tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57461738061264039592024-03-05T21:19:45.368-08:00Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.comBlogger688125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-63740165916145054862023-06-07T10:00:00.000-07:002023-06-07T10:25:34.317-07:00Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome! The posts on this blog were written by the students in Prof. Rachel Fulton Brown's “Tolkien: Medieval and Modern” at the University of Chicago in Spring 2011, Spring 2014, Spring 2017, Spring 2020, and Spring 2023. The posts were assigned as reflections on the discussions that we had over the course of each quarter in class, but the posts themselves regularly took on a depth and rigor far beyond that which we had been able to explore in class. The assigned readings for our discussions are listed in the syllabi on the page tabs; the blog posts themselves are labeled according to the theme of the discussion in response to which they were written. We hope very much that you will enjoy reading our reflections."Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-25809457678574624302023-05-27T01:05:00.002-07:002023-05-29T11:19:03.457-07:00Theoden and Denethor: Lessons on Fatherhood and Leadership in the Face of Despair<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gondor and Rohan, the primary human kingdoms in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings,</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are distinguished by the contrasting leadership styles of Theoden, King of Rohan, and Denethor, Steward of Gondor. Their respective responses to their loss of a son frame their approach to leadership, duty, and fatherhood, while revealing a stark divergence in their character trajectories.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-367aaf51-7fff-f0d1-5831-c5da650b2da5"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theoden is first introduced as a despairing ruler, enfeebled by age and the manipulations of the deceitful Grima Wormtongue. The death of his son, Theodred, intensifies his sorrow, yet, paradoxically, also becomes a source of strength, spurred by Gandalf's counsel. Theoden's sense of duty remains undiminished despite the encircling threats of Sauron. Once liberated from Wormtongue's clutches, he re-emerges as a resilient leader, fulfilling his responsibilities to his kingdom. The depth of his transformation is revealed in a rallying cry: "Arise now, arise, Riders of Theoden! Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward. Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded! Forth Eorlingas!!" (Book 3, Chapter 6). Theoden galvanizes his men by acknowledging the severity of the threat they face; he does not downplay the magnitude of the imminent battle against Sauron’s forces, but builds trust and respect by confronting it head on. This call to arms encapsulates a king reclaiming his role with grace and courage, even amidst personal and national calamities.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conversely, Denethor, who wields power akin to a king's, crumbles under the weight of his son Boromir's demise. His grief poisons his already strained relationship with his surviving son, Faramir. Denethor's obsession with lineage and legacy blinds him to his paternal obligations, leading to a tragic downfall. His fractured mindset is exposed when he bemoans to Faramir, "I would have things as they were in all the days of my life, and in the days of my longfathers before me: to be the Lord of this City in peace, and leave my chair to a son after me, who would be his own master and no wizard’s pupil. But if doom denies this to me, then I will have naught: neither life diminished, nor love halved, nor honour abated.” (Book 5, Chapter 7). Consequently, he perceives his sons as instruments of power, neglecting to provide them with the love and care they deserve. Faced with the prospect of losing his power, Denethor contemplates giving up everything. This reveals a dramatic abdication of responsibility, both as a leader and a father. Instead of standing firm in adversity like Theoden, he considers abandoning his post and, by extension, his people and family.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denethor's sense of duty becomes the cause of his grief, spiraling into a maelstrom of despair, ultimately resulting in his suicide. He forgoes his roles as steward and father, culminating in a destructive sequence of events. His despairing words to Gandalf depict his resignation from duty: “Didst thou think that the eyes of the White Tower were blind? Nay, I have seen more than thou knowest, Grey Fool. For thy hope is but ignorance. Go then and labour in healing! Go forth and fight! Vanity. For a little space you may triumph on the field, for a day. But against the Power that now arises there is no victory. To this City only the first finger of its hand has yet been stretched. All the East is moving. And even now the wind of thy hope cheats thee and wafts up Anduin a fleet with black sails. The West has failed. It is time for all to depart who would not be slaves..” (Book 5, Chapter 7). Here, duty has degenerated into a mere pawn in his power play. Unable to protect and rally his people, he suggests they flee, a clear deviation from his role as Steward. His sense of duty is overwhelmed by his fear and his fixation on the inevitability of defeat, unlike Theoden, who leads the Rohirrim against Sauron’s forces time and time again.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my favorite quotes of the entire series is Theoden’s final words to Merry: “Farewell, Master Holbytla!’ he said. ‘My body is broken. I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed. I felled the black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset! … Grieve not! It is forgiven. Great heart will not be denied. Live now in blessedness; and when you sit in peace with your pipe, think of me! For never now shall I sit with you in Meduseld, as I promised, or listen to your herb-lore.” (Book 5, Chapter 6) It is hard for a tear to not come to my eye when I read this passage at the end of Theoden’s long journey from a poisoned invalid, but it perfectly illustrates his deep-seated sense of duty, compassion, humility, and an unyielding commitment to his people, even in the face of death. Theoden meets his fate contended as he fulfilled his duty as king by protecting his people, and with his dying breaths, instead of drawing attention to himself or his legacy, wishes Merry peace and happiness, reflecting his deep care for those around him.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theoden and Denethor embody contrasting responses to leadership, duty, and fatherhood in the face of personal tragedy. Theoden, despite his initial despair, transitions to a place of acceptance, courage, and love for his people, demonstrating the virtues of a king prepared to make personal sacrifices. On the other hand, Denethor personifies the pitfalls of power, where the quest for lineage and control obscures the essence of leadership and fatherhood. His unchecked grief and resulting madness push him to forsake his responsibilities and familial love, ending in a tragic implosion. Ultimately, Theoden and Denethor present a dual narrative on the potency of fatherhood and duty within the broader context of power and loss. Their stories offer valuable insights into the human capacity for resilience or despair, and though neither is perfect, through their comparison, Tolkien reveals important truths concerning fatherhood and leadership, particularly in the face of adversity.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ACLL (Wildcard)</span></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-65442384188640411682023-05-27T01:04:00.003-07:002023-05-29T11:18:51.915-07:00Invocation and Worship: Reverence for Elbereth<p> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though Tolkien is a devout Catholic and clear in his personal letters that the Lord of the Rings is fundamentally a Catholic and religious work, the theme of worship appears very subtly; however, it repeats itself consistently, particularly with invocations to the celestial being Elbereth. Elbereth, also known as Varda Elentári in the High-Elven tongue or Gilthoniel in Sindarin, is one of the Valar – divine beings akin to gods in the pantheon of Middle-earth. Her name is a beacon of hope, an invocation for divine intervention, and a symbol of reverence in times of despair.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b242a367-7fff-7202-5600-88afb128db4e"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elbereth: A Celestial Beacon</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Known as the Star-Kindler, Elbereth's primary role involves the creation of stars, celestial bodies that often symbolize hope and guidance in the universe. She is a symbol of light against darkness, a theme deeply embedded in the trilogy. Through her worship, we see how divine reverence is subtly interwoven into the narrative, often connected with hope, salvation, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Elves, more than any other race in Middle-earth, venerate Elbereth, and her name is called out in song and in dire moments of need. In "The Fellowship of the Ring," when Frodo and his companions first meet the High Elves in the Shire, their leader, Gildor Inglorion, refers to Elbereth in a hymn: "Snow-white! Snow-white! O Lady clear! O Queen beyond the Western Seas! O Light to us that wander here Amid the world of woven trees!" (Book 1, Chapter 3) This song is a testament to the Elves' devotion and their perception of Elbereth as a source of inspiration and guidance. The invocation of Elbereth's name is a plea for protection and a reminder of the light she kindles in the starlit sky, offering solace to those "wandering amid the world of woven trees." This call for divine assistance echoes Tolkien’s perspective on God in his letters, where he writes, “God is (so to speak) also behind us, supporting, nourishing us (as being creatures).” (Letter 54) The concepts of God and worship are not at the forefront of Tolkien’s work; they are behind, ever so slightly pushing the narrative and nudging characters along when they need help, showing readers that in this story, just as in life, God does not lay everything out clearly in front of you – He appears ever so momentarily to guide you, just long enough to remind you that He is there.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hobbits, primarily Frodo Baggins, also invoke Elbereth's name, even though Hobbits are not traditionally a religious folk in the conventional sense. In the face of imminent danger, when confronting the Black Riders, Frodo often calls upon Elbereth on Weathertop, yelling, "O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!" (Book 1, Chapter 11) This cry symbolizes his resistance against the impending darkness and his faith in the existence of a higher power. Even though Frodo might not fully understand the divine stature of Elbereth, his invocation is a desperate plea for assistance, which indirectly weaves the concept of worship into the narrative.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Worship: Not in Temples, But in Hearts and Deeds</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tolkien's subtle approach to the theme of worship is worth noting. There are no temples, no direct rituals of worship; instead, worship is shown through the characters' words, songs, and deeds. The reverence for Elbereth reflects the innate desire embedded within us for hope, light, and salvation. Touching on the subtle nature of religion and worship, Tolkien writes, “The Lord of the Rings is a fundamentally religious and Catholic work… that is why I have not put in, or cut out, practically all references to anything like ‘religion’, to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.” (Letter 142) I don’t think Tolkien wants to push his Catholicism on his audience – he intends his books to be read by those of all faiths (or no faith at all), which is why worship is such a veiled theme – his readers must come to know it by themselves. For example, consider Gandalf, whose sacrifice allows the Fellowship to escape from Moria, and who later returns in a transformed state, perhaps representing the resurrection of Christ. Or Frodo's self-sacrifice – he bears the burden of the Ring and suffers to save Middle-earth, which reflects Christ's sacrificial love. Similarly, the world of Middle-earth reflects a monotheistic worldview, with Ilúvatar or Eru representing a single, all-powerful creator. The Valar serve as powerful, angelic beings rather than competing gods, suggesting a celestial hierarchy that aligns with Christian cosmology.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The worship of Elbereth in "The Lord of the Rings" provides an exploration of faith and reverence in Tolkien's universe. Her celestial persona and the invocation of her name illustrate how worship in Middle-earth extends beyond ritualistic practices – Elbereth serves as a beacon of hope, a plea for assistance, and a courageous act of resistance against the overwhelming forces of darkness – just as Tolkien intended. Worship presents itself in this all-encompassing form, as he writes, “Those who believe in a personal God, Creator, do not think the Universe is in itself worshipful, though devoted study of it may be one of the ways honoring Him… our ideas of God and ways of expressing them will be largely derived from contemplating the world around us.” (Letter 310) Another compelling example of Elbereth’s worship is Samwise Gamgee's invocation during his encounter with Shelob, the giant spider. With a final plea of "Gilthoniel A Elbereth!" he smites Shelob. (Book 4, Chapter 10) Sam’s decisive cry coupled with his strike ties his faith and reverence to a tangible act of resistance against darkness, echoing Tolkien's embodiment of worship as something active and alive, intertwined with deeds and courage.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite the grim and desperate situations, the characters' reverence for Elbereth is a testament to their enduring faith in the triumph of light, embodying a central theme of Tolkien — that even in the darkest times, faith, like the stars kindled by Elbereth, overcomes evil. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ACLL</span></p><br /></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-18446655320872341822023-05-27T01:03:00.003-07:002023-05-29T11:18:40.450-07:00The Rule of Samwise Gamgee<span id="docs-internal-guid-c4048353-7fff-db92-421d-7510da13ceaa"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Samwise Gamgee stands perhaps above all characters in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy as the supreme example of steadfast loyalty and humble service. Frodo, as the Ring-bearer, sometimes supersedes Sam in popular culture, but it is Sam, Frodo's humble gardener and companion, whose unwavering loyalty, love, and resilience are the greatest. His devotion to Frodo is the force that keeps the Ring out of the hands of Sauron, devotion which draws parallels to the dedication of a monk. Just as Saint Benedict had a rule to guide his action and compel him to virtue, Sam has a deep-seated sense of dedication, humility, and duty which allows him to serve Frodo, even when the night is darkest and his own life is in grave peril.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unlike Frodo, Gandalf, or Aragorn, and like most monks, Sam is not of noble birth or blessed with magical abilities. He's a simple gardener, thrown into a terrifying quest by circumstance. Yet, despite his humble origins, Sam's faithfulness, courage, and capacity to love demonstrate that he is far from ordinary. He understands his role as an instrument in a far bigger quest, an ideal echoed by Tolkien in his letters: “The greatness I meant was that of a great instrument in God’s hands – a mover, a doer, even an achiever of great things, a beginner at the very least of large things… for the greatness I meant and tremblingly hoped for as ours is valueless unless steeped with the same holiness of courage, suffering, and sacrifice – but is of a different kind.” (Letter 5) The kind of courage, suffering, and sacrifice that Tolkien speaks of is the kind Samwise carries with him – the same kind that monks carry with them – that of a suffering servant.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sam’s undying loyalty to Frodo is shown at Mount Doom when he says, “I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you." (Book 6, Chapter 3) Frodo, exhausted and demoralized from their arduous journey across Middle Earth, can no longer walk due to the weight of the Ring, yet despite being in the same, or worse (Sam is a tad plump) physical condition, Sam volunteers to carry Frodo. Physical feeling does not matter to Sam – his rule guides him. The Ring represents Frodo's burden, his duty, his pain - which Sam cannot relieve him of; however, Sam can offer support and suffer physical hardship instead. Sam’s readiness to bear his master’s physical weight underlines his unyielding commitment to Frodo’s mission and to Frodo himself.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sam’s struggle with the concept of love is also evident throughout the story. His love for Frodo transcends the master-servant relationship, forging an enduring bond of friendship. He is also a lover of the Shire’s peace and normality, which becomes a central motivation in his journey. His romantic love for Rosie Cotton is another manifestation of his capacity for affection.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the most moving scenes in the trilogy encapsulates Sam's understanding of love in the face of dire circumstances. As he and Frodo approach Minas Morgul, Sam ponders on the stories of old. “Folk seem to have been just landed in them [stories], usually — their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn't. And if they had, we shouldn't know, because they'd have been forgotten.” (Book 4, Chapter 8) Here, Sam’s comprehension of duty and love extends beyond individuals, embracing the whole world and the very essence of life. Facing death is a frequent struggle for Sam. And although he fears death, as it constantly follows him, he is willing to face it for the sake of Frodo and the quest. His frequent run-ins with death bring him closer to Frodo, and as a result, one can imagine Sam uttering the words written by Tolkien in one of his letters: “I became aware of the dominance of the theme of death… but certainly Death is not an Enemy!” (Letter 208) Sam’s courage in the face of death is epitomized soon after the scene above Minas Morgul when he single-handedly infiltrates the orc stronghold of Cirith Ungol to rescue Frodo. Despite the near-certain prospect of death, Sam charges forth, driven by love and loyalty. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet, Sam also wrestles with the concept of death in a metaphorical sense. He witnesses Frodo metaphorically dying, losing his essence and vitality due to the burden of the Ring. Sam must grapple with this gradual loss, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of death beyond its physical manifestation. He stands by Frodo, despite his master’s transformation, reinforcing his unwavering loyalty. One of Sam's most poignant quotes exemplifies his wisdom on the inevitability of death: "It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end… because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass." (Book 4, Chapter 8) Sam is not merely talking about stories here - he's referring to the full cycle of life, the battle between good and evil, despair and hope, and the human (or hobbit) capacity to weather adversity. Sam, like a wise monk, is honest about his current circumstances, genuinely acknowledging his feelings of dread and despair. It can be hard to envision a happy ending or even a return to normalcy when one is deeply entrenched in hardship, but despite recognizing the difficulty of their situation, Sam concludes with a note of profound hope. He believes that their current predicament, the “shadow,' is transitory, much like the darkness in the great stories. Just as night gives way to day, Sam believes that the darkness they are experiencing will eventually pass. This is his enduring optimism, asserting that no matter how challenging or impossible the situation may seem, it is not permanent. The dawn always follows the darkest hour.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strength and power do not always manifest themselves physically through slaying dragons or wielding magical powers. There is such a thing as spiritual strength, a power that is honed by constant adversity and strict adherence to a set of principles – a strength known by many monks. It is found in the act of selfless service, in the capacity to love, and in the bravery to face death. Sam’s journey also underscores the concept of hope in the face of despair. Though Frodo may be known to some as the primary hero of the story, we ought to remember that behind the success of the Ring-bearer stands a devoted gardener, steadfast in his duty, who quietly carried the weight of the world.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ACLL</span></p></span><p> </p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-36220986636822383182023-05-26T21:27:00.002-07:002023-05-28T12:41:46.509-07:00Understanding Monsters With Sin and Familiarity<p><span style="font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are monsters? An element essential for fantasy fiction, supernatural beings that partly resemble animals, or a “sacrifice” in the making of heroes? Perhaps all of the above, with one necessary feature warranted — an evil creature.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a3901799-7fff-05b2-887e-52b92b32cc6c"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the poem, Beowulf kills three monsters: Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Grendel’s lineage was inherently evil, as it was the decedent of Cain, the biblical character that killed his brother Abel out of jealousy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, the dragon was called “fell” in Tolkien’s translation of Beowulf, but it doesn’t provide much context in understanding the inherent evil in dragons. However, Tolkien discussed the underlying meaning of dragons in his work </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics,</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> claiming that the dragons in Beowulf “[is] a personification of malice, greed, destruction, and the discriminating cruelty of fortune that distinguishes not good nor bad.” (</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics, 17.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, Shelob was described as the utter manifestation of greed: “she served none but herself, drinking the blood of Elves and Men, bloated and grown fat with endless brooding on her feasts, weaving webs of shadow; for all living things were her food, and her vomit darkness.” (LotR, Book IV, Chapter 9)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It seems that monsters are not just creatures created for entertainment purposes. They actually represent something much deeper - a physical manifestation of a particular form of sin. These sins seem to explain the monsters’ primary motives, and can also shed light on how we can better understand these imaginary creatures that transmit along fantasy stories. It is fascinating to see how the creators of these monsters were able to take something as abstract as a sin, and turn it into a tangible and often terrifying being.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From another perspective, although most monsters borrow some aspects from natural animals (e.g. dragons with lizard bodies, bat wings, and snake eyes), are ethically different from animals. Monsters are described as “fell”, yet we do not usually use the term “good” or “evil” in describing animals, since it is pretty hard to judge animal instincts using ethics. How, then, are we able to judge the monsters from an ethical standpoint? When depicting monsters, Tolkien purposefully made them somewhat intelligible, such that their own will and their agency can be obscurely inferred. Shelob was a great example. If we study only the description of Shelob’s movement, we find that it is precisely the same as any other predatory spider. It is only by adding narratives such as “There agelong she had dwelt, an evil thing in spider-form, even such as once of old had lived in the Land of the Elves in the West that is now under the Sea, such as Beren fought in the Mountains of Terror in Doriath, and so to Luthien upon the green sward amid the hemlocks in the moonlight long ago.” can the readers be convinced that Shelob is, indeed, fell. (LotR, Book IV, Chapter 9)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, not all of the “monsters” are evil. Tolkien mentions that there are very few good dragons in the stories while creating one himself — </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chrysophylax, the dragon in Farmer Giles’ story. The dragon, still fire-breathing and greedy, is no longer intimidating because of its continued bargaining with Farmer Giles. It seems hard for me to consider Chrysophylax as a “monster,” mainly because Chrysophylax seems to be easily understood and easy to communicate. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the key aspects of creating a successful monster character is to find a balance between familiarity and mystique. If a monster is too similar to a human being, it loses its intimidating presence and becomes less effective in its role. On the other hand, if a monster is too unfamiliar, it risks becoming completely unintelligible to the audience, which can lead to a loss of interest.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, it is crucial for a monster to retain some level of familiarity while still being otherworldly and inspiring fear. Its actions should be partly intelligible and interpretable by a certain kind of sin, but not wholly understood. This creates a sense of mystery and intrigue, which in turn, helps to solidify the monster's position as a powerful and terrifying entity. However, it is important to note that if a monster were to become too understandable, it would lose its need to be killed, which is a core element of the monster trope.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Beowulf, the hero's act of killing monsters is depicted as a judicial dual, where the side favored by God emerges victorious. This narrative transforms a mere competition of strength into a duel that takes place on the moral ground. By doing so, the hero is not only justified physically, but also proves his "moral superiority" by claiming divine favor. This theme of divine intervention is seen throughout the epic poem and serves to elevate the hero's actions to a higher level of significance. Additionally, the act of slaying a fictional monster not only demonstrates the hero's physical prowess, but also serves as a metaphor for overcoming one's inner demons and fears. Furthermore, the hero's victory over the monster can be seen as a reflection of the triumph of good over evil, and serves as a reminder of the importance of staying true to one's moral convictions, even in the face of great adversity.</span></p><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.5pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #4d5156; font-family: Arial;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- S.T.</span></span></div></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-75155484155064014212023-05-26T17:47:00.008-07:002023-05-26T18:16:29.084-07:00What Makes a Monster<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Monsters are unique in that they are not meant to resemble the human qualities of reason, free will, and duality of good and evil. By contrast, monsters are the embodiments of a more vain and unrestrained evil. They serve as a medium for the qualities of evil that the hero must conquer in both their physical appearance and their nature. Monsters are not inherently bad; they do not choose evil over good. Rather, like wild animals, they are instinctual, reactive, and evil by nature. They do not use reason and choice to commit evil acts, but their irrationality and vain nature leads them in the direction of evil. Interestingly, in tales of good versus evil the monsters must reflect the evils present in humanity, but which are carried out in a beast-like manner. I view this as symbolic of the inherent dual nature of humanity, and its quest to rise above its animalistic inheritance. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s start by examining Tolkien’s creation of the dragon Smaug. Smaug is an isolated dragon that hoards riches in The Lonely Mountain. His appearance is a mixture of beasts present in the modern world such as the lion, the reptile, and the bat. This appearance, as an oversized mixture of wild animals represents his instinctual, irrational, and frightening nature. As it’s described in “The Monsters and Critics”: </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0cdca578-7fff-f70d-5578-466776b72341"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><blockquote><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Monsters became images of the evil spirit, or rather the evil spirits entered into the monsters and took visible shape in the hideous bodies of heathen imagination."</span></blockquote><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">This appearance does two things in my view. It represents a lack of rationality, and it creates the necessity for immense courage in the hero. The appearance is both frightening and bestial. Smaug cannot be reasoned with; he is an embodiment of pure evil that must be overcome through pure courage and will. The victory of willpower and rationality over vain, bestial instincts is essential to the storyline of a human hero. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Smaug’s irrationality is demonstrated through impulsive quick outbursts of destruction and terror that interrupt his typical sloth-like behavior in The Lonely Mountain. Despite his wit, he does not scheme and plan against humanity through rationality and logic. Rather, he is overconfident and acts through fits of rage rather than calculated attacks. An example of this is the destruction of Esgaroth that was caused by nothing more than indications from Bilbo regarding the theft of his precious cup. He is reactive and instinctual rather than proactive and deliberate. This overconfidence and irrationality are in the end the cause of his demise. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Furthermore, his main instinct resembles one of the seven deadly sins. Specifically, this instinct is greed. His impulse is a great desire to hoard riches serves as his embodiment of evil by nature. Interestingly, this instinct does not resemble the typical survival instincts of hunger and reproduction that resemble the modern animals that constitute his appearance. Rather, it is a human instinct of evil identified by Christianity. This begs the question: if monsters are not meant to exemplify rationality and free will like humans, why are they given human qualities? In “The Monsters and Critics” Tolkien asks the reader to, “consider how and why monsters become ‘adversaries of God’, and so begin to symbolize the powers of evil.” Not only are monsters evil, but they represent evil through the lens of the Christian story of a battle between good and evil, or demons and gods, which are representative of the duality of human nature.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I must also acknowledge that aside from Smaug’s nature, he has the human qualities of wit and a proud upper-class dialect. Through his speech and specific instincts, he represents the evils of humanity rather than animals. He represents the greedy, lonely man of fortune I believe this is integral to the tale of humanity conquering the evil that is inherent within them. While monsters embody irrational evil, they also acknowledge that these evil instincts are present within humanity itself. The tale of good versus evil is not that of humans against lions, it is a battle that occurs within humanity. Our nature at its core is descendant from vain, irrational animals. The battle for humans to live together peacefully is a battle to overcome the evil instincts that will forever be a part of our nature. It is no coincidence that Christianity gained popularity and influence through Greek philosophy and its religious adaptation in The Roman Empire. This was a time when large groups of individuals were searching for methods of living united and together peacefully. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One interpretation of religions such as Christianity is that they can serve the purpose of assisting humans in conquering their evil, selfish, and divisive nature. Serving the will of God rather than letting the devil influence us symbolizes the battle of human rationality and empathy with selfishness and vain sin. Monsters embody the evil in this battle. An evil that is irrational, instinctual, and selfish. Smaug is self-serving, vain, and beast-like in this manner. He is a representation of humanity that has fallen victim to sin. Humanity that lets impulses and desires drive their behavior rather than the logic and sympathy that can allow us to rise above our bestial inheritance. The victory of good over evil brings peace and unity to nations and peoples. In order to attain this victory, we must conquer the evil within ourselves through our higher qualities of courage, willpower, and rationality.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, the embodiment of these evils inside of us is not visually represented by humans themselves. There is no duality in such an appearance. This is why monsters are grotesque, large, and frightening. They are a medium of representation purposed to represent evil instincts. Both by nature and appearance monsters symbolize the enemy of humanity that lies within. An impulse, selfish, and divisive enemy that has long attempted to prevent humanity from achieving unity and peace. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">- WS</span></p></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-70997979306083467132023-05-26T17:19:00.007-07:002023-05-26T18:15:54.436-07:00The Immortality Paradox: Exploring Death and Purpose in The Lord of The Rings <p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The concepts of immortality and death shape the behaviors of Tolkien's characters in <i>The Lord of The Rings</i>. In this blog post, I will analyze the significance of death, particularly for hobbits, and how it provides them with a profound sense of purpose. By examining two poignant quotes from the trilogy, we'll explore the paradoxical nature of immortality within Tolkien's masterpiece.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ce0d9f8d-7fff-9dd1-e99e-cd8e56d2f658"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Middle-earth, death is not simply the cessation of life but a crucial element that bestows meaning upon it. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the lives of the hobbits. Unlike the Elves, who possess immortality who hobbits are granted the unique perspective of mortality while living in a world where immortality is both admired and feared.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hobbits, such as Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, emerge as heroes in the quest given to them by immortals. Surprisingly enough, it is their mortality that gives them their power. Their deep sense of purpose and resilience in the face of danger. As unimpressive individuals in a world of ancient powers, they recognize the fragility of their own existence and are driven by the urgency to protect and preserve the peace of their typical lives of sloth.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first quote that underscores this theme can be found in <i>The Two Towers</i>, when Gandalf explains the value that he finds in hobbits: "You do not know your danger, Théoden,” interrupted Gandalf. “These hobbits will sit on the edge of ruin and discuss the pleasures of the table, or the small doings of their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers, and remoter cousins to the ninth degree, if you encourage them with undue patience.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In these words, Gandalf explains just how courageous these hobbits can be in the face of death. Furthermore, he describes them as discussing the small-doings of those before them. By saying this he reveals just how much purpose mortality gives these hobbits. They must weave their role into the tale of Middle Earth before it is too late, so as to leave their mark in the plot of time. They must find purpose within the constraints of their mortality, and this sense of urgency and vitality allows them to bear burdens that others cannot. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Often Samwise and Frodo describe that they remain on their journey without any sense of hope or reasoning. They simply know that they must see their journey through. Without the constraints of time, I am positive that they would not have been nearly as courageous in the face of evil and strife.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The second quote, from <i>The Fellowship of The Ring</i>, demonstrates the necessity of mortality in bearing the Ring. As Frodo asks Gandalf why he doesn't complete his quest himself Gandalf explanis: "With that power I should have power too great and terrible. And over me the Ring would gain a power still greater and more deadly.’ His eyes flashed and his face was lit as by a fire within. ‘Do not tempt me! For I do not wish to become like the Dark Lord himself." (61)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How could Gandalf the great possibly view himself as less capable of bearing the One Ring than Frodo? It is Frodo's mortality that is his great strength in this case. Death, in its inevitability, lends perspective and drives the hobbits to carry on, for they understand that their actions ripple beyond their own lives and have the power to shape the future.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While hobbits embrace the significance of death, the immortal races, such as the Elves, face a different dilemma. Though they are blessed with longevity and wisdom, immortality is not always sweet. The Elves often exhibit a sense of detachment from the world, for as time grows more abundant it becomes less and less precious. Their existence becomes an unchanging tapestry of memories, devoid of the urgency and vibrancy that mortality brings. They do not possess the capacity for an intense devotion to a greater purpose that the hobbits do. Therefore, the hobbits have the greater ability to combat the evil that lies within.