[Browning] never says what that tower is, but it’s based on an even older tradition about Childe Roland that’s lost in antiquity. Nobody knows who wrote it, and nobody knows what the Dark Tower is. So I started off wondering: What is this tower? What does it mean? And I decided that everybody keeps a Dark Tower in their heart that they want to find. They know it’s destructive and it will probably mean the end of them, but there’s that urge to make it your own or to destroy it, one or the other. So I thought: Maybe it’s different things to different people, and as I write along I’ll find out what it is to Roland.

  While the poem was a starting point for King’s dark fantasy series, it took its own direction thereafter. The same can be said of the wide-ranging inspirations and influences in literature, philology, history and myth that provided Tolkien with a starting point for his stories of Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. However, we should never mistake Tolkien’s creative process for a mere cobbling together of ancient lore. Tolkien’s unique and original language and stories are richer and more profound for all the ancient traditions his tales draw upon, but Tolkien’s art is by no means mere imitation. The Lord of the Rings is a highly realized and originally conceived novel that has renewed, invigorated and finally reinvented the ring quest for the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries.

  Downfall of the Dark Tower of Mordor

  Smaug’s ancestors, the Winged Fire-drakes of the First Age

  INDEX

  PAGE NUMBERS IN ITALIC TYPE REFER

  TO ILLUSTRATIONS AND CAPTIONS

  PAGE NUMBERS IN BOLD REFER TO CHARTS

  A

  Abyss 25

  Achilles 243

  Adrianople, Battle of 137

  Aeneid 227

  Ages of Darkness 14

  Ages of Lamps 15

  Ages of Stars 14, 46–7

  Ages of Trees 14

  Ainulindalë 20

  Ainur (Holy Ones) 20

  Akallabêth (Tolkien) 11, 103

  Alani 139

  Alberich 172

  Almaren 15

  Alqualondë 14

  Anansi 228

  Ancalagon the Black 78–9, 82, 83, 169

  Anduin River 128

  Angband 14, 23, 26, 26, 27, 31, 42, 43, 48, 48, 53, 53, 61, 67, 72, 72, 158

  destruction of 15, 47, 53, 82

  Anglo-Saxon mythology 29, 48, 57, 112, 114, 118, 148, 149, 160, 169, 174–5, 176, 189–93

  Angmar 31, 128, 140, 149–50, 150, 151

  Witch-king of 15, 102, 128, 147–50, 148, 152, 189, 229–35

  Annatar, Lord of Gifts 95–7

  Ar-Pharazôn the Golden 109–10, 110–11

  Aragorn II 143, 210

  Arcadia 65

  Arda 12, 14, 15, 20, 20, 21, 23, 30, 32, 110

  Aristotle 11

  Armanius (Hermann) 75

  Arnor 15, 89, 118, 136, 138, 143, 147, 150, 152

  Arthedain 152

  Arthurian legend 112, 114, 118, 149, 243

  Asgard 57, 148, 202, 203

  Ash Mountains 97

  Ashtaroth 109

  Asmodeus 109

  Atalantë 103

  Athens 103

  Atlantis 103–8, 110

  Atlantis: The Antediluvian World (Donnelly) 106

  Attila the Hun 138, 139, 161

  Aulë the Smith 14, 95, 213, 224

  Avallónë 14

  Ayeesha 223

  Azanulbizar, Battle of 167

  Azog the Defiler 160, 167

  B

  Baggins, Bilbo 128, 163, 165, 175, 206, 210

  Baggins, Frodo 128, 185, 208–9, 210, 211, 226, 227, 243–4

  Balchoth 31, 137, 138, 140, 146, 156

  Balor of the Evil Eye 133

  Balrogs 14, 15, 26, 31, 40, 43, 44, 44, 45, 51, 53, 56, 57, 78, 167, 199, 200–1, 202, 203

  Barad-dûr 97, 127, 131, 167, 244

  Barbarossa, Fredrick 149

  Bard the Bowman 178, 178, 179

  Barrow-downs 152, 189, 193, 194–5, 197

  Barrow-wights 31, 189–97, 190–1

  Belegost 15

  Beleriand 12, 14, 26, 31, 40, 44, 46 53, 65, 78, 90

  Belfalas, Bay of 141

  Belial 26

  Beowulf 48, 57, 112, 174–5, 176, 191

  Berbers 143

  Beren 50, 67, 72

  Berne, Dietrich von 149

  Bert (Troll) 163

  biblical mythology 24, 52, 53, 57, 79–82, 90, 96–7, 108, 109, 126–7, 132, 147, 202, 218–19

