‘The Workhouse’ – Tolkien’s Purgatory

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Leaf by Niggle is, at least to my knowledge, Tolkien’s only work which dwells upon the Catholic concept of purgatory. Now, I’m a Christian, but not a Catholic, so this doctrine is quite foreign to me. I have no wish to accept or adopt it, since I see no Biblical basis for it, but I would like to explore it in order to understand Tolkien better. (There has been previous discussion of this work on the Autobiographical Tolkien thread, but I’d like to concentrate on this specific aspect, hence a separate thread.)

Here’s what the story tells us about purgatory (though it is never called by that name):

1. Empty-handed arrival – Niggle lost even the little bag with paint-box and sketches that he had grabbed at the last minute to take with him.

2. Unpleasant treatment – The environment is very unfriendly and devoid of human warmth and fellowship; here’s how it’s described:

The medicine they gave him was bitter. The officials and attendants were unfriendly, silent, and strict; and he never saw anyone else, except a very severe doctor, who visited him occasionally. It was more like being in a prison than in a hospital. He had to work hard, at stated hours: at digging, carpentry, and painting bare boards all one plain colour. He was never allowed outside, and the windows all looked inwards. They kept him in the dark for hours at a stretch, ‘to do some thinking,’ they said.

3. Long stay – Though Niggle lost count of time, it felt like it was at least a century, probably longer.

4. Corrective purpose – He did not feel better, only worrying regretfully about the past, and felt no pleasure. However, he felt that he was perhaps becoming useful and gained a feeling of satisfaction, “bread rather than jam”, in his more efficient use of time.

He could take up a task the moment one bell rang, and lay it aside promptly the moment the next one went, all tidy and ready to be continued at the right time. He got through quite a lot in a day, now; he finished small things off neatly. He had no ‘time of his own’ (except alone in his bed-cell), and yet he was becoming master of his time; he began to know just what he could do with it. There was no sense of rush. He was quieter inside now, and at resting-time he could really rest.

5. Change for unknown reason – He was suddenly subjected to hard manual labour with little sleep, ending in total exhaustion and the need for complete rest.

6. Debate of the Two Voices – He overheard Voices debating on his fate, voices I would call ‘Law’ vs. ‘Grace’, as they sound similar to some passages in New Testament epistles. The First Voice was severe, bringing all of his negative characteristics and past deeds into the discussion. The Second Voice was more gentle and hopeful, though still authoritative. It pleaded his case with the words, “His heart was in the right place,” (The First Voice’s answer amuses me: “His head was not screwed on tight enough.” ) and went on to add up the positive points that spoke for Niggle. The moment of Eucatastrophe for me is when the First Voice says, “But you have the last word.” Grace prevails over the Law!

7. The next stage – The end of captivity and passive submission/resignation, the end of corrective punishment; entrance into freedom, exploration and new creativity, as well as fellowship and friendship.

Niggle woke up to find that his blinds were drawn, and his little cell was full of sunshine. …comfortable clothes had been put out for him, not hospital uniform. After breakfast the doctor treated his sore hands, putting some salve on them that healed them at once.

All is full of light, joy and beauty. Purgatory ends, Paradise begins.


My admittedly vague notions of purgatory are of a punishment preceding entrance into heaven. Tolkien adds a corrective purpose to that, making it a place where character traits lacking in real life are added to round off the personality. Is it for that reason that he sees it as a necessary stage of the after-life, even for a redeemed Christian like himself? I don’t understand why Grace takes effect only after a long period of punishment, as grace waives punishment in my understanding of Christian doctrine, but apparently he saw it that way.

I’d be interested in hearing what Catholics who know more about the doctrine of purgatory have to say about it, as well as the opinions of others on this concept in Leaf by Niggle. Also, are there any passages in other works, HoME or ‘Letters’ perhaps, that deal with purgatory, or does anyone see a shadow of something similar in LotR?

[davem]

I've always ataken the Halls of Mandos as the Middle earth equivalent of Purgatory.

Originally Posted by Esty

My admittedly vague notions of purgatory are of a punishment preceding entrance into heaven. Tolkien adds a corrective purpose to that, making it a place where character traits lacking in real life are added to round off the personality. Is it for that reason that he sees it as a necessary stage of the after-life, even for a redeemed Christian like himself?

As I understand it (not being a Catholic either), that isn't Tolkien's addition, but the whole purpose of Purgatory. Purgatory implies a 'purging' of faults, & a perfecting of the individual.

I don’t understand why Grace takes effect only after a long period of punishment, as grace waives punishment in my understanding of Christian doctrine, but apparently he saw it that way.

I don't see this - if it were the case that grace worked in that way then what part does the individual play in the process? What about the necessity for repentance? Surely repentance requires that the individual be purified, usually by experience, & I can't see that it matters whether that purificatory experience comes during life or after death. If the individual is not so 'purified' by experience, how would they realise they needed grace? The problem with the protestant approach, to put the opposing case,(& I'm not a protestant, either) is that there is no second chance, no opportunity to review one's deeds in life & try & make amends.

