Symbols Representing Creationism in J. R. R. Tolkien’S ‘Ainulindale’ and ‘Valaquenta’

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SYMBOLS REPRESENTING CREATIONISM IN J. R. R. TOLKIEN’S ‘AINULINDALE’ AND ‘VALAQUENTA’

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By GERALDO ALEXANDER PATRIA SIREGAR Student Number: 164214053

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA 2020

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SYMBOLS REPRESENTING CREATIONISM IN J. R. R. TOLKIEN’S ‘AINULINDALE’ AND ‘VALAQUENTA’

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By GERALDO ALEXANDER PATRIA SIREGAR Student Number: 164214053

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA YOGYAKARTA 2020

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For my parents,

My sister,

And my late mother

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To begin with, I would like to show my deepest gratitude to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who has always been the guiding Light to me in my darkest times when all other lights go out. I would also like to give sincere thanks to my thesis advisor, Dr. Tatang Iskarna, and to my co-advisor, Sri Mulyani Ph.D., who have given invaluable advices and shared their knowledge to me so that it is possible for me to finish this thesis.

Next, I would like to thank my family, especially my parents and my only sister, Harry, Dianry, and Lidya, whose love and support has empowered me to go beyond my limits, not forgetting to mention my cousin, Desi, and my late mother,

Endah, I would as well give my innermost thanks to Kitana who has kept me company during the pandemic and encouraged me to finish my thesis.

Correspondingly, I would show my appreciation to my friend, Anjaz, and to my good housemaid, Tira, who had strengthened my resolve to have a new beginning in a new college.

Special thanks are also directed to my college friends: Yoninho, Bryan,

Bima, Julia, Grace, Sekar, Ayu, and many others whose name I cannot mention one by one. You all have filled my college time not only with joy and laughter that brighten up the days, but also with arguments and deep talks that helped me to develop in wisdom and personality.

Geraldo Alexander Patria Siregar

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE ...... ii APPROVAL PAGE ...... iii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...... iv STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ...... v LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH .. vi MOTTO PAGE ...... vii DEDICATION PAGE ...... viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... x ABSTRACT ...... xi ABSTRAK ...... xii

CHAPTER I ...... 1 A. Background of the Study ...... 1 B. Problem Formulation ...... 4 C. Objectives of the Study ...... 4 D. Definition of Terms ...... 5

CHAPTER II ...... 7 A. Review of Related Studies ...... 7 B. Review of Related Theories ...... 12 1. Theory on Symbol ...... 12 2. Theory on Semiotics ...... 14 3. Theory on Creationism ...... 15 C. Theoretical Framework ...... 17

CHAPTER III ...... 17 A. Object of the Study ...... 17 B. Approach of the Study ...... 19 C. Method of the Study ...... 20

CHAPTER IV ...... 21 A. Symbols in Ainulindale and Valaquenta ...... 21 1. Eru (Iluvatar) ...... 22 2. Ainur ...... 24 3. Music ...... 28 B. The Significance of the Symbols ...... 29 1. Eru (Iluvatar) ...... 30 2. Ainur ...... 33 3. Music ...... 37 C. Creationism Seen through the Symbols ...... 38

CHAPTER V ...... 41 REFERENCES ...... 43

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ABSTRACT

SIREGAR, GERALDO ALEXANDER PATRIA. (2020). Symbols Representing Creationism in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Ainulindale and Valaquenta. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Symbol is a literary device that is used by writers to convey ideas inexplicitly. It is one of the dominant literary devices in J.R.R. Tolkien‟s Ainulindale and Valaquenta. Ainulindale is the creation myth of Tolkien‟s fictional universe “Ea” and world, “Arda”, while Valaquenta is the account of the Valar, the Ainur that came into Arda to shape it. The two narratives are alleged to contain symbols that represent creationism. There are three objectives in this research. The first one finds symbols in the two narratives. The second one examines what the symbols represent based on the theory on symbols. The last one determines how the symbols represent creationism through their significance using the theory on creationism. This research applies three steps to fulfill the mentioned objectives. The first step is close reading of both Ainulindale, and Valaquenta to find the symbols. The second step analyzes the significance of each symbol by examining their traditional meaning and how each symbol affects the readers. The last step defines how the symbols represent creationism seen from their significance. This research uses mythological approach. The theories used in this research are the theory on symbols, semiotics and creationism. This research finds three symbols in both Ainulindale and Valaquenta. The three symbols are Eru, the Ainur, and Music. Eru‟s existence in the narratives signifies the presence of an almighty God, the creator. The Ainur signifies the presence of creation. Music signifies harmony between the creator and the creation and harmony between creations. The three symbols represent the belief of creationism through their significances.

Keywords: symbols, creationism, creationist, Tolkien.

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ABSTRAK

Simbol merupakan salah satu perangkat sastra yang digunakan penulis untuk menyapaikan ggasan secara lebih lebih samar. Simbol adalah salah satu perangkat sastra yang dominan di dalam Ainulindale dan Valaquenta karya J.R.R. Tolkien. Ainulindale merupakan mitos penciptaan semesta dan dunia fiktif Tolkien “Ea” dan “Arda”, ketika Valaquenta merupakan catatan mengenai para “Dewa” yang membentuk Arda. Kedua cerita diduga memgandung simbol-simbol yang menggambarkan kreasionisme. Ada tiga tujuan di dalam penelitian ini. Tujuan pertama mencari simbol do dalam kedua cerita. Tujuan kedua memeriksa apa makna para simbol menurut teori simbol. Tujuan terakhir menentukan bagaimana simbol-simbol tersebut menggambarkan kreasionisme menggunakan teori kreasionisme. Penelitian ini menggunakan tiga langkah untuk memenuhi tujuan tersebut. Langkah pertama adalah close reading Ainulindale dan Valaquenta untuk menemukan simbol. Langkah kedua menganalisa makna setiap simbol dengan memeriksa makna tradisional dan bagaimana simbol tersebut mempengaruhi para pembaca. Langkah terakhir menegaskan bagaimana para simbol menggambarkan kreasionisme dilihat dari maknanya. Penelitian ini menggunkan pendekatan mitologi. Teori-teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teori simbol, semiotika dan kreasionisme. Penelitian ini menemukan tiga simbol di dalam Ainulindale dan Valaquenta. Ketiga simbol tersebut adalah Eru, Ainur, dan Musik. Keberadaan Eru di dalam kedua cerita menandakan kehadiran sosok Tuhan yang maha kuasa, sang pencipta. Ainur menandakan kehadiran mahluk ciptaan. Musik menandakan kerukunan antara sang pencipta dan mahluk ciptaan serta kerukunan antara para mahluk ciptaan. Ketiga simbol tersebut menggambarkan keyakinan kreasionisme melalui makna-maknanya.

Kata kunci: symbols, creationism, creationist, Tolkien.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of four parts. The first part, which is Background of the Study, describes the motives of why the writer choses the topic to be analyzed in this study. The second part of this chapter, which is the Problem Formulation, comprises the formulation of the problems that is discussed in regard to the chosen topic. The Objectives of the Study is the third part of this chapter. This part is used to state the objective of the study clearly. The last part is the

Definition of Terms which is used to clarify particular key terms in the title to avoid confusion on the said terms. There are two terms mentioned in this part of the chapter, namely Symbol and Creationism which will be further clarified in the succeeding section.

