The Silmarillion will always remain a difficult story, not just because of its unusual literary form, but also because Tolkien clearly had not yet “hit his stride.”  All the same, I feel that the tale of Beren and Luthien (as indeed those of Túor and Túrin) stand out, if only for the promise which they show.  And in this discussion of the story of Beren and Luthien I have come away with a higher appreciation of Tolkien’s artistry. 
     The Gorlim-episode at the tale’s opening, for example, does foreshadow several themes relevant to the tale (bondage/release; conjugal love; and its survival beyond death) and thus serves a clear narrative purpose where it stands.  Tolkien develops the theme of bondage/release in a fairly complicated fashion; and the interplay of oath and counteroath also gives the tale coherence.  I’ll be eagerly awaiting the second half of this discussion to see how these themes play out. 
     That said, I still feel that this tale depends too heavily on borrowings from various sources.  The originality which Tolkien would later demonstrate in such abundance in the Lord of the Rings seems curiously missing here.  The borrowings here strike me as hackneyed and mechanical -- often on the level of “insert gruesome scene here.”  On the other hand, judging from some of the responses received (see esp. Chip of Dale’s to question #13), this may just be my reaction which need not be of any particular consequence or detain anyone farther. 
     In any case this tale clearly merits discussion if only for the reverberations from it which one finds in Tolkien’s later efforts, in particular the Lord of the Rings.  Most obviously, the romance of Aragorn and Arwen takes its inspiration from that of Beren and Luthien.  Yet other scenes in the later novel probably depend (in various degrees) on scenes in this tale as well: the crossing of a spider-guarded border region; the exercise of power through singing; &c. 
      So, I’ll cease there; and I look forward to drogo drogo’s discussion of the second half.  I’ll apologise in advance for my lack of participation, however: I’m moving at the end of this week; and many things have to be done before then.  In keeping with the “Fun with Latin” thread on Main: Multa mihi agenda sunt.