Review: Beren and Lúthien – The Tale of Tinúviel and Tolkien’s Myth of Love and Fate
By J.R.R. Tolkien
《貝倫與露西恩》評論｜緹努維爾的傳說與托爾金筆下的愛與宿命
J.R.R. 托爾金 著
The Style and Language of the Earliest Tale
The Tale of Tinúviel, first written in 1917 during the aftermath of the Battle of the Somme, stands as one of the earliest complete narratives in Tolkien’s legendarium. As an early version of Beren and Lúthien, it preserves not only the mythic structure of the later story but also reflects the stylistic and linguistic tendencies of Tolkien’s youthful writing. The tale’s prose, tone, and vocabulary are markedly different from the more refined later texts, providing a unique glimpse into the literary instincts of a young philologist and emerging myth-maker.
Stylistically, The Tale of Tinúviel is closer to the Edwardian fairy-tale tradition than to the epic gravity of The Silmarillion. Its language is archaic, yet exuberantly romantic, filled with lyrical imagery and poetic diction. The prose has a rhythmic quality that borders on oral storytelling, as if meant to be read aloud by the fire. Tolkien often employs alliteration, inversion, and an elevated register that evokes medieval romance more than modern prose. For instance, characters speak in formal, often archaic constructions—“Lo! now the tale telleth,” or “Then was Tinúviel afeared”—which imbue the text with a timeless, bardic quality.
One notable feature is the frequent use of poetic epithets and repetitive phrases, drawing from traditional oral-formulaic patterns. Lúthien is often called “Tinúviel, the Nightingale,” and Beren is “the wanderer.” These descriptors serve both aesthetic and structural functions, reinforcing character identity and rhythm in the reader’s memory. There is also a playful inventiveness in names and place-names, such as Artanor (later Doriath) or Tevildo Prince of Cats (a precursor to Sauron), which reflect Tolkien’s early delight in philological experimentation and mythic play.
The tale’s diction, while lofty, is also rich in intimacy and tenderness. The meeting of Beren and Lúthien, for example, is described not with solemn grandeur, but with dreamlike beauty—“She danced, and her hair shimmered like starlight.” This reflects Tolkien’s emotional proximity to the story, rooted in his courtship with Edith, who directly inspired the figure of Lúthien.
Ultimately, The Tale of Tinúviel is a textual artifact of immense literary and emotional value. It reveals Tolkien's early attempts to reconcile epic and lyric, to create a language that could carry both grandeur and grace. Though he would later revise the story into more formal and theological modes, the original version remains a vital window into the origins of Middle-earth—not only as a mythic world, but as a deeply personal landscape of memory, love, and linguistic imagination.
原初傳說的風格與語言特徵
〈緹努維爾的傳說〉完成於 1917 年，即托爾金參與索姆河戰役後不久，是他整個傳奇宇宙中最早完成的敘事之一。作為日後《貝倫與露西恩》的雛形，這個版本不僅保留了神話結構的原貌，也展現出托爾金年輕時期在風格與語言上的獨特傾向。其文體、語氣與詞彙明顯不同於後期文本，提供我們一個得以窺見這位年輕語言學者與神話創作者最初文學直覺的珍貴窗口。
從風格上來看，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉更接近愛德華時期童話傳統，而非《精靈寶鑽》中那種莊嚴宏偉的史詩氛圍。其語言帶有古雅而浪漫的氣息，充滿抒情意象與詩化辭藻。文句節奏感強，近乎口述敘事的韻律，彷彿適合在火爐邊朗讀。托爾金大量使用頭韻、倒裝句與高文語調，讓人聯想到中古時期的浪漫敘事而非現代散文。例如人物對話常使用古風結構，如（看啊！現在故事將述說）或（緹努維爾遂感恐懼），為文本賦予一種永恆的吟遊詩人氣質。
其中一項鮮明特徵是詩化稱謂與重複語句的頻繁運用，這種技巧源自口述文學的公式模式。露西恩經常被稱為「夜鶯緹努維爾」，貝倫則被形容為「旅人」。這些反覆出現的描述不僅具有美學功能，也有助於讀者在記憶中鞏固人物形象與故事節奏。此外，早期的地名與角色設計也展現了托爾金對語言學的遊戲式熱情，如「塔諾爾」（後來改為多瑞亞斯 ）與「貓王泰維多」（後來由索隆取代），皆顯示出他在創造神話時的語言實驗精神。
雖然辭藻高雅，這篇故事仍充滿親密與溫柔之感。貝倫與露西恩的初次相遇，並未以莊重筆法描寫，而是以夢幻之美呈現：「她翩翩起舞，秀髮如星光閃爍」。這反映了托爾金對這段故事的情感投入，尤其是靈感來源──他的愛妻伊迪絲（Edith）──正是露西恩形象的原型。
總的來說，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉是一部兼具文學與情感價值的珍貴文本。它呈現了托爾金早期對史詩與抒情的融合嘗試，以及他如何以一種既宏偉又優雅的語言描繪神話。雖然他後來將此故事發展為更正式、神學化的版本，但原初的雛形依然是一扇通往中土創世之初的重要之門，讓我們得以一窺其記憶、愛情與語言想像交織而成的心靈地圖。
The Narrative Archetype of Mortal–Elf Encounter
One of the most enduring and influential narrative patterns in Tolkien’s legendarium is the encounter between a mortal man and an immortal elf-woman. The Tale of Tinúviel, the earliest complete version of Beren and Lúthien, is the origin point of this narrative archetype. Its themes—love across boundaries, the tension between fate and free will, and the bridging of mortality and eternity—would echo throughout Tolkien’s work and become central to the mythology of Middle-earth.