A. Background of the Study

Literature can be perceived as any written work, both fiction and nonfiction. It is used in no other purpose but to convey ideas. These statements concerning the definition of literature is affirmed by Chris Baldick‟s in The

Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms which states that literature is “a body of written works related by subject-matter, by language or a place of origin, or by prevailing cultural standards or merit” (2001, p. 141). However, he added that the definition of literature has changed in the last two centuries. In the 19th century, literature is considered only as written or printed works that has imaginative, creative, or artistic values that are lacking in factual or practical references, while

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in the 20th century, the written works that are considered to be literature are not limited only to the works that have imaginative values or are fictional, but rather considers non-fictional writings such as science, history, biography, as well (2001, p. 141-142).

These statements on literature by Baldick is supported by Terry Eagleton‟s in Literary Theory where he states that literature can be defined by its usage of language in “peculiar ways” (1996, p. 2). This statement means that the language style in a literary work is different from the language style of everyday use or, in other words, is unusual. He even added that literature forces its readers into “a dramatic awareness of language” (1996, p. 3). This trait of language which occurs in a literary work is believed to invigorate the readers as it uses a less customary style of language. Formalists have narrowed the meaning of literature into written works that has the feature of “literariness”. This “literariness” also known as

“poetic” feature in a work can be achieved by making the language in the work less ordinary to produce an effect of freshness to the reader (Eagleton, 1996, p. 2).

This feature can be made by using literary devices.

Literary devices are the structures that exist in a literary works which are used by writers to convey intended messages to the readers or to add meaning to the story in addition to make it more interesting. Literary devices are also having the tendency to make story more appealing for interpretations and analyses (What are Literary Devices, n. d.). There are two aspects of literary devices, namely literary elements and literary techniques. Literary elements are inherently exist in literary pieces and are used by authors to develop stories. These literary elements

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are plot, setting, mood, them, etc. Meanwhile, literary techniques are structures in the form of words or phrases that are employed to achieve both artistic results and the greater understanding and appreciation of literary works by the reader. Unlike literary elements, the existence of literary techniques in a story is decided by the authors or, in other words, their existence in a story is optional. Among these literary techniques are metaphor, simile, alliteration, and symbol.

A symbol can be an interesting object to analyze for those who seek to know a little bit deeper about the hidden meaning of a literary text or a work.

According to M. H. Abrams (1999) in A Glossary of Literary Terms, symbols, in literature, are words and phrases that signify or refer to something beyond itself

(p. 311). Some of these symbols, known as „conventional‟ symbol, can be easily identified by many people as they are used frequently or have become a part of several cultures. However, there are some that cannot be easily recognized by commoners known as “personal symbols” (Abrams, 1999, p. 311). The significance of a personal symbol is generated by its writer and therefore often can neither be easily interpreted nor widely known.

Symbol is a dominant literary device in Tolkien‟s works. By using symbols, Tolkien intends to convey his ideas of moral and „religious truth‟ to his readers less explicitly, as can be seen in his statement in his letter to Milton

Waldman in 1951:

“For reasons which I will not elaborate, that seems to me fatal. Myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth, but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary „real‟ world.”

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From the statement above, it can be concluded that Tolkien uses symbols as a means to communicate his ideas and believe in such a way that is acceptable for both religious and non-religious readers so as to reach a wide range of people.

The first two parts of The Silmarillion, Ainulindale and Valaquenta, are chosen as they are among the least analyzed works of Tolkien and the fact that they contain many unusual terms and objects with elusive concealed meanings.

Moreover, In Ainulindale itself, Tolkien uses symbols such as „music‟, and several others that refers to the belief of creationism. This analysis focuses on finding the symbols that in the two works, what their significances are and how they represent creationism.

B. Problem Formulation

There are three problems that can be formulated from the discussion above. They are:

1. What symbols can be found in Ainulindale and Valaquenta?

2. What are the significances of the symbols?

3. How can the symbols represent creationism?

C. Objectives of the Study

Based on the problems formulated above, it is comprehensible that this study has three objectives. The first objective of this study is to find and identify the symbols in the two works, Ainulindale and Valaquenta by J. R. R. Tolkien.

The second objective, which is the furtherance of the first objective, is to discover

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the significance of the symbols. The final objective is to explain exactly how the symbols represent creationism.

D. Definition of Terms

There are two terms needed to be clarified with the intention of gaining a better understanding to the conducted study:

Symbol, according to M. H. Abrams in his A Glossary of Literary Terms

(1999: 311), is anything that signifies something, which could mean all words are symbols. In discussing literature, however, the term “symbol” is applied only to a word or phrase that signifies an object or event which in its turn signifies something, or has a range of reference beyond itself.

This statement is supported by Edwyn Bevan‟s in Symbolism and Religion which says that symbols are things that are used to stand for something else.

(1938, p. 11) He continued that symbols are presented either to the sense or imagination.

Creationism, according to Eugene C. Scott in his Evolution vs.

Creationism: An Introduction, is “the idea of creation by a supernatural force”.

This supernatural force could be an almighty God such as in Abrahamic religions or other deities depending on the view of the religion. (2009, p. 57)

Michael Ruse in his article “Creationism” (2018) supported this idea indirectly by stating that a creationist is someone who believes in a god who is the absolute creator of heaven and earth, out of nothing, by an act of free will. From this statement, it could be concluded that creationism is a belief that the universe and the life within it began with divine involvement.

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To avoid confusion, the writer considers the need to clarify that the analysis regarding the symbols representing creationism in this study is not limited by a view on creationism of one particular religion but rather by paying regards to the view of creationism in general.

Significance, according to Abrams (1999), is what the readers get after relating the verbal meaning of a text to other matters such as personal situations, beliefs, and responses of the individual readers which make it indeterminate and ever-changing. It differs from “verbal meaning” which is the intended meaning created by the reader of the text, making it determinate and stable (p. 129)

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter consists of three parts. The first part is the Review of Related

Studies which consisted of summaries of previous studies conducted on the same novel. The second part is the Review of Related Theories which discusses several theories of literature that are meant to be the basis of the analysis of the subject of the study. These theories are several different theories from various experts regarding the theory on symbol, semiotics and creationism. The third part is the theoretical framework of the study which is utilized as a standard for the researcher to answer the problems formulated earlier in the previous chapter as well as to focus on the subject of the study.

A. Review of Related Studies

A literary work will typically arouse many researchers to conduct a criticism after its publication as a form of appreciation. The Silmarillion, which includes both Ainulindale and Valaquenta, has been the subject of earlier conducted studies.

According to a study called The Myth of Creation in Tolkien’s The

Silmarillion by Jurickova Martina (2015), there are Christian motives in the first two parts of The Silmarillion, which are Ainulindale and Valaquenta that is applied by their author, J. R. R. Tolkien. This study also tries to discuss the correspondence of the author‟s vision of the world creation with the Christian principles. It main concerns are the concept of God, including the Holy Spirit,

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angels, evil, the children of God and Paradise which equivalences can be found in the book.

The writer does not mention explicitly about what theory she uses to help her analysis of the study, but it seems that the theory of equivalence is applied in attempt to find the answer of the formulated problems. The theory is used to find the equivalence of Tolkien‟s concept of God, including the Holy Spirit, angels, evil, the children of God and Paradise in the first two parts of The Silmarillion and their equivalence in Christian concept.

This study resulted in the discovery of some Christian motives in the first two parts of The Silmarillion, which are Ainulindale and Valaquenta that is applied by its author, J. R. R. Tolkien. It is also discovered that there are similarities between Tolkien‟s concept of God, including the Holy Spirit, angels, evil, the children of God and Paradise in the first two parts of The Silmarillion and

The Christian concept of the same things. The writer claims near the ending of the conclusion that Tolkien has successfully combined the three different principles between Christian, pagan and some scientific theories about the origin of the

World (Martina, 2015, p. 32). Through this, the writer argues that Tolkien could win over various kinds of readers.

