If Silmarillion is a representation of how those stories exist and are told in-universe. And anything that's in the stories of the Silm then, one would assume, would presumably have to have some in-universe source for the tale....
Beren is the only real source there is for the deaths of Barahir and the outlaws, or at least for any details of how it all went down. There's no-one else who would've known what happened, not really. So Beren is the one who got to choose how that tale is told. And Beren- Beren who lost his father, his cousins, his friends, all he had left, in one night. Who spent years alone, hunted, seeking vengeance and death, fearing only capture and thraldom, who survived horrors like few other men ever went through...
Beren chooses to forgive Gorlim. To call us to pity him. Gorlim the Unhappy, grieving, desperate, tricked with false hope, falling for a trap because he loved. Not Gorlim the Traitor, not Gorlim the Faithless, not one to be regarded with scorn and dishonor, but Gorlim the Unhappy, to be remembered with pity and grief for his fate.
1 - "On a time of autumn he came in the dusk of evening, and drawing near he saw as he thought a light at the window; and coming warily he looked within."
2 - "But there arose one who seemed to all to be Amlach son of Imlach, speaking fell words that shook the hearts of all who heard him."
Late but heartfelt submission for @tolkienhorrorweek Day 1, "seeth all things crooked." I love the eerie illusion of these Silmarillion moments with Gorlim and Amlach. Although in canon the vision of Eilinel at the window is starving and worn, I have always tended to imagine her alluring and well-groomed, a symbol of the home Gorlim and the Bëorians have lost.
This is quite a long post, and I’m sure other angbang shippers have already discussed this subject, but since I haven’t seen anyone talk about it, I’m going to do it myself anyway.
So, we know that Tolkien never finished "The Lay of Leithian", but at some point, he wanted to rewrite it — though he didn’t complete the new version either. But we still can compare some parts across the various drafts.
And there’s a scene with Gorlim, the vassal of Barahir (Beren’s father), who ends up betraying him because he’s tricked into believing that his wife, Eilinel, is still alive. He reveals Barahir’s whereabouts to Melkor, only to find out Eilinel was already dead.
In the earlier version, Gorlim is actually deceived by Melkor himself, who creates the illusion of Eilinel. That’s interesting, because Thû — a character who replaced Tevildo the Prince of Cats from "The Tale of Tinúviel" — is already present in this version too. We’re supposed to see Thû as "proto-Sauron", yet he isn’t the one tricking Gorlim here.
It makes me wonder: maybe Sauron and Thû aren’t meant to be taken as exactly the same character after all. Maybe it’s more like Sauron eventually took his place — just as Thû once took Tevildo’s.
Or maybe Tolkien just wanted to give Sauron a more extended role in the plot, and it was probably easier to rewrite Gorlim’s scene than to come up with something entirely new. Either way, I’m not complaining.
So here’s the first version, with Melkor, and it’s relatively short.
"And thus sad Gorlim, led away
unto those dark deep-dolven halls,
before the knees of Morgoth falls
and puts his trust in that cruel heart
wherein no truth had ever part.
Quoth Morgoth: ‘Eilinel the fair
thou shalt most surely find, and there
where she doth dwell and wait for thee
together shall ye ever be,
and sundered shall ye sigh no more.
Thus guerdon shall he have that bore
these tidings sweet, O traitor dear!
For Eilinel she dwells not here,
but in the shades of death doth roam
widowed of husband and of home —
a wraith of that which might have been,
methinks, it is that thou hast seen!
Now shalt thou through the gates of pain
the land thou askest grimly gain;
thou shalt to the moonless mists of hell
descend and seek thy Eilinel’
Thus Gorlim died a bitter death
and cursed himself with dying breath,
and Barahir was caught and slain,
and all good deeds were made in vain."
And here’s the rewritten part with Gorlim and Sauron, who is no longer called "Thû". It’s much longer, but I want to quote it in full.
There Morgoth's servants fast him caught
and he was cruelly bound, and brought
to Sauron captain of the host,
the lord of werewolf and of ghost,
most foul and fell of all who knelt
at Morgoth's throne. In might he dwelt
on Gaurhoth Isle; but now had ridden
with strength abroad, by Morgoth bidden
to find the rebel Barahir.
He sat in dark encampment near,
and thither his butchers dragged their prey.
There now in anguish Gorlim lay:
with bond on neck, on hand and foot,
to bitter torment he was put,
to break his will and him constrain
to buy with treason end of pain.
But naught to them would he reveal
of Barahir, nor break the seal
of faith that on his tongue was laid;
until at last a pause was made,
and one came softly to his stake,
a darkling form that stooped, and spake
to him of Eilinel his wife.
'Wouldst thou,' he said, 'forsake thy life,
who with 'few words might win release
for her, and thee, and go in peace,
and dwell together far from war,
friends of the King? What wouldst thou more?'