In The Tale of Tinúviel, the meeting of Beren and Lúthien is presented as a moment of enchantment and transcendence. Beren, weary and lost in the forests of Artanor (an early name for Doriath), beholds Lúthien as she dances under the moonlight. The scene is bathed in dreamlike imagery and framed as an event of fate rather than chance. Lúthien, called “Tinúviel” (Nightingale), is not simply beautiful—she is ethereal, almost divine, embodying song, starlight, and healing. The effect on Beren is immediate and irreversible: he is captivated, not merely by her beauty, but by her essence. This is not love at first sight—it is an ontological transformation.
The archetype of the mortal-elf encounter plays on contrasts: time-bound vs. timeless, flesh vs. spirit, sorrow vs. serenity. In this tension lies its enduring power. The meeting is not only romantic, but symbolic—it reflects the desire for union between disparate realms: the seen and unseen, the fallen and the unfallen. Tolkien, a devout Catholic and scholar of mythology, weaves into this meeting elements from both medieval romance and Christian allegory. Lúthien is both a romantic heroine and a redemptive figure, while Beren becomes a seeker, transformed by love into something more than mortal.
This archetype reappears later in The Lord of the Rings, most notably in the love between Aragorn and Arwen, but its emotional and mythological roots are here, in The Tale of Tinúviel. The difference between this earliest version and later iterations lies not in the core idea, but in tone. In The Tale of Tinúviel, the meeting is dreamlike and symbolic; in later versions, it becomes more grave and bittersweet, framed by mortality and sacrifice. Yet the essential power of that first meeting—when a mortal glimpses the divine and is forever changed—remains.
As a narrative model, the mortal–elf encounter in The Tale of Tinúviel offers a mythic template for transformative love. It invites reflection on boundaries and the human longing to transcend them—through beauty, devotion, and shared destiny. In this way, the story continues to resonate with readers, standing as one of the most poignant myths of crossing and connection in all of Tolkien’s world.
精靈與凡人初遇的敘事原型
在托爾金整個傳奇宇宙中，最經久不衰且影響深遠的敘事模式之一，就是「凡人與精靈相遇」的母題。〈緹努維爾的傳說〉，作為《貝倫與露西恩》最早完整的版本，正是這一敘事原型的起點。故事中的主題——跨越界限的愛情、命運與自由意志之間的張力，以及凡俗與永恆的交會——在托爾金的作品中不斷迴盪，成為中土大陸神話核心的一部分。
在〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中，貝倫與露西恩的相遇被描寫為一場魔幻與超凡的時刻。貝倫在阿塔諾爾（後稱多瑞亞斯）的森林中疲憊徬徨，無意間看到露西恩在月光下起舞。整個場景洋溢著夢境般的意象，並以「命運」而非「偶然」來詮釋這段相遇。露西恩又名「緹努維爾」（意為夜鶯），她不僅僅是美麗的象徵，更是如神祇般的存在，代表歌聲、星光與療癒。對貝倫而言，這不只是「一見鍾情」，更像是一場本體層次的轉化──他的生命從此被徹底改變。
凡人與精靈的相遇，正是透過「對比」產生深刻意義：有限對無限、肉體對靈魂、悲傷對安寧。在這種張力中，孕育出故事的永恆吸引力。這樣的相遇不僅僅是浪漫的邂逅，更是象徵性的交會：它呈現了有形與無形、墮落與未墮落世界之間的連結。托爾金作為虔誠的天主教徒與神話學者，在這段相遇中揉合了中古浪漫文學與基督教寓言的元素。露西恩既是浪漫女主角，也是救贖者形象；而貝倫則是那位因愛而成為超越自身的尋求者。
這個原型在《魔戒》中再次出現，最著名的例子就是亞拉岡與雅玟之愛，但其情感與神話的根源正是來自〈緹努維爾的傳說〉。早期版本與後來版本最大的差異，不在於核心理念，而在於語氣。〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中的初遇帶有夢幻與象徵意味，而後來版本則更為沉重與哀傷，圍繞著死亡與犧牲展開。然而，那份「人類得以一瞥神性並因此永遠改變」的初遇力量，始終不變。
作為敘事模型，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中的「凡人遇見精靈」提供了一種神話式的「轉化之愛」模板。它邀請我們思考：人類為何渴望跨越邊界？我們是否能藉由美、忠誠與共同命運，達到與永恆對話的境界？因此，這個故事至今仍與讀者產生共鳴，成為托爾金世界中最動人的「邊界交會神話」之一。
The Shaping of Tinúviel and Her Narrative Agency
In The Tale of Tinúviel, Lúthien—also called Tinúviel, meaning "nightingale"—emerges not only as the most beautiful of all the Children of Ilúvatar, but also as one of Tolkien’s most active and autonomous female characters. Unlike many mythic heroines who exist primarily as passive objects of desire or symbolic prizes, Tinúviel possesses remarkable narrative agency. She does not merely inspire Beren’s actions; she initiates, shapes, and often drives the events of the tale.
From the moment she enters the story, Tinúviel is not portrayed through Beren’s gaze alone. Instead, her introduction is steeped in mystery and power—her dancing in the moonlit glade is both enchanting and sovereign. When Beren becomes enamored with her, it is not a tale of conquest but one of awe and transformation. Crucially, Lúthien is never “won” or “claimed”; she chooses. Her agency is expressed most forcefully when she defies her father Thingol’s will, flees captivity, and risks everything to join Beren on his impossible quest.
What distinguishes Tinúviel’s characterization in this early tale is her magical authority. She is not simply beautiful—she is powerful. She uses enchantment and song to escape from the stronghold of her captors, lulls Morgoth’s court into slumber, and even stands before the Dark Lord himself with courage and defiance. These actions are not narrative embellishments—they are central to the plot. Without Lúthien, the quest would not only fail—it would never proceed at all.
Tolkien scholars have often noted that The Tale of Tinúviel is unique for giving such prominence to a female figure in a traditionally male-centered mythos. Her role is not derivative; it is originative. Her love is not passive acceptance, but an act of will. Her journey is not one of support, but of participation and transformation. Tinúviel is not the reward at the end of the tale—she is the tale.
The emotional power of Lúthien’s character lies in this balance of tenderness and strength, beauty and agency. Her portrayal foreshadows Arwen in The Lord of the Rings, but with more narrative visibility and direct impact. In Tinúviel, we see Tolkien’s capacity to write a woman who is neither a damsel nor a goddess, but a protagonist—brave, brilliant, and utterly essential to the mythology of Middle-earth.