It is also revealed in this study that the two major factors that contribute to the alternations in Tolkien‟s works, as can be seen in The Silmarillion, are religion and old mythology. It shows that these two major factors do not contradict, but rather complement each other. (2015, p. 33). In addition to that, it is revealed through this study that biblical story is not the exclusive source of Tolkien‟s

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conception. His works are but metaphorical tales. However, it is discovered that

Tolkien took much inspiration from the theories of several influential Christian philosophers whose ideas are widely respected within the Church as divine truth, albeit not canonical (2015, p. 33).

According to another study titled Meddling in the Mind of Melkor: The

Silmarillion and the Nature of Sin by Pierce Taylor Hibbs (n.d.), there are similarities of the nature of sin in Tolkien‟s The Silmarillion with the Christian concept of the nature of sin. This study analyses the similarities through the behaviors of one of the book‟s main antagonist, Melkor. It also discusses the concept of perichoresis and the nature of reality as linguistic and relational to further explain the nature of sin seen in the book.

This study uses the theory of fantasy, the theory of language, and the theory of equivalence in order to find the answer of the formulated problems. The first two theories are used to find the answer of the formulated problems linguistically. The theory of equivalence is used to compare certain things in the book and in Christian doctrine that have similarities in concept.

This study discovers the nature of sin through detailed examination of the behaviors of one of the book‟s major character and main antagonist, Melkor, which has similarities with the Christian concept of the nature of sin. By looking at and examining the mind of Melkor, this study explains that sin is originated from our selfish desire for autonomy and the essence to commune oneself with

God to avoid the harmful impact of sin, which can also be seen in the Christian concept of the nature of sin. The writer concludes the findings of his study as:

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“That is why reading The Silmarillion and meddling in the mind of Melkor is more than an exercise in escapism. It is a journey of finding the truth of God‟s revelation retold in stories that grip the imagination. By peering into the mind of Melkor, we come to understand something of our own selfish desire for autonomy, and can emerge with a greater appreciation for the Trinity and the sacrificial work of Christ, which brings us into fellowship with the God who harmonizes the unity and diversity in himself and in the world he created."

In a study called The Biblical Symbol of Light in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The

Silmarillion and The Lord of The Rings (2018), Susan Robbins explains that the light in the works of Tolkien bear resemblance to the light in biblical narratives.

The studies emphasizes on three main points: the creation of light, both in

Tolkien‟s works and biblical narratives; the symbolism of light, darkness, and fire and their effects on the characters; and the discussion of the characters associated with light. This study aims to show that the world of Middle-earth, the key setting of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings is inspired by Tolkien‟s view of the world and his Christian faith.

This study finds that light in the imaginary world of Tolkien resembles the

Word of God. The analysis of this study reveals that light is the symbol of holiness, goodness, truth, and life, both in Tolkien‟s work and in biblical narratives. The writer concludes her findings as follows:

“The source of all goodness, wisdom, courage and hope lies with the creator. …. The Word, both written and incarnate, is the special revelation from God that gives light, life, understanding, and salvation to those who believe. Tolkien, in his mythology, placed the world in an imaginary time before there was any Word from God. The replacement of the Word turns out to be light; it stands in relation to Middle-earth as the Word stands in relations to this world. …. Light is a biblical symbol in Tolkien‟s works …. Light is the symbol of holiness, goodness, truth, and life in both Middle-earth as well as the Bible, and stands for the revelation of the holy character of Iluvatar in Middle-earth.”

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In a study titled The Gift of Iluvatar: Tolkien’s Theological Vision by

Damien Casey (2004), the primary theological themes of the works of Tolkien is studied by correspondingly paying attention to the comments and observation in his letters, lectures, and his other works. Casey argues that Tolkien‟s works is explicitly theological and contributes significantly to contemporary Christian theological discussion (2004, p. 1).

This study is divided into three sections that discuss three principal themes that can be found in the works of Tolkien. The first section, titled “creation”, discusses about one of the main themes of Tolkien‟s work which Casey argues to be creation. He argues that creation is a gift that we may take part in it by being creative and having our own imaginations (2004, p. 3). In the second section, which is “incarnation and redemption”, Casey argues that to be in the world is to be incarnate and that redemption can never be achieved by strength and merit but rather by forgiveness (2004, p. 4 - 5). The last section, which is “the gift of death:

Tolkien‟s theological anthropology”, discusses the difference of the two central races of Middle-earth, Elves and Men, and the elaboration of a view by Tolkien that death is somehow a gift from God for humanity which he explains by comparing different traits between the immortal race of Elves and the mortal race of Men (2004, p. 7).

The studies above have shown that Tolkien‟s works are heavily influenced by his religious view as a Christian. Therefore, these studies are considered as being useful bases in helping the writer analyze the two first parts of The

Silmarillion which are Ainulindale and Valaquenta through their analyses on the

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elements of theme, plot, and character. However, this study distinguishes itself from the previous ones as it focuses on the discussion of the symbols that represent creationism found in the two stories, particularly which objects in the said works symbolizes creationism and how those symbols acquire their significance. This study also sees the spectrum of the concept of creationism in the belief of the currently dominant religions such as Christianity. The concept about the universe in ancient philosophies that influenced the writing of the related works is also evaluated.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory on Symbol

Symbol often intrigues the curiosity of its readers to know more about what‟s behind the literal meaning of the written text that the writer tries to convey less explicitly. M. H. Abrams in his Glossary of Literary Terms says that symbol, in literature, is a word or phrase that signifies an object or event which in its turn signifies something (1999, p. 311). The significance of a symbol could be easily known by many people (conventional) or need some further examination as it was generated by the author of the work themselves (private) (1999, p. 311). He continues that the significance of a private symbol can be found from the implicit suggestion in the work supplemented by the reader knowledge of the similar elements and topic in the author‟s other work. Abrams‟ definition of symbol is supported by Edwyn Bevan‟s statement in his lecture titled Symbolism and Belief.

In the lecture, Bevan stated that a symbol means “something presented to the

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senses or the imagination – usually to the senses –which stands for something else” (1938, p.11).

Similar to Abrams, According to Edwyn Bevan, there are two kinds of symbol. The first one is a symbol in which when people perceive it, they are able to immediately understand what the symbols refers to, e.g. the British‟s Union

Jack which is a flag. The second one is a symbol that refers to or gives information about something which is not known. (1938, p. 13). Bevan added that in order to recognize the information given by the second type of symbol, a resemblance is required. According to Bevan, a resemblance is something that triggers the imagination of the perceivers to help them understand something that they do not know through the things that are perceivable or are known (1938, p.

13-14).

Paul Tilich in Symbolism in Religion and Literature argues that there are four characteristics of a symbol. The first characteristic of a symbol is its figurative qualities (1958, p.3). It means that we need to focus on what the symbol signifies rather than to the symbol itself. The second characteristic is its perceptibility, meaning that a symbol could make perceptible something that is intrinsically invisible, ideal, or transcendent. It does not mean that it has to be sensuous, but only need to be able to be conceived imaginatively. The third characteristic is the symbol‟s innate power, which means it could have a powerful impact or influence on its reader if it is a religious symbol (p. 4). The fourth characteristic is its acceptability, which means that the meaning of a symbol is socially accepted.