And Gorlim, now long worn with pain,
yearning to see his wife again
(whom well he weened was also caught,
in Sauron’s net), allowed the thought
to grow, and faltered in his troth.
Then straight, half willing and half loath,
they brought him to the seat of stone
where Sauron sat. He stood alone
before that dark and dreadful face,
and Sauron said: 'Come, mortal base!
What do I hear? That thou wouldst dare
to barter with me? Well, speak fair!
What is thy price?' And Gorlim low
bowed down his head, and with great woe,
word on slow word, at last implored
that merciless and faithless lord
that he might free depart, and might
again find Eilinel the White,
and dwell with her, and cease from war
against the King. He craved no more.
Then Sauron smiled, and said: 'Thou thrall!
The price thou askest is but small
for treachery and shame so great!
I grant it surely! Well, I wait:
Come! Speak now swiftly and speak true!'
Then Gorlim wavered, and he drew
half back; but Sauron's daunting eye
there held him, and he dared not lie:
as he began, so must he wend
he all must answer as he could,
betray his lord and brotherhood,
and cease, and fall upon his face.
Then Sauron laughed aloud. 'Thou base,
thou cringing worm! Stand up,
and hear me! And now drink the cup
that I have sweetly blent for thee!
Thou fool: a phantom thou didst see
that I, I Sauron, made to snare
thy lovesick wits. Naught else was there.
Cold 'tis with Sauron's wraiths to wed!
Thy Eilinel! She is long since dead,
food of worms less low than thou.
And yet thy boon I grant thee now:
to Eilinel thou soon shalt go,
and lie in her bed, no more to know
of war- or manhood. Have thy pay!'
And Gorlim then they dragged away,
and cruelly slew him; and at last
in the dank mould his body cast,
where Eilinel long since had laid
in the burned woods by butchers slain.
Thus Gorlim died an evil death,
and cursed himself with dying breath,
and Barahir at last was caught
in Morgoth's snare; for set at naught
by treason was the ancient grace
that guarded long that lonely place,
Tarn Aeluin: now all laid bare
were secret paths and hidden lair.
The major difference is that in the original draft, Gorlim comes to Melkor of his own will, already intending to betray his lord in hopes of saving Eilinel. But in the later version, he’s captured and tortured, and only afterward does Sauron begin talking to him about his wife. This makes it much more understandable why he gave in. He simply didn’t have the strength to resist after everything he’d endured — and hearing that there might be a way to end the pain and save his wife must’ve been an incredibly tempting offer.
Everything feels so much darker and harsher now — I’d even say brutal. The way Gorlim was tortured and deceived, then killed and buried in the same place as Eilinel, just to make it look like Sauron kept his promise… but in the very twisted way. I was honestly speechless when I read it for the first time. Ugh, Tolkien YOU REALLY COOKED HERE.
And specifically comparing Melkor and Sauron, it actually surprises me that, even though Gorlim willingly betrayed Barahir, Melkor doesn’t insult him. He seems calm and only addresses him with "O traitor dear!" It’s mockery, of course, but not an insult. Especially compared to what Sauron says to Gorlim: "mortal base", "thou thrall", "cringing worm", "fool". Sauron seems so much more aggressive and arrogant than Melkor, even though, again, Gorlim was caught and tortured, and didn’t come to him willingly. And he's so triumphant when his plan works — he laughs and fully revels in his victory.
I’m not saying this means Melkor is "more merciful" or "better" than Sauron or anything like that. And Gorlim's fate was the same, no matter which Dark Lord he encountered. So probably when Tolkien first wrote it, he simply didn’t want to linger on that scene too much. But as someone who’s a fan of both characters (and as angbang shipper), I find it really fascinating to compare how they behaved in the same situation, and especially the fact that it was described by Tolkien himself.
like he betrayed *a* protagonist’s father (if we count Beren among the protagonists (if there are any anyway)) leading to said father’s death, he’s kind of forgotten, and it’s that betrayal that lead to his death because of a dark lord
then again, Gorlim betrayed for love and Peter out of cowardice, so it’s not really the same but idk
Hi! Re: the WIP ask game, would you share more about:
"Cold 'tis with Sauron's wraiths to wed..."
ty
Cheers! <3
Haha, oh... *hides face in hands* Despite my ganking that awesome line from the Lay, this one is absolute garbage-tier. X'D
The notion was this: Sauron entraps Gorlim by creating a phantom-illusion-thingy of Eilinel to lure him in, okay. But we also know that Sauron himself is a consummate shapeshifter, so what iiiiif he himself takes Eilinel's shape in the ruins of the house? And in this version, poor old Gorlim does more than simply see through her through the window. He actually makes it into the house, where he has (what he thinks is) a passionate reunion with his beloved wife. Only after that is the trap sprung.
And yes, Gorlim will realise exactly who he just had sex with. There's no way Sauron would let that one pass...
