# Release from Bondage



## Ithrynluin (Feb 24, 2004)

Why do _you _think the tale of Beren and Luthien is 'subtitled' as 'release from bondage'?


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## Aiwendil2 (Feb 24, 2004)

I think it's a multi-layered title - one can think of "Beren and Luthien" as being largely a story about various escapes from various sorts of bondage.

A Silmaril is released from Angband (I think this is the one to which the sub-title overtly refers).

Gorlim desires to escape the war and live in peace with Eilinel, and for this he betrays his companions.

Beren escapes from Dorthonion.

Thingol escapes from his oath not to slay Beren (by sending him on a quest that he believes must be fatal).

Luthien escapes from her tree-house.

Luthien escapes from Nargothrond.

Beren escapes from Minas Tirith.

Beren and Luthien escape death.

Luthien escapes deathlessness.

It may sound as though some of these points are a bit of a stretch, but I think that if one considers the story as a whole, one will see issues of entrapment and escape coming up much more than in other tales. And the wording of the Lay often reinforces this, emphasizing both captivity and the desire to escape (even in the titles - "The Snaring of Gorlim"; "Of Beren Son of Barahir and his Escape").

On a more straightforward level, if I had to choose a single interpretation, I'd say that it refers to the release of the Silmaril from bondage. When one puts the story in the context of the overall plot of the Silmarillion, the real accomplishment of the story (in terms of plot) is to bring a Silmaril out of Angband to Doriath.


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 24, 2004)

Hi Aiwendil! Thanks for making such a fine contribution.

The first thing that I think of when I hear 'release from bondage' is how Beren and Lúthien laboured, almost as slaves, to regain the Silmaril, and how their life and relationship were strained and full of misery and turmoil prior to achieving the quest. Finally, their 'thraldom' was ended, but took too great a toll on both of them and they died, and coming back to life for a brief while they were ultimately _released from bondage _when they left the circles of the world and departed to wherever it is men depart.


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## Eriol (Feb 24, 2004)

Aiwendil2 said:


> Beren and Luthien escape death.



This is the most important "releasing from bondage" that takes place, for me. I think that their later life in Ossiriand was a celebration of this release. All that took part in the meantime -- the most important thing being the prayer of Lúthien before Mandos -- was "aimed" at that.

I think the "bondage" they were released from is Mandos' inexorable decrees. 

But I surely agree that it is a multi-layered title and that this is just one meaning among many. It happens to be my favorite .


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## Grond (Feb 24, 2004)

Eriol said:


> This is the most important "releasing from bondage" that takes place, for me. I think that their later life in Ossiriand was a celebration of this release. All that took part in the meantime -- the most important thing being the prayer of Lúthien before Mandos -- was "aimed" at that.
> 
> I think the "bondage" they were released from is Mandos' inexorable decrees.
> 
> But I surely agree that it is a multi-layered title and that this is just one meaning among many. It happens to be my favorite .


I think you have all missed it. It is the release of Luthien from the "bondage" of the Eldar. Her spirit was no longer bound to Arda. She was the first of the Eldar to truly die. Her soul was not tied to the Elven bounds of Arda, doomed to return to the Halls of Mandos. Her soul was relieved of all obligations and she was able to accompany her beloved to that place where the race of Man goes when they die. A place we know not.


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## Grond (Feb 24, 2004)

Oops! Missed Eriol's reply. Ignore my previous post and simply reread Eriol's response.


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 24, 2004)

I don't think anyone's 'missed' it, oh Grond. Besides, your interpretation is not all that different from mine.


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## Grond (Feb 24, 2004)

ithrynluin said:


> I don't think anyone's 'missed' it, oh Grond. Besides, your interpretation is not all that different from mine.


Oops again. Ignore my first reply and read ithrynluin's post.


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## Iluvatar (Feb 25, 2004)

Two letters:

*S & M*


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 25, 2004)

Hmm, Ilúvatar, did you read the regular Sil or the slightly modified adult version, subtitled 'Guide to Elven Erotica'?


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## Iluvatar (Feb 25, 2004)

ithrynluin said:


> Hmm, Ilúvatar, did you read the regular Sil or the slightly modified adult version, subtitled 'Guide to Elven Erotica'?



There was a family-approved version?


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## jallan (Feb 25, 2004)

Could there indeed by an _adult_ (wink! wink!) significance in the tale of “Release from Bondage”. In the first _Lost Tales_ version it is told by a young girl, the “little maid” Vëannë who keeps it clean enough in her telling, yet demurely says with innocent eyes about her sources:


> ... and I do not comprehend all that is set therein.


Eriol finds it a tale:


> ... such as I looked not to hear from the lips of the little maids of Mar Vanwa Tyaliéva.


Has Tolkien father or Tolkien son bowdlerized it?

What were Lúthien and Huan really doing together?


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 25, 2004)

I would suppose Eriol means he was not used or did not expect to hear such a story full of cruelty, malice and danger from the innocent lips of a child.

Now let's all keep in mind this is a PG-13 forum, so let's keep it (relatively ) clean.


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## Eriol (Feb 26, 2004)

ithrynluin said:


> I would suppose Eriol means he was not used or did not expect to hear such a story full of cruelty, malice and danger from the innocent lips of a child.



Yep, that was my impression at the time . Especially that Tevildo guy, pretty scary.

Anyway, I remember some evidence for that view of the meaning of the title (in the Sil). After Beren dies from his wound at the Hunt of the Wolf, Tolkien wrote something like:

"thus the Quest of the Silmaril ended; but the Lay of Leithian, Release from Bondage, was not over yet".

I think this shows how what transpired afterwards is fundamental for the interpretation of the title. There were two crucial "releases" after that point: Beren and Lúthien were released from Mandos' halls; Beren and Lúthien were released from Arda to go where Men's souls go.


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## Lantarion (Feb 26, 2004)

jallan said:


> Could there indeed by an _adult_ (wink! wink!) significance in the tale of “Release from Bondage”. In the first _Lost Tales_ version it is told by a young girl, the “little maid” Vëannë who keeps it clean enough in her telling, yet demurely says with innocent eyes about her sources:Eriol finds it a tale:Has Tolkien father or Tolkien son bowdlerized it?
> 
> What were Lúthien and Huan really doing together?



LOL jallan, that I did not expect from you! 

But I have nothing to add to Aiwendil2's post, it was excellent.


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