El libro cuenta con 9 lminas del artista Alan Lee a todo color, adems de ilustraciones en blanco y negro integradas en el texto. Todas las ilustraciones se han creado especialmente para esta edicin.
El relato de Beren y Lthien era, o se convirti, en un elemento esencial en la evolucin de El Silmarillion, los mitos y leyendas de la Primera Edad del Mundo concebidos por J. R. R. Tolkien. El autor escribi el relato durante el ao siguiente a su regreso de Francia y de la batalla del Somme a finales de 1916.
Esencial para la historia y sin haber sido nunca alterado, el elemento central del relato es el destino que ensombrece el amor de Beren y Lthien, dado que Beren era un hombre mortal y Lthien una Elfa inmortal, cuyo padre, un gran seor Elfo, en clara oposicin a Beren, impuso a ste una tarea imposible que deba llevar a cabo si quera desposar a Lthien. ste es el ncleo de la leyenda, que acaba conduciendo al absolutamente heroico intento de Beren y Lthien de robarle un Silmaril al ms malvado de todos los seres: Melkor, tambin llamado Morgoth, el Enemigo Oscuro.
En este libro Christopher Tolkien ha intentado extraer la historia de Beren y Lthien de la extensa obra en la cual estaba entretejida. Para ilustrar una parte del proceso a travs del cual este Gran Relato de la Tierra Media evolucion a travs de los aos, Christopher ha narrado la historia en palabras de su padre ofreciendo, en primer lugar, su forma original, y a continuacin pasajes en prosa y verso de textos posteriores que ilustran cmo ha cambiado la narrativa.
ENGLISH DESCRIPTIONThe book has 9 full-color plates by the artist Alan Lee, as well as black and white illustrations integrated into the text. All illustrations have been created especially for this edition.
The story of Beren and Lthien was, or became, an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion, the myths and legends of the First World Age conceived by J. R. R. Tolkien. The author wrote the story during the year following his return from France and the Battle of the Somme in late 1916.
Essential to the story and never having been altered, the central element of the story is the fate that overshadows Beren and Lthien's love, since Beren was a mortal man and Lthien an immortal Elf, whose father, a great Elf lord, in clear opposition to Beren, imposed on Beren an impossible task that he had to carry out if he wanted to marry Lthien. This is the core of the legend, which ends up leading to Beren and Lthien's absolutely heroic attempt to steal a Silmaril from the most evil of all beings: Melkor, also called Morgoth, the Dark Enemy.
In this book Christopher Tolkien has attempted to extract the story of Beren and Lthien from the extensive work in which it was interwoven. To illustrate a part of the process through which this "Great Tale" of Middle-earth evolved over the years, Christopher has narrated the story in his father's words by first offering its original form, and then passages in prose and verse from later texts that illustrate how the narrative has changed.