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By contrasting the lives of hobbits and Elves, Tolkien explores the paradoxical nature of immortality. While immortality promises endless time, it also threatens to strip life of its purpose, as one can become detached from the struggles and joys of the mortal realm.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The Lord of the Rings</i> serves as a powerful exploration of the themes of immortality and death. Through the lens of hobbits, Tolkien sheds light on the power behind mortality and how it imbues life with purpose. Death, rather than being feared or shunned, is the driving force for the hobbits. By contrasting the mortality of hobbits with the immortality of the Elves, Tolkien demonstrates paradoxical nature of living forever, highlighting the value and beauty of a finite existence. If one's supply of time is infinite, it loses all value. As we humans embark on our own journeys, we can draw inspiration from the hobbits' embrace of mortality and their unwavering commitment to preserve the world they love.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">- WS</span></p></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-39591511915135322032023-05-26T17:18:00.009-07:002023-05-26T18:15:46.674-07:00Hobbits, Destiny, and Free Will<p><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">When diving into the captivating universe of J.R.R. Tolkien’s <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, one is greeted with a myriad of themes and questions that profoundly echo the human condition. Undoubtedly, one of the most intriguing concepts weaving through this epic tale is the role of free will. Central to this discourse is the plight of the hobbits, the unlikely heroes who arguably bear the most significant burdens of the story. Do they genuinely possess free will, or are they merely pawns in a grand design?</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-12f6a3d3-7fff-ac4b-b4ae-1815b5ee5157"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tolkien's narrative revolves around Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. These four hobbits embark on separate yet intertwined journeys of self-discovery and heroic duty, ultimately influencing the course of Middle-Earth’s history. And it's their choices and actions, made in the face of enormous adversity, that shape the saga.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One might argue that destiny plays a massive role in the story, perhaps overshadowing the concept of free will. After all, Frodo didn't exactly volunteer to be the Ring-Bearer; he was chosen by Gandalf, seemingly guided by forces beyond his understanding. As Gandalf pointedly remarks, "A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." This quote, often overlooked for its apparent whimsy, could imply a predetermined order to the events in Middle-Earth.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But does this overshadow the exercise of free will? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The choices made by our hobbit protagonists, regardless of their seemingly preordained destinies, offer compelling evidence of free will at work. Take Samwise Gamgee, for instance. Though initially dragged into Frodo's quest out of loyalty, he repeatedly makes the conscious decision to continue on the perilous journey. As Sam says, "I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise. ‘Don’t you leave him, Samwise Gamgee.’ And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to." These lines are a testament to his conscious exercise of free will, rather than being a mere pawn of fate.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, Merry and Pippin, despite being swept up in the grand narrative, continuously choose to act courageously, showing an intense determination. Pippin’s statement to Gandalf, "I will not hide behind a wall of stone while others fight our battles for us!" is a strong reaffirmation of his autonomy and his will to partake in the fight against the dark forces.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, destiny and free will are not mutually exclusive in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. While the hobbits' journeys seem guided by a larger force, their choices ultimately decide the fate of the Ring and Middle-Earth. Free will, in this context, operates within the realm of destiny, subtly but profoundly influencing its course.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we scrutinize Bilbo's ‘accidental’ discovery of the Ring, we can view it as an act of destiny. However, Bilbo's choice to spare Gollum’s life—paving the way for the Ring's ultimate destruction—was entirely his own, an instance of free will that had profound consequences. This dichotomy is what makes the narrative both complex and fascinating.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This same complexity arises in Frodo’s struggle with the Ring. He may have been destined to bear the Ring, but his choices during the journey—and his ultimate failure at Mount Doom—stem from his individual will and internal conflict. Indeed, it was Gollum, propelled by his desire (and arguably, his free will), who completed the task, emphasizing how free will can alter destiny’s course.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To the lesser-known quote from Gandalf, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us," we see the clear embodiment of this philosophy. Free will exists within the framework of destiny. The larger picture might be preordained, but the decisions made within that framework—those are the responsibility of the individuals.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In conclusion, <i>The Lord of the Rings </i>is not merely a tale of good versus evil, or destiny against free will. It is a reflection of the intricacy of life itself, in which our chaotic existence is woven with threads of both destiny and free will. Our hobbit heroes, much like us, are swept into the currents of a larger narrative. Yet, they navigate these currents with choices that are uniquely their own—proof that, even in a world where destiny looms large, the power of free will remains a compelling, transformative force.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tolkien's masterpiece thus tells us that, regardless of destiny's grand designs, it is our decisions that truly shape who we are. In this light, the hobbits of Middle-Earth do indeed possess free will, using it to change their world, and in doing so, teaching us valuable lessons about our own.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- WS</span></p></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-42517734216912743372023-05-26T10:51:00.002-07:002023-05-26T16:10:19.414-07:00The Differences of Life and Death<p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the first things I noticed when rereading the books in preparation for this class was the importance of age and time. In the first couple chapters Tolkien heavily emphasizes the importance of certain ages and birthdays for hobbits, and makes sure to let the reader know the age of the hobbits that are going to be important in the story. In Letter 214 he goes on to discuss how important birthdays are to hobbits and many of their customs on what happens for their birthdays and the parties that they have. We also learn that the ring has powers that help prolong life as well, which I think is another interesting piece to the puzzle of the power of the ring. A huge question this brings up is why are birthdays so important to hobbits. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the opposite end of the spectrum we have the elves, who are not literally immortal, because they can be killed, but live for so long most of the time that relative to Hobbits they might as well be. They have something that many humans, and hobbits desire, but it does not necessarily seem like the best thing in the mind of Tolkien. In Letter 208 Tolkien warns us about “confusing true ‘immortality’ with limitless serial longevity. Freedom from Time, and clinging to Time” (267). It’s interesting because he brings this up when talking about death as a theme across the series, and I think it is interesting how Time is capitalized here and almost personified. It is almost as if it is something that chases both humans and hobbits, but elves are free from that burden. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tolkien also states in the same letter that “Death is not the Enemy” (267). He uses personification again by capitalizing Death. Even though he makes this claim, he is clearly not saying that Death is always a good thing, but instead that it is not always a bad thing, which is very important to note given how prevalent death throughout the stories. He goes on to say “the Elves call ‘death’ the Gift of God (to Men)”. It is almost as if each one wants what the other has. Calling death a gift is not the way many people would see death as, especially when it comes suddenly and without warning. But I do not think that is the type of death that Tolkien, or the elves are talking about when they call it a gift, because elves can experience death in this manner the same way that humans do. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As previously stated, it is not like elves are immortal, it is more so aging at a far slower rate. When elves call death a gift, they are talking about not having the burden of a long life, and instead being able to live a life in a shorter time period, and die of old age at an age that elves would consider young. But we do see the importance of long life to the elves, as it is a big deal when Arwen gives up her long life in order to be with Aragorn. After reading what Tolkien said about elves at first it would not seem like a sacrifice, because elves seem to somewhat envy the short lives of men. But I think the difference is there is an actual choice here. It is easy to say I wish I grew older faster, or that my species had a shorter life span, because that leaves the decision out of your hands. It puts the decision in the hands of the creator and you are powerless to change it either way. But when you have the chance to change it yourself, and decide to either put yourself in harm's way, or give up long life, the decision becomes a lot harder because you are making the choice to give up time yourself. Without knowing what the future holds, you do not even know everything you are sacrificing, which truly makes it a difficult decision.</span></p><div><span class="EOP SCXW218099441 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "Times New Roman_EmbeddedFont", "Times New Roman_MSFontService", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 25.3px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">-RL</span></span></div>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-51503386789640099082023-05-26T10:37:00.005-07:002023-05-26T16:05:17.063-07:00Who wins in the end?<span id="docs-internal-guid-a03f5fa2-7fff-b2ef-1a84-1b301d9c2c0b"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I first discovered<i> Lord of the Rings</i> when I was about 10 years old, and started with <i>The Hobbit</i>, then went on to the other books and movies. One of the things that I did not always consider important when I first read was the journey, I tended to focus on the end result, and not all of the things that happened to get there. Looking back at the books after I have gained some age, I see many of the different things about the journey in a different light. Frodo and Sam are much more interesting characters when looking at it as someone who is older. The first thing that stood out to me was the Sam and Frodo relationship. Sam supports Frodo in so many ways along the journey, but does not always seem to get the same back. As the journey goes along we clearly see the relationship grow from Frodo’s side but never at the same level as Sam. I think the reason for this is on both sides, they never quite get over the master/servant relationship. I think it is a hard barrier to cross over, and while they were closer than when they started, the remnants of that relationship was still there by the end. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One thing that always confused me about the story was why was Frodo the one who could resist the ring and take it to be destroyed. I guess one could say it could be anyone, so why not Frodo, but I guess what I am trying to really ask is why not some of the other characters in the stories. It seems like someone like a Gandalf or an Aragorn would make a great pick to take the ring and resist its powers, or even someone like a Legolas or Gimli. So why not them? They are part of the fellowship and do help Frodo in the beginning of his journey, but from what we know about the ring it is pretty clear that they would have been more tempted by it than Frodo and would not have made it as far. At one point Aragorn comes to a crossroads and has trouble deciding on whether to follow Frodo and Sam, or to save Merry and Pippin, and decides to let Frodo handle destroying the ring alone, partially because it was what Frodo wanted, but also partially because he thought he could be tempted. It is very rare to see a character such as Aragorn unable to resist evil (or at least think he cannot resist), while someone like Frodo could, and honestly it baffled me. It was not until I reexamined the books that I realized how much of a toll the ring took on Frodo, and I realized that he failed in the end. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fact that he failed in the end is important and interesting for a couple of reasons. The first is that the story kind of follows the opposite trajectory of what we are used to in stories. In the beginning Frodo is stronger, and is able to avoid the temptation of the ring easier, but as the story progresses he ability to resist shrinks and he is left with a failure at the end. The story reminds me of the Thor Marvel movies. In Thor’s first movie we learn about his hammer, and that you have to be true of heart to wield it, in the beginning of the movie Thor loses his ability to pick up the hammer. And throughout the movie many attempt to pick up the hammer but cannot, basically like a modern day sword in the stone. But in the end Thor has the traditional hero’s journey and is able to pick up the hammer. Frodo is the exact opposite. While he may be the only one up for the task like Thor, when it comes to the moment where he needs his strength the most, and he needs to resist the evil of the ring, he is unable to do it. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is honestly quite distressing because if the best of us cannot resist evil at its height it begs the question of can anyone resist evil. As we have talked about in class I do not think Tolkien was attempting to show us through this that no one can resist evil, or even something like no one can resist evil without God, but I do find it interesting that at the end of the story, even though evil loses, it does not feel like the good wins. This is compelling because to most it may seem that because evil lost, and the goal of good here is to defeat evil, that by virtue of this good won. But I disagree with the notion that good is just the failure of evil. I think this is why at the end of the story it does not quite feel like success for Frodo. He set out to destroy the ring, and claimed to be the one that could do it, but he was wrong. When it came down to it at the end he was unable to do what he set out to do, and this does not quite leave the reader feeling hopeful in the end. At least to me, the fact that luck plays a factor in the defeat of evil does not sit well.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-RL (Bonus)</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-36075473943797430872023-05-25T22:04:00.001-07:002023-05-25T22:04:09.292-07:00Final Project: The Fall of the Nine: The Lord of the Nazgûl<span style="font-family: arial;">I don't know if we are supposed to post our final projects on the blog, but I have seen people do it in the past and would really love to share mine! Thank you to Professor Fulton Brown for teaching this wonderful course. I learned more than I ever could have hoped to. And with that, <i>The Fall of the Nine</i>!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">Nine for Mortal Men Doomed to Die</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: start;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Of old there was Sauron the Maia, the Dark Lord. Before him was Melkor, whom the Elves named Morgoth, whom Sauron served in the beginning of Arda. In the days following Morgoth’s demise, there was peace in Middle-earth. But Sauron saw the desolation of Arda, and he was filled with hate. He sought to turn the Firstborn to evil, and went among them as Annatar, Lord of Gifts, for his hue was fair and wise; and he was received among them, and counseled them in many things.<br /><br /></span><div> <span style="font-family: arial;">In that age, the Elves made many rings of great power; but Sauron, in his treachery, made a ring above the others to rule them, so that he may dominate the will of those who wore them; and Sauron forged it in the Mountain of Fire in the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. Much of his power passed into the One Ring, for to dominate the Elven-rings required a surpassing potency.<br /><br /></span></div><div> <span style="font-family: arial;">But when Sauron wore the Ring, the Elves knew him and his will, and removed their rings in anger and fear. And Sauron was filled with wrath, and demanded the rings should be returned to him under threat of war. But the Elves fled and hid the three great rings with them; Narya, Nenya, and Vilya, they were named. From that time forth war never ceased between Sauron and the Elves.<br /><br /></span></div><div> <span style="font-family: arial;">Sauron collected the remaining Rings of Power; and he distributed them to the peoples of Middle-earth, such that they would come under his domination. To Men he gave nine, for they were the easiest to sway; and those who used the Rings became mighty kings and sorcerers; but it brought their downfall. The gift of Ilúvatar they held no longer; yet life became unendurable. They could see beyond the world of Men; yet they beheld the wicked phantoms of Sauron’s devise. And they fell, according to their strength and heart, under the domination of the One, which Sauron held; and they entered the realm of shadows, becoming invisible to the world of Men saved to he who held the Ruling Ring. The Nazgûl they were named, ringwraiths in the Black Speech, and were the most terrible servants of the Dark Lord. Darkness went with them, and they cried with the voices of death; for their weapon was fear.<br /><br /></span></div><div> <span style="font-family: arial;">These are the tales of the Men who fell under the Shadow; to the service of the Dark Lord. This is</span></div><div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The Fall of the Nine<span><br /></span></span></i></h1><div><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i></div><div><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;"><br /></i></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> Chapter 9: The Lord of the Nazgûl</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">In those days, the great city of Men, Númenor, reigned, and the Númenóreans were Kings among Men; for the Men of Middle-earth had fallen under the dominion of Morgoth and had turned to evil. Although the gift of Ilúvatar the Númenóreans still held, they were more akin to the Firstborn than any other Men who walked upon Middle-Earth. Mighty they were in crafts, especially ship-building and sea-craft, and were great mariners of legends long past, the likes of which will never return. On their voyages, they oft visited the Western shores of Middle-earth; with them they brought craft, and taught the Men of the east such that the shadow may be lifted. But they seldom dwelled there, for their hearts were set westward.