Ainulindalë (Quenya: [ˌai̯ nuˈlindalɛ]; "Music of the Ainur") is creation account in the J. R. R.

Tolkien's legendarium, published as the first part of the posthumously published The
Silmarillion (1977).
In many ways central to Tolkien's "sub creative" cosmology, the Ainulindalë gives an account of
the Ainur, a class of angelic beings, who perform a great music prefiguring the creation of the
material universe (Eä). Ilúvatar introduces the theme of the sentient races of Elves and Men, not
anticipated by the Ainur, and gives physical being to the prefigured universe. Some of the Ainur
decide to enter the physical world to prepare for their arrival, becoming the Valar and Maiar.
Tolkien wrote the initial version of "Ainulindalë" from November 1919 to the spring of 1920 as "Music
of the Ainur", completely rewriting it in 1930. After further revisions by the author, it was published by
his son Christopher in The Book of Lost Tales (the first two volumes of The History of Middle-earth).

Synopsis[edit]
"Ainulindalë" recounts the creation of Arda by the deity Eru Ilúvatar. The story begins with a
description of the Ainur as "children of Ilúvatar's thought". They are taught the art of music, which
becomes the subject of their immortal lives. The Ainur sing alone or in small groups about themes
given to each of them by Ilúvatar, who proposes a "great" plan for them all: a collaborative symphony
where they would sing together in harmony. Although the Ainur embody Ilúvatar's thoughts, they are
expected to use their freedom to assist the development of the "great" plan.
The most powerful of the Ainur, Melkor, is introduced to the music. Although his "loud, and vain"
music disrupts the harmony, Ilúvatar stands, smiles and raises his left hand to begin a new theme.
When Melkor again spoils the second theme, Ilúvatar rises sternly and raises his right hand to begin
a third. Melkor tries to corrupt this theme with the volume of his music, but it is powerful enough to
prevent him from succeeding. Ilúvatar ends the music, chastises Melkor and leaves the Ainur to their
thoughts.
The deity takes the Ainur to see how music, at the end of the Void, created Arda. When the third
theme results in the arrival of the Children of Ilúvatar, the Elves and the Men, many Ainur want to go
into the world to visit them. Although Melkor was the first of the Ainur to be named, Ulmo was the
first to take action in Arda. Despite Melkor's efforts, Ulmo's water cannot be ruined by heat or cold;
he and Manwë are revealed as the primary agents of Ilúvatar's plans.
Some Ainur remains in the Timeless Halls with Ilúvatar, and others go into Arda as
the Valar and Maiar. The Ainur begin to prepare for the arrival of the Children of Ilúvatar; Melkor
repeatedly thwarts their preparations, desiring to rule Arda. Manwë summons the Ainur to resist
Melkor, who retreats. When the Valar later assume bodily form, the first war of Eä begins, but
Manwë's efforts make the Earth habitable for Elves and Men.

Writing
The first version of "Ainulindalë" (known as "The Music of the Ainur") was intended to be part of
Tolkien's The Book of Lost Tales, written in the 1910s and 1920s and published by Christopher
Tolkien in the first two volumes of The History of Middle-earth.[1] According to a 16 July 1964 letter
to Christopher Bretherton, Tolkien wrote the first version of "Ainulindalë" from November 1918 to the
spring of 1920 while he worked on the Oxford English Dictionary.[2]
The first draft of the story, written in pencil, does not vary significantly from the published version;
future changes involved the addition of Manwë and Aulë.[3] The narrator in the earlier version is the
elf Rúmil of Tirion and the language differs from that of the Silmarillion version. "Melkor" is spelt
"Melko", and Ilúvatar weeps before he creates the third theme. At the end is a section about the
Valar, which was later moved to the "Valaquenta".[3]
Tolkien abandoned Ainulindalë for many years. Although it did not appear in the "Sketch of
Mythology", in which he summarized his legendarium in 1926 to a professor in Birmingham,[4] the
subject was briefly mentioned in "Annals of Valinor" and "Quenta Silmarillion". Tolkien rewrote "The
Music of the Ainur" during the 1930s, leaving most of its storyline intact.[5]
In 1946, while drafting The Lord of the Rings, he wrote a new version of "Ainulindalë" of which only
half a torn page survives. His legendarium then changed radically; Arda has always existed, the Sun
existed when the world was formed and the Moon was formed as a result of Melkor's
destruction.[6] Tolkien's Lamps of the Valar concept was abandoned in favour of a more coherent
creation myth, with scientific elements. The idea of a spherical world was also abandoned after a
reader said she preferred a flat one.[6][7]
In 1948 Tolkien began a new version, eliminating mentions of the Sun and the Moon and introducing
the concept that Ilúvatar created the world after the visions of the Ainur died away. In this version,
which added several new details,[8] the narrator is the elf Pengoloð.[9]