緹努維爾的形象塑造與敘事主導
在〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中，露西恩——又名緹努維爾意為「夜鶯」——不僅是伊露維塔所造子女中最美麗的存在，更是托爾金筆下最具主動性與行動力的女性角色之一。與許多神話中的女主角不同，緹努維爾並非只是被渴望的對象或象徵性的獎賞，她擁有強烈的敘事主導權。她不只是貝倫行動的靈感來源，更是故事推展的關鍵動力與參與者。
緹努維爾一登場，便不僅僅是透過貝倫的視角被觀看。她的出現充滿神秘與威儀——她在月光下的舞蹈不只是美麗，更具有主權與自主性。當貝倫對她傾心，這並非「征服」的故事，而是轉化與敬畏之愛。更重要的是，露西恩從未被「贏得」或「佔有」；她選擇了自己要愛的人。她的主動性最明顯地體現在她反抗父親辛葛的意志、逃離禁錮，並不惜一切代價與貝倫共赴不可能的任務。
在這部早期版本中，緹努維爾的形象之所以與眾不同，是因為她擁有真正的魔法主權。她不只是美麗的象徵，更是行動的力量。她透過歌聲與魔法逃離囚禁者之手，使魔苟斯宮廷陷入沉睡，甚至勇敢無懼地面對黑暗魔君本人。這些行動並非附屬性的情節裝飾，而是整個故事的核心推進力。若無露西恩，此任務不僅會失敗，甚至根本無法展開。
學者們常指出，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉在以男性為中心的神話敘事中，賦予女性如此主導地位，極為罕見。她的角色並非附屬，而是原創性的；她的愛不是被動接受，而是主體意志的展現；她的旅程不是陪襯，而是參與與轉化的過程。緹努維爾不是故事的獎賞──她就是這個故事本身。
露西恩這個角色的情感力量，正來自她在溫柔與堅毅、美貌與行動力之間的平衡。她的形象預示了《魔戒》中雅玟的角色，但她在故事中展現出更強烈的存在感與直接影響力。在緹努維爾身上，我們看見托爾金描繪女性角色的潛力──她既非弱女子，也非女神，而是一位真正的主角：勇敢、睿智，並在中土神話中不可或缺。
The Transformation and Renaming of Tevildo
Among the most intriguing elements of The Tale of Tinúviel is the presence of Tevildo, the Prince of Cats—an early antagonist who stands in stark contrast to the more familiar dark figures of Tolkien’s later works. Tevildo, depicted as a powerful, malevolent feline creature, serves as the captor of Beren and an obstacle in the lovers’ quest. Yet his role—and even his existence—undergoes significant transformation as Tolkien revised the mythology over the decades.
In this earliest version, Tevildo is a “demon-cat,” lord of a feline court, and the master of a tower where Beren is imprisoned. His character is marked by arrogance, cruelty, and magical prowess. He commands other great cats and is portrayed as a cunning and formidable foe. Lúthien, with the aid of Huan the Hound of Valinor, ultimately defeats him using wit and enchantment. The story’s tone, in this version, carries an almost fairy-tale-like quality, in which Tevildo resembles the archetype of the vain and tyrannical sorcerer.
However, as Tolkien refined his legendarium, Tevildo was replaced. In later iterations of the story—particularly in The Lay of Leithian and The Silmarillion—his role is given to Sauron, the lieutenant of Morgoth. This shift is not merely a name change; it represents a deepening of the moral and metaphysical dimensions of evil in Tolkien’s mythology. Where Tevildo was whimsical and bestial, Sauron is calculating and theological. The change marks Tolkien’s transition from playful myth-making to a more profound and coherent moral structure.
The renaming of Tevildo also reflects Tolkien’s evolving linguistic philosophy. Tevildo is a name without clear Elvish or linguistic etymology—it sounds invented for a fable. In contrast, “Sauron” derives from Tolkien’s constructed Elvish languages (Quenya and Sindarin), meaning “the Abhorred” or “the Abominable.” This etymological grounding links the character more organically to the rest of Middle-earth, giving him mythic weight and narrative cohesion.
From a literary standpoint, the transformation of Tevildo into Sauron illustrates Tolkien’s process of mythopoesis—the continual reshaping of stories to align with larger narrative and philosophical goals. While Tevildo is largely forgotten in the later canon, he remains a fascinating artifact of Tolkien’s early creativity. His presence reminds us that even the greatest mythologies are not born whole, but evolve through playful invention, narrative necessity, and linguistic refinement.