Let's say Niggle's story had been a protestant allegory - Niggle would have been judged on his actions in his earthly life only, with no opportunity to take stock & make himself fit to go on to the mountains. As he was when he took his 'journey' he would never have been able to get to them, let alone over them to what lay beyond.

Whatever, Niggle's experience is necessary for Niggle, which is the point. Perhaps he was in heaven already, but didn't realise it, & his 'purgatorial' experience was actually his awakening to it, & realisation that he was already 'there'.

In the end though, Tolkien was a Catholic, & Catholics believe in purgatory, so if Tolkien was going to write a story about dying & what comes after, purgatory would be part of it.

Of course, its not exactly the Catholic purgatory, as Niggle is not aided in his process by the prayers of those in the world - he must get through it under his own steam.

[Bêthberry]

I will have to reread Leaf by Niggle, Esty, before I can reply at length here to yours and davem's discussion, but for a Catholic statement on purgatory, here is a link to the online Catholic Encyclopedia.

Possibly an entry closer to the teachings Tolkien would have received (and we should beware the automatic assumption that he held no independence of thought concerning the theology he was taught) would be found in the 1911 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia, which expresses Church doctrine and ideas before the reforms of the Vatican Council. That, of course, is not available online but only in libraries. Fascinating reading at times, especially in comparison to later editions of the encyclopedia.

[mark12_30]

Esty,

IMO Tolkien had the only appealing outlook on purgagory that I've ever encountered-- except for George MacDonald's long sleep. And MacDonald was not catholic...

Tolkien said that Frodo's trip to Valinor was both a reward and a purgatory. Letters, of course (ducks flying objects from the canonicity thread.) Now that my books are all nicely arranged on my cleaned-up re-org'd shelf, I know right where to find them... I'll return to this after lunch.

[Kuruharan]

I don’t understand why Grace takes effect only after a long period of punishment, as grace waives punishment in my understanding of Christian doctrine, but apparently he saw it that way.

It is perhaps a mistake to view this as punishment. It could be corrective and I would not equate correction with punishment. Something like Niggle being in the shop for repairs. Grace was what allowed him to proceed on to the Workhouse, even though he had not brought any of the required luggage. However, receiving Grace did not make Niggle entirely ready for what was to come. Niggle was not ready for Paradise because he perhaps could not understand it and not fully appreciate it. He had to go through the Workhouse to have a final reshaping of his mind. It is interesting to note that, if anything, Niggle developed a more practical outlook during his stay.

What about the necessity for repentance? Surely repentance requires that the individual be purified

Not necessarily. Repentance is more of the realization of the need rather than requiring a purification process to get to it.

If the individual is not so 'purified' by experience, how would they realise they needed grace?

If Niggle had been purified already he would not need the Grace. Purification sort of eliminates the need for repentance.

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Quote:
Esty:
I don’t understand why Grace takes effect only after a long period of punishment, as grace waives punishment in my understanding of Christian doctrine, but apparently he saw it that way.


It is perhaps a mistake to view this as punishment. It could be corrective and I would not equate correction with punishment. Something like Niggle being in the shop for repairs.

Quote: Davem
What about the necessity for repentance? Surely repentance requires that the individual be purified


Not necessarily. Repentance is more of the realization of the need rather than requiring a purification process to get to it.

Much to consider here; but allow me to define a few terms so that readers will know from whence I come. Esty, I expect some variance between our definitions, perhaps you would like to clarify yours as well.

Mercy vs grace:

Mercy is not getting what I deserve. I break the law; I deserve to be punished; mercy isdisplayed when the judge chooses not to give me the punishment I fairly deserve.

Grace is getting what I don't deserve. I haven't earned any food; you feed me. I haven't shown you any loyalty; you welcome me into your family. Grace is displayed when gift is freely given without regard to merit: "Unmerited favor".

Given these definitions, protestant theology holds: "Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." The scriptures state we cannot earn that forgiveness, but can only accept or reject it. If we accept it, then our sin is taken away. It is a spiritual transaction, simple and complete. Hence, there is no punishment remaining.

Based on this, the childhood definition of purgatory that I grew up with-- purgatory is where you finish paying for the sins you comitted here-- simply makes no sense, and belittles the sacrifice of the messiah. If I can pay for my sin, why was he sacrificed?

On the other hand, what we do take into eternity (once we are stripped of our sin) is our character: as little or as much of it as we have developed in our years on earth. Tolkien's purgatory is geared , not so much toward punishment(although it is a dreary place to be sure) as it is geared toward character development. This is an entirely different discussion. Character development depends on the interaction of the soul with the grace of God; God gives the soul grace to grow in character.

This is why I say that Tolkien's purgatory is almost palatable. He does not belittle the sacrifice of the messiah; he merely desires to continue character development, to fill in what is lacking. While I see no scriptural support for his idea, I understand the heart behind it, and it is not one of false humility; it is one of wanting the best to give away.

