Envy and Perversion

Tolkien’s story of the Numenoreans and their downfall demonstrates how power and perversion can become intertwined one with the other. For Tolkien, the land often defines the people. Numenor, the land of the Numenoreans, was a land of plenty, giving the Numenoreans a place to be ever satisfied by its fertile fields, lush forests, and bountiful coasts from which they could build a lasting and stable society, a sort of utopia in a sense. The Numenoreans were given the gift of long, but limited, life by Eru and the gift of Numenor so long as they obeyed the one rule of never setting sail for the Undying Lands in the West. Once the Numenoreans had established their control and founded a great civilization on the shores of their blessed island, they began to move east across the sea and explore all lands accessible to them. Their power grew and their accomplishments were beyond measure and all expectations. Because of Eru’s favor, these seafaring people became the masters of all that they set their eyes upon. These circumstances led the people of Numenor to amass fantastic power, rivalling that of the elves, Eru’s first born. Was the magnitude of this power out of harmony with Eru’s natural order and thus the antecedent of their inevitable downfall?

I would argue that the Numenorean’s voyage West to the Undying Lands was inevitable, not by the fault of Eru’s gift, but by growing jealousy that the Numenoreans harbored for the unlimited lifespan of the Eldar. The grandeur of the civilization they had created led to the cycle of hubris that plagued the later generations of the Numenoreans, and in their arrogance, closed themselves off from even those they once admired, the Eldar. Rather than the heroes the Numenoreans once aspired to emulate, the elves became hated as they served as a constant reminder of man’s one limitation, their exclusion from the undying lands and their inevitable death. Although the majority of Numenoreans became convinced of their worthiness to live an eternal life and remain on Aman forever, this was a perversion of the natural order of things and clearly went against the wishes and will of Eru. Even as Ar-Pharazon fell for Sauron’s cunning words and promises and began to aid in the sacrificing of Elendili at the bottom of Meneltarma’s slopes, the peak itself still remained pure and void of the evil down below. The gift of life that Eru bestowed upon the proud Numenoreans was becoming even further perverted as a tool to worship the darkness and further distance oneself from Eru. However, Eru’s song still continued at the peak where even Sauron dared not to tamper with the greatest symbol of Eru on the island. Despite this constant reminder of Eru’s power and presence, the Numenoreans failed to acknowledge this power, and through their pride decided to side with someone like Sauron in the hopes of even conquering the Valar. Even before the final voyage of those Numenoreans who sided with Sauron, Sauron was able to persuade Ar-Pharazon to uproot the White Tree, the symbol of the line of Kings and their loyalty to Eru. I almost do not blame the Numenoreans for their blatant defiance of Eru. Though eternal life was Eru’s to give, the natural order must be maintained and in the song of creation man was sung into existence with a limited lifespan. So, like Aule whose envious creation of the Dwarves would necessitate their being put to sleep to restore the harmony of creation, so too would Eru have to put to sleep his initially pure creation. These once pure notes had become corrupted and threatened the harmony of the creation song. But unlike the sons of Aule, there would be no later awakening for the Numenoreans as they were complicit and blameworthy in their own perversion.

Earlier I admitted that I almost do not blame the Numenoreans. This might sound quite childish, but if I found out that some of my friends were able to live forever, and I could not, I would become pretty jealous of their seeming immortality. It wouldn’t matter to me if someone said that my death is a gift because I get to escape this world, I would see that almost as more of a reason to seek out eternal life for myself. Without knowing what lies for me beyond this life, I would want to have the assurance and concrete knowledge of being able to remain on this world and have some security of what lies ahead for me. Now I know that this may lead some people to say that my willpower is weak, and I am inclined to agree with you. I don’t think I would last as one of the Elendili for much longer than a month, especially now that I know what would await me during the reign of Ar-Pharazon. Therefore, even though I do not agree with the decision made by the majority of the Numenoreans to seek out the Undying Lands, I understand why they made their decision because if given the choice between accepting my own fate to simply die, or given the opportunity to possibly change this outcome and live just as the Eldar do, I am not sure which choice I would make.

-AS