  Black Gate, Battle of the 115, 156, 184, 210, 238–46, 240–1, 242

  Black-Goth 30

  Black Hand 131

  Black Númenóreans 31, 108, 140, 142

  Black Riders 182–3, 184, 185–8, 185, 186–7, 229

  Black Speech (language) 59, 97, 98, 165

  Blacklocks 102

  Blake, William 10

  Bliss, Years of 14

  Boldog 48, 48, 49, 50, 158

  Bolg of the North 160

  Bombadil, Tom 191

  Borges, Jorge Luis 168

  Boromir 203, 224

  Bosworth Fields, Battle of 115

  “The Brave Little Tailor” (Grimm) 163

  Broadbeams 102

  Brokkr 92

  Browning, Robert 245

  Byron, Lord 232

  Bywater, Battle of 184, 224

  Byzantium 136

  C

  Cain 57

  Calenardhon 167

  Camelot 114

  Camlann, Battle of 243

  Camp, Battle of 146

  Captains of the West 238

  Carcharoth 31, 67, 72, 72

  Cardolan 152

  Carthage 141–3, 143

  Catalaunian Fields, Battle of the 138, 139

  Catholic Christian mythology 36

  Cave Trolls 31

  Celebrimbor 92, 102

  Celtic mythology 91, 133, 149

  Cerberus 72, 227

  Changing of the World 14, 89, 107, 110

  Charlemagne 149, 150

  Charon 227

  “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” (Browning) 245

  Chinese mythology 189

  Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (Holinshed) 219–23, 234

  Círdan 102, 117, 128

  Cirith Ungol 31, 210, 225, 226

  Cirth alphabet 14

  Cold-drakes 31, 167, 169, 169, 170–1, 172, 173, 176

  Corsairs 31, 140, 143, 143, 144–5, 146, 156

  Cracks of Doom 210, 243, 244

  Crebain 31

  Critias (Plato) 103

  Croesus 234

  Curumo 213, 224

  Curunír 213, 224

  Cyclops 133

  D

  Dagor Aglareb 46

  Dagor Bragollach 47

  Dagorlad, Battle of 89, 114–16, 116

  Dagornuin Giliath 46

  Dáin I 167, 172, 173

  Dale, Battle of 167, 184

  Dante 24

  Dark Tower 89, 97, 127, 244, 245, 246, 247

  The Dark Tower (King) 245

  Dead Marshes 31, 208–9, 211

  Déagol 207, 210

  Delphic Oracle 234

  Dernhelm 232, 234–5

  “The Destruction of Sennacherib” (Byron) 232

  Dickens, Charles 211

  Diocletian, Emperor 147

  Doctor Faustus 126, 215

  Dol Amroth 15

  Dol Guldur 124, 125, 127, 131, 154, 166, 167, 184, 185, 210, 224

  Donnelly, Ignatius 106

  Doom, Mount 117, 184, 210

  Doriath 15

  Dragon-slayers 64, 169–71

  Dragons 15, 30, 31, 47, 53, 57, 61, 82, 84–5, 167, 168, 169

  Draugluin, Father of Werewolves 31, 65–72, 66, 67

  Draupnir 91–2

  Dullahan (“Dark Man”) 150, 230

  Dúnedain 136, 189

  Dunharrow 31, 192–3

  Dunlendings 31, 140, 146, 156, 218, 219, 219, 224

  Durin I 102

  Durin’s Bane 198, 202

  Durin’s Line 172

  Dwarves 14, 15, 52, 58, 62, 73, 160, 166, 169, 172, 173, 197, 198, 202

  Seven Rings of 102, 117, 128

  E

  Eä 14

  Eagles 14

  Eärendil the Mariner 25, 47, 79

  Eärnur 153

  Easterlings 14, 31, 73–7, 76, 101, 102, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 146, 156, 162, 167, 230, 238

  Eastlands 146

  Edain 14, 50, 53, 88, 91

  Eddic 79, 90

  Egyptian mythology 65, 103, 189, 191, 196

  Ekkaia 110

  Eldamar 14, 15

  Eldar 15, 224

  Elendil the Tall 118

  Elessar, King of Gondor 143, 184

  Elrond Half-Elven 102, 128

  Elven-smiths 14, 88, 92, 117

  Elves 14, 40, 48, 51, 52, 53, 58, 59, 62, 73, 75, 88, 91, 113, 127, 153, 165, 166, 167, 178, 210, 213, 224

