But even though he changed it, we don’t have much to go off of when it comes to exact
influences, and I still find it all really interesting, let’s draw some of our own
comparisons from it and tell the story anyway.
So, it will all begin when Morgoth is finally able to somehow break free from the void,
where he is imprisoned and leaving through a portal known as the Door of Night. Obviously
it isn’t guarded well enough though because Morgoth leaves and then resurrects his servants
(whether they be orcs, dragons, trolls, spiders, balrogs or any other creature who has ever
followed him) and then, he destroys the sun and the moon. Just like in Ragnarök, when
Loki escapes, recruits his followers and the sun and the moon are also destroyed (except
it’s eaten by the wolves, Skoll and Hati).
While everyone in Middle-earth, from Men, Dwarves, Elves and Hobbits, Tulkas, Manwë,
Túrin and Eärendil meet up in Valinor and rally up against Morgoth and his forces one
last time. Not only is a fight of the living but all of those who died in the past will
also return from the Halls of Mandos. Also, I wanted to mention this in the last video
but unfortunately, I didn’t and basically, I just want to say that Ragnarök gets destroyed
by Surtur who seems to be similar to the Balrogs.
Anyway, back to my main point. A huge battle ensues and there has nothing been like it
before. Amongst the great Men, Elves, Dwarves and Ainur even, are the greatest of foes.
Glaurung, the dragon Túrin slayed many years ago, returns as well as Ancalagon the Black.
He is the largest dragon ever and with him are many other dragons and there is total
carnage everywhere.
Once Morgoth and Tulkas come face-to-face in hand-to-hand combat, Túrin delivers the
final blow by stabbing Morgoth in the heart with his black sword, Gurthang. In another
version of the story, however, Eönwë ends up killing him. And in the final version,
Túrin doesn’t kill Morgoth but rather Ancalagon. [...] unless the prophecy of Andreth the Wise-woman
should prove true, that Túrin in the Last Battle should return from the Dead, and before
he left the Circles of the World for ever should challenge the Great Dragon of Morgoth,
Ancalagon the Black, and deal him the death-stroke. [HoME XII/374]
Afterwards, when the spirit of Feanor is released from the Halls of Mandos and they recover
the Silmarils from the Earth, Sea and Sky, he gives them to Yavanna and she restores
the light of the Two Trees once destroying the Silmarils. And so Arda will finally be
reborn from ashes to start anew and the Second Music of the Ainur (sang along side with Elves
and Men) will be better than first.
This is the same in both Norse Mythology and in Christianity (as well as several other
religions), that the end, isn’t really the end but rather the dawn of new life.
Thanks for watching! If you found this video interesting, don’t forget to leave a ‘like’.
Remember to subscribe and light the beacons on your way out, and until our next meeting,
I bid you farewell!