Narration dans l'Ainulindale

[sosryko]

La lecture de l’Ainulindalë est un plaisir toujours renouvelé ; il est manifeste qu’il y a là un des plus beaux textes de Tolkien. La beauté ne se démontre pas, et « elle rend fort improbable que rien puisse être ajouté, retranché ou changé » (Alberti). Au-delà de la beauté que chaque lecture donne à éprouver, je voudrais aller au cœur du texte, de sa structure, de l’agencement réfléchi et poétique de ses mots, car « les mots diversement rangés font un divers sens, et les sens diversement rangés font divers effets » (Pascal). Un paragraphe parmi d’autres servira d’exemple à cette lecture narrative et mettra à jour « les sens diversement rangés » :

But when the Valar entered into Eä they were at first astounded and at a loss, for it was as if naught was yet made which they had seen in vision, and all was but on point to begin and yet unshaped, and it was dark. For the Great Music had been but the growth and flowering of thought in the Timeless Halls, and the Vision only a foreshowing; but now they had entered in at the beginning of Time, and the Valar perceived that the World had been but foreshadowed and foresung, and they must achieve it. So began their great labours in wastes unmeasured and unexplored, and in ages uncounted and forgotten, until in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the vast halls of Eä there came to be that hour and that place where was made the habitation of the Children of Ilúvatar. And in this work the chief part was taken by Manwë and Aulë and Ulmo; but Melkor too was there from the first, and he meddled in all that was done, turning it if he might to his own desires and purposes; and he kindled great fires. When therefore Earth was yet young and full of flame Melkor coveted it, and he said to the other Valar: 'This shall be my own kingdom; and I name it unto myself!'
( Silmarillion, Ainulindalë, Harper Collins p.20 = Pocket p.21)

Toujours convaincu par une liste d’exemples sans cesse plus longue de l’intérêt de Tolkien pour les structures ternaires (et ce, à toutes les échelles du texte), je proposerai d’isoler trois sections dans ce paragraphe :

(1)
But when the Valar entered into Eä they were at first astounded and at a loss, for it was as if naught was yet made which they had seen in vision, and all was but on point to begin and yet unshaped, and it was dark. For the Great Music had been but the growth and flowering of thought in the Timeless Halls, and the Vision only a foreshowing; but now they had entered in at the beginning of Time,
(2)
and the Valar perceived that the World had been but foreshadowed and foresung, and they must achieve it. So began their great labours in wastes unmeasured and unexplored, and in ages uncounted and forgotten, until in the Deeps of Time and in the midst of the vast halls of Eä there came to be that hour and that place where was made the habitation of the Children of Ilúvatar.
(3)
And in this work the chief part was taken by Manwë and Aulë and Ulmo ; but Melkor too was there from the first, and he meddled in all that was done, turning it if he might to his own desires and purposes; and he kindled great fires. When therefore Earth was yet young and full of flame Melkor coveted it, and he said to the other Valar: 'This shall be my own kingdom; and I name it unto myself!'

Sosryko