Understand how the Sun and Moon came from the last fruit and flower of the Trees, Fingolfin's crossing of the Grinding Ice, and the Hiding of Valinor.
Chapter guide
What this chapter is about
After the death of the Trees the world is plunged into darkness. The Valar seek new light: Yavanna and Nienna bend over the dying Telperion and Laurelin, and each Tree gives one last gift — a silver Flower (from Telperion) and a golden Fruit (from Laurelin).
From these the lights of heaven are made: the Moon (from the flower) and the Sun (from the fruit). Maiar guide them: Tilion steers the vessel of the Moon, Arien the fiery vessel of the Sun. With the rising of the Sun the Years of the Sun begin, and Men awake.
Meanwhile Fingolfin's host, abandoned by Fëanor without ships, makes a terrible crossing of the Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice of the far north, losing many. And the Valar themselves, angered and grieved by the Noldor's rebellion, fortify Valinor: they raise the Pelóri higher, hide the ways, and create the Enchanted Isles — this is the Hiding of Valinor.
Lesson notes
What this chapter is about
After the death of the Trees the world is plunged into darkness. The Valar seek new light: Yavanna and Nienna bend over the dying Telperion and Laurelin, and each Tree gives one last gift — a silver Flower (from Telperion) and a golden Fruit (from Laurelin).
From these the lights of heaven are made: the Moon (from the flower) and the Sun (from the fruit). Maiar guide them: Tilion steers the vessel of the Moon, Arien the fiery vessel of the Sun. With the rising of the Sun the Years of the Sun begin, and Men awake.
Meanwhile Fingolfin's host, abandoned by Fëanor without ships, makes a terrible crossing of the Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice of the far north, losing many. And the Valar themselves, angered and grieved by the Noldor's rebellion, fortify Valinor: they raise the Pelóri higher, hide the ways, and create the Enchanted Isles — this is the Hiding of Valinor.
Where everything came from
— In Tolkien the Sun and Moon are not primal: they are younger than the stars and younger than the Trees, merely a “rescued” remnant of the Trees' light. The Elves, beings of the Stars and the Trees, secretly grieve over the harsh new light.
— Tilion — a hunter Maia from Oromë's following, steersman of the Moon; his vessel is inconstant (hence the phases). Arien — a fiery spirit, the maiden of the Sun; Morgoth himself fears her heat.
— Helcaraxë — “the Grinding Ice,” the deadly strait between Aman and Middle-earth; crossing it is the heroic deed and the atonement of Fingolfin's house.
— The Hiding of Valinor — the Valar wall themselves off from Middle-earth; the Enchanted Isles and the Shadowy Seas sink the ships of any who try to sail there to plead. This matters: later only Eärendil will manage to break through to the Valar.
With the rising of the Sun, Men (the Atani) “wake” in the east; the next chapter tells of this in detail.
Light rescued from darkness
— The hierarchy of light. Stars → Trees → Silmarils → Sun and Moon. The further down, the more “derivative” the light. The purest light of the Trees now lives only in the stolen Silmarils. This ladder explains why the Silmarils are so priceless.
— Atonement through suffering. The crossing of the Helcaraxë is the price Fingolfin's house pays for taking part in the Flight; unlike the house of Fëanor, they go not for glory but out of loyalty, and so their deed is bright.
— The Hiding of Valinor sets up the ending of the whole book: Middle-earth can be saved not by the Noldor's own strength but only by a humble plea, which Eärendil (son of Tuor and Idril, husband of Elwing, Thingol's great-granddaughter) will bring, and only then will the Valar go to war. Pride does not open the West; humility does.
— Link to “The Lord of the Rings”: Bilbo's song about Eärendil the mariner, sung in Rivendell, is about this very world; and the star of Eärendil (a Silmaril) is the light of the Phial of Galadriel.