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In an online article titled Literary Techniques: Symbolism written by

Tammy Dang, there are four steps that can be used as a reference in order to analyze symbols (2018). The first step is to identify the symbols in the literary work. The simplest thing to do in order to identify a symbol is by noticing a repetitive mentions or frequent reappearance of a certain object within the storyline. Another way that can be used to identify a symbol is to pay attention to the details given by the writer to a particular object, usually the adjectives that describe the objects. The second step is to figure out the meaning of the symbols by taking into consideration the traditional meanings of the identified symbols as well as paying attention to the context in which the symbols occur. The third step is to discover the effect that the symbols have to the readers. To do so, we need to understand what message the writer intends to convey to the readers. The last step is to organize our findings into a good paragraph.

2. Theory on Semiotics

Semiotics is a discipline that studies sign systematically which is not limited to explicit communication systems such as language (Abrams, 1999, p.

279-280). There are three classes of signs according to C. S. Pierce: icon, index, and symbol. Icon is a sign through inherent similarities, or shared features, with what it signifies. Index is a sign that carries a natural relation of cause or of effect to what it signifies. Meanwhile, symbol, or less ambiguously “sign proper”, is a sign in which the signifying item and what it signifies is a matter of social convention (Pierce as cited in Abrams, 1999, p. 280).

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As stated by Jonathan Culler in The Pursuit of Signs (2005) states that

“semiotic investigation is possible only when one is dealing with a mode of signification or communication (p. 53). He added that a semiotics of literature is based on two assumptions. The first one is that literature has to be considered as a mode of signification and communication which means that a proper description of a literary work must refer to the meanings it has for the readers. The second one is that the readers could identify the effects of signification in their own way (p.

53). This statement is strengthened by Culler by citing Michael Riffaterre‟s statement in Semiotics of Poetry.

The literary phenomenon is a dialectic between text and reader. If we are to formulate rules governing this dialectic, we shall have to know that what we are describing is actually perceived by the reader; we shall have to know whether he is always obliged to see what he sees or if he retains a certain freedom; and we shall have to know perception takes place (Riffaterre as cited in Culler, 2005, p. 88-89).

3. Theory on Creationism

It has been mentioned in the previous chapter that creationism is a belief that the universe and all its components are created by divine involvement or, colloquially, supernatural force. To the majority of people, the term “creationism” refers to the belief that God created the universe in the form that we perceive it today, and that the universe has not has a major change ever since the event of creation. It is the opposite of evolution which is, according to Scott, the cumulative changes that take place in phenomena (Scott, 2009, p. 57).

According to Alister E. McGrath, the term “creationism” is not the same and is not to be confused with “creation”. On the definition of the term “creation”,

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McGrath quoted John Polkinghorne‟s statement that creation is a belief “that the mind and the purpose of the divine Creator lie behind the fruitful history and remarkable order of the universe which science explore” (Polkinghorne as cited in

McGrath, 2010, p. 84). It means that “creation” deals with the belief that everything is depended on God, but it does not provide the detailed information of the beginning and the development of the universe such as the particular timescales and the process which is the domain of “creationism” (McGrath, 2010, p. 84).

Creationism is also often considered as the opposition of evolution which the majority of people perceive as an idea that humans evolve from animals, although that‟s not what it really is according to scientist (Scott, 2009, p. 23). The most common example of disagreement between these two is on the origin of humanity. As stated by Scott, creationists, in this case, biblical literalists, does not believe that humans and animals share a common ancestor (Scott, 2009, p. xxiv)

Adherents of creationism themself share different views on how the supernatural force (God, or other deities) involves in the creation of the universe and its substances. There are a number of different types of creationism. Among them are Young Earth Creationism and Old Earth Creationism. The adherents of

Young Earth Creationism, as can be seen form the name, believe that the earth is young. They believe that the earth is between 6,000 to 10,000 years old and not billions of years like most scientists proposed. They are also the ones to believe that the earlier life forms are not the ancestors of later ones (Scott, 2009, p. 66-

67). Meanwhile, the adherents of Old Earth Creationism believe that the earth is

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ancient as science proposed. However, they believe that God is involved in observed changes or, in other words, evolution (Scott, 2009, p. 68). From here it could be seen that although creationists‟ view on how God is involved in the shaping of the world is different, they do agree that the world and the creations within it is created by God.

C. Theoretical Framework

This study focuses on the symbols that represent creationism in

Ainulindale andValaquenta. In order to gain understanding about the significance of the symbols that represent creationism, the writer uses the theory on symbol and semiotics as an orientation in analyzing the particular components in

Ainulindale and Valaquenta, which are considered as symbols. In doing so, the first thing that the writer needs to do is to identify the symbols representing creationism that can be found in both Ainulindale and Valaquenta. After the symbols are identified, the writer proceeds to find the meaning of each symbol.

In addition to the theory on symbol and semiotics, the writer also applies some theories of creationism in order to define the meaning of the term

“creationism”. These theories are used with the intention of helping the writer determine in what manner the symbols represent creationism.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter encompasses the elaboration of the prepared methods that are used to analyze the object of the study and to assist the researcher to stay focused on the exact subject. The first step of is to decide which subject will be analyzed in the study. The next step is to determine which approach is suitable to be used in analyzing the object. The last step is to describe the procedure taken to analyze the object of the study.

A. Object of the Study

The objects of the study are Ainulindale and Valaquenta, which are the two first part of the larger work called The Silmarillion written by J. R. R.

Tolkien. The novel was first published posthumously in Great Britain by George

Allen &Unwin in 1977, and the first paperback edition was published in 1979.

The one used in this study is the second paperback edition published by the

Herper Collins Publishers in 1999.

The Silmarillion has received two awards so far since its first publication.

One of the awards was given in 1978 by the Locus Awards from an American literary magazine for the field of science fiction and fantasy, Locus. Another one was the Gandalf Awards for Book-Length fantasy given in the same year by the

Gandalf Awards. The novel has also received positive responses from its readers and several periodicals. Timothy Foote in his article titled Middle-earth Genesis for the TIME magazine defined the novel as “majestic, a work held so long and so

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powerfully in the writer's imagination that it overwhelms the reader" (1977, p.

121). Another positive response also came from M. S. Cosgrave in an article titled

The Silmarillion in The Horn Book Magazine described the novel as being

“remarkable set of legends conceived with imaginative might and told in beautiful language” (1978, p. 196).

Ainulindale is a stand-alone book that is set as the first part of The

Silmarillion. It is the creation myth of Tolkien‟s universe which includes Middle- earth – the main setting of the works of the same author The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. It tells the story of how the world in the legendarium was created by the interference of an almighty God known as Eru. He is also known as “Iluvatar” by the inhabitants of Arda, the world that He created which the author claims to be the earth where we live. Eru does not create Arda directly by himself, but rather first create mighty angelic being known as the Ainur. The world is eventually created by the power of the Ainur under the supervision of Eru. Some is these Ainur get into Arda and bound their powers to it to shape it and to protect it from Melkor, the main antagonist of The Silmarillion.

Meanwhile, the second part of The Silmarillion, which is Valaquenta, serves as a list of characters description in the form of a narrative. The characters described in Valaquenta are the Valar and the Maiar. They are the Ainur, the angelic beings described in the preceding Ainulindale, who have decided to descend into Arda (the earth) to shape it in accordance to their earlier vision of it which was shown to them by Eru. This book describes the characteristics and the domain of the powers of the Valar, the Maiar, and Melkor, the main antagonist.

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The Valar are the greater of the Ainur that has descended into Arda, the ones who shaped it with their own unique powers in accordance to the vision that has been shown to them by Iluvatar. The Valar are the lords of the Maiar. The Maiar are the lesser Ainur that came into Arda along with the Valar. They are the servants of the

Valar who helps them in the shaping of Arda.