<br /><br /> However, there was a Númenórean who came to dwell there; Imrazôr he was named in the Númenórian tongue. He was a great lord of Númenor, and skilled in sorcery. And though his heart was set west, as was the way of his kind, he traveled east, for he desired to create a great kingdom for the Men of Middle-earth, so that they could be free from evil. On the western shores he established this kingdom, called Azûl-Zimra. And the Men of Middle-earth welcomed him and many became his subjects; and the Númenóreans aided the kingdom in their travels, yet always returned westward.<br /><br /> Although the city was in infancy, word of it spread among the Men of Middle-earth, and word of it fell upon the ears of Sauron; and he was filled with hatred, for Sauron feared the great Men of Númenor. Having gathered the Rings of Power, and seeking the corruption of Men through them, Sauron traveled to Azûl-Zimra with dark machinations in his heart.<br /><br /> Clothed in the fair form of Annatar, he entered the city, where he quickly found himself an audience with the king, due to his sly tongue and the credulous men. Despite the quick spell the Men of Middle-earth had fallen under, the king, now called Ar-Imrazôr, remained wary of him. Once in the presence of Ar-Imrazôr, Sauron kneeled before him. <br /><br />‘Great Lord of Númenor, King of Men, I humble myself before you,’ he spoke, with hatred brewing in his heart. ‘For word of your aim, to build a kingdom to rival the great Númenor, to be a light in the east akin to the west, has spread fast across the land. This is a worthy goal, for the Men of Middle-earth have often come under the shadow of the Enemy. Therefore I, lowly Annatar, come before you to offer a gift; a gift that may aid in your great ambition.’ With his head still bowed low, Sauron lifted up his hand, revealing a great Ring of Power, its gemstone sparkling brightly.<br /><br /> Ar-Imrazôr, still wary of the gift and its giver, asked, ‘How shall this gift aid me? And who are you, “lowly Annatar,” that you may offer such a gift? For none among the great craftsmen of Númenor craft in this way.’<br /><br /> Sauron responded, ‘“Lord of Gifts” is my name in the Elven tongue, and I am known among them for wise counsel. Through my counsel they made many rings, of great power like the one before you. Through its might, your kingdom shall grow powerful and renown, and will bring great wealth. Extraordinary skills of sorcery shall be known to you, known rarely among Men. And I offer it merely as a gift, to aid in your noble quest.’<br /><br /> As Sauron’s war against the Elves had not yet reached Azûl-Zimra, Ar-Imrazôr knew not of his treachery; likewise, the name of the Elves calmed many of his fears, though he was not yet deceived. Yet upon hearing of the great powers that it may grant, Ar-Imrazôr began to covet the ring, for it worked upon his heart; and he sensed that Sauron’s words rang true, for Sauron did not mislead in word, but deceived in deed. Blinded by his lust, he began to walk towards Sauron to receive the ring.<br /><br />However, as he approached, Sauron gently closed his hand around the ring. 'Before I bestow this gift, great King of Men, I ask one small thing: that you declare that you chose the gift; for its power may not confer to you, should you not choose it in both word and deed.'<br /><br /> Though he found this request odd, his lust blinded him and his heart remained untroubled as the ring worked upon him. ‘I chose the great gift of Annatar; praised may his name be,’ declared Ar-Imrazôr.<br /><br />Within his dark heart Sauron laughed, for he knew he had condemned the Númenórean Lord. Finally bestowing the ring, Sauron bid farewell, saying ‘May your kingdom prosper for years to come; and may the gift aid you in your great endeavors.’<br /><br /> As he traveled away from Azûl-Zimra, Sauron wore the Ruling Ring; the moment that Ar-Imrazôr first slipped on the Ring of Power, Sauron felt it and laughed. For though the Númenóreans were great among Men, their power paled compared to the High Elves; and Ar-Imrazôr did not yet know Sauron or his treachery.<br /><br />In the years following, Azûl-Zimra grew in stature and renown, as Sauron had foretold; the city grew great in power and wealth, and it was known throughout the western shores of Middle-earth; and some came to call it Azûl-Númenor, meaning “Númenor of the East” in the Númenórean tongue; for it had begun act in the same way. And the Men of Middle-earth, who had grown in its light and knowledge, called Ar-Imrazôr a god-king, for his power in sorcery grew and oft he would walk the earth unseen by all except the eye of Sauron; for he was a powerful ring-lord, and learned to use it to great gain; and he reigned in majesty for 500 years.<br /><br />However, as the years passed, Ar-Imrazôr ceased to age, though his descendants retained the gift of Ilúvatar. “Great the power of this ring is, that it should defer the mortal Man’s curse!” he thought; for though he dwelled in the east, his Númenórean heart still longed westward. And though he praised the ring, he had begun to suspect, within his heart, its treachery; for the gift of Ilúvatar was not a matter to be trifled with. But he ignored these warnings, for the fear of death gripped him so and the ring had a powerful influence.<br /><br />In his latter days, Ar-Imrazôr began to become weary; his life appeared unending, and yet it had become unbearable to him. Despite this, he clung all the more strongly to it. Although he had not aged, his physical strength had begun to fail, and frail he had become. And he continued to use the ring, as his body and mind wore away. In the midst of this, his city slowly came into ruin in parallel; and the Men of the western shores fell out of the light. Unconcerned the Númenóreans remained, as they assumed it was the folly of the eastern Men that the city should fall; and their eyes laid westward.<br /><br />As his body failed, Ar-Imrazôr began to have dark visions when he slipped into the world beyond the eyes of Men; for he witnessed the horrors of Morgoth’s making as phantoms, as they were devised under the will of Sauron. Though great his fear was, the king was able to resist these phantoms more than any Man before him, for he was the last to fall; and the eye of Sauron witnessed this, and he called the Nazgûl before him, commanding them, “go forth to Azûl-Zimra upon the western shores. There you will find a king, who shall be the mark of your fear. He holds the final ring; imminent is his fall.”<br /><br />“Thy will be done,” they snarled with fell voices and venomous breath, and rode off into the night.<br /><br />As they arrived, Ar-Imrazôr bore witness to them in the realm of shadow; for they were unseen to the world of Men, but could be seen with use of the ring. With them came a great fear, such that the Men of Azûl-Zimra knew that evil was among them without sight to understand. But their fear targeted Ar-Imrazôr, and drove him into the thraldom of the ring as he witnessed them with his eyes. Their faces were ghastly white with a merciless, piercing glare and dead, glittering eyes; their gray hair held crowns not unlike his own; and their haggard hands carried swords of shining steel. His fear was all the greater when he witnessed them; yet, he felt all the more compelled to wear the ring when he could feel their presence, with resistance becoming nigh unbearable; he began to find himself wearing it, unaware that he had even slipped it on. Stripped of his kingship in the ruined city, Imrazôr could feel them command him with voices like death; for he was their prey, but their hunt was also sport.<br /><br />Although they had departed together, they arrived not at once, but each in his time, so the tortuous burden would become greater. The weakest was first to arrive, and the strongest, called Khamûl, was last. All the Men had fled, for their fear was intolerable; even the Númenóreans felt to avoid those regions, though they knew not why. In rare moments of slumber, the dark designs of Sauron afflicted Imrazôr’s nightmares; in prophetic visions, he saw himself as one of these plaguing phantoms, though he knew not that this was his fate.<br /><br />During these finals days, the Nazgûl tormented Imrazôr as his will breathed its final breath; whispered horrors and screams like death afflicted every waking moment; they ran at him with and struck him with phantom blades; for Sauron had commanded that no physical blows were to come to slay or diminish him. Dominated by his will, they obeyed.<br /><br />After an anguishing period of time, the length of which he could not tell, the once-great Imrazôr’s will broke and his strength failed him. He slipped the ring onto his finger, and finally faded into the shadow realm amidst the ruins of his kingdom. And Sauron laughed at the merciless fate of Imrazôr.<br /><br />The instant he fell, Imrazôr’s will was dominated by Sauron, and he returned with the other Nazgûl to Sauron in the dark land of Mordor. Sauron cast off the guise of Annatar, and revealed himself to Imrazôr; and Imrazôr knew him and what he had done, though he had no thoughts to fight against it. Taking back his accursed gift, Sauron held the ring of Imrazôr such that he would wield and command him.<br /><br />There Imrazôr, as he was once known, swore a dark oath in the Black Speech, and even the dark land quaked before the evil that was uttered there:<br /><br /><i><blockquote>I, Imrazôr of Númenor, choose freely to swear this oath. I give myself and my will to the Dark Lord Sauron, that he shall command my will in all things, and I shall obey. Should I keep it not, I call the Everlasting Darkness upon me. I swear this oath by the cursed name of Ilúvatar and by the dark power of Morgoth.</blockquote></i><br /> Upon hearing this, Sauron was pleased, and delighted in his own evil. ‘And I crown you Lord of the Nazgûl,’ he proclaimed, ‘for your fall was the greatest of the Nine, and your power is supreme among them. And you shall serve me, as I served Morgoth, and none shall be greater save I.’ Upon his head Sauron placed a dark crown, and in his haggard hands a Morgul-knife and a long sword. As he stood, he found himself greater than his former tormentors in height; and he wielded the greatest fear among them, his evil only surpassed by Sauron himself.<br /><br /> Then Sauron commanded him to find those who knew of Azûl-Zimra, and to slay them; for the eye of Sauron saw far, and though it had been forgotten among the Númenóreans, there were Men of the east who still told tales of the fall city. Obeying his master, the Lord of the Nazgûl found and slayed them; and a great fear followed him, and many became aware of his evil presence.<br /><br /> When the final memory was extinguished, the Lord of the Nazgûl shuddered; for the great deeds of Imrazôr were purged from the history, and all that remained was the evil of the servant of Sauron. He had fallen.</span></div><div><i style="font-family: arial;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: justify;">⎽</i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /> And so concludes the tales of the Fall of the Nine.</span><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">-CVB</span></div>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-2296824573795748292023-05-24T11:28:00.009-07:002023-05-26T15:50:33.625-07:00Nature's Immersion<p>The thing about Tolkien’s nature is how interesting he makes
it. It’s hard to write about nature, about the trees and grass and flora and
fauna that make up the basic setting of almost every book, of almost every life
out there, solely because it doesn’t normally do much. Nature, sure, is living,
but it doesn’t really act upon us. It’s passive, especially in books, where it
only appears to be traversed. And Tolkien subverts this in a few ways, most
prominently by making the nature not passive – if anything, aggressive. We see
this throughout the trilogy, most notably in the Old Forest, where the trees
themselves come to life. Beginning of course with foreboding feelings – as “the
trees became taller, darker, and thicker… they all got an uncomfortable feeling
that they were being watched with disapproval, deepening to dislike and even
enmity…” (LotR, pg. 111), the hobbits’ passage through the Old Forest peaks
with an attack from Old Man Willow himself, who, as he attempted to trap the
hobbits, “set up ripples of anger that ran out over the whole Forest” (pg. 118),
even as the hobbits fought with the forest itself.
</p><p class="MsoNormal">It's one of the great things about fantasy, the ability to bring
the environment to life around the characters, creating a world that is not
only more immersive for the readers, but also more immersive for the characters
themselves. We talked in class about how the Hobbits themselves are isolated
and shut off from much of the world, so as they learn about it, so too does the
reader. And nowhere is this more clear than in their experiences with nature,
with their surroundings. Not only the Old Forest, as discussed above, but every
biome is populated by a variety of highly-intelligent species, from dwarves to
elves to orcs, even to dragons such as Smaug, and as will be discussed below,
ents. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And it’s clear that part of what allowed Tolkien to write
like this was his understanding of nature, his ability to view it as truly
alive. It’s seen across his writing – for example, in Letter 241 in <i>The
Letters of JRR Tolkien</i>, he writes of a tree that “had gallantly grown new
limbs – though of course not with the unblemished grace of its former natural
self,” personifying this plant, this tree, that so many wouldn’t have looked
twice at. This ability to see each tree as unique, as something interesting in
and of itself, is how Tolkien is able to create such diversity from
consistently similar backdrops. Across the forests of Middle-Earth, each one is
treated differently, is written about differently – “Lothlórien is beautiful…
the Old Forest was hostile… Fangorn Forest was old and beautiful, but at the
time of the story tense with hostility… Kirkwood had fallen under the
domination of a Power…” (<i>Letters</i>, Letter 339).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And this sentiment of Tolkien’s is of course backed by his
own writing – the Old Forest, as discussed above, Lothlorien, with “no trees
like the trees of that land. For in the autumn their leaves fall not, but turn
to gold… the floor of the wood is golden, and golden is the roof, and its
pillars are of silver, for the bark of the trees is smooth and grey” (LotR, pg.
335); Fangorn forest originally described as “untidy… most of the trees seem to
be half covered with ragged dry leaves that have never fallen…” yet full of “the
old feeling of this wood” (LotR, pg. 461), before meeting Treebeard.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Of course, the ents are Tolkien’s clearest version of nature
itself truly coming to life, and you can see plenty of Tolkien’s love of nature
bleeding through the book in some of these passages – for example, on page 475,
Treebeard tells “rather a strange and sad story,” beginning when “the world was
young, and the woods were wide and wild...”. This consistent portrayal of
nature as this untamable force separate from humanity, or other similar species
such as elves and dwarves, is key to what makes his work great, introducing the
complexity of another player in every scene – the backdrop itself – while adding
uniqueness to every setting, making every forest that is traveled through different
– and, of course, the constant emphasizing of protecting nature is an amazing
byproduct. Through this pattern, Tolkien creates a world that is both beautiful
and immersive, mixing the best pieces of fantasy with bits of the real world
and the beauty it contains. </p><p class="MsoNormal">-MR</p>
<p></p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-29680292680904786862023-05-24T11:28:00.008-07:002023-05-26T15:37:12.043-07:00The Duality of Immortality<p>Every author who writes about immortal creatures has a
different take. The author of <i>Gulliver’s Travels</i>, Jonathan Swift, took
the view that being immortal is one of pain, of forgetting. Other authors have taken
the view that being immortal is a life of loss, of the people you love
constantly dying around you, of everything you love, in fact, changing, while
you never do the same, such as in <i>The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue</i>, by V.E.
Schwab. Even Marvel takes into account immortal beings, and the struggles of
such life. The point is, every story about immortals describe the prospect in a
different way, and what the Lord of the Rings does, is it looks at both sides
of the story – not through mortal and immortal, or men and elves as described
in class, but between the good and the bad – the elves and Gollum. Here Tolkien
shows the duality of immortality, the ability for it to be utilized as a way to,
in a way, perfect society, to consistently better oneself and those around you,
or to forget all that you’ve ever known, to spiral deeper and deeper into
madness and despair. And of course the elves’ aren’t perfect, but comparative
to Gollum, they’ve achieved much more with their immortality.
</p><p class="MsoNormal">And a big part of that is due in part to, well, first of
all, the ability to retain an able body and mind, but mostly the fact that they
have a society. A group of beings that all share the gift of immortality, and
what that chiefly does is take away the loss of their surroundings. Despite
their immortality the elves retain their relationships, their surroundings,
everything they love, throughout their lives. It’s what makes Legolas’
relationship with Gimli so unnatural. It’s what makes the elves themselves so
separate from every other race. Time doesn’t move faster for them, but it might
as well, because the humans and hobbits and dwarves around them are constantly
dying and being replaced. So similar to Gollum, they curl inwards, but instead
of a single being, they have an entire society to lean on, to build. And even as
Gollum creates their own canon inside their head, their own world, so to do the
elves create their own world, building out their arts and ideas and civilization,
until they become so disconnected with the land and peoples around them, that
they leave. Similar isolation, similar end results, but extremely different
usages of the power of immortality.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So what can we learn from this duality? Of course, there’s
the value of community, but the hobbits could teach us that. There’s the value
in bettering oneself and using the gifts that you’ve been given in a productive
and useful way, but the elves themselves don’t always do that. I think the
important lesson to take from Tolkien’s dual portrayal of immortality is to
value the gifts we’re given – the way each and every various race of beings in
Middle-Earth does. To make the most of each opportunity as it comes our way,
and instead of hoarding our treasure, as Gollum does, share what we have with
the world around us. Because that’s what the Lord of the Rings is, at its
heart, at its clearest level – a tale of adventure, of wonder, of exploration.