特貝多的角色轉化與命名演變：從貓之王到黑暗副手
在〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中，最引人注目的角色之一，便是「泰維多」──貓之王。作為托爾金早期神話中的反派角色，特貝多的形象與他後期作品中的黑暗人物大相逕庭。他是一隻強大而邪惡的貓型魔物，是貝倫的囚禁者，也是貝倫與露西恩愛情旅程中的主要障礙之一。然而，隨著托爾金多年來不斷修改其傳奇體系，特貝多的角色——甚至他的存在本身——都經歷了重大變化。
在這個最早的版本中，特貝多是一位「惡魔貓」，統治著一群魔貓，居住在高塔中，並將貝倫囚禁於此。他性格傲慢、殘忍，並擁有魔法力量，是一位狡詐且難以對付的敵人。露西恩在維拉之獵犬胡安的協助下，透過智慧與咒語戰勝了他。這一版本的故事語調較為童話風格，特貝多更像是那種自負又專橫的邪術師原型。
然而，隨著托爾金逐漸發展其完整的傳奇宇宙，特貝多的角色被完全替換。在後期版本的故事中，尤其是在詩體版本〈蕾希安之歌〉以及《精靈寶鑽》中，他的職責被轉移給了索隆——魔苟斯的副官。這樣的改變並非單純的「改名」，而是托爾金對邪惡本質理解的深化與擴展。特貝多是帶有玩趣、獸性的角色，而索倫則代表深沉、神學式的邪惡。這一轉變標誌著托爾金從神話遊戲走向道德體系的建立。
特貝多的命名演變，也反映出托爾金語言哲學的成熟。特貝多的名字在托爾金的精靈語體系中並無明確語源，看起來更像是為童話而創的隨意命名。而「索隆」一名則來自托爾金自創的精靈語（昆雅語或辛達語），意為「可憎者」或「可憐者」。這樣的語源賦予角色更深厚的神話重量，使其與中土世界的語言與文化緊密結合，增強了敘事的整體性。
從文學角度來看，特貝多轉變為索倫的過程展現了托爾金「造神話」的創作歷程：他不斷重塑故事，以符合更宏大的敘事與哲學目標。雖然特貝多在後期正典中幾近消失，但他仍是托爾金早期創作力的迷人見證。他的存在提醒我們：即使是最偉大的神話，也不是一蹴而就，而是透過遊戲式的想像、敘事的需要與語言的精煉而逐步誕生的。
Early Versions of Love and Trial
The Tale of Tinúviel, as the earliest version of Beren and Lúthien, offers a fascinating look at how Tolkien originally envisioned love and trial—not as epic tragedy, but as a romantic fairy tale charged with whimsy, mystery, and lyrical beauty. In this early form, love is immediate and magical, and the trials the lovers face—while daunting—retain a quality of playfulness and moral clarity absent in the more somber retellings that would come later.
In The Tale of Tinúviel, Beren is not a mortal man but a gnome (a term Tolkien used at the time to describe the Noldor Elves), and the story possesses a lighter, almost childlike tone. The initial meeting between Beren and Lúthien is dreamy and fateful, much like in the later versions, but the challenges they face—such as escaping from Tevildo the Prince of Cats—are more fantastical than theological or tragic. Lúthien’s role is active, and her magical powers are central to the resolution of each conflict, emphasizing a form of love that empowers and transforms.
As Tolkien revised the tale in later versions such as The Lay of Leithian and eventually in The Silmarillion, the tone becomes increasingly grave. Beren becomes a mortal man; his love for Lúthien now represents a union not only across race but across fate, time, and death itself. The trials they face evolve from enchanted prisons and tyrannical beasts to theological threats—Sauron, Morgoth, and the dominion of death. Love in these later versions is no longer whimsical, but sacrificial. The lovers are no longer escaping mischief—they are confronting doom.
