Morgoth

Morgoth Bauglir (Morgoth means "The Dark Enemy", Bauglir is "The Constrainer"), originally named Melkor ("He Who Arises in Might"), is a fictional character of Middle-earth, created by J. R. R. Tolkien. At the creation of Tolkien's world, he was the most powerful of the Ainur (angelic beings). He contended with Eru (the creator) in the Music of the Ainur, increasingly attempting to alter the music to his own design, but only ended up perverting its harmony. Melkor was incarnated into Middle-earth as the first to bear the title the Dark Lord and is the principal antagonist in the book The Silmarillion. As a fallen "angelic" being, he is largely based on Christian teachings about Satan (Satan is a seraph, the most powerful servants of God, and the Ainur also are the most powerful servants of Eru). Morgoth drew about him an army of Balrogs and other assorted demons, who were Maiar whom he managed to trick or corrupt, and made war on Middle-earth and the Children of Ilúvatar, but was defeated by the Valar and was overthrown. He was first taken away in chains, and later cast out of the circles of Arda after being weakened by dispersing his essence into the fabric of the world, marring it permenantly.

Other versions of the legendarium

Previous versions of his name in early Tolkien's writings (see: The History of Middle-earth) are Melko, Belcha, Melegor, Meleko and others.

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In the early stories, Melkor was much less powerful. He is described as being equal in power to Manwe. His power increased in later revisions of the story until he became the most powerful of the Valar, and then (in a late essay), more powerful than all of the Valar combined. In addition, late essays make Melkor the source of all evil and corruption in Arda. The published Silmarillion represents an earlier conception of Melkor's power: there is hardly any trace of Morgoth's marring of all Arda by diluting himself throughout it.

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