Yes, there are lessons to be learned, morals to be questioned, and various ideals
and methods of the world to interrogate. The elves and their passion for
various topics of learning are important – how they make use of their immortality,
how they structure their society – but there’s a reason this epic is told
through the eyes of a hobbit. Because it’s meant to show us to enjoy the world
around us, to explore and learn more with each new day. </p><p class="MsoNormal">-MR<br /></p>
<p></p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-61292155953509722712023-05-23T18:27:00.005-07:002023-05-26T15:46:18.646-07:00Tower Talk: Seeing and Being Seen<p>What role do towers serve in <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>? As is everything within <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, they don’t exist just to look pretty. Towers, as does most everything else, have their symbolisms as well. There are four towers in particular that I want to examine: Angrenost, Minas Anor, Minas Ithil, and Barad-dur. </p><p>There is, firstly, the role of towers as fortresses and outposts. Meant to be unassailable and impregnable, each tower serves a strategic purpose. Often, they are not only for defending, but for a related task, watching. Angrenost, to the northwest corner of Gondor, and better known as Orthanc, was kept by Gondor after ceding Rohan to the Northmen for its strategic value in guarding the mountain gap. Minas Ithil, later renamed Minas Morgul after its fall into the hands of the Nazgul, was built to keep watch on the lands of Mordor. Minas Anor, better known as Minas Tirith, kept an eye on both Mordor and Minas Morgul. Barad-dur, the tower of Sauron, was meant to keep an eye on… well, everything. It’s kind of what it’s known for, actually. It’s not just their height, however, that makes them useful for watching. Each of these towers housed one of the four palantiri of the South-kingdom, with the exception of the Master Stone, lost in the waters of the Anduin. The palantiri are seeing and scrying stones, used for communication and observation. They are linked to each other, and in so doing, the purposes of these towers are also inextricably linked. Apart from their looks, these towers might not be so different from each other as they might seem. </p><p>Towers also serve an aesthetic purpose. So, yes, part of their meaning may lie in looking pretty. Of course, Barad-dur is more ominous than Minas Tirath. At first glance, you might think “ah yes, Minas Tirith is good and Barad-dur is bad.” It is more than just that, however. We must consider the idea of artistry and sub-creation as well. Architecture is no exception. Comparing Minas Tirith to Barad-dur, there is a clear architectural difference in how they are presented. Minas Tirith, originally named Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun, is marbled, resplendent, and strangely maritime in its construction. But Barad-dur is large and terrible, dark with its clawing spires. It is not to say that architecture is only present in one and not the other: both are certainly their own aesthetic styles. However, the architecture of Barad-dur is hostile, full of spikes pointing outwards and surfaces that, if it were a model, you wouldn’t want to touch with your bare hands. In contrast, the architecture of Minas Tirith is defensive, protective, seeking to guard whatever is inside its walls. As expressions of both artistry and goals, one conveys ambition while the other conveys guardianship. Towers reflect the mindscapes of their sculptors, and function as sub-creations under the created world of Eru and the Valar. Barad-dur reflects Sauron’s ambitions and greedy; Minas Anor the bastion of Anarion to guard against Mordor; Minas Ithil the resistance of Isildur and his fall; Angrenost the decline of the Numenor and the corruption of Sauron. </p><p>- CLP </p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-53820718866588138712023-05-22T18:48:00.003-07:002023-05-23T15:49:04.458-07:00Is Worship Inherently Evil?<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And out of it the world was made. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For Darkness alone is worshipful</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the Lord thereof may yet make other worlds to be gifts to those that serve him, so the increase of their power shall find no end.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Sauron to Ar-Pharazon in T</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he Silmarillion</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Silmarillion,</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the term ‘worship’ is only used to describe those who honor evil, whether that be the Black Numenorians worshipping Sauron or Gollum worshipping Shelob. Eru Ilúvatar – the most powerful being of all – is never described as being ‘worshipped’ by the Valar or any other being (groups like the Numenorians did still honor Eru, but that is different from worship), yet Melkor and Sauron – Ilúvatar’s creations – are both described as having worshippers. To describe those who honor Good, Tolkien uses the word ‘follow’ instead of ‘worship.’ Because this word choice is so distinct, I believe it to be an intentional showcase of Tolkien’s belief that to be worshipped, blindly submitted to because of perceived power, requires one to be corrupted and robbed of free will. To be followed, however, is a choice freely made and, therefore, a demonstration that one has earned their following by being Good. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">To Tolkien, the word ‘worship’ means that one’s free will has been corrupted by another, which is why he believes it to be inherently evil. When Aragorn and the party come to speak with The Mouth of Sauron, The Mouth is described as being a member of the Black Numenorians:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">….. for they established their dwellings in Middle-Earth</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">during the years of Sauron’s domination,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they worshipped him, being enamored of evil knowledge.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tolkien attributes the cause of the Black Numenorians’ worship to their infatuation with evil knowledge. Specifically, Tolkien uses the word ‘enamored,’ which connotes the end-state of someone after they have fallen in love. When one falls in love, it is often described as an uncontrollable feeling that causes the feeler to commit acts that do not correspond with their nature, hence the cultural phrase </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crazy in love</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It can be said that one who is in love does not possess true free will, as the feeling reorganizes their priorities and influences their decisions. It is important to note that Tolkien is </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> saying </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> free will is lost to the point where the person does not have responsibility for their actions, just that it is heavily influenced. Tolkien himself has experienced the influence of his free will due to falling in love. In a letter to his son Micheal written on March 6, 1941, Tolkien recounts the three-year period where he did not speak to his future wife, as they were separated:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Not writing to your mother] was extremely hard, painful and bitter, especially at first. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The effects were not wholly good: I fell back into folly and slackness and misspent a good deal of my first year at College.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be distracted by anything – assuming he has first hyper-fixated on it – is out of character for Tolkien; once more, ‘slackness’ is not a character trait he has </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ever</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> been known for. Because Tolkien acted so out of character when he was in love – and separated from this love – to the point where he could be described as </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crazy in love</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it is no surprise that he understands how love could reorganize someone’s priorities (in his case, make them not study what they originally dreamed of studying), and dominate their free will. Therefore, his choice to use the word ‘enamored’ when describing the cause of the Black Numenorian’s worship of evil knowledge is intentional to show that the Black Numenorians have been corrupted by Sauron; he now dominates their free will when they are in this state of infatuation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Tolkien speaks of those honoring another, that is to recognize that one has demonstrated their Goodness and deserves the service of others, he uses the term ‘follow’ to describe this relationship; he believes that those who ‘follow’ have made this choice out of their true free will because their leader has not corrupted this very free will. In order for one to be followed, one has to allow their followers to remain uncorrupted, which makes one Good. Therefore, to ‘follow’ describes the relationship of those in service to Good. When Eowyn asks Aragorn not to go to Dunharrow to enlist the aid of the dead because she believes this act to be suicidal, Aragorn responds:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘It is not madness, lady.’ he answered; ‘for I go on a path appointed. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But those who follow me do so of their own free will, and if </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they wish now to remain and ride with the Rohirrim, they may do so…’</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">By saying ‘those who follow me do so of their own free will,’ Aragorn makes the explicit connection between following and free will; specifically, that in order to truly follow, one must have free will. Furthermore, Aragorn describes his responsibility as ‘a path appointed,’ implying that he has a duty to go to Dunharrow; that duty being in service to what is Right, or Good. In describing his journey in this way, Aragorn makes it clear that he is in service to Good, and that he has not corrupted those in service to him; therefore, Aragorn is Good, and meets both the criteria to have followers and not worshippers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, is worship inherently evil? When worship is used to describe the honoring of anything that is not God, it is inherently evil. However, Tolkien changes the meaning of worship when he describes the worship of the Christian God; for clarity, the term ‘divine worship’ will be used to describe this specific form of worship. True divine worship requires free will, but it also requires one to submit. As these are both tenets of typical worship and the act of following, they fit in neither of those categories described above. Therefore, Tolkien creates a new category for the worshippers of the Christian God; divine worship is the choice to submit to God and is inherently Good.</span></p><p>-SCJ</p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-41325181340888160542023-05-22T05:26:00.004-07:002023-05-23T15:41:14.211-07:00Tolkien’s Reckoning with Biblical Narrative Causality<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><blockquote>People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it’s the other way around. Stories exist independently of their players. If you know that, the knowledge is power. Stories, great flapping ribbons of shaped space-time, have been blowing and uncoiling around the universe since the beginning of time. And they have evolved. The weakest have died and the strongest have survived and they have grown fat on the retelling…stories, twisting and blowing through the darkness. And their very existence overlays a faint but insistent pattern on the chaos that is history. Stories etch grooves deep enough for people to follow in the same way that water follows certain paths down a mountainside. And every time fresh actors tread the path of the story, the groove runs deeper. This is called the theory of narrative causality and it means that a story, once started, takes a shape. It picks up all the vibrations of all the other workings of that story that have ever been. This is why history keeps on repeating all the time. (Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad.)</blockquote></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The greatest and most well-read story of all time is unquestionably the Bible. The Christian Tolkien, most conspicuously in his tales of the Elder Days, trod time and again the contours of his stories, most especially the Silmarillion (and his other unfinished tales of the Elder Days). This was no base allegory, especially notable given his professed disrelish of the form. His stories, such as the Adamic, Noachean, Gomorrite (I’m choosing not to say Sodomite for obvious reasons, and I can’t find an adjectival form of Lot) tale of the fall of Númenor, manage to synthesize aspects of various Biblical substories while telling a distinct and original one of his own. And yet the inextricable force that is narrative causality keeps moving.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">While narrative causality as such obviously doesn’t exist in what we might call Roundworld, the most pervasive stories certainly perpetuate themselves, such as through the subconscious. The devout Tolkien went to mass daily (he wasn’t one of those “convenient” Catholics who only go to church every Sunday), presumably hearing scripture at all of them. In light of that, the Bible would surely have suffused the work even if Tolkien had had little intention of it doing so. He seems to be aware of this, categorizing the Lord of the Rings as “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work”, something that was especially revealed to him as he looked over the story again to revise it. The Lord of the Rings is notably less biblical than the Silmarillion, but the allusions are there. Take Frodo’s hike up Mount Doom. Even discounting all the Christlike imagery of him carrying his cross up the hill, it can’t be a coincidence that all this happened on March 25<sup>th</sup>. But these are thematic elements, not narrative elements, as we see so much in the Elder Days.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"></p><blockquote>So a thousand heroes have stolen fire from the gods. A thousand wolves have eaten grandmother, a thousand princesses have been kissed. A million unknowing actors have moved, unknowing, through the pathways of story. It is now impossible for the third and youngest son of any king, if he should embark on a quest which has so far claimed his older brothers, not to succeed. Stories don’t care who takes part in them. All that matters is that the story gets told, that the story repeats. Or, if you prefer to think of it like this: stories are a parasitical life form, warping lives in the service only of the story itself. (Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad.)</blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;">While I’m hesitant to call the Bible a “parasitical life form”, the tendrils of its stories certainly latch on. When you follow the contours of a Biblical story, you can find yourself merely retelling that same story. This was the great fear of Tolkien in using allegory, and his great criticism of C.S. Lewis. So let’s look at how Tolkien used Biblical tales without being reduced to retelling them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Flight of the Noldor in many ways parallels the Biblical Fall of Man. Aman is Edenic, and the Noldor, by committing a grievous sin, go into exile. But, unlike in the Bible, where the exile is merely (in a sense) self-imposed, the Noldor exile is self-maintained. They are free to go back, but are too committed to a self-consuming vengeance. Unlike God, Mandos, in proclaiming his Doom, cautions that, should they continue on their path, Valinor will be fenced against them. It’s not yet. Unlike Adam and Eve, the Noldor knew the consequences of their actions and continued on them despite this. This arguably makes it worse. Though Finwë is Adamic, and his failings (and poor parenting) set the stage for the Elves’ original sin, he finds himself murdered before it can transpire. (Here, Tolkien embellishes on the Bible’s narrative, effectively making the serpent kill Adam.) Thus, his son Fëanor is also Adamic, and so Adam’s roles as father and as (original) sinner are bifurcated, keeping Tolkien’s work original while drawing narrative power from the Bible’s undergirding. Fëanor is also Cainian. It would be a little on the nose if he wasn’t also Adam—he commits the first kinslaying, just as Cain killed Abel. (It wasn’t the first murder, thanks to Morgoth, who, in addition to killing Finwë, had already wrought untold death and destruction on Middle-Earth, and thus presumably killed at least a few Moriquendi.) After Mandos’s proclamation, some of the Noldor turn around, while most head to their resolute doom. Imagine that in the Bible, if God was like “I did not like this. If you keep eating these apples I will have to cast you out and curse you with ephemerality on Earth.” and then Adam and Eve were like “Okay we will stop eating these apples.” It ruins the story, because <i>of course</i> they would never follow the Doom. But Tolkien has created a world in which such a path can be taken due to the sin of pride. It parallels the Bible, but it is emphatically its own story, as we have seen in trying to impose the narrative of one on the other.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Lewis (or Tolkien’s caricature of Lewis) might have merely aped the Word of God, but Tolkien went beyond that. He extemporized on the omnipresent Word of the Bible, filtering it through his lenses and making it his own, just as the Vala took the Music of Eru and extemporized on it at the dawn of time. They knew that not only did the themes and music wholly originate from Eru, but they did as well, and still they made aspects of the music uniquely their own, if not ultimately distinct from the Source. The Music of the Ainur, then, parallels Tolkien’s own creative process, and his successful overcoming of the Biblical Problem of Narrative Causality, (if I may be permitted to expand on Pratchett). By weaving together different narratives from across God’s Word, (the Christian God being more prosaic than Eru,) Tolkien creates something distinctly his own. -LAL <o:p></o:p></p><div id="accel-snackbar" style="left: 50%; top: 50px; transform: translate(-50%);"></div>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-10680022502807543082023-05-21T19:16:00.004-07:002023-05-23T15:32:54.214-07:00The Frame Will Not Fit the Story if Built by the Reader<p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In class, we have long battled the topic of Tolkein’s sexism, with supporters often pointing to Eowyn’s fate as a wife and not a warrior as the prime example of a sexist trope not typically reserved for men. While I cannot deny the pervasiveness of sexist tropes in American literature, I do wish to approach this topic in an alternate format. Is Tolkien truly sexist, or is the frame that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">we apply to his story – based on our understanding of stereotypical sexist roles in our society – not fit the story because it is not the frame Tolkien created for his world?