Yet, across all versions, the core theme remains: love that dares to transcend boundaries. What the early version offers is a window into Tolkien’s imaginative beginnings—a world in which love is a magical spark that overcomes fanciful evils. In contrast, the later forms depict love as a grave defiance of cosmic forces, with higher stakes and deeper pathos. Both expressions enrich the myth, revealing the narrative elasticity of Tolkien’s world and his lifelong commitment to exploring the tension between joy and sorrow, light and shadow.
愛情與挑戰的早期版本對照：從〈緹努維爾的傳說〉到詩體史詩
作為《貝倫與露西恩》最早的版本，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉讓我們得以一窺托爾金最初對「愛情」與「考驗」的構想——那時的敘事尚未轉為史詩悲劇，而是以浪漫童話為骨幹，充滿奇趣、神秘與抒情之美。在這個早期版本中，愛情是即時而魔幻的，而戀人們所面對的挑戰——雖然困難重重——卻帶有某種遊戲感與明確的道德框架，這些特質在後來愈加沉重的版本中逐漸淡去。
在〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中，貝倫並非凡人，而是托爾金當時用來指涉諾多族精靈的「諾姆族」。整體故事語氣較為輕快，甚至帶有孩童式的幻想氛圍。貝倫與露西恩的初次邂逅，如後期版本一般，仍具有夢幻與命定色彩，但兩人所面對的挑戰——如逃離「貓之王」泰維多——更多是奇幻層面的考驗，而非神學或悲劇意義上的對抗。露西恩在故事中擁有主導地位，其魔法力量更是化解危機的關鍵，呈現出一種「愛能賦能、並帶來改變」的主題力量。
然而，隨著托爾金在後期創作如〈蕾希安之歌〉與《精靈寶鑽》時不斷重寫這個故事，整體語調轉向莊嚴而深沉。貝倫的身份被改為真正的凡人；他對露西恩的愛不僅跨越種族，更跨越命運、時間與死亡。兩人所面對的挑戰，也從奇幻色彩濃厚的囚禁與魔獸，轉化為神學層面的威脅——索隆、魔苟斯以及死亡的統治。愛在後期版本中已不再浪漫輕盈，而是充滿犧牲意味；戀人不再是從惡作劇中逃脫，而是與命運正面對決。
儘管版本間在語氣與深度上有所不同，但核心主題始終如一：愛，是勇於跨越界限的行動。早期版本為我們開啟了托爾金神話創作的原點——那是一個「愛能克服奇幻邪惡」的純粹幻想世界；而後期版本則賦予這份愛情更深的重量與悲憫，成為對抗宇宙秩序的莊嚴挑戰。兩者交織，共同豐富了中土神話，使我們看見托爾金筆下故事的彈性與深度，也見證他一生對「喜樂與哀傷、光明與陰影」交錯張力的持續探問。
Symbolic Imagery and Language in the Struggle Against Darkness
In The Tale of Tinúviel, symbolic imagery and poetic language form the backbone of Tolkien’s mythopoetic struggle between light and darkness. Far more than a mere backdrop for adventure, the symbolic elements in this early tale reflect the moral, metaphysical, and aesthetic foundations of Tolkien’s emerging legendarium. Through metaphors of light, shadow, song, and silence, Tolkien constructs a world in which language and image are not ornamental but vital instruments of resistance.