The Silmarillion can be considered as the prequel to the better known and earlier published The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, while Ainulindale and

Valaquenta serves as the preceding two parts of The Silmarllion. It is filled with the story of the creation and the ancient history of The Hobbit and The Lord of the

Rings‟ universe.

B. Approach of the Study

Mythological approach is chosen as the cornerstone of the analysis in this research. According to Abrams, mythology is “a system of hereditary stories of ancient origin which were once believed to be true by a particular cultural group”.

It was used to explain why the origin of the world and the events that occur within it (1999, p. 170). He also mentioned that the term “myth” has been broadened to stand for supernatural tales that are intentionally created by their authors (1999, p.171).

According to Guerin, Labor, Morgan, Reesman, and Willingham (2005), in literary criticism, mythological approach deals with how certain works represents “a kind of reality to which readers give perennial response” (p. 182).

They continued that mythology tends to be speculative and philosophical and that its affinities are with the fields of religion, anthropology, and cultural history (p.

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183). It is further emphasized that the study of myths seek to reveal the mind and the character of the people because myths are symbolic projections of the people‟s hopes, values, fears, and aspirations (p. 183). It is also mentioned that myth is a dynamic factor in the society. It is described to be timeless and unites the past, which is presented in traditional mode and beliefs, and the present, which is presented by the current values as well as reaching towards the future, which is presented in the people‟s spiritual and cultural aspirations (p. 184).

In accordance with the topic that is chosen for this research, mythological approach is chosen as it focuses on the prehistory and the biography of the gods

(Guerin et al, 2005, p. 191). It also sees the work holistically, “as the manifestation if vitalizing, integrative forces arising from the depths of humankind‟s collective psyche” (p. 191).

Mythological approach will be used as the cornerstone in identifying the symbols in Ainulindale and Valaquenta. It will also be used to reveal how certain meanings are generated by paying attention to some the fundamental elements of the narratives which are theme, plot, and character that develop the significance of the symbols that can be understood by the readers. Lastly, it will contribute in defining how the symbols represent creationism.

C. Method of the Study

This study was conducted by using library research which data and additional information were collected from related books and online articles. The sources of the data were divided into primary sources and secondary sources. The primary source of the data was the two narratives which are Ainulindale and

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Valaquenta. The secondary sources were collected from the books and articles that support the analysis within the research. The first step taken for the analysis was to find the passages in the text that contain symbols that represent the creationism. The next step was to analyze how these symbols emphasize creationism and how the readers would be able to understand the meaning of these symbols. The last step is to discover how each of these symbols represents creationism by referring to their significance.

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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the writer presents the analysis of the two works with the intention of looking for the answers to the formulated problems that are mentioned earlier in the first chapter. First, the stories are analyzed with the aim of identifying which parts of the stories are considered as symbols. After that, the symbols that have been identified are examined with the purpose of understanding the significance of each symbol before finally figuring out how the symbols, through their significance, correspond to creationism.

A. Symbols in Ainulindale and Valaquenta

This part presents the details of the objects that are considered as symbols.

The symbols are identified depending on the frequent reappearance of several objects and the amount of details given by the author to the said objects. The details of each object are described thoroughly in this part to support the idea that the object is a symbol. The identification of the symbols is done in reference to

Tammy Dang‟s theory on the first step of how to identify a symbol and Paul

Tilich‟s theory on the characteristics of symbols mentioned in the previous chapter. There are three respected objects in the two creation accounts,

Ainulindale and Valaquenta, that can be considered as symbols, namely Eru, the

Ainur, and Music which details are presented in the following sections.

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1. Eru (Iluvatar)

Eru, also known as “Iluvatar”, is the almighty God in Tolkien‟s fictional universe “Ea”. He is the first mentioned character in Ainulindale and, therefore, in

The Silmarillion. His role as the supreme creator of Arda could be seen very clearly in Ainulindale. He isn‟t told to be made into existence by anyone, but instead immediately created the Ainur, his first creation, right after the mentioning of his name. He is also told to have soon commanded the Ainur to sing before him according to the themes of music that he has set for them.

When the understanding and unison between the Ainur has developed, Eru set for them a mighty theme of music that will later become the vision of the world that he is going to create with the intercession of the power of the Ainur.

This event is described in the following passage:

And it came to pass that Iluvatar called together all the Ainur and declared to them a mighty theme, unfolding to them things greater and more wonderful than he had yet revealed, and the glory of its beginning and the splendour of its end amazed the Ainur, so that they bow before Iluvatar and were silent (p. 1).

However, although he uses their powers to shape what is going to be the vision of the world he is going to create, he does not constrain the creativity of the Ainur by letting them took part in the playing of the music in their own unique ways. His decision in letting the Ainur contributes in the making of the world using their own creativities, but in accordance with the theme that he has set, is what makes his character distinctive as a creator (p. 1).

His authority as the creator is also seen when he rebuked the renegade

Ainu, Melkor, who, having been given the freedom to take part in embellishing

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the theme that Eru has set, abused his power and generates a music that does not go in harmony with the said themes that Eru has made for three times. This act of admonishment by Eru sends fear to not only Melkor, but the other Ainur as well and thus, asserts his position as the supreme maker (p. 5-6).

He later decided to give the music a form when the music that has been sung for by the Ainur has grown in unison. It is also through his will that the music which all the Ainur was playing would have physical forms. It was after the rebuking of Melkor that he revealed in a vision the physical world that took form according to the music that the Ainur was playing in harmony with the theme of music that Eru has set.

The vision of the world that Eru has revealed to the Ainur is about the world that they are going to shape for the so called “children of Iluvatar” which are no other than Elves and Men. It is revealed to the Ainur that the world they were going to shape was designed out of their own thoughts through their music.

However, Eru does not reveal to them the purpose of its making and thus giving him some mysterious trait. This mysterious trait of him is portrayed in the following passage of Ainulindale:

…. For to none but himself has Iluvatar revealed all that he has in store, and in every age there come forth things that are new and have no foretelling, for they do not proceed from the past (p. 6)

Of all his all-powerfulness, one that can be seen most clearly is when he created the universe out of the vision by saying only one word “ea” which translated literally into English as “be” or “exist” (Ainulindale, p. 9). Then, out of this, he sent the mysterious Flame Imperishable into the heart of the World, which

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is later called “Arda” by its inhabitants, that it finally took a material form and allowed the Ainur to go down into it if they want to. However, Eru does not go into Arda but rather stays outside the confines of the World with the rest of the

Ainur that has chosen to stay with him.

2. Ainur

“Ainur” is the plural form of “Ainu” which translated from the fictional

Elvish language into English as the “Holy Ones” are the first being to be created by Eru, The almighty God of Tolkien‟s fictional universe of Ea. They are the ones whose music was used by Eru to create the World. When the World has been given a physical form by Eru, some of them decided to go down into it. They who decided to go into the World were made bound to it by Eru forever.

But others, and among them many of the greatest and the most fair, took the leave of Iluvatar and descended into it. But this condition Iluvatar made, or it is the necessity of their love, that their power should thenceforward be contained and bounded in the World, to be within it forever, until it is complete, so that they are its live and it is theirs (p. 9 - 10).

The Ainur that went down into the World are distinguished into two classes. These are “Valar” and “Maiar”. The Valar are considered as the most powerful of all the Ainur that went down into Arda, the World. Meanwhile, the

Ainur are considered as the lesser of these Ainur and are the ones who became the servants of the Valar. Nevertheless, they are the ones who use their power to develop the World into a habitable place for the Children of Iluvatar, and the attributes of each Maia is related to each Vala who became their master.