"This day you will be with me in paradise" is still the decisive argument for me, and trumps all logic and storytelling of Tolkien and MacDonald combined. Nevertheless, I am as intrigued by Tolkien's view of purgatory as I am of MacDonald's-- not because I believe it or see scriptural room for it, but because I hear the heart-cry desiring nobility of character. That comes by grace; and the desire to prolong that period of grace is one I can understand.

And incidentally, that nobility of character is what Frodo sailed west to pursue. He did not need forgiveness; he had that. He needed healing, and part of the healing was enough nobility of character to see himself as he was: "in littleness and greatness." And that means, again, not so much mercy-- but grace.

[mark12_30]

LETTERS:

p.198

...For mortals... this is strictly a temporary reward: a healing and redress of suffering. THey cannot abide for ever, and though they canot return to mortal earth, they can and will 'die'- of free will, and leave the world.

("mortal earth" is not a typo, that is the correct quote. )

p. 328

Frodo was sent or allowed to pass over Sea to heal him-- if that could be done, before he died. He would have eventually to 'pass away'; no mortal could, or can, abide forever on earth, or within time. So he went both to a purgatory and a reward, for a while: a period of reflection and peace and gaining a truer understanding of his position in littleness and greatness, spent still in Time amid the natural beauty of 'Arda Unmarred', the Earth unspoiled by evil.

Frodo's 'purgatory' does not sound like a punishment to me. Tolkien states as much in the following:

Footnote on page 386:

She (Galadriel) Concludes her lament with a wish or prayer that Frodo may as a special grace be granted a purgatorial (but not penal) sojourn in Eressea, the Solitary Isle in sight of Aman...

p.411

As for Frodo or other mortals, they could only dwell in Aman for a limited time-- whether brief or long. The Valar had neither the power nor the right to confer 'immortality' on them. Their sojourn was a 'purgatory', but one of peace and healing and they would eventually pass away (die at their own desire and of free will) to destinations of which the Elves knew nothing.

Tolkien specifically states that Frodo's 'purgatory' is one of peace and healing.

[davem]

But isn't the point of the Niggle story the nature of the subcreator? In Niggle's Parish the Tree is a 'given', but the rest, the perfecting of the place comes about as a result of Niggle's stay in the Workhouse. In other words, Niggle's Parish only comes into being because Niggle went through that purgatorial experience. Say all you want about the 'gift' of the Messiah, but if the Messiah gave us everything then we would have nothing uniquely our own to give ourselves. God is the Creator, creating the primary world, we are subcreator's & we create, in His image, secondary worlds. Niggle is purged so that he can become a more accomplished subcreator. The skills he learns in the Workhouse enable him to make his vision of the Tree & the Lands surrounding it 'real'. For Tolkien, it seems to me, what lies beyond the Mountains is not 'eternal bliss' but eternal (sub) creativity. And that subcreativity will involve work, suffering of a kind, in order to bring new things into being. Tolkien's paradise is not a place of rest, but of work.

From this perspective, 'Grace' isn't the issue. Grace is another thing, for another purpose. Leaf by Niggle is about the nature of subcreation, not salvation. Grace plays a part: ''Its a gift' he said.', (& in the Shepherd's invitation), but subcreation is a different thing - it doesn't depend on grace, or on being 'saved' - Melkor is a subcreator in that he wants to rearrange the world, he dreams of the world being different, & that begins as a plan, a 'secondary world which only exists (at first) in his mind. Any storyteller, 'saved' or not, graced or not, is a subcreator. Subcreation, for Tolkien, is part of our nature, inherited from our 'Father' - it is neither blessed nor cursed, its simply what we do. 'Leaf by Niggle' is about how Niggle comes to understand the nature of subcreation, & how to best make use of the gift (or the 'Grace' if you will).

So, as I said, the Workhouse is not Purgatory in the strict sense - it doesn't work in the same way, because its not designed to achieve the same thing.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

Grace is getting what I don't deserve. I haven't earned any food; you feed me. I haven't shown you any loyalty; you welcome me into your family. Grace is displayed when gift is freely given without regard to merit: "Unmerited favor".

The application of Grace is broader than mere release from the Workhouse. That Niggle is allowed to spend time developing his character in areas of his weaknesses is, itself, Grace. To construe the two voices as Law and Grace is to misunderstand this. Rightly or wrongly, I have always seen the two voices as Father and Son - - - the Son was not even known of in the Old Testament, but there are multitudinous instances of Grace throughout the O.T. So the two Voices are discussing the application of continued Grace to Niggle, and what form it should take, whether more punishment, or reward.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thanks, davem, for the reminder on the 'purge' in purgatory - you're right, though it seems to me that it occurs by fire, as metal is purged of impurities. I wonder how that would fit in with Tolkien's idea of purgatory as drudgery?! work = fire? Bb, thanks for that link - I'll check it out before I get into any deeper waters in this discussion! I look forward to a closer look at that 'Letters' reference, mark/Helen!

edit - Cross-posted with Kuruharan - thanks for those thought-provoking comments!