Lúthien, often associated with moonlight and starlight, is repeatedly framed in terms of radiant beauty and luminous power. Her dancing is not only an act of grace—it becomes a manifestation of light in opposition to darkness. When she sings to Tevildo or casts spells before Morgoth in later versions, the language Tolkien uses is charged with imagery that evokes purity, clarity, and liberation. Light is not neutral—it is moral. It represents hope, agency, and the defiance of despair.
By contrast, the figures of darkness—such as Tevildo in The Tale of Tinúviel—are cloaked in imagery of night, shadow, and distortion. Tevildo’s feline form is sleek, cunning, and obscure, suggesting not only physical darkness but moral ambiguity. The language surrounding his lair is dense with obscuring detail: tangled forests, silent towers, and speechless captives. Darkness, here, is not simply the absence of light but a corruptive force that erodes identity, language, and memory.
What’s most compelling about Tolkien’s use of imagery and diction is that the “struggle” against darkness often takes place through acts of creation: song, storytelling, and enchantment. Lúthien does not defeat her enemies by brute force; she sings, she dances, she names. These verbal and symbolic acts become sources of light, clarity, and transformation. In this way, language itself becomes heroic.
Furthermore, Tolkien’s early narrative shows a deep belief in the redemptive power of beauty. Lúthien’s radiance is not just aesthetic—it is salvific. Her presence unweaves the enchantments of shadow, restoring the lost and breaking the spell of fear. In this poetic cosmology, beauty is not fragile—it is the force that dares to confront darkness and undo its dominion.
對抗黑暗的象徵圖像與語言運用：從〈緹努維爾的傳說〉看托爾金的詩性敘事
在〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中，象徵圖像與詩性語言構築出托爾金神話敘事中光明與黑暗對抗的核心架構。這些象徵元素不只是冒險故事的背景裝飾，更深層地反映了托爾金正在形成的傳奇宇宙中的道德觀、形上理念與美學精神。透過光、影、歌聲與沉默的隱喻，托爾金創造出一個語言與圖像本身即為抵抗工具的世界。
露西恩經常與月光與星光聯繫在一起，她的形象反覆被描繪為明亮、美麗且具救贖力量。她的舞蹈不僅是優雅的展現，更是光明對抗黑暗的化身。在她對泰維多歌唱，或在後期版本中對魔苟斯施法時，托爾金所使用的語言充滿了象徵純潔、明晰與解放的意象。光在這裡不只是物理現象，而是道德符號——代表希望、行動力與對絕望的反抗。
與之相對，黑暗的象徵圖像則集中於如特貝多這類角色的描寫。他作為貓之王，其形象狡詐、陰影重重，象徵的不只是物理層面的黑暗，更是一種道德上的模糊與腐化。他的巢穴周圍語言描繪出糾結的森林、沉默的高塔與失語的囚徒，這些語境展現出黑暗如何侵蝕個體、瓦解語言並抹除記憶。黑暗在此並非單純的「無光」，而是一種積極的毀滅力量。
特別值得注意的是，托爾金對圖像與用語的運用顯示出：「對抗黑暗」並非依賴武力，而是透過創造性的行動實現——歌唱、講述故事與施展咒語。露西恩並不是靠力量擊敗敵人，而是透過歌聲、舞蹈與命名來改變世界。這些語言與象徵性的行為成為光明的源泉，也構成轉化現實的手段。在這樣的敘事中，語言本身就具有英雄性。
此外，托爾金早期的敘事亦深刻表現出他對「美的救贖力量」的信念。露西恩的光芒並不僅是視覺上的愉悅，而是一種可以解咒、療癒、帶來重生的力量。她的出現能夠瓦解黑暗的魅惑，恢復被遺忘的語言與意志。在這樣一種詩意宇宙觀中，美並非脆弱的裝飾，而是一種敢於直視黑暗、並打破其統治的力量。
Structural Repetition and Mythic Narrative Rhythm
In The Tale of Tinúviel, structural repetition and rhythmic pacing are fundamental narrative strategies that Tolkien employs to evoke the qualities of myth. Rather than following a linear, cause-and-effect progression common in modern storytelling, the tale often cycles through motifs, echoes of actions, and mirrored events that imbue the narrative with a ritualistic, almost liturgical cadence.
