Morgoth's Ring is the tenth volume of Christopher Tolkien's 12-volume series The History of Middle-earth in which he analyzes the unpublished manuscripts of his father J. R. R. Tolkien. This volume along with the subsequent The War of the Jewels provides detailed writings and editorial commentary pertaining to J. R. R. Tolkien's cosmology that eventually would become The Silmarillion. This book mentions a few characters excluded elsewhere, including Findis and Irimë, the daughters of Finwë.

The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: "Just as Sauron concentrated his power in the One Ring, Morgoth dispersed his power into the very matter of Arda, thus 'the whole of Middle-earth was Morgoth's Ring'". As the original rebel against Eru Ilúvatar, Morgoth is seen as the source and author of all evil in Arda and in fact, in metaphysical terms, evil and the working of his will are one and the same thing.

Morgoth's Ring presents source material and editorial on the following:

• Later 1951 revisions of The Silmarillion showing Tolkien's drastic revisiting and rewriting of his legends.
• "Annals of Aman" — Detailed chronology from the creation of the world through the end of the First Age, including an explanation of time reckoning in Valian Years .
• "Laws and Customs among the Eldar" — Several essays and legends on the Eldar, particularly mating and naming customs of the Elves, and Tolkien's conceptions of the soul and body.
• "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" — A discussion between two characters, an Elven king Finrod Felagund and Andreth, a mortal woman, about the metaphysical differences between Elves and Men.
• "Tale of Adanel" — The Middle-earth version of the tale of the original sin.
• "Myths Transformed" — Several fragments on Morgoth, Sauron, and the origin of the Orcs.

External links

• An in-depth overview of Morgoth's Ring by JRR Tolkien