Back to Middle-Earth Month: Creation

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Every artist is a creator in his or her own right, and so it should not come as a surprise that today's topic of Creation generated an overwhelming response from our authors and artists. From the creation of life to the creation of objects, creation as a gift and a burden, today we celebrate the myriad forms of one of humankind's greatest virtues: creation.

At the core of The Silmarillion is a story of creation: the story of the Silmarils. It should come as no surprise, then, that many of today's stories and artworks look at Fëanor's creation of the Silmarils. Noliel likens this experience to something that we all know as artists. pandemonium_ 213 writes of how Fëanor and Sauron embraced "the technical sweetness of their own elegant and terrible inventions, consequences be damned." Standing as almost a foil to that is Ranger1's drabble of the innocent beauty of the Silmarils' beginnings. Finally, Isil Elensar traces Fëanor's slow descent into pride and obsession with the work of his own hands.

Other authors looked at different aspects of creation. Tárion Anaróre considers the emotional attachment of a musician to his music. ford_of_bruinen writes of creativity used in making of a gift that--no matter how awkward--is forever beautiful in its recipient's eyes. Dawn Felagund also considers the creation of gifts, and Elleth describes creation of a different sort: the creation of life, which the making of mere objects will never rival.

Today's stories about creation can be found at http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/b2mem2008/creation.php.

On Friday, we will conclude our Beginnings theme with stories and artwork about discovery.

The full Back to Middle-earth Month 2008 project can be found at http://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/b2mem2008.php.