One of the most prominent examples is the recurring theme of imprisonment and escape. Beren is captured more than once, and each escape is not merely a plot advancement, but a reenactment of symbolic liberation. Lúthien’s interventions, likewise, follow a cyclical structure—her defiance, enchantment, and rescue efforts form a pattern that deepens with each iteration. These repetitions build emotional resonance, reinforcing the sense that love and sacrifice are not isolated acts, but enduring truths retold in variation.
Tolkien’s use of lyrical phrasing and parallel sentence structures also contributes to this mythic rhythm. Descriptions of Lúthien’s beauty, Beren’s suffering, or the oppressive power of darkness often return with slight alterations, creating a sense of both familiarity and deepening intensity. This stylistic repetition echoes the oral traditions of ancient epics, where refrains and recurring lines served as memory anchors for storytellers and listeners alike.
Importantly, this structural rhythm is not merely stylistic—it reflects Tolkien’s belief in the cyclical nature of fate and the patterns within legend. The repetition of trials, the return of themes like light vs. darkness or mortal vs. immortal, mirror the cosmological structure of his legendarium, where history echoes and patterns recur across Ages.
Thus, The Tale of Tinúviel stands not just as a love story, but as a mythic poem shaped by rhythm and recursion. It shows us that in Tolkien’s universe, structure is meaning. The way a tale is told—the rise, the fall, the return—is as important as the tale itself, echoing through time like the notes of a forgotten song.
結構上的重複與神話敘事節奏：從〈緹努維爾的傳說〉看托爾金的敘事韻律
在〈緹努維爾的傳說〉中，「結構上的重複」與「敘事節奏的韻律」是托爾金用來喚起神話感的關鍵敘事手法。與現代小說偏好因果推進的線性敘事不同，托爾金的這篇早期傳說故事更傾向於「循環重現」的模式，藉由動作的重複、事件的鏡像與主題的呼應，創造出一種如儀式般、甚至接近禮拜式的節奏感。
其中最明顯的例子，就是「囚禁與逃脫」的重複主題。貝倫不止一次被俘，而每一次的逃脫不僅是劇情的推進，更是對「自由與救贖」這個象徵行為的重演。露西恩每一次的介入——無論是反抗、施法、或是營救——也都遵循著某種模式性重複，且每一回合都加深了她角色的主動性與神話性意涵。這種迴圈式的敘事，讓情感層層疊加，形成一種「愛與犧牲並非偶發行動，而是永恆真理的重述」的深層印象。
托爾金也透過押韻式語句與平行語法的反覆使用，強化這種神話敘事的節奏感。無論是對露西恩之美的描繪、貝倫受苦的描述，或是對黑暗力量的描寫，這些語句經常重複出現，但都會略作變化，產生熟悉中漸進加深的效果。這種語言風格與古代史詩中的口述傳統相呼應——在那些作品中，重複句式與固定語句是說書人與聽眾記憶的錨點。
更深層地說，這種結構性的節奏不只是文體風格，更反映了托爾金對「命運循環」與「歷史重複」的信仰。在他的傳奇世界中，不同時代間會反覆出現「考驗」、「光與影的對抗」以及「凡人與不朽者之間的邂逅」等主題。這種重複不只是巧合，而是宇宙結構的一部分，是一種神話的時間觀。
因此，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉不僅是一段愛情故事，它更是一首「以重複與節奏構築」的神話詩。它讓我們看到，在托爾金筆下，「故事的結構本身就是意義」——起伏、迴旋與再現的方式，與故事本身同樣重要，如同被遺忘的古歌旋律，穿越時間，仍然迴響不已。
Incompleteness and the Traces of Creative Process
The Tale of Tinúviel, as preserved in The Book of Lost Tales, offers a rare window into J.R.R. Tolkien’s evolving imagination. Unlike the more polished narratives in The Silmarillion or The Lord of the Rings, this version is deeply marked by incompleteness—both structurally and thematically. Yet it is precisely this lack of finality that reveals the organic and experimental nature of Tolkien’s myth-making.