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The Valar (singular Vala) are considered as the powers of the World. The word is translated from the fictional Elvish language to English as “Those with

Power” or “The Powers”. They are also often referred to as gods by men (p. 15).

There were fifteen Valar at the beginning of their descent into the World and

Melkor was the mightiest of them all. However, due to his evil nature, he is no longer counted among them. Manwe, whose might is second only to Melkor, was appointed as the king of Arda as he is the one who has the most understanding in the purpose of Iluvatar (p. 16).

Of all the fourteen Valar, there are three of them who are most notable as their powers are most essential in the shaping of the World. These three Valar are the first to be mentioned in the Valaquenta. The first one is, as stated in the preceding paragraph, Manwe, who is the appointed as the king of the world and thus became the first of all kings in the World. He controls all the air of Arda and is called the “Lord of Breath of Arda”.

The second one is Ulmo who is the Lord of the waters of Arda. Ulmo is also the closest friend of Manwe and is only less mighty than him. Ulmo‟s characteristics are described by the author to resemble that of water‟s. It is said in the Valaquenta that he “dwells nowhere long, but moves as he will” (p. 17). He is also said to love the Children of Iluvatar, which are Elves and Men, and is even said to have never abandoned them. It is also told that he governs all the running waters of Arda and, through it, is able to know the needs and grief of Arda that is hidden even from Manwe.

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The third one is called Aule, who, through the description of his characteristics by the author, can be seen as the Lord of all the lands of Arda. It is mentioned in the Valaquenta that he is the one who is responsible for the shaping of the lands of Arda (p. 17). He is described to have a close relationship with

Manwe, the Lord of the Breath, and Ulmo, the Lord of Waters, since the beginning. His personality is compared to that of a smith‟s and he is said to enjoy any works of skill such as crafting. He is close in likeness with Melkor as they are said to be quite similar “in thought and in powers” (p. 18). However, one glaring difference between the two of them is their relationships to Eru, their creator. Aule remains faithful to the will of Eru, while Melkor does not. He is the one who suffered the most from Melkor‟s evil deeds during the fashioning of the World.

Another mentionable Ainur who was a Valar at the beginning of the World is Melkor. Melkor is the main antagonist in Ainulindale and Valaquenta. He was the mightiest of all the Ainur. However, even during the time when there is only music and the vision of the World had not been revealed to the Ainur, he has planned in his heart to generate his music without paying attention to the theme that Eru has established. Since the very beginning which is during the first theme of the Music, Melkor has decided to “interweave matters of his own imagining” which is not related to the theme that Eru has set until the theme was rearranged by Eru three times. The unholy deeds of Melkor will later revealed to be able damage the World, even when it is still only a vision as can be seen from Eru‟s

Conversation with Ulmo:

And Iluvatar spoke to Ulmo, and said: „Seest thou not how here in this little realm in the Deeps of Time Melkor hath made war upon thy

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province? He hath bethought him of bitter cold immoderate, and yet hath not destroyed the beauty of thy fountains, nor of thy clear pools‟ (p. 8).

Melkor wishes to make the World his own since its beginning. He even declares his ill will to all the other Valar. However, although he was the most powerful of the Valar, he is unable to make the World his as he has no authority to do so. In spite of his failure to gain control of the World. He continues to make trouble for the other Valar out of jealousy. He constantly destroys things that the other Valar has made as much as he could, though he fails to achieve utter destruction of the World.

The Maiar, on the other hand, are a lesser group of Ainur that has also decided to enter Ea and take part in the fashioning of Arda. Due to their “lesser” status, the Maiar become the servants of the Valar. Each of them has their own unique powers and traits just like their Valar masters. The Maiar also became the servant of a Valar whose powers and traits are closely related to theirs. The Maiar are more numerous in number than the Valar, but only a few of them are known to the Children of Iluvatar as they rarely appear in visible form (p. 21).The most well-known Maiar to the Children of Iluvatar are Osse and Uinen who are the vassals of Ulmo. They are spouses and share the same dominion of the seas.

Melkor sought to make the Maiar his servants, and not few of them joined his cause. Many who became his servants are corrupted and turns into demon-like creatures known as Balrogs, the scourge of fire. Osse and Sauron are two of the

Maiar who Melkor tempted to join his cause. However, Osse repented from the ruinous path of joining Melkor by the interference of Uinen and Aule (p. 22), and remained in the allegiance to Ulmo for the rest of time. Meanwhile, Sauron, who

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was a Maiar of Aule, abandoned Aule and serves Melkor and become his most trusted servant. Sauron even continues the evil works of his new master when

Melkor is no longer active in Arda (p. 24).

3. Music

Music is one of the first objects that can be found in The Silmarillion as it is located in the very first part of it which is the creation myth, Ainulindale. It is mentioned right after the creation of the Ainur by Eru. According to John

Gardner, music is the central symbol in The Silmarillion (Gardner, 1977).

Ainulindale itself is translated into English as “the music of the Ainur”. This claim that Music is a symbol in Ainulindale and Valaquenta is supported by the amount of details about it in the two workss.

Music is among the first creations in Tolkien‟s fictional universe. It is generated right after the creation of the Ainur. It is also the first creation that Eru has made using the power of the Ainur (p. 1). By setting themes of music for the

Ainur to play, Eru designed a vision that is going to be the World. Through this music, he made into existence all the substance of the World. The echo of the music even continues to exist after the creation of Ea and Arda by Eru and could sometimes be heard by the Children of Iluvatar, who are Elves and Men, though they do not understand about what they hear (p. 8).

The constant harmony of the music is what Eru strive to achieve since the very beginning. The harmony is the most essential aspect of the music because through it, Eru designs a world that is habitable for the upcoming Children of

Iluvatar. Eru even change the theme of the music thrice when the disobedient

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Ainur, Melkor, damaged its harmony by generating a music that is not in synchronization with the theme that Eru has made. In the third theme of music, the discord of Melkor continues to exist and coexist and with the theme of

Iluvatar, although not at all in harmony with it (p. 5). This discord can even still be seen when the music has now became a vision of the unmade world in the form of “turmoils of the heat and the cold” (p. 7).

Since during the revelation of the vision and none of the Valar has descended into the World as it was not made into existence yet, it was revealed to the whose among the Ainur are going to manage the substances of the World through their thoughts with the same manner as the music which was produced from the thoughts of the Ainur. It was revealed that each Valar would manage the elements of the world according to their contribution in the making music, such as

Ulmo whose thoughts were focused on water and therefore is going to be the master of the waters, with Manwe being the master of the winds and Aule the master of the lands (p. 8).

B. The Significance of the Symbols

This part presents the significance of the symbols mentioned in the previous part of the chapter. There are three symbols mentioned in the previous part, namely: Eru, Ainur, and Music. The significance of each symbol is analyzed by using primarily the second and the third steps of the theory on how to analyze symbols by Tammy Dang. These steps include associating the symbols with their traditional meaning and looking at the context where the symbols appear in

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addition to discovering the effects that the symbols do to the readers. The two steps are used in order to discover the correlation between the traditional meaning of the symbols and its effect on the readers. By discovering the correlation between the two aspects of the symbols, the significance of the symbols can be acquired and presented accordingly.

1. Eru (Iluvatar)

The amount of details about Eru in Ainulindale is enough to give the readers an impression that he is the almighty God in the narrative. There are several attributes of God that Tolkien has given to the character of Eru found all along the storyline of Ainulindale. Each attribute strengthens the idea that Eru is the figure of an almighty God in Ainulindale.

