Melkor’s Lament
Why should Eru hold to key to creation? Is my song not as beautiful as theirs? To think that I, mightiest of the Ainur, should be denied the Flame Imperishable is tyrannical. The song that Eru sings is flowing, beautifully harmonic, but is it vain to prefer the creation of my own? The other Ainur join me in my song, and Eru drowns me at the raise of a hand. Those Ainur that don’t are favored by Eru, and granted lenience, such that they may create with minimal scorn. Aulë is granted lenience for the dwarves, yet I must be forced to maintain mediocrity. I am unique, I am what all of them cannot be, I have been granted all parts of the mind of Eru. As Aulë desires creation, so do I. As Yavanna kindles growth, so do I yearn for. My power is greatest, as is known by all the Ainur, so why do I not feel as though I have power? To sing my song is my ultimate rebellion, but despite my efforts I am silenced in Eru’s infallibility, his final deafening melody obliterating my song as does a hurricane to a grain of sand. His proclamation of his greatness was great, but does it not proclaim the same vanity I am accused of? To place yourself on such a pedestal of truth, and then surround yourself with the affirmation of those who are programmed to agree is hypocrisy at its finest and its worst.
So, I say, raise our trumpets. Let the blaring of horns drown the music of Eru Illuvatar and let my vanity go on and seek dominion to the middle earth. I shall see to it that I use my Eru-granted gifts to sow discord within his song. Let orc and troll raze tree and shrub to create a barren wasteland. Let dragon besiege common folk and those not vigilant of the danger the world poses. Let Maiar grow corrupt and burn with an anger befitting of my darkness and tortured theme. This is the shadow I wish to cast on the world, and the ultimate dominion I seek shall one day come to me and free me of this curse of insatiability.
This is a great read! I really appreciate the voice you have created for Melkor here. You capture what he was feeling very well. I can feel Melkor’s anger and hatred towards the Valar through your writing. It helps me to understand the text more, as we can see a potential motivation for why he does what he does in your writing. I really like the last line of the first paragraph. It is so well written and truly captures the essence of Melkor.
ReplyDeleteMelkor, your song is fracture rather than creation. You confuse rebellion for strength and freedom for license. The Flame you desire is life itself, given rather than taken. You claim that your music is drowned out, but all that is happening is dissonance with everyone else's harmony. I sing for the world and its people, not for fame or Eru's favor. Where you sow fire, the rains will fall; where you bring ruin, the waters will heal. Even though you may cast a wide shadow, remember that every tide will turn against you, and eventually the larger song will overpower your discord.
ReplyDelete- Ulmo
Through your writing in Melkor’s point of view, I can really see his deeper motivations, psyche, and beliefs that act as the fuel for his evil acts. The similitude you presented between Eru’s creation and Melkor’s own efforts, how it questions why Eru would give Melkor his abilities but then not allow him to use them to the extent in which he desires, provides deeper insight into the ways in which he has been able to spread darkness and corruption through the lands of Arta so far. I really like your use of rhetorical questions and I think that it’s a great way to showcase what Melkor is feeling and the perspective on which his actions are rooted.
ReplyDeleteThis post really shows what I believe to be the core of Melkor's character, and it is executed with great respect to the source material as well as great creativity when it comes to filling in blanks. Melkor's inner monologue paints a feeling of inequality, one great enough to wish destruction upon Middle Earth so that everyone may look towards him and his song for once, rather than being shunned and kept in shadows. In this text, it's clear that he holds a deep but controlled hatred for Eru in specific, and all others who reject his song just based on the notion of it being his. Great writing so far.
ReplyDelete