That good night: gift or punishment?

[Bêthberry]

I'm not really enamoured of starting threads, but Lalwendë has suggested this topic might make a good Books discussion, so I shall offer it in the hopes that I don't have to nurture the thread along.

The idea derived on Kath's Movies thread, "Death Portrayal". Most of us are aware that within Tolkien's Legendarium, death is said to be the gift of Illuvatar to man. This is a very different attitude towards death than that in Tolkien's own faith, where death is viewed as punishment for the sin of disobedience (or as a consequence of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil) and thus something to be feared. I'm not sure how far a discussion would go into some of the implications for this difference, but I will copy some of the initial posts which got me thinking and then I'll just let everyone jump in--or not, as you all choose! The posts discussing the movies I won't copy here, as they belong to the topic in Movies.

Originally Posted by Ar-Pharazon

The perception of death as a gift by Illuvatar to the mortal kinds is lost during the dark years of Melkor/Morgoth's reign in middle earth. Morgoth's creates a fear of death throught the slaying of the three kins and using death as tool to punish them. This twisted the perception of death for them. Men become fearful of death (ie Numenor invades Valinor to take immortality, because their king (my username) fears his impending death).

Originally Posted by Bethberry

Well, I'm going to ask a question which is in part inspired by Ar-Pharazon's post.

One of the aspects of the Legendarium's ethos which has always intrigued me is this idea that death is a gift. In pagan belief, death appears to have been represented as a part of the cycle of life, with the goddess of three aspects representing both fertility and death. (I say 'appears' as there are many forms of belief in the pagan, pre-Christian world and likely this is an overgeneralisation.)

Death certainly was not a gift in the Christian ethos which Tolkien believed in; it was/is punishment for the sin of disobedience (if I am understanding this correctly) or was a consequence of learning, of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If death is a punishment, then it becomes something to be feared, especially with dark predictions about torment in hell for people who have not behaved according to the required mythology.

What might Tolkien have been trying to suggest in calling death a gift? Is Ar-Pharazon correct in attributing to Melkor this twisted fear of death? Was Tolkien just writing a good story or was there something profound in what he wanted to say about attitudes towards death?

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

This is a nice poser, Bethberry!

I think that this belief has much to do with the idea that the body itself returns to the Earth, returns the nourishment and energy it has gained whilst alive. Much pagan belief also places great importance in the sense of the earth as our Mother, so in effect we are born from her and then return to her. This is possibly why so many barrows and other tombs have small entrances and bear a resemblance to female anatomy; and linked to this are landscape features with names that hint at past reverence as 'mother' figures, such as Mam Tor, or the Paps of Jura.

In Tolkien's world, the spirit of Men leaves Arda at death, which is different to what we know of Pagan or ancient beliefs. Although, I cannot be sure of all the older beliefs, as I have the feeling that the Egyptians may have had something similar in that souls went into the stars?

Anyway, broadly generalising it seems that pagan beliefs see souls as part of the earth while Christian beliefs see souls as apart from the earth. The latter is akin to what happens to Men in/from Arda, but the former is akin to what happens to the Elves.

This has got far away from the original question though, but it would make a great new thread perhaps?

And now, over to you, Downers...

[alatar]

Great thread - was actually considering creating the same thread, yet haven't had the time nor sure...hmmm...exactly how to tell why I've considered the same.

But here goes anyway.

I'm losing my father to terminal cancer (we need not address this further). Each day that we get to talk, or that I get the chance to sit with him is a gift as we don't know how much longer we will have together. After sitting with him on one 'less than good' morning I started thinking about death being a gift. There have been times that he's wanted to just say "enough," and be done with it, but he is doomed to ride it out to the end. What a gift indeed if you could just lie down and fall asleep for one last time?

Anyway, Aragorn's death was not only a gift, as he bought extra active years by surrendering his last few (possibly) enfeebled years, it was also his last test of faith. He now had all that he ever wanted, but could either stay around until each day was misery (and who knows what effect that this would have had on the Fourth Age - something akin to leaving the One Ring unmade in the Third?), or trust in Iluvatar and let it all go - Arwen, his children, Middle Earth, all - and see if Melkor or Iluvatar told the truth.

Surely there had to be some formula or rules regarding the 'gift.' To lighten up a bit, what if, when Aragorn was a young man, when appearing in front of the elven court his tunic dropped and he was left standing in his undergarments? Surely he would just want to die! but obviously he wouldn't (one would hope).

Did this same gift protect those captured by the enemy, as then they could say "enough" and be done with whatever torture they no longer wished to endure. Somehow I don't think that it worked that way either.

[obloquy]

I'm having a hell (HAHAHA) of a time putting my thoughts on this into words, so if this comes out curt and more like an outline, cut me some slack. It's also been a while since I've read the material I reference.