One of these attributes of God in the character of Eru, and the first one that can be found within Ainulindale, is his aseity. Tolkien produces a sense of aseity in the character of Eru in the passages that says “there was Eru, the One” which immediately followed by the one that says “he made first the Ainur” in the first paragraph of Ainulindale. The absence of any recognizable creator for Eru within the story explains much about his aseity. He was not created by anyone. He exists before anything else came into existence and is the reason that everything else exist because he is the one that created them.

Eru‟s attributes of god can also be seen from his holiness, considering that being holy means that he is incorruptible. It can be seen when Melkor, the renegade Ainur, tries to corrupt the themes music that he has made and the other

Ainur, Eru has proven to be incorruptible through his demeanor in the midst of the

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turmoil. He does not fall or even tempted by the corruption of Melkor, but rather the one whom calm the turmoil down three times.

When Melkor tried to corrupt the third theme of music after the first two themes are marred, Eru showed his sovereignty by rebuking the mischievous

Melkor directly and firmly. The details of this even that shows Eru‟s sovereignty as the God in the narrative can be seen from the following passage:

Then Iluvatar spoke, and he said: mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor, but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Iluvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see what ye have done. And thou, Melkor, shall see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite‟ (p. 5 - 6)

This act, along with the way the Ainur reacted to it, shows clearly Eru‟s sovereignty as the almighty God in the story‟s fictional universe, because even the mightiest of creations, the Ainur, where told to be afraid of him after he rebuked

Melkor who was the mightiest of them (p. 6).

Eru‟s omnipotence is arguably one of his attributes of god that is able to provide the strongest impression to the readers that he is the God in the narrative.

His omnipotence can be seen when he create something out of nothing. Such act can be seen when he created the Ainur, his first creations, out of “his thought” (p.

1). He also created the World, Arda, by simply giving the word (p. 9). From here the audience can see that Eru does not need anyone to make his will be done.

However, although Eru is able to make things by himself, the unknown reason behind the creation of the music through the intercession of the Ainur is mystery that not even the Ainur know about. It contributes to the incomprehensible attribute that Eru has.

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Another attribute of God that Eru has is his transcendence from the material world. After he made a physical form of the world that he showed to the

Ainur in a form of a vision, He did not go into the World along with the /Ainur that took the leave and descended into Arda. He remained outside the realm of Ea, the universe where Arda is located, when the Valar started to work the World out to resemble the vision that was shown to them (p. 9). He even stayed outside when Melkor, who has also chosen to go into Arda, started to undo and damage the works of the other Valar. From here the readers could see that Eru, for an unknown reason, does not want or has not decided to go into Arda. This contributes even further to his mysterious trait.

Judging by the discussions concerning the attributes of God in Eru above, it can be seen that the most dominant attribute of God that he has is his incomprehensibility. His incomprehensibility gives an impression to the readers that he is full of mystery. A clear example of this attribute can be seen from the

Ainur who, although the most powerful beings second only to him, cannot understand fully his plans and purposes in what he is doing – creating the world and placing the Children of Iluvatar within it as can be seen from the passage that says “Yet some things there are that they cannot see, neither alone nor taking counsel together” (p. 6). Eru also does not share all of his knowledge and plans even to the mighty Ainur for unknown reasons as can be seen from the following passage: “for to none but himself has Iluvatar revealed all that he has in store, and in every age there come forth things that are new and has no foretelling” (p. 6).

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Considering that the world‟s society today is dominated by the people of

Abrahamic religions such as Christianity and Islam, it can be expected that most readers of Ainulindale would have the impression that Eru is God in the narrative.

As the people Abrahamic religions hold the belief that there is one almighty God who creates everything in the universe out of nothing, it is expected that they are able to understand immediately that Eru bear a resemblance to the God they believe in. Eru‟s attributes of god bear a resemblance closely to that of Abrahamic religions. These attributes, which can be seen through Eru especially in

Ainulindale, include aseity, holiness, sovereignty, omnipotence, transcendence, and incomprehensibility which details were mentioned in the preceding paragraphs.

Judging from the traditional meaning of Eru as a symbol that can be seen from his attributes of God, and the effect that Eru has on the readers, it can be concluded that Eru is a symbol of Supreme Being that created the universe out of nothing. The readers of Ainulindale in today‟s society, which is dominated by the people of Abrahamic religions, are also able to get an impression that he is the almighty God in the respective narrative as his attributes of god resembles closely to the ones in Abrahamic religious beliefs.

2. Ainur

The Ainur are the first creation that Eru has made. Therefore, they are arguably the symbol of creation, things that are created by the creator, in the two narratives. Their significance as creation can be seen though their thorough description in both Ainulindale and Valaquenta. There are plenty of details

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strengthening the idea that their existence represents the belief in the manifestation of creations.

In the first paragraph of Ainulindale, Tolkien creates a clear impression that the Ainur are a representation of the existence of creation in the narrative through the passage “and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought” (p. 1). Through this passage, it can be seen that the Ainur are directly created by Eru and thus making them his creation. The Ainur‟s status as the creation of Eru can also be seen from their behavior towards their maker.

The Ainur are obedient to their creator as can be seen when Eru command them to generate music through singing in accordance with the theme that he has set for them (p. 1).

From the singing of the music, it can be seen that, while the Ainur are obedient to the will of Eru, they are also granted with free will. The free will that has been granted by Eru to the Ainur can be seen when Eru called them all simultaneously to make the “Great Music”.

Of the theme that I have declared to you, I will now that ye make in harmony together a Great Music. And since I have kindled you with the Flame Imperishable, ye shall show forth you powers in adorning this theme, each with his own thoughts and devices, if he will. But I will sit and hearken, and be glad that through you great beauty has been wakened into song (p. 1).

As can be seen from the above passage of Ainulindale, the absence of restriction in realizing their own creativity enables the Ainur to create new things according to their own thoughts, just like their creator. This gives them a likeness to their creator, as creations usually do.

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These attributes of free will and likeness to Eru that the Ainur bear also enables the readers from the dominant Abrahamic religions, especially Christian readers, to see that they are a symbol of creation in the narratives. Christians believe that God creates things that bear a resemblance to his greatness. It is further believed by Christians that God created humans, intelligent beings as seen through the Christian scripture, out of His own image. It is also believed by

Christians that humans have been appointed by God to rule and dominate the earth. This belief resembles highly the account of the Valar, the Ainur that has descended into Arda – the World in Ainulindale and Valaquenta.

With all the good benefits that came with the free will that has been granted by Eru, there is also a negative thing that came by it. This negative thing is the abuse of freedom and power by one or more of his creation who are the

Ainur. It can be seen in the spoiling of the theme of music by Melkor. This event shows that the Ainur, as creation, have the tendency to corrupt and to be corrupted. The discord in the music happened because some of the Ainur started to follow Melkor‟s music that is not in harmony with the theme of Iluvatar.

Melkor himself is corrupt as he allowed himself to follow the selfish desires in his heart that does not regard the instructions of Iluvatar. The Ainur‟s corruptibility is shown even further when some of the lesser Ainur that went into the World started to follow Melkor and took part in his wicked deeds.

A more religious reader would understand that the corruption of the creations in the narratives happens when the creation let himself to be consumed by his selfish desires rather than following the instructions of his creator.

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According to the belief of some dominant world religions today, for instance

Christianity, such act of self-indulgence without paying attention to the welfare of others creates an inharmonious relation between the doer and the creator that will eventually leads to corruption. The need to have a harmonious relation with the creator is one of the primary needs of any creation according to the belief of currently dominant religions. The corruption that is experienced by the Ainur when they stray from the will of Iluvatar sets them up as a symbol of creation in the narratives.

