Morgoth's Ring
Morgoth's Ring is the 10th volume of Christopher Tolkien's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth in which he analyses the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R. Tolkien. This volume along with the subsequent The War of the Jewels provides detailed writings and edtiorial commentary pertaining to J. R. R. Tolkien's cosmology that eventually would become The Silmarillion.The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: "Just as Sauron concentrated his power in the One Ring, Morgoth dispersed his power into the very matter of Arda, thus 'the whole of Middle-earth was Morgoth's Ring'".
Morgoth's Ring presents source material and editorial on the following:
- Later 1951 revisions of The Silmarillion showing Tolkien's drastic revisiting and rewriting of his legends.
- "Annals of Aman" — Detailed chronology from the creation of the world through the end of the First Age, including an explanation of time reckoning in Valian Years .
- "Laws and Customs among the Eldar" — Several essays and legends on the Eldar, particularly mating and naming customs of the Elves, and Tolkien's conceptions of the soul and body.
- "Athrabeth Finrod an Andreth" — A discussion between two characters, an Elven king Finrod Felagund and Andreth, a mortal woman, about the metaphysical differences between Elves and Men.
- "Tale of Adanel" — The Middle-earth version of the tale of the original sin.
- "Myths Transformed" — Several fragments on Morgoth, Sauron, and the origin of the Orcs.