1. LadyArin says:

    I was going to let someone else say something, since i’m not really keen on the kind of research that an in-depth response would require, but seeing as no one’s said anything, i’ll point out that yes, Middle Earth does have a God.

    I doubt Tolkien intended The One Ring as the ultimate depiction of sin. Sauron himself isn’t even the closest thing to a Satan-analogue — that would be Morgoth, who tried to sing his own song when God created the world, only to be told by God: “And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.”

    I’m not an expert on Tolkien, but i know one of the things he loved about Norse mythology was the bravery in the face of certain defeat: ultimately, Fenris Ulf will devour the world and end everything, but until then, the brave fight, and are honored in Valhalla. That’s probably the reason that in so much of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Silmarillion”, it seems like Evil has the upper hand. But that’s not the end of the story.

What do you think?