As the mightiest of all creations who are able to create great beauty or even discord in the physical word of Arda, the Ainur, as a form of creation, has their limits. Of their limitations as creations, one that is most obvious can be seen in Ainulindale. It is told that, although they have immense knowledge as compared to the other creations, there are lots of things that they do not know (p.

6). Their limitation is also visible when Aule, one of the Valar, became weary of repairing the damages caused by Melkor on his works (p. 18). These limitations shows that although they are the mightiest of all being s made by Eru, they are not without limits, thus, strengthening the idea of the Ainur as creations.

The Ainur are also unique. Each of them has their own unique attributes. It can be seen in the detailed description about them in both Ainulindale and

Valaquenta. They even have different appearances and genders which can be seen especially in the Valar. Their visible appearances are not chosen by Iluvatar, but rather by themselves. Nevertheless, it is said the difference of gender between them exist as a result of the difference in temper that they had since the very

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beginning (p. 11). The Ainur, especially the Valar and the Maiar, are also able to change their appearance very differently.

The most significant uniqueness of the Ainur is perhaps the difference in their abilities and specialties. It could be confirmed that none of them are exactly the same, although some of them bear similarities to the others. These differences can be seen in the Valaquenta where the Valar are described thoroughly. It is known that there are three Valar managing the three most important elements of the World, each with their own unique abilities and domain, namely Manwe,

Ulmo, and Aule. Melkor, though corrupt and twisted, is also unique in his own way. He is said to have similar abilities to Aule, but because he does not submit to the will of Iluvatar, he made things that are destructive to the World and others.

3. Music

Music is the symbol of the harmony of the universe. The harmony of the music, which can be seen primarily in Ainulindale, is what Eru made and maintain since the beginning. It is also used by Eru to create the physical universe, Ea, and the World, Arda, within before they were made. The existence of discord within the music would mean damage in the physical World that is created through it.

This damage can be seen as destructive things in the physical world (p. 7). It was shown to the Ainur, including Melkor, who disturbed the harmony of the music, by Eru in the vision of the unmade World.

Behold your Music! This is your minstrelsy; and each of you shall find contained herein, amid the design that I set before you, all those things which it may seem that he himself devised or added. And thou, Melkor, wilt discover all the secret thoughts of thy mind, and wilt perceive that they are but a part of the whole and tributary to its glory (p. 6).

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The Music also serves as the embodiment of the creativity of the creation.

It shows the likeness between the Ainur as creations and their creator. It is a device that is able to show the greatness of the creator through his creations. Eru himself said to the Ainur that “through you great beauty has been wakened into song” (p. 1).

From this point, the readers from a more religious background would come into a conclusion that music represents the display of greatness of the creator through the activities of his creation. Those who perceive the activities of the creation are capable to be aware of the existence and the greatness of the creator when the activities are done in coherence with the will of the creator.

Meanwhile, the activities of the creation that are done without concern to the will of the creator or, in other words, activities that are done carelessly and produce negative results are not deemed to resemble the greatness of the creator. It shows that things that are done selfishly are likely to be vain and even able to damage one‟s relation with others around him and with his the creator.

C. Creationism Seen through the Symbols

As stated in the preceding chapter, creationism is a belief that the universe come into being through or by the influence of divine powers. In the Ainulindale, it can be seen that the universe and the World in the said universe was made possible to have a physical form by Iluvatar, the almighty God of the narrative. In the Valaquenta, the World is said to be developed into a habitable place for the

Children of Iluvatar by Powerful beings known as the Valar, also called the

Powers of the World, and the Maiar, the Valar‟s assistants.

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The existence of the character of Eru in both Ainulindale and Valaquenta represents the existence of a creator. It represents the creationist belief that the universe and the world were created through divine involvements. This divine involvement can be seen through the existence and the acts of Eru as the almighty

God in the two narratives. Eru is a symbol of almighty God in the narratives. His position as the almighty God in the narratives can be seen when he create the

Ainur who will later create things or him. He is even said to continue making new things by himself and without the assistance of the Ainur. One of these new things that he crate by himself is the Children of Iluvatar, Elves and Men, whose purpose of creation is not known by the Ainur.

The Ainur represents the creationist belief through their position as a symbol of creation in the two narratives. While the Ainur took an important part in the making of the universe and the World, they can be seen as a kind of creation as they were made into existence by Eru. The design of the universe and the World that they have made through music is also given a physical form by

Eru. In other words, everything that they have designed can be made into existence only by the permission of Eru. These details about them underline their position as creations in the narratives. Many other details about their position as creation have been mentioned in the preceding sections.

Music, as a symbol of harmony in the two narratives, also represents creationism in particular ways, namely as an invention and a harmonious relation among the creations. Music can be seen as a kind of creation other than the Ainur.

It was created right after the creation of the Ainur It was created by the Ainur by

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the order of Iluvatar. Its position as a creation can be seen from its many similarities in traits with the Ainur, one of which is that they are capable of experiencing corruption and damaged just like he Ainur.

Music also shows that creations need harmony to thrive and to make progress within their existence. This harmony can be seen in the Ainur‟s relationship with Eru during the making of the music. The Ainur, except for

Melkor, are striving to make music that is coherent with Eru‟s theme. This enables them to make beautiful music that will later become a vision of a habitable world.

It shows that a positive achievement can be attained when the creation maintain a harmonious relationship with the creator. Such positive achievements can also come from harmonious relationships between creations as can be seen when the

Valar worked together to form a habitable haven for Elves and Men.

The three symbols encompass creationism through their significance. Each of them holds meaning that support each other‟s in conveying the idea of creationism in the two narratives. It can be seen in the existence of a creator in the character of Eru, creation in the characters of the Ainur, and the harmony between the creator and the creation as well as between creations in the object of Music.

The symbols‟ significance encompasses creationism as it believes that the universe and its contents did not come into existence by itself but rather through the act of a creator. Creationism can also be seen in the act of the creations that continues to create new things in accordance to the will of the creator that can be seen through the object of Music that represents harmony.

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

It is known that Ainulindale is the creation myth of Tolkien‟s fictional world, while Valaquenta is an account that describes its characters thoroughly.

The existence of a creation myth is the fundamental characteristic of creationism.

It is revealed that there are three symbols representing the belief of creationism.

These symbols are no other than the characters and objects in the two narratives, namely Eru, the Ainur, and Music, as they possess plenty of details. Each of these symbols signifies different aspects that complement each other in representing the belief of creationism.

By having a look at some elements of the story such as theme, plot, and the character, it is discovered that Eru acts as a symbol of the creator. The description of his acts and behaviors in Ainulindale support the idea of him as the creator. The Ainur serves as a symbol of creation. It can be seen as they were created by Eru and are shown to be limited in knowledge and abilities. Music is a symbol of harmony in the universe. It came to existence through the Ainur under the command of Eru which shows that a harmonious relationship between the creator and the creation is needed by the creation to achieve good things. It can also be seen as a symbol of a harmonious relationship among creations as they work together to achieve its harmony.

The symbols represent the belief of creationism through their significance in the two narratives. As creationism believes that the universe and the world are

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created through involvement of the divine, the existence of Eru in the two narratives represents this idea. Eru‟s existence in the narratives serves as the divinity that is believed by the creationists to have created the universe and the world. The Ainur serves as a representation of the creation that is created by the almighty God who, judging from the narratives, is Eru. Music shows that there is some kind of connection between the creator, Eru, and the creation, the Ainur. It represents the belief of creationism that the creator has some kind of connection or relationship with his creations and the universe that he has created. It also shows that the creator is still involved in everything that happens in the universe.

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