Reception[edit]
Although commentary about The Silmarillion has primarily focused on the work as a whole, the
reaction to "Ainulindalë" has been generally positive. British writer Joseph Pearce called it "the most
important part of The Silmarillion" and said, "The myth of creation is perhaps the most significant and
most beautiful of Tolkien's works."[10] Brian Rosebury considered "Ainulindalë" a success, with
"appropriately 'scriptural'" prose.[11] Several Jesuits have praised the story; James V. Schall said, "I
have never read anything as beautiful as the first page of The Silmarillion" and Robert Murray said,
"In all literature, from the formation of the sacred books of humanity, it is very difficult to find a
comparable mythological story of creation by its beauty and imaginative power."[10]
According to Fantasy Literature: A Core Collection and Reference Guide, "Every part of [The
Silmarillion] benefits from the power and audacity of imaginative genius Tolkien and his brilliant
style" and "Ainulindalë" has "organ tones".[12] Although Ralph C. Wood called it "one of the finest and
most original of [Tolkien's] writings",[13] the stylistic differences between this story and the rest of The
Silmarillion have been the subject of debate;[14] Daniel Grotta believes that Christopher Tolkien wrote
most of the story.[15]

Analysis[edit]

Title page of The Silmarillion, in which "Ainulindalë" is the first story

"Ainulindalë", written early in Tolkien's career, demonstrates the importance of music in his
legendarium.[16] According to John Gardner, "Music is the central symbol and the total myth of The
Silmarillion, a symbol that becomes interchangeable with light (music's projection)."[17]
"The Music of the Ainur", as it appears in The Book of Lost Tales, refers to Norse mythology.
Like Theogony and Gylfaginning in the Prose Edda, it answers cosmogonical questions.[18] The
story's style has been compared to that of old Norse texts. Although the wording differs substantially,
the Valar and the Æsir are alike in influencing the world and being influenced by their actions;
Manwë has been compared to Odin in this context.[19]
Despite the story's Norse pagan elements, such as the Ainur performing the creative work of
Ilúvatar, other aspects of "Ainulindalë" reflect Tolkien's Catholicism.[20] His pre-Christian story[20] has
been called "Tolkien's Genesis essay";[21] according to another source, "The Biblical parallels evinced
by the creation account of the Ainulindalë ... are inescapable."[22]
Marjorie Burns, who worked on the different versions of "Ainulindalë", said that Tolkien increasingly
Christianised the Valar and reduced the influence of Norse mythology in successive revisions.[23] In
the story, Tolkien expresses a global view of Christianity, with good and evil paralleling the stories in
the Book of Genesis.[13] As Gandalf says to Frodo Baggins, "There was nothing bad in the beginning,
even Sauron was not."[24] In "Ainulindalë", Ilúvatar creates everything good; evil intrudes
later.[25] Though evil is brought about in the creation song by Melkor's pride, the Ilúvatar incorporates
it into the conclusion of his divine plan. The theme of evil being a perversion of good correlates to
the Christian theology regarding the existence of evil, in a world made by a benevolent creator.
Although, even Melkor's pride too is Eru's will as Eru himself declares "no theme may be played that
hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite". [26