Beren and Lúthien

No cover — J.R.R. Tolkien: Beren and Lúthien (2017)

English language

Published May 16, 2017

ISBN:: 978-0-00-821421-0

(1 review)

Beren and Lúthien is a compilation of multiple versions of the epic fantasy Lúthien and Beren by J. R. R. Tolkien, one of Tolkien's earliest tales of Middle-earth. It is edited by Christopher Tolkien. It is the story of the love and adventures of the mortal Man Beren and the immortal Elf-maiden Lúthien. Tolkien wrote several versions of their story, the latest in The Silmarillion, and the tale is also mentioned in The Lord of the Rings at the council of Elrond. The story takes place during the First Age of Middle-earth, about 6,500 years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Beren, son of Barahir, cut a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown as the bride price for Lúthien, daughter of the Elf-king Thingol and Melian the Maia. His hand was cut off with a silmaril in it; later he was killed by Carcharoth, the wolf …

Beren and Lúthien is a compilation of multiple versions of the epic fantasy Lúthien and Beren by J. R. R. Tolkien, one of Tolkien's earliest tales of Middle-earth. It is edited by Christopher Tolkien. It is the story of the love and adventures of the mortal Man Beren and the immortal Elf-maiden Lúthien. Tolkien wrote several versions of their story, the latest in The Silmarillion, and the tale is also mentioned in The Lord of the Rings at the council of Elrond. The story takes place during the First Age of Middle-earth, about 6,500 years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Beren, son of Barahir, cut a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown as the bride price for Lúthien, daughter of the Elf-king Thingol and Melian the Maia. His hand was cut off with a silmaril in it; later he was killed by Carcharoth, the wolf of Angband, but alone of mortal Men returned from the dead. He lived then with Lúthien on Tol Galen in Ossiriand, and fought the Dwarves at Sarn Athrad. He was the great-grandfather of Elrond and Elros, and thus the ancestor of the Númenórean kings. After the fulfilment of the quest of the silmaril and Beren's death, Lúthien chose to become mortal and to share Beren's fate.Tolkien found the inspiration for many of the ideas presented in the tale in his love for his wife Edith, and after her death had "Lúthien" engraved on her tombstone, and later "Beren" on his own.

6 editions

Sean Bala reviewed Beren and Luthien by J.R.R. Tolkien

Review of "Beren and Luthien" on Good Reads

4 stars

Whenever I read Tolkien, I am struck by just how prodigious his imagination was and how expansive the world he created could be. While many know him for "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," these are only the tip of the spear for a huge number of beautiful, well-crafted stories made with deep love, creativity, and affection.

"Beren and Luthen" are part of the three texts which editor Christopher Tolkien says are the three most complete, stand-alone stories from the earlier works of his father (the other two being the "The Children of Húrin" and "The Fall of Gondolin." These stories were told in shorter form as part of his monumental work "The Silmarillion." What makes this sort of book so fascinating is that the editor takes this one tale and shows how it evolved over multiple iterations and forms throughout JRR Tolkien's creative process. It was a …

Whenever I read Tolkien, I am struck by just how prodigious his imagination was and how expansive the world he created could be. While many know him for "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," these are only the tip of the spear for a huge number of beautiful, well-crafted stories made with deep love, creativity, and affection.

"Beren and Luthen" are part of the three texts which editor Christopher Tolkien says are the three most complete, stand-alone stories from the earlier works of his father (the other two being the "The Children of Húrin" and "The Fall of Gondolin." These stories were told in shorter form as part of his monumental work "The Silmarillion." What makes this sort of book so fascinating is that the editor takes this one tale and shows how it evolved over multiple iterations and forms throughout JRR Tolkien's creative process. It was a story that meant a great deal to the author, as demonstrated by the fact that he had the two names inscribed on the headstones of himself and his wife. While this edition may appeal more to a devoted reader of the Tolkien legendarium (hence why I give the book a 4 out of 5), the story of Beren and Luthen is beautiful in an of itself and worth reading.