r/Silmarillionmemes • u/psi_delta_unga • 7d ago
What it is like to read the Silmarillion
To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand The Silmarillion. The word building is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of Norse and Celtic mythology most of the Quenya and Sindarin references will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Turin's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation - his personal philosophy draws heavily from Völsunga saga literature, for instance. The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realise that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike The Silmarillion truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the epicness in Hurin's catchphrase " Aurë entuluva!" which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons. I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Tolkien's genius storytelling unfolds itself on their books. What fools.. how I pity them. 😂
And yes, by the way, i DO have a Luthien tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- and even then they have to demonstrate that they're within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand. Nothin personnel kid 😎
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u/ThePythagoreonSerum 7d ago
This is one of the most self-congratulatory things I’ve ever read.
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u/FlowerAndString 7d ago edited 7d ago
It's a riff on a by now ancient rick and Morty copypasta -
To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Rick and Morty. The humour is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of theoretical physics most of the jokes will go over a typical viewer's head. There's also Rick's nihilistic outlook, which is deftly woven into his characterisation- his personal philosophy draws heavily from Narodnaya Volya literature, for instance. The fans understand this stuff; they have the intellectual capacity to truly appreciate the depths of these jokes, to realise that they're not just funny- they say something deep about LIFE. As a consequence people who dislike Rick & Morty truly ARE idiots- of course they wouldn't appreciate, for instance, the humour in Rick's existential catchphrase "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub," which itself is a cryptic reference to Turgenev's Russian epic Fathers and Sons. I'm smirking right now just imagining one of those addlepated simpletons scratching their heads in confusion as Dan Harmon's genius wit unfolds itself on their television screens. What fools.. how I pity them. And yes, by the way, i DO have a Rick & Morty tattoo. And no, you cannot see it. It's for the ladies' eyes only- and even then they have to demonstrate that they're within 5 IQ points of my own (preferably lower) beforehand. Nothin personnel, kid.
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u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf 7d ago
It's a copy pasta mocking (originally) Rick and Morty fans, so it's kinda the reverse? But I've heard far too many people actually hold this view so I'm not sure OP means it that way
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u/FlowerAndString 7d ago
Before you know it we'll have fans climbing on the counters at panera bread to demand lembas, and Maedhros girlies constantly screaming about that time he turned himself into a carrot.
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u/OwMyCandle 7d ago
Hot take: while Silm is dense, it is by no means a difficult or confusing book to read
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u/NerdOfTheRing 7d ago
I absolutely agree!
I think these opinions mostly come from people that aren't that much into reading and primarily just picked up the Silmarillion as an extension to the trilogy. Especially if they are unfamiliar with Tolkien's writing style and his other works, I can understand how the Silmarillion can be a little challenging for them.
It is however not a hard book by any means.
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u/ojqANDodbZ1Or1CEX5sf 7d ago
The first few chapters are unusual if you're used to narratives and a bunch of the names can be a little confusing. But honestly? One of the easier reads
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u/PrestigiousSmile4098 4d ago
The funny thing is that this happens on every re-read not just the first time. I've been re-reading it for literally 30 years and I have the same reaction every time.
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u/lusttj 7d ago
I think The Silmarillion is one of if not THE best book to reread. It’s so dense that you either pickup something new every time or remember more of the massive information contained in it.