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As has been reiterated many times before, Tolkien adores storytelling through frames. Hence, the entirety of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is told through the perspective of hobbits, even though hobbits retain very little perspective of the outside world. For a world built vast and detailed, this may seem strange; why pick the group of people that engages with none of this world when telling a story that deals with the fate of the entirety of this world? But Hobbits value something that Men and Elves do not, gratitude for the everyday lived experience, which results in the ability to see elements of good even when it appears there are none. As Sam rids himself of his gear with Frodo at the foot of Mount Doom, he attempts to alleviate Frodo’s pain with positive memories:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Do you remember that bit of rabbit, Mr. Frodo?’ he said. ‘And our </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">place under the warm bank in Captain Faramir’s country, the day I </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">saw an oliphaunt?’</span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If Samwise Gamgee was solely remarking about his love of food, he would have cited many of the glorious feasts he attended, including but not limited to Bilbo’s birthday party. But, Sam cites a ‘bit’ of rabbit – not the whole animal – as the aspect of the memory he cherishes the most, almost as if the small quantity of the rabbit is the element that makes this particular moment so significant to Sam. Specifically, Sam understands that the limited enjoyment of the rabbit made tasting it all the more special, solely because the moment was small and fleeting. To Elves or Men, a ‘bit of rabbit’ is such a small – and assumed to be meaningless – part of existence that it hardly becomes noticed, especially when one is concerned with the Fate of one’s own race on Middle-Earth. Sam ends by recounting the day he saw the Men of the South pass by with their oliphaunts, an animal he has always wanted to see. The circumstances surrounding this memory are not pleasant; The Men of the South would surely act with cruelty towards the hobbits if they had spotted them, and Faramir did not give any inclination that he had kind intentions when he captured the hobbits. With these two factors in mind, this memory should have been overshadowed by the fear that the hobbits felt that day, yet Sam chooses to focus on this small and fleeting moment and frame the memories with it. Furthermore, the concept that Sam even appreciates seeing an oliphaunt – an elephant-esque animal bred for war by men who follow evil – shows just how much he, and other hobbits, can pull the little aspects of good out of the much greater bad. Tolkien wants this mindset to be his frame from </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of Rings</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; he wants the readers to view this world, no matter how evil it could grow to be, as still having glimmers of goodness at the heart if only one stops to look in the same fashion as Samwise Gamgee.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like with hobbits, Tolkien applies a frame to men and women; the frame is the axiom that the ultimate goal is always to become a spouse and a healer. Because women are already encouraged to fulfill those roles in society due to systemic sexism, this may come across as Tolkein’s own internalized misogyny materializing in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. However, Tolkein’s egalitarian application of this frame to all genders implies that, regardless of his classification of the differences between the genders, he wants them to have the same reward. When Tolkien writes to his son Michael about women on March 6, 1941, he advises his son to know of “the one great thing to love on Earth: the Blessed Sacrament ….. There you will find romance, glory, honour, and fidelity, and the true way of all your loves upon earth …” As Michael Tolkein is a man, this quote shows that Tolkein clearly sees marriage between men and women as the ultimate goal because it provides one with romance, glory, honor, and fidelity, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">regardless</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of gender. Tolkien does more than promise marriage as the ultimate reward; he also shows that healing is on par. In Chapter 8 of Book 5 in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Return of The King</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Aragorn heals Eowyn, and the versions of the phrase “The hands of the King are the hands of the healer, and so shall the rightful King be known” are touted three times throughout the chapter. By putting healing as a requirement for the right to rule and reiterating this point so frequently, Tolkien shows that he views healing as an essential element of worthiness, one that is so important that lack of it means someone cannot attain power. We typically think of power as the manifestation of one’s own worthiness; Tolkien is telling us that we are wrong – for it is the ability to heal that makes one truly worthy. Once more, ‘the King’ (invoking a male ruler) implies that the essential element of healer, stereotyped as a woman’s job in our culture, determines both a man’s and a woman’s worthiness. Therefore, healer is an egalitarian role in Tolkien’s world and demonstrates the worthiness of everyone by Tolkien’s frame.</span></p><p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we have established that Tolkien frames the roles of spouse and healer as egalitarian rewards in his world, it can be concluded that he gives Eowyn the ultimate reward when she marries Faramir and retires from battle to become a healer, just in the way that Aragorn receives the ultimate reward when he marries Arwen and rules/heals Gondor. In Tolkien’s world, the rewards for these two heroes are the same regardless of their gender because Tolkien fundamentally believes that everyone who has proven themselves deserves this specific reward. It is only when one removes Tolkien’s frame and applies the frame of our society – in the form of a history of sexist gender roles – onto the female characters do we see the phenomenon where the frame no longer resonates with the reader, but that is solely because </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> frame was never meant for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the first place. Therefore, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of The Rings</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is only sexist if one frames the story themselves, not with the frame Tolkien provides.</span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-628c177c-7fff-b9d5-b5b5-8d347276975d"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 2.4; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-SCJ</span></p></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-73292156893810479102023-05-21T16:36:00.005-07:002023-05-23T09:09:36.217-07:00Endings as Beginnings<p> There is no such thing as a true end for Tolkien. In fact, every end is naught but a beginning of something new. This applies to all sorts of ends, from the deaths of characters to the end of stories. </p><p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The strange thing about character deaths in the Lord of the Rings is that they are often accompanied by song. Today, we might consider singing at a funeral to be disrespectful and not fitting for the solemnity of the occasion. However, odes and evocations are standard in the Lord of the Rings. After the perceived death of Gandalf at Moria, Frodo begins to sing a song about Gandalf and his journeys, his burden, and his courage (bk. II, chp VII). Sam chimes in with his own verse about his fireworks shortly after. While this does not occur immediately after Gandalf’s fall, having been two chapters ago, it remains that the “death” of Gandalf sparked the creation of a song. Out of all the sources it could have come from, it comes from Frodo, who did not sing even in Rivendell. Later on when Boromir dies, Aragorn sings an elegy for him, which Legolas joins in (bk. III, chp I). This does occur during the funeral they hold for him, not so delayed as the previous example. Another case of death inspiring the creation of music. </p><p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Music of praise, it should be remembered. All the songs sung are songs of praise, each song an artistic sub-creation. That is to say, something is created and begun in the moments after the end of another. In this act of artistry and creation, the ideas of Boromir and Gandalf - and by this I mean the notion of them, their conception and form - continue even after their physical (and in Gandalf’s case, false) end. </p><p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The endings of stories also beget beginnings. At Rivendell, Bilbo tells Frodo that “books ought to have good endings,” but what does he mean by a good ending (bk. II, chp. III)? Some sense of closure, perhaps, but according to Frodo there is something more. Later on when Sam and Frodo are journeying beneath the shadows of Cirith Ungol, Sam asks Frodo what kind of tale they’re in. After some conversation, Sam lands upon an interesting note: that they are in the same tale that Beren, the Silmarils, and Earendil are in. He asks Frodo “don’t the great tales never end?” (bk. IV, chp. VIII). To this Frodo responds, “No, they never end as tales… but the people in them come, and go when their part’s ended. Our part will end later - or sooner” (bk. IV, chp. VIII). Here is the meat of the matter: the great tales, the best stories, don’t end: they continue. Even after the last word has been said - or sung - the stories continue afterwards. As Frodo says, the people in them come and go, and they will keep coming and going, creating a cycle of continuation as stories are carried onwards by the people within them. </p><p><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Stories - and people - live onwards after they end. People sing songs about those who have passed, stories continue past the last page, and we write blog posts about stories with last pages written by the now deceased. </p><p> - CLP </p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-91300522059576395512023-05-21T10:54:00.004-07:002023-05-23T09:08:48.170-07:00Eowyn as Healer<p>The Character Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings has always been a topic of great discussion. Questions have been mostly centered around her slaying of the dragon and her choice of becoming a healer. Some may say that Tolkien downgraded her for assigning her the role of a “nurse” instead of staying in battlefield as the woman fighter she has been. However, the act of healing holds immense power of its own, but unleashes in a different way.</p><p>Themes of healing and restoration have been shown in many places of Tolkien’s world. First, Aragorn has proven himself to be the king by showing healing powers, since the hands of the king are the hands of the healer. His arrival in Gondor saves the people and the White Tree also, which withers but thrives after the war. The restoration taken place in his city demonstrates that Aragorn has the ability of a gardener and a healer, setting things into place, in a wider sense. </p><p>The Three Rings, Nenya, Vilya, and Narya, as comparison to the One Ring, have the power of rehabilitation, instead of domination or seduction of one’s mind. When Elrond describes them, he says that “those who made them did not desire strength or dominion or hoarded wealth, but understanding, making. and healing, to preserve all things unstained.” The Three Rings reflect the mind of their maker, Celebrimbor, who, as the heir and last in line of the House of Feanor, the ruler of Eregion, desires to seek a glimpse of hope in the Second Age and to preserve the lands of the elves remained. The Three Rings are never possessed by Sauron and are uncorrupted. Celebrimbor has also made an Elfstone, which is later given to Aragorn. It may symbolizes the friendship and trust between men and elves, and of hope, which is passed down through this elven gem.</p><p>Healing has been associated with care and pity. The healers cure the bodily wounds of their patients, and often they cure them in ways more spiritually. Gandalf talks about the Pity and Mercy of Bilbo to Frodo, and believes that he has been rewarded, since “he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end.” </p><p>Nienna, as a queen of the Valar, is acquainted with grief and mourning, but also pity and courage. Her tears may bring healing and she has cried for the destruction of the Two Trees, but cannot heal their wounds. It is said that Gandalf has been her greatest pupil and learned many things from her, such as pity.</p><p>Together, those examples illustrates that healing and pity are often associated with each other, and they lead to hope, even though sometimes hope seems to be thin. Celebrimbor was tortured and killed by Sauron in a cruel fashion and his lands were lost. But the Three Rings are never found by the enemy, and they have shown their use in the long years of the Third Age. They help Rivendell and Lothlorien to remain hidden, and aid their bearers, such as Gandalf, in war. Aragon, who possesses Celebrimbor’s Elfston, is both a king and a healer. Nienna, who is a substantial symbol of pity and healing, teaches Gandalf that killing is not the only way to fight evil. </p><p>Eowyn may be inspired to think in similar ways. Her change in role is not shown so abruptly as many readers would think. Before the arrival of Gandalf and his companions in the hall of Theoden, Eowyn watches in despair the decay of Theodon, the death of Theodred, and Wormtongue’s poisonous influences. Eowyn is described to be fair, “fair and cold”, when Aragon first sees her, in which warmth is lacking. But out of love and duty she stays to care for her uncle even though Wormtongue is implied to have a desire for her. Her love for the King and uncle, for Rohan, has always been a motivation for her, before battle, on battle, and after. She and Meriadoc face inrecognition when they ride to fight, since they are both rejected by the King. The pair’s motivation is also similar, they both holds love for King Theoden and their people, and fight not for dominion nor revenge, but for love and duty. </p><p>In the House of Healing, Faramir expresses his love for her and says that “do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart.” Eowyn transforms from a shieldmaiden who remarks that she does not heal to a healer, “and love all things that grow and are not barren.” In this sense, her love also “grows”, first from loving her kindred and people, to a wider love that encompasses all growing livings. From the war, she begets an appreciation of the living things, restores and loves, since she wishes to be loved, not pitied. Faramir also promises that he does not offer his pity, but love.</p><p>The power of healing is a gentle gift for those who have love in their heart and not darkened by the war with Sauron, who left many things destroyed and families apart. When people questions whether Eowyn has been degraded, they neglects the overall theme of the trilogy and the fact that she also fights, just like Celebrimbor or Gandalf, and slays the monster, an accomplishment men have not achieved. The duality behind these three characters does not reduce them, but heightens their abilities and helps to complete their character arc.</p><p><span> </span><span> --J.X</span><br /></p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-30891644205971552812023-05-20T16:54:00.003-07:002023-05-23T09:08:21.149-07:00Elves, Immortality, and Language Evolution<p> <span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Language is, without a doubt, one of the most all pervasive factors in Tolkien’s works. This is true to the extent that it is more accurate to say that his works are vessels for his languages, rather than languages being contained within his works. He talks about this fact at length in Letter 165, saying that “The invention of languages is the foundation. The ‘stories’ were made rather to provide a world for the languages than the reverse. To me a name comes first and the story follows.”</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> Given this linguistic foundation for the Lord of the Rings and other works in Tolkien’s legendarium, as well as his background as a philologist, it is no surprise that many specific questions concerning linguistics have definite answers to them.</span></span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">One area of linguistics I have always been fascinated by is historical linguistics, as well as language change and evolution. </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">As such, there were several curiosities I’ve had pertaining to </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">the way that certain languages within Middle Earth, especially Elvish, changed and evolved. </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">The Elvish language family was probably Tolkien’s favorite of the ones he created, given how much attention he paid to its various dialects relative ton others he created, and as such, there is a lot of information to be gathered pertaining to it.</span></span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">When human languages evolve, there are countless mechanisms that it can do so through, always working in conjunction with one another. For this reason, as well as a lack of records, the horizon for where we can see language evolution is relatively recent, all things considered. Mortality also plays an extreme role in this. Not only do we lose entire languages when speakers die, but we also lose generally older forms of language. I’m sure many of us can relate to </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">the experience of speaking with an older person and noticing certain characteristics about their speech that differ from that of our own. This is because they acquired language in their childhood from even older people, and certain things- phrasings, words, sounds, grammar- may have changed during their lifetime. </span></span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">This is not to say that human language does not evolve on the level of the idiolect: the unique speech of an individual. In fact, over the course of someone’s lifetime, their speech will evolve with the wider language community over time. Numerous studies have been done on this, particularly the speech of the late Queen Elizabeth II, whose speech sounds drifted over time, generally in accordance with the drift of upper class, posh British English speakers.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;"> Coupled with the previous experience of hearing an older speaker, we can then conclude that the speech of people over their lifetime does change with society in real time, but in a unique </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">way, partially determined by the version of the language one acquired as a child, and partially by the ongoing acquisition as we hear speech around us.</span></span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Elvish, then, is a very unique case when it comes to </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">language and language evolution, not in terms of its structure or sounds, which, while unique, are firmly within the realm of human plausibility, but rather in the fact that its speakers are immortal. As established, mortality itself acts as a sort of encouraging factor for language evolution, constantly recycling the population to ensure the oldest variant of a language </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">in active speech is, at most, about a hundred years old. This begs the question, then, of what does language evolution look like in a population that does not die?