Post by Tindómiel on Dec 16, 2006 14:19:12 GMT -5
The history of Númenor is too long and complex to adequately descibe here. Readers are referred to Tolkien's writings, especially the Akallabêth (Silm 259). However it can be summarized as a long period of early peace followed by growing power, growing pride, and an increasing fear of death, culminating in Ar-Pharazôn's blasphemous attempt to seize immortality by force - by invading Valinor.
To understand the Fall of Númenor it is necssary to understand the view of death in Tolkien's writings. The Valar were spiritual beings and thus immortal. The Eldar were physical beings, yet were also immortal (they could be slain, but they did not die naturally, nor did they succumb to disease). The Edain, being Men, were - of course - mortal. As the Dúnedain grew in pride, they began to envy the life of the Eldar. This envy grew in time to become a hatred of all things elvish, and resulted in the persecution of those Númenóreans who maintain contact with the Eldar ("the Faithful"). This pride and fear combined to bring about the end of Númenor: Early in the reign of Ar-Pharazôn, Sauron (or Zigûr, as he was called in Adûnaic) claimed the title of King of Men in Middle-earth, and resolved to drive the Númenóreans out of Middle-earth, and even if possible, to destroy Númenor itself. Proud Ar-Pharazôn responded to this challenge by taking an enormous fleet to Middle-earth, and demanding that Sauron come and swear fealty to him. Sauron came - seeing that the power of Númenor was far greater than he believed. Ar-Pharazôn took Sauron back to Númenor as a prisoner. However once there, Sauron quickly rose from being a prisoner to become the King's chief counsellor and High Priest - leading the Númenóreans into the worship of Morgoth.
When Ar-Pharazôn had grown old, and could see his death approaching, Sauron played his master-stroke. He convinced the King that he could seize immmortality by force by invading Valinor. But when Ar-Pharazôn landed in Valinor the Valar laid down their guardianship of the world and appealled to Ilúvatar (i.e. God the Creator, God Almighty). Ilúvatar responded by changing the shape of the world, and destroying Númenor and its ships. Ar-Pharazôn and his men who had actually landed in Valinor were buried by an earthquake. Ilúvatar also moved Valinor off the circle of the world and onto "another dimension", so that afterwards it could only be approached by the ships of the Eldar, but not of Men.
To understand the Fall of Númenor it is necssary to understand the view of death in Tolkien's writings. The Valar were spiritual beings and thus immortal. The Eldar were physical beings, yet were also immortal (they could be slain, but they did not die naturally, nor did they succumb to disease). The Edain, being Men, were - of course - mortal. As the Dúnedain grew in pride, they began to envy the life of the Eldar. This envy grew in time to become a hatred of all things elvish, and resulted in the persecution of those Númenóreans who maintain contact with the Eldar ("the Faithful"). This pride and fear combined to bring about the end of Númenor: Early in the reign of Ar-Pharazôn, Sauron (or Zigûr, as he was called in Adûnaic) claimed the title of King of Men in Middle-earth, and resolved to drive the Númenóreans out of Middle-earth, and even if possible, to destroy Númenor itself. Proud Ar-Pharazôn responded to this challenge by taking an enormous fleet to Middle-earth, and demanding that Sauron come and swear fealty to him. Sauron came - seeing that the power of Númenor was far greater than he believed. Ar-Pharazôn took Sauron back to Númenor as a prisoner. However once there, Sauron quickly rose from being a prisoner to become the King's chief counsellor and High Priest - leading the Númenóreans into the worship of Morgoth.
When Ar-Pharazôn had grown old, and could see his death approaching, Sauron played his master-stroke. He convinced the King that he could seize immmortality by force by invading Valinor. But when Ar-Pharazôn landed in Valinor the Valar laid down their guardianship of the world and appealled to Ilúvatar (i.e. God the Creator, God Almighty). Ilúvatar responded by changing the shape of the world, and destroying Númenor and its ships. Ar-Pharazôn and his men who had actually landed in Valinor were buried by an earthquake. Ilúvatar also moved Valinor off the circle of the world and onto "another dimension", so that afterwards it could only be approached by the ships of the Eldar, but not of Men.
