The Silmarillion

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. “Worldbuilding” is a common term used when talking about fantasy and science fiction. What, exactly, makes an immersive and intriguing fantasy world? What do you know about Tolkien’s own brand of worldbuilding?

Teaching Suggestion: Students will likely be familiar with Tolkien’s universe, whether from reading his books or watching the numerous award-winning films based on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This prompt will allow students to reflect upon the prolific nature of Tolkien’s works, which speak to the masterful power of his worldbuilding abilities. The Silmarillion is the cornerstone of his worldbuilding techniques, as it creates an entire Religion and Mythology that serve as the foundation of this world.

• This article from The Collector discusses Tolkien’s legendarium and provides an overview of his work.
• “How Norse Mythology Influenced Tolkien” is a 4-minute video that describes how Norse tradition affected Tolkien’s mythological universe.

2. Throughout history, philosophers, ethicists, and religious leaders have all grappled with morality, trying to figure out what makes a person “good” or “evil.” What are some popular theories as to what makes a person good or evil? Can someone ever be purely one or the other? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: The Silmarillion deals with one of the most widely covered themes in all of literature: the battle of Good Versus Evil. This prompt encourages students to think broadly about the nature of good and evil, drawing from all disciplines. To help generate discussion, you might ask students which heroic or villainous figures they’ve learned about in former history, social studies, and/or English literature classes. This conversation will give an even more epic scope to the battles that animate The Silmarillion.

• “The Concept of Evil” from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy defines and explores why the concept of “evil” is essential in order to have “good.”
• Crash Course’s 10-minute video dips into the question of good versus evil by asking: Why is there evil?

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

In his 1952 book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis writes, “Pride is spiritual cancer: It eats on the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” Do you agree with Lewis’s perception of pride? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: Throughout The Silmarillion, Hubris is a powerful force, one that leads to many characters’ downfall. In this prompt, students will reflect upon this C. S. Lewis quote, which speaks to the malignant nature of pride. Throughout the book, students will see pride “eat” on the very concepts mentioned by Lewis: love, contentment, and common sense. To encourage student engagement and class discussion, it may be beneficial to create a class-wide definition of pride before responding to the Personal Connection Prompt.

• “Why Pride Is Nothing to Be Proud Of” from Psychology Today provides a secular perspective on pride and warns of the dangers of hubris.
• This 22-minute video by Einzelgänger argues that hubris is the “mother of all sins” and explains why in the context of Christianity’s Seven Deadly Sins.

Differentiation Suggestion: Following their initial responses, advanced students may benefit from reading Futurity’s “How Pride Actually Benefits the Greater Good.” Afterward, you could ask students to add a few lines to their responses by answering this question: Have they experienced the positive aspects of pride?