  Great Journey of 15

  Men's alliances with 89, 112–13, 117, 118

  Sauron corrupts 95

  Three Rings of 102, 117

  Ulfang betrays 75–6

  Elvish (language) 30, 155, 226

  Encircling Sea 110

  Ents 14, 15, 57, 184, 218, 219, 223, 224

  Éomer, Prince 218

  Eönwë, Horn of 78

  Éothéod 138, 167, 169, 172

  Éowyn of Rohan 235

  Ephel Dúath 226

  The Epic of Gilgamesh 44

  Erebor 167, 184

  Eregion 14, 88, 117

  Eriador 91, 92, 95, 149, 167, 189

  Eru the One 14, 20, 92, 109, 110

  Eternal Void 32, 36, 53, 82

  European mythology 229–30

  Eurydice 72

  F

  Fáfnir, Prince of All Dragons 62, 63, 64, 168, 207

  Falathrim 14

  Fall of Arthur (Tolkien) 112–13

  The Fall of Gondolin (Tolkien) 43, 50

  Far Harad, Southrons of 31

  Faramir 210

  Faust 214–18

  Faust, Johann Georg 215

  Fell Beasts 154, 154

  Fellowship of the Ring 128, 198, 210, 224

  Fenrir 29, 72

  Field of Celebrant, Battle of the 137–8, 146, 156

  Fingon, High King of the Noldor 40, 41

  Finnish mythology 64, 91

  Fire-drakes 30, 31, 79, 169

  Firebeards 102

  Fires of Doom 244

  First Kinslaying 15

  First World War 115–16

  Five Armies, Battle of the 146, 156, 160

  Flies of Mordor 94

  Fluithuin 43

  Ford of Bruinen, Attack of 156

  Fords of Isen, Battles of 184, 224

  Formenos, building of 15

  Formorians 133

  Fornost, Battle of 150, 152, 153

  Fram 167, 169

  Frankenstein, Baron von 92

  Frazer, James George 238–9

  Freya 202–3

  Furies 40

  G

  Galadriel 102, 117, 128, 227

  Galahad 113

  Gamgee, Samwise 208–9, 210, 211, 226, 227

  Gandalf the Grey 128, 163, 165, 198–203, 202, 223, 224, 229

  Garm 67

  Gauthaur the Cruel (Sauron) 90, 91

  Gepidae 139

  German mythology 29, 30, 56, 59, 61, 62, 63, 91, 107, 136–7, 147–8, 149, 160–1, 163, 169, 173–4, 196, 214–15

  Giant Spiders 32

  Gil-galad 113, 117, 118

  Gimli 90, 91

  Gjall (horn) 203

  Gladden Fields, Battle of 128, 210

  Glamdring (sword) 165

  Glaurung the Golden, the Deceiver, Father of Dragons 60, 61–4, 61, 169

  Gloomweaver 36, 36, 37

  Glorfindel of Gondolin 44, 45, 153

  Glorious Battle 46

  Goblin Town 158, 203, 204–5

  Goblins 31, 48, 157–62, 206

  Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von 215

  The Golden Bough (Frazer) 238–9

  Gollum 128, 208–9, 210, 211, 211, 212, 226, 227, 243–4

  Gondolin 44, 47

  Gondor 118, 136, 137, 138, 141–3, 146, 147, 161, 167, 218, 229, 230–2

  foundation of 89

  Horn of 203

  last king of 153, 156

  Ship-kings of 15, 142, 146

  Gorcrows 31

  Gorgol the Butcher 50

  Gorthaur the Cruel 65

  Gothic mythology 29, 30

  Gothmog, Lord of Balrogs 31, 40, 40, 41, 43

  Goths 137, 138–9

  Götterdämmerung 29

  Gram (sword) 64

  Great Armament 108

  Great Battle 25, 30, 47, 78–9, 90

  Great Eagles 82, 84–5, 154

  Great Eye 131–3, 133, 134–5, 136

  Great Flood 108

  Great Goblin 158

  “Great Music” of Creation 20

  Great Plague 15, 146, 152

  Great Spiders 14, 15, 31, 210, 225–8

  Great Western Sea 106

  Greco-Roman mythology 40

  Greek mythology 30, 72, 91, 95, 103, 108, 125, 132, 133, 176, 206–7, 213, 234

  Green Great Dragon 176–7

  Greenwood the Great 125

  Grendel 57

  Grey Havens 14, 88, 117, 128

  Grey Mountains 167, 169, 169, 170–1, 172, 173, 176

  Grimm, Brothers 163

  Grond (mace) 29

  Gurthang (sword) 64

  Gyges 206–7

  H

  Hades 72

  Haggard, H. Rider 223

  Half-Orcs 31, 218, 219

  Hammer of the Underworld 29

  Hammer of Thor 199

  Harad/Haradrim 15, 101, 140, 141–3, 142, 143, 146, 156, 230–2, 231, 232, 233, 238

  Hector 243

  Heimdall 78, 203

  Hel 29

  Helheim 67

  Hell 26, 113

  Hell-hawks 154, 154, 155

  Henneth Annun 210

  Hephaestos the Smith 95

  Hercules 103

  Herlathing 148

  Hermes 213

  Herodotus 234

  The Heroes of Tolkien 11

  Heruli 139

  High Elvish (language) 127

  Hill of Sorcery 125, 127

  Hill Trolls 31

  Hillmen 31, 140, 149–50, 150, 151, 152

  Hindu folklore 228 (see also Ungoliant the Great Spider)