</span></span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">We know Elvish evolved quite a bit. Just in the opening to the Silmarillion, when Tolkien describes the initial waking of the Elves, they develop a language among themselves (often called Primitive Elvish) which had evolved to form what we know as Quenya by the time that the Elves finally crossed to Valinor. Along the way, several other Elvish groups had separated from the primary one moving toward the sea, all of whom would later develop their own tongues, such as Sindarin and Nandorin. This is to say that the primary mechanism that Tolkien describes for Elvish language evolution is </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">the physical separation of speakers in space, preventing them from interacting with one another and the languages naturally diverging. While this description from the Silmarillion gets at the </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">general cause of </span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">the language change, it does not address the actual mechanisms by which it changed.</span></span></p><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px; padding-left: 36px;"></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">In an essay found in The Peoples of Middle Earth, the Dangweth Pengolod, Tolkien states:</span></span></p><p class="s5" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">“</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">A man may indeed change his spoon or his cup at his will, and need ask none to advise him or to follow his choice. It is other indeed with words or the modes and devices of speech. Let him bethink him of a new word, be it to his heart howsoever fresh and fair, it will avail him little in converse, until other men are of like mind or will receive his invention. But among the Eldar there are many quick ears and subtle minds to hear and appraise such inventions, and though many be the patterns and devices so made that prove in the end only pleasing to a few, or to one alone, many others are welcomed and pass swiftly from mouth to mouth, with laughter or delight or with solemn thought - as maybe a new jest or new-found saying of wisdom will pass among men of brighter wit. For to the Eldar the making of speech is the oldest of the arts and the most beloved.</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">” </span></span></p><p class="s5" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;"><span style="line-height: 21.6px;"> </span></p><p class="s5" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">Essentially saying that many of these language innovations came about deliberately rather than as the process of direct contact with other languages or natural drift. In fact, the Elvish languages seem very adverse, generally speaking, to borrowing or otherwise allowing themselves to be influenced by other tongues, partially due to isolation and partially due to attitude. In fact, there are instances such as Thingol’s banning of Quenya in favor of Sindarin that show just how resistant to change from outsiders Elvish is.</span></span></p><p class="s5" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">In all, Tolkien does provide a rationale for how Elvish could change so drastically when its speakers have infinite natural lifespans</span></span><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">, and deliberate language curation seems to be the way this was done. It is interesting that this evolution seems to generally mirror the speed at which human languages evolve, so I remain curious if the information we have yet been given tells the whole story of what he intended for his languages, but the fact that there is an answer for most questions you could ask about Tolkien’s works is one of the reasons it is so enchanting.</span></span></p><p class="s5" style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 21.6px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 36px;"><span class="s2" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 14.4px;"><span class="bumpedFont15" style="font-size: 1.5em; line-height: 21.6px;">-BTS (Wildcard)</span></span></p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-10230793720879324432023-05-19T19:50:00.004-07:002023-05-23T09:08:13.375-07:00Sauron and Aragorn: Mirror Image?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HILCVuECzaZNUrnppPgZqfXHyT3dnQUPZ91D7M9h5T9Ozo0q-_u1taXC1mHciFMLSy_rdj3Cm152yVzFV4bU8MUS87J4nMERp6FYzix1BGT8AXT1dEA6sWuuneVr4-GjWSvTfQIslmoYbFx7pPkb_4SmWBf17NgHoh5HbQoYpOUUeOw7Vsv8JQ4T/s1178/resize.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="1178" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HILCVuECzaZNUrnppPgZqfXHyT3dnQUPZ91D7M9h5T9Ozo0q-_u1taXC1mHciFMLSy_rdj3Cm152yVzFV4bU8MUS87J4nMERp6FYzix1BGT8AXT1dEA6sWuuneVr4-GjWSvTfQIslmoYbFx7pPkb_4SmWBf17NgHoh5HbQoYpOUUeOw7Vsv8JQ4T/s320/resize.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The notion of Aragorn and Sauron as mirroring each other in certain ways comes as natural. They are both lords of realms (lordships which they both earned rather than inherited; or perhaps both in the case of Aragorn) which they govern in different, or really opposite, ways. The realms they govern literally face each other, with one being depicted with soaring and graceful architecture hewn into beautiful mountains and the other as a kind of hellish monstrosity, forced upon the ugly mountains it dwells in. Aragorn and Sauron also both face the temptation of power, in several forms, and react in basically opposite ways, with Aragorn showing restraint and Sauron being consumed. However, on top of these ways in which they mirror each other, another way is that both Sauron and Aragorn desire immortality, but express this desire in, following the theme up to this point, opposite ways. Ultimately, as we will see, their desires, while similar on the surface, are at base reflective of entirely different attitudes, one motivated by love and the other by fear.</span><p></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-37ff74f9-7fff-7194-845b-2e1dc7b71e38"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sauron’s desire for immortality is essentially the central obstacle in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It is that desire which forces the Fellowship to embark upon their fateful journey. When Gandalf tells Frodo about Sauron, he explains that the Dark Lord desires the Ring because “if he recovers it, then he will command them all again, wherever they be, even the Three, and all that has been wrought with them will be laid bare, and he will be stronger than ever” (LOTR, Shadow of the Past). In other words, Sauron would gain God-like powers, with the ability to command not only all of the ring-bearers but also all of Middle-Earth as well. Furthermore, note that Sauron will be able to command ‘even the Three’ - knowing Tolkien’s Christianity, it does not take a massive leap of faith (if you’ll pardon the expression) to wager that ‘the Three’ here is a reference to the Trinity, and that Gandalf is essentially saying that Sauron will gain the ability to dominate even God, which presumably would go alongside immortality. Sauron’s obsessive desire to control and possess the world and its inhabitants, while not explicitly stated in Tolkien’s work, can easily be interpreted as a fearful reaction to the prospect of destruction and loss. Also, of course, Sauron desires to safeguard the Ring in order to protect his own life, but I find this aspect of his ‘desire for immortality’ less interesting and relevant, as this is more reflective of an immediate reaction to save his own life and less demonstrative of a more profound desire for immortality.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aragorn’s desire for immortality is not as often recognized, but is present just as it is with Sauron. A central aspect of Aragorn’s story is his love for Arwen, who, while not being immortal, has a life vastly longer than any human. Aragorn’s choosing of Arwen over Eowyn, a human woman and therefore of the same race as Aragorn, symbolizes his repudiation of his own nature and his desire to claim more and longer life. Aragorn’s choice of Arwen over Eowyn is all the more significant considering his kingship over the most important realm of Men in Middle-Earth; he makes a (practically, if not literally) immortal being his fellow-ruler over Men.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, having established that both Sauron and Aragorn desire immortality, how do their desires mirror and oppose each other? Well, we will have to be more specific about what </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exactly </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">each character desires. While I have used the general term immortality, each actually wants something that is extremely similar to, but not exactly, in accordance with that term. Sauron desires power so great, his influence will be known for all time. He will live on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">through his</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">power and strength</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Aragorn, on the other hand, desires marriage with an elf who will long outlive him and with whom he will have many children. He will live on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">through his progeny</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Sauron wants to control and destroy the forces of nature and fate that would dictate his annihilation. Aragorn desires to co-exist with and respect those forces. This coexistence and mutual respect is highlighted by Arwen’s choice to remain with Aragorn, knowing well the inevitable tragedy that will result due to the difference in their lifespans. Another way of formulating the difference between Aragorn and Sauron is that Sauron is motivated by fear and Aragorn is motivated by love. Here it may be appropriate to quote from the Scriptures, specifically 1 John 4:18, “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” I think we can assume, or at least safely guess, that Tolkien was inspired by these words in developing Sauron and Aragorn (and the story at large).</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think this tension between fear and love is one of the central elements of Tolkien’s stories. In the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lord of the Rings </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that tension is expressed often and clearly through different characters. However, I think Aragorn and Sauron mirror each other most clearly in this respect. In fact, given this mirroring, I think Aragorn is a strong candidate for protagonist of the whole story, especially since Frodo falls somewhere between Aragorn and Sauron on the fear/love dichotomy (he carries on through tremendous obstacles out of love for the Shire but fails in the end due to the fear of loss). Besides Aragorn, only Sam remains as a character who clearly and unambiguously chooses love over fear. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">-LM</p><div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-25407388830951979972023-05-19T19:30:00.003-07:002023-05-23T09:07:44.380-07:00Why Do We (Sub-)Create?<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we finish the quarter and look towards our final projects, I want to explore the importance of creation and subcreation in Tolkien’s works and in our own lives. We have discussed at length the religious themes and spiritual undertones that guide the Lord of the Rings books, from the battle between good and evil to themes of sin and enlightenment to cities in Middle-Earth that directly mirror biblical ones. The impact of Christianity on his writing is undeniable as even he referred to the books as “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision” and that is why the text itself does not contain references to religion, but rather has religion woven into its fabric (Letters, 142). Tolkien's subcreation is not merely an exercise in world-building, but also a reflection of his moral and ethical convictions. Themes of courage, sacrifice, redemption, and the consequences of power permeate his works. Through subcreation, Tolkien weaves these timeless moral truths into the fabric of Middle-earth, providing readers with profound insights and contemplation. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, I would like to end the quarter where we started, by providing a possible answer to the question of what on earth J.R.R. Tolkien was doing when he wrote the Lord of the Rings. Or, more accurately, why do we, as humans, have a fundamental desire to create and subcreate? After all, I believe the entire class opted to create an original work rather than write the essay. Because, as I see it, as human beings, that is what we do. We make pretty things and if we are lucky, we get to share them with the world and see the world through them. I was struck today by our discussion of the perspective of devotional objects and how they dictate what we see. Devotional objects such as crucifixes, rosaries, icons, and statues play a significant role in personal and communal worship. While these objects are used as focal points for prayer, meditation, and contemplation, facilitating a sense of spiritual presence and connection, some may fall into the trap of viewing them through others. Anyone who grew up Catholic could probably tell you about losing focus at mass on Palm Sunday. One minute you are engrossed in your own palm and listening to the priest, and the next you are trying to figure out how Mrs. Smith folded hers into a cross shape or seeing how many times you can tickle your sibling with the tip of your leaf before your mom notices and you get in trouble. Or something like that. All that is to say that when we lose our focal point, we lose our purpose. The process of creation uniquely allows us to hand select our focal point and to see the world and our place in it as we wish to. Our own final projects, which are intended to evoke the same level of depth as Tolkien’s own works, allow us to explore his world in a new way, just as Tolkien has allowed us to view the world in a new way through his own writings. </span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In class, we discussed the purpose of life which is not about us as humans, but rather more divine and beyond us. The world exists in all its glory therefore we must have some purpose and creator. However, I would argue that the purpose of life is, in fact, about us. Life is about what we choose to create and how we choose to create it. Even a Catholic priest, whose life is devoted to the Church, writes a homily every week to inspire his congregation. His creations are devoted to God, but the aspects of the Gospel he chooses to highlight and the feeling he leaves the churchgoers with is, in some rights, his own. The act of creating allows us to see the world in a new way, and grant that same sight to others. When we tap into our imagination, we release our unique vision and interpretation of the world first to ourselves as the creators and then to others. Through this lens of creativity, we become more attuned to the beauty, intricacies, and hidden meanings that may have gone unnoticed. By actively shaping our creations or subcreations, we actively shape our perspective, enabling us to see beyond the surface and embrace the wonders that lie beneath. The act of creation becomes a transformative journey, not only for us the creators but also for our audiences, as it invites us to see the world with fresh eyes. Whether that is because we are perfect beings created in God’s divine image is up to the creator and the viewer. But the process of subcreation itself, the purpose of life, I would argue, is fundamentally about us. For “Blessed are the legend-makers with their rhyme of things not found within recorded time.” - JMR</span></p>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-45781908543362023092023-05-19T19:10:00.008-07:002023-05-23T09:07:16.136-07:00Cram, Lembas, and World War I Rations<p> <span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">In class, we discussed the possibility of</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">lembas</i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">as the bread of the Eucharist.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">However, considering Tolkien’s participation in World War I, I believe it should be considered the Elvish version of hardtack.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">The</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">cram </i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">of the human Dale-men is clearly the human parallel to hardtack but, similar to how different nations had their own hardtacks, I believe</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">lembas</i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">should be considered as a magical hardtack.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">According to Christopher Tolkien, “Lembas is the Sindarin name, and comes the older form lenn-mbass ‘journey bread’” (Christopher Tolkien,</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Peoples of Middle Earth</i><span face="Calibri, sans-serif">, 408), mirroring the function of hardtack.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hardtack served as the typical military or ship’s ration before the invention of MREs. It was an incredibly dense and unbelievably hard biscuit or cracker made of water, flour, and, occasionally, salt, that was valued for its longevity and inexpensive cost of production. Hardtack was a ration of last resort and was only eaten when nothing else was available, and the Elves’ description of <i>lembas</i> mirrors this purpose:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">“[<i>lembas</i>] are given to serve you when all else fails. The cakes will keep sweet for many days…as we have brought them. One will keep a traveller on his feet for a day of long labour.” (J.R.R Tolkien, <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, 371)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"> Even the description of <i>lembas </i>as “very thin cakes, made of a meal that was baked a light brown on the outside” mirrors the appearance of hardtack.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><img height="285" src="http://www.nellaware.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Hardtack.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: block; margin: auto;" width="263" /><div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Hardtack was a notoriously loathed food, with many generations of soldiers and sailors all loathing its existence. A soldier in the American Civil War voiced the complaints of many when he wrote about what it was like to depend on hardtack for sustenance:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">“A year ago to-day I cradled rye for Theron Wilson, and I remember we had chicken pie for dinner with home-made beer to wash it down, To-day I have hard-tack. Have I ever described hard-tack to you? … In size they are about like a common soda cracker, and in thickness about like two of them…. But… The cracker eats easy, almost melts in the mouth, while hard-tack is harder and tougher than so much wood. I don’t know what the word “tack” means, but the “hard” I have long understood….. Very often they are mouldy, and most always wormy. We knock them together and jar out the worms, and the mould we cut or scrape off. Sometimes we soak them until soft and then fry them in pork grease, but generally we smash them up in pieces and grind away until either the teeth or the hard-tack gives up. I know why Dr. Cole examined our teeth so carefully when we passed through the medical mill at Hudson.