In this early form, the story bears the traces of a work in motion: names are provisional, character roles are fluid, and major events shift between drafts. Tevildo, the Prince of Cats, who would later vanish from the mythos entirely, still stands as a major antagonist. Beren is not yet mortal. The geography is vague. These inconsistencies are not flaws, but signs of narrative exploration. They invite us to witness the act of world-building as an open-ended journey rather than a completed map.
The textual gaps and tonal shifts also speak to the recursive nature of Tolkien’s creative process. He did not write with an outline to be rigidly followed, but with an ear for rhythm, an eye for archetype, and a heart open to discovery. Passages trail off. Sequences are rewritten. Characters evolve mid-sentence. Reading these fragments is like observing the layering of a palimpsest—earlier thoughts visible beneath newer forms, neither fully erased nor fully resolved.
This sense of incompleteness mirrors the mythic mode itself. Just as ancient legends are passed down in fragments and contradictory versions, Tolkien’s tale exists in plural forms. The tale of Beren and Lúthien was never static; it lived, breathed, and transformed alongside its author. Each version—whether The Tale of Tinúviel, The Lay of Leithian, or the prose narrative in The Silmarillion—is both artifact and process, echoing Tolkien’s conviction that myths are not fixed, but alive in retelling.
In this light, incompleteness is not weakness but witness. It reminds us that myths are made by human hands, often trembling in the dark, seeking meaning in beauty, and truth in form. And it is through these unfinished threads that we glimpse not only Middle-earth in its infancy, but Tolkien’s own inner legend, ever in the making.
故事中的不完整性與創作過程的痕跡：托爾金詩學的演化軌跡
作為收錄於《失落的傳說之書》中的早期版本，〈緹努維爾的傳說〉提供了一扇難得的窗口，讓我們得以窺見托爾金那持續演化中的想像世界。與《精靈寶鑽》或《魔戒三部曲》等較為完整的敘事作品不同，這個故事版本帶有明顯的「不完整性」——無論在結構或主題層面。然而，正是這種未完成的狀態，揭示了托爾金神話創作中「有機且實驗性」的本質。
在這個原初版本中，故事處處可見創作中的痕跡：角色名稱尚未定案、角色功能尚未固定，重大事件在不同草稿中也有移動與變化。像是貓之王泰維多——這位後來從傳說中完全消失的反派——在此仍是核心角色；貝倫也尚未被設定為凡人；地理位置模糊未明。這些「不一致性」並不是錯誤，而是敘事試探的證據，它們邀請讀者參與托爾金的「世界建構」之旅——那是一條尚未定型的開放道路，而非一張完成的地圖。
文本中的斷裂與語氣上的跳轉，也揭示了托爾金創作流程中「遞迴性」的特質。他不是以固定大綱去完成作品，而是憑藉對音韻節奏的敏感、對原型的直覺、以及對未知敘事空間的開放態度進行創作。某些段落戛然而止，有些情節被重寫、角色性格在一個段落中就可能發生轉變。閱讀這些片段，就像在觀察一幅「重寫手稿」——舊思想仍隱約可見於新敘事之下，既未被抹除，也未被最終定義。
這樣的不完整性，其實正呼應了「神話本身的敘事模式」。就如同古老傳說多以片段與矛盾版本流傳，托爾金的這則故事也從來不只有一個形式。《貝倫與露西恩》的故事始終處於變動中：從〈緹努維爾的傳說〉、〈蕾西安之歌〉，到《精靈寶鑽》中的散文版本，每個版本既是「文物」，也是「創作歷程」的見證，呼應著托爾金對神話的信念：神話不是定型的文本，而是活在不斷「重述」中的生命體。
從這個角度來看，「不完整」並非「不足」，而是一種「見證」。它提醒我們，神話是由人的雙手編織而成——那雙手可能顫抖、可能猶豫、可能不確定，但正是這些不完美，讓我們看見托爾金筆下的中土誕生時的樣貌，也讓我們觸及他內在創作傳奇中的那份真實與靈光。
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