  Histories 234

  Hithlum 46

  The Hobbit (Tolkien) 12, 157, 158, 160, 163, 165, 174, 175, 178, 206, 226

  Hobbits 15, 64, 175, 178, 185, 188, 189, 191, 197, 210, 211, 223, 226, 235, 243

  Holinshed, Raphael 219, 234

  Hollin 198

  Hor 95–6

  Hornburg, Battle of 184, 219, 222, 223, 224

  Horsemen of the Apocalypse 147

  Hreidmar 207

  hroa 50, 160

  Huan 72

  Huggins, William 163

  Humbaba 44

  Hunnic Empire 138, 139, 161

  Huorns 219, 223

  I

  Icelandic mythology 90, 163, 211

  Indian mythology 33

  Inferno (Dante) 113

  Irish mythology 133, 150, 230

  Iron Mountains 23

  Iron Throne 26, 27

  Ironfists 102

  Irving, Washington 230

  Isengard 158, 162, 184, 212, 212, 213, 218, 219, 219, 220–1, 224

  Isildur 118, 127

  Isle of Werewolves 65

  Istari 15, 213, 214, 218, 223, 224

  Ithilien 146, 156

  J

  Joaliun of Cambray 127

  Joan of Arc 127

  Jordanes 138, 161

  Jörmungandr 79

  jötnar 56, 57

  Jotunheim (Jötunheimr) 29, 56, 163

  Judeo-Christian tradition see biblical mythology

  Justinian the Great 143

  K

  The Kalevala 64

  Kali 32, 33, 228

  Kalimbo 43

  Keats, John 185

  Keepers of Three Elf Rings 128

  Khamûl the Black 102

  Khand 31, 140

  Khazad-dûm 15, 202, 203

  King, Stephen 244–5

  koranic mythology 132

  Kullervo 64

  Kurkar the Ring Lord 95–6

  L

  “La Belle Dame sans Merci” (Keats) 185–8

  Laiquendi 14

  Lamps of the Valar, destruction of 15

  Lang, Andrew 62

  Langobards 172

  The Lay of the Children of Húrin (Tolkien) 44

  The Lays of Beleriand (Tolkien) 50

  “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (Irving) 230

  Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft (Scott) 126–7

  Lindon 14, 88, 91, 117

  Loki 29, 30

  Lonely Mountain 206

  Long Peace 47

  Longbeards 102, 172

  The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien) 12, 115–16, 160, 178, 185, 193, 202, 206, 238, 239, 246

  Lórien 184, 210

  Lothlórien 15, 117, 128

  Lug 50

  Luke, Gospel of 24

  Lungorthin 43

  Lúthien 67, 72

  lycanthropy 65

  Lydia 234

  M

  Macbeth 126, 153, 219, 223, 234, 235

  MacDonald, George 158

  Magnússon, Eiríkur 63

  Maiar 14, 15, 40, 43, 44, 50, 53, 65, 95, 213, 224

  Maiar Spirits 15, 31, 32, 160

  Mairon, the Smith of Valar 95

  Malory, Thomas 114–15

  Manwë, King of the Valar 14, 30, 82

  Marlowe, Christopher 126, 215

  Master of Non-Being 33

  Melian the Maia 15

  Melkor the Vala 10, 14, 15, 20–4, 20, 21, 23, 32, 33, 48, 51, 53 (see also Morgoth)

  transformation of 26

  Men 15, 31, 51, 52, 62, 96, 138, 161, 166, 167, 169, 178, 213, 218, 224

  of Atlantis 103–8, 103, 104–5

  Elves’ alliances with 89, 112–13, 117, 118

  Nine Rings of 98, 101, 102, 102, 117

  rise of 15, 23–4, 73

  Menegroth 14, 47

  Meneltarma, Mount 109

  Mengius 130

  Mephistopheles 218

  Meriadoc 235

  Merlin 213

  Mexican mythology 189

  Michael, Archangel 52, 79, 202

  Middle Age mythology 67

  Middle-earth 12, 23, 24, 26, 31, 92, 106, 110, 128

  chronology of 14–15

  First Age of 30, 44, 48, 50, 73, 75, 78, 112, 116, 158–60, 163, 169, 202, 225, 227, 246

  Númenórean colonization of 88

  Second Age of 65, 91–4, 93, 95, 98, 112, 225, 227

  Third Age of 98, 127, 131, 136, 142, 147, 161, 162, 165, 166, 169, 176, 184, 189, 213, 225, 227