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> (August 1, 1863, Sergeant Lawrence Van Alstyne, 128<sup>th</sup> New York Infantry)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Charming. Tolkien, having served in World War I, would have been extremely familiar with hardtack and therefore would have known the misery that it was to eat day after day. I believe Tolkien’s experiences with hardtack are why Samwise was not the biggest fan of <i>lembas</i>, despite how good it, supposedly tasted. In fact, Samwise’s opinion on <i>lembas</i>, while not as unfavorable,<i> </i>echoes that of Sergeant Van Alystyne:<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">“The <i>lembas</i> had a virtue without which they would long ago have lain down to die. It did not satisfy desire, and at time Sam’s mind was filled with the memories of food, and the longing for simple bread and meats.” (J.R.R Tolkien, <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, 936)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><img src="https://www.3rdusreenactors.com/s/cc_images/cache_8814059.jpg?t=1431267947" style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: block; margin: auto; text-indent: 0px;" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Delving further into this comparison, I believe that <i>cram</i> is meant to represent the British version of hardtack, while <i>lembas</i> represent the Australian version, otherwise known as “Anzac biscuits”. Anzac biscuits were a much more palatable version of the standard hardtack, often including golden syrup in the recipe. This mirrors how <i>lembas</i> were sweeter than <i>cram</i> and “more pleasant than <i>cram</i> by all accounts”.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Due to all of this, I believe that the arduousness of Sam and Frodo’s journey to Mt. Doom should be regarded in the same way as the situation of the soldiers trapped in the trenches of World War I. The extreme mental and physical strain on the soldiers fighting in World War I mirrors the experience of Sam and Frodo on their journey to Mt. Doom. One might be able to take this a step further and compare the entire story of <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> to the First World War since every race in Middle Earth participated. This, however, is a different discussion.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Regardless, the comparison of <i>lembas </i>and hardtack, as explored above, is an example of the importance of food that appears throughout Tolkien’s literature. Bilbo’s feast at the beginning of <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> established the characteristics of Hobbits and Bilbo himself. The extravagance of the feast and Bilbo’s shenanigans during it perfectly framed his character and set up his relationship with each branch of his family. It also gave us great insight into the nature of the Hobbits. It was much more effective to demonstrate the Hobbits’ appreciation for food by showing us Hobbits eating and drinking to such an extent that some had to be carried home in wheelbarrows than to show a hobbit building a Scooby-Doo-style sandwich and eating it. In <i>The Hobbit</i> as well food played an important role, with the feast thrown by Elrond in chapter 3 serving as an important stopping point in the story and could potentially be seen as a mending of relations between the Elves and the Dwarves. The dragon-tail cake in the story of Farmer<i> </i>Giles serves as another example of the importance of food as a literary device to Tolkien. Through all of this, it should become clear that the <i>lembas</i>during the journey to Mt. Doom served an important symbolic role, emphasizing the plight of Sam and Frodo during their quest.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image sources:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.nellaware.com/blog/hardtack-described.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.nellaware.com/blog/hardtack-described.html</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.3rdusreenactors.com/home/cooking/hardtack/">https://www.3rdusreenactors.com/home/cooking/hardtack/</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-CG</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-23835921038926234042023-05-19T18:05:00.004-07:002023-05-23T09:07:03.954-07:00Slaying Dragons and Salvation<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to use my wild card to come back to our discussion on jewels, dragons, and heaven because I think it’s very indicative of the type of myth The Lord of the Rings is, a fundamentally Christian one. I waited so long to go back and summarize my readings about jewels and dragons because I needed to meditate on further themes of evil, salvation, and love to get to this more polished conclusion. Dragons and jewels are not just core parts of fantasy as a genre, but they are the core story of the mythos of faery, Lord of the Rings, and Christianity. </span></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-51a08e47-7fff-dead-b164-ca782afc628d" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So why do dragons guard treasure?</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In our discussion regarding monsters and critics, we analyzed dragons from a meta-perspective, the gatekeepers of the treasure of literature, the faery; they are the guardians of the secondary reality. But how do dragons appear within Tolkien’s work itself? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The history of Dragons that appear in the Silmarillion tell us that it was Morgoth who bred the dragons in the first age, and many of these dragons were used in the battles for the Silmarils, the War of the Jewels. The connection between dragons and jewels, then, is not just a trope but their purpose. It is not that dragons happen to guard jewels, but they were made for guarding jewels. This purpose tells us a lot already about how they function within the world. As humans were created to be sub-creators, dragons were created to guard jewels, something they fundamentally did not make, something stolen. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The most potent relationships we see regarding these dragons in the books are dragons and the Dwarves and dragons as the stead of the Witch King. The Dwarves and Smaug make for the most salient comparison where the Dragon hoards the treasure the Dwarves are after, and they are only able to get the arkenstone by defeating the dragon. The dragon the Witch king rides is also hoarding a jewel, the ring, seeking out this treasure in the books. Here we see dragons fundamentally aligned with greed, but as discussed, they are not mere allegories or personifications of vices such as greed or pride. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When greed is discussed, I want to remove it from the common conception of greed and focus on the form of greed or greedy-love we have discussed in relation to Feanor and the Silmarils. To have dragons be representative of greed doesn’t answer the question of why Jesus is the dragon slayer, the hero, because Jesus does much more than slay greed in the Christian tradition; When discussing greed, more importantly greedy-loving, in Tolkiens work, it has been in relation to Feanor’s greedy love of the Silmarils which led to the war, Gollum’s greedy-love for the ring which led to his own demise, an most importantly the Numenoreans greedy-love for life which led to the fall of Numenor. When we discuss this idea of greedy-love, we are discussing the idea of the origin of sin itself and the evil forces which lead to the fall in the first place. Therefore, there is a fundamental connection between the dragons and jewels and the salvation of men in a larger sense than just getting the treasure. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dragons are greedy-lovers for only jewels, so then what’s up with these jewels? </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, I think there are two key aspects of jewels, and they both come together with the fused nature of how Tolkien conceptualizes Jewels as light and flesh while also being rock. This is evident in the literal creation of a jewel (a rock worked by human creativity and skill) but also the mythos of the jewel in Tolkien’s work. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, on the idea of the body. We discussed how Christian tombs would often display bones covered in gems which mirrors two biblical concepts: 1.) the jeweled breastplate of Aaron in Exodus 28 and 2.) the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21. For Aaron, the value of the jewels are not just in their beauty and skill, but also where it allows him to go, inside of the tabernacle, the house of Adonai and the place of worship for the Israelites. The jewels allow Aaron’s body to connect with God. In Revelation, the jewel is New Jerusalem itself, and this is particularly interesting. The jewel is the city which is also named The Bride of Christ, another body that is in communion with God. Here, it is a city, so the body is collective, and it allows all who inhabit it to be in an eternal relationship with God. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So to put it simply, dragons hoard jewels, and their greedy-love prevents us from connecting and being with God. That is why Jesus is the dragon-slayer, he is the Way to God, and no one can get there except through him. This seems to take on the particular meaning for bodily salvation, where people are able to get to heaven and connect to God by means of their connection to jewels, Christ. They cannot find this bodily salvation themselves, but instead have Him slay their dragons for them. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is supported by the second idea of the jewel, the jewel as light, which has a really fascinating link into a larger form of salvation in both Tolkien’s work and for the Christian meaning. Light, in Tolkien’s work is a form of warding off evil, particularly the Phial of Galadriel which carries the light of Earendil, Earendil who also slayed a dragon and is Tolkien’s creation of Christ in his mythology. Outside of Galadreil being akin to Mary, the elves in general are wise because they see the light, the light of the Eldar but also the inner consistency of the universe. Outside of the bodily salvation, the access one has to the light or wisdom of creation is another, perhaps larger for of salvation that brings about the second coming of Christ. To slay the dragon then is not just to have individual bodily resurrection, but a much more powerful eternal resurrection and salvation for the whole of creation. I’m sure this is the light we might have seen when Jesus fought off Satan. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This idea of slaying dragons for the eternal salvation of the world comes into conversation with our second day of Jewels and trees, how the living jewel trees are like the cross, and once that great jewel was shared with the world after the dragon was slain, mankind was able to access God fully and for all time. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps we can see Melkor as a dragon-like character, the father of dragons, the one who captured light for the Silmarils and whose greedy-love reduced them to be hidden away from the world. This brings a much clearer stake to the battles to get the Silmarils back. What rests on slaying the dragon to retrieve the jewel is not just about restoring our bodies but also our connection to the creator and our purpose in creation, restoring what it originally meant to be sub-creators before the fall. The beauty of the jewels reaffirms our purpose of sub-creation, and our use of the jewels in non-greedy love, after getting them back from the dragon, reaffirms our relationship with the Creator Himself. </span></p></span>-Gabby Bayness"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746173806126403959.post-83699256413600929162023-05-16T18:03:00.003-07:002023-05-23T09:06:45.085-07:00Frodo’s Fate: Why He and Eärendil Left Middle Earth<span id="docs-internal-guid-afa65c6b-7fff-e089-b742-7a5afdab1fed"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>When I first read </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Return of the King</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as a ten-year-old, the ending confused me. I couldn’t understand why Frodo just <i>left</i>—hadn’t they defeated Sauron? Why wasn’t Frodo able to stay and enjoy the Shire they had restored? It all felt rather depressing, and it was very unlike other fantasy stories I’d read. In other words, I didn’t like it. When I reread the books later, I came to appreciate the thematic meaning behind it, as well as the probable inspiration from Tolkien’s own experiences in WWI. But there was still something sad about Frodo being unable to truly enjoy the world he saved.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Frodo isn’t the only character that Tolkien wrote about who suffered this fate. Eärendil, hero of the First Age in the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quenta Silmarillion</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, experiences something remarkably similar—his voyage to Arda to inform the Valar of the plight of the Eldar is successful, but he is never able to return to Middle Earth. In addition, he is largely separated from his wife Elwing. Both end up leaving Middle Earth despite saving it, and I want to know why.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-a61fdd17-7fff-6b20-e357-030621155e7a"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>It seems I am not the only person thinking about this, because Tolkien actually addressed it in one of his letters. In Letter 181, he says “I think that ‘victors’ can never enjoy ‘victory’ — not in the terms that they envisaged; and in so far as they fought for something </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to be enjoyed by themselves</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> … the less satisfactory will ‘victory’ seem.” Frodo furthermore comments in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Return of the King</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that “when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them.” This theme of sacrifice feels true to the story of both characters—and has Christian thematic ties as well—but why Eärendil and Frodo specifically? Other major characters—Beren and Luthien, Sam, Aragorn are all able to live happy lives after their adventures. Why the discrepancy in the application of Tolkien’s rule? What do Frodo and Eärendil do (or not do) that sets their fates apart?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-d73128a5-7fff-8a19-2254-d7646ca0cba7"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>After careful rereading of certain scenes, I think we can highlight two common threads that explain why Frodo and Eärendil left Middle Earth over other characters. The first is failure—compared to some of Tolkien’s other characters, Frodo and Eärendil both fail crucial tasks or responsibilities. Eärendil’s failure is to break the rule that the Eldar may not return to Valinor. He was, of course, journeying there under exceptional circumstances, and without the Silmaril would not have been able to make it there in the first place. Yet despite those potential excuses, it’s clear Eärendil recognizes he is violating the Valar’s law—he says “that peril [violating the ban] I will take on myself alone,” though Elwing eventually follows him. When Manwe passes judgment, he exempts them from punishment for violating the ban “for love of the Two Kindreds,” but decrees “they shall not walk again ever among Elves or Men in the Outer Lands.” It’s not a punishment, necessarily, but there is a consequence to Eärendil and Elwing’s failure to abide by the law.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-2652c687-7fff-c414-600d-82aaee23d2ca"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>Frodo, like Eärendil, also fails—he succumbs to the Ring’s influence at the last moment and fails to throw it into the fires of Mount Doom. Tolkien is clear in Letter 246 that “Frodo indeed ‘failed’ as hero,” though he is clear that it is not really a moral failing given the Ring’s power. This is quite similar to Eärendil—both were not morally wrong, yet still failed in their responsibilities. Tolkien observes that guilt and disquiet slowly grow in Frodo as a result of this failure, and it is one of the reasons Gandalf and the elves suggest that he leave with them. Thus Frodo’s departure can be read similarly to Eärendil’s—it is a consequence of failure, albeit one he is not morally responsible for.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-02658356-7fff-e700-44ed-543b1e930301"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>Other characters don’t suffer failures of this type. Sam, as a servant to Frodo, is entirely dedicated to his master and does everything he can to support him. Aragorn, meanwhile, successfully travels the Paths of the Dead, defends Gondor, and becomes King. Even Beren and Luthien completed their quest to retrieve a Silmaril. Though they failed in some respects, it was not in a core responsibility like Eärendil and Frodo. Thus, they escape the same fate.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-43c3715b-7fff-06f4-1087-d79ee7449a65"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>These core failures explain why there has to be a consequence for Frodo and Eärendil, but why leave Middle Earth specifically? Frodo offers Sam an explanation for why he must leave; he says he has “been too deeply hurt” to stay. Tolkien adds in Letter 246 that Frodo “saw himself and all he had done as a broken failure.” In other words, he feels guilty and tormented about his failure and struggles to feel like he can peacefully enjoy the Shire that he almost failed. Thus, it is natural for him to sail over the Sea, where he can find the “reflection and peace” that he can’t get in Middle Earth. Frodo is in a state very different from the other surviving members of the Fellowship—he is psychologically distressed, and thus Valinor is a better place for him.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-f66058f1-7fff-2150-0772-e75e8ab4f233"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>Interestingly, we can infer that Eärendil might be in a similar position. He has always been torn between his elven and human sides, and Tolkien notes “he could not rest” and was constantly at sea. This restlessness seems to have taken a toll—when Elwing and him must choose to be elven or human, he tells her, “‘Choose thou, for now I am weary of the world.’” His words imply he’s in a state similar to Frodo in that Middle Earth; he’s conflicted about his life, and the material world no longer brings joy to him. Thus, being removed from Middle Earth makes sense for Eärendil if he wants to find a different purpose.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>Of course, neither Eärendil nor Frodo really suffer a “punishment”—in fact, leaving Middle Earth may have been better for both of them given that each became weary of their previous life. But to me their respective failures are still an important reason why they had to leave, why the “victor” couldn’t enjoy their “victory.” Though their failures are completely understandable and not the fault of either Eärendil or Frodo, they still have consequences, suggesting that moral responsibility does not shield us from the fallout of what we do. It also connects strongly back to ideas of sacrifice present in Christian traditions (we did refer to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lord of the Rings</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-indent: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as a “sacred history” after all). Though I wasn’t necessarily wrong to feel melancholy that Frodo and Eärendil were unable to stay in Middle Earth after saving it, the fact remains that both may actually be in a better place after leaving. Their departure from Middle Earth was a consequence of their failure, to be sure, but perhaps they both found peace afterwards.</span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-8c8ecfdf-7fff-3955-a3ac-9699911daeb2"><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span> </span>-AS (wildcard)</span></div></span></div>"Tolkien: Medieval and Modern"http://www.blogger.com/profile/04348913969813157482noreply@blogger.com4