According to Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth, it was held by some Men that their original nature was as immortals, like the Elves. Andreth related to Finrod that Melkor had tempted the early Men and they "fell from grace" and thus inherited death. Sound familiar? They misunderstood this "gift" of death, or feared the mystery it contained, and one might take this as Tolkien's own commentary on death and the attitude of humans toward it. Really, death granted Men a destiny that was unique from that of the Elves, but it was also a mystery that they had grown to fear, probably due to an unfamiliarity with--or mistrust of--their creator and origin.

This piece reconciles Tolkien's mythos with the Christian "mythology" of Adam, Eve, Satan, and death-through-sin by attributing it to a secret tradition of Men born from envy of the Elven lifespan. By doing this, he also critiques those who fear and resent death (by wishing for immortality) by saying, in effect, that they feel that way only because they do not understand death. Tolkien calls it a gift because he believed in a resurrection to life in Heaven, with God. Many readers equate Aman with heaven, but that is not where God (Eru) dwells. We can surmise, I think, that since Middle-earth is intended as an ancient mythology of our own world, the fate of Men was to be with Eru himself, although Tolkien presents it in his mythos as a mystery that Men considered "less" than immortality.

On a side note, what Andreth didn't consider was that without these unique fates, Men and Elves would simply be the same race. The connection to nature and the magical qualities of Elves come from their enormous lifespans and the nature of their fear.

[obloquy]

alatar: I can't rep your post until I dole out some more to other peeps, but unfortunately there aren't many good posts in the forums I read. Nice post, anyway.

You're right. The death of Men was a gift in that it was a release from Arda. They weren't doomed to persist as long as Arda did, as the Elves were. The Elves would "die," spend time in purgatory, and be reincarnated--endlessly, until the end of Arda.

[Formendacil]

Is the Gift of Men actually death?

Personally, I should say that the Gift of Men isn't so much "death" as it is "release" and "freedom".

Completely tied up with the mortality of Men is their freedom from the fate of the Music of the Ainur. As Tolkien says, as time wears on, even the Powers shall envy it.

Is death the gift itself, or is it the manifestation of the gift, the way in which the gift is made possible?

[HerenIstarion]

To quote myself from elsewhere:

Originally Posted by HerenIstarion

The brevity of their lifespan in later works is associated with the Fall (as a race), for "wise among men" hold that in the original design Men were meant for life indestructible - union of fëa (of Eru) and hröa (of the matter of Arda) so unbreakable that it would be able to lift, bring up the matter, i.e. thing temporal, to the eternal world of flame imperishable. (elves in this scheme are supposed to function as a kind of memory cells - to remember and remind others of the first world, when the Arda Remade is brought into being) But men are so weakened by their fall that death is given to them as a release (thus Tolkien's conception of Fall and Death as a consequence both differs and calls up at the same time to Christian myth, were death is a punishment, and at the same time, a release)

Why release? (To nitpick a bit from posts previous- not a total release from Arda as such, release from this particular form the Arda is in now) Because, falling into the same driving pattern of all legendarium, and namely:

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

The death of Men is a means through which Arda Remade will be achieved, thing other (and better) than Arda Unmarred would have been.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

This is a very different attitude towards death than that in Tolkien's own faith, where death is viewed as punishment for the sin of disobedience (or as a consequence of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil) and thus something to be feared.

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Is death the gift itself, or is it the manifestation of the gift, the way in which the gift is made possible?

At first, death was seen as a punishment, yes. But as obloquy pointed out, this is not how we (I having the same faith that Tolkien had) view death anymore. Now death is actually something to be looked forward to, but not necessarily grabbed at an inopportune time (i.e., suicide). Because of what Someone did around 2000 years ago, death can be seen as the precursor of the reward for a life "lived well" on earth, an escape from the less-than-perfect existence here on earth. Death is also considered as the end of life's "first phase," and the rite of passage from life on earth to an eternal life in heaven, which is the actual reward - similar to how childbirth is an infant's exit from life inside his mother's womb to his life independent from his mother. The case in Middle Earth is the same, I believe. The gift of Men, I think, is a perfect, eternal life with Eru, and the fact that they are not bound to the Music.

Originally Posted by alatar

Anyway, Aragorn's death was not only a gift, as he bought extra active years by surrendering his last few (possibly) enfeebled years, it was also his last test of faith. He now had all that he ever wanted, but could either stay around until each day was misery (and who knows what effect that this would have had on the Fourth Age - something akin to leaving the One Ring unmade in the Third?), or trust in Iluvatar and let it all go - Arwen, his children, Middle Earth, all - and see if Melkor or Iluvatar told the truth.

This reminds me of how the kings of Numenor who rebelled against the Valar refused to lay down their lives while they were still strong and relinquish the throne to their heirs. I can't exactly remember who and what, but I think in The Unfinished Tales there are quite detailed accounts of what happened to them. One thing I can remember, though, is that some "misfortune" entered their lives, or the lives of the people around them, as a result...as if the Valar (or Eru himself) tried to show them that it is wrong to hold on to your life when it is time to let go of it. But I wonder, would they still receive the full extent of Eru's gift?

And how come Morgoth seemed to have some hold on the lives of Men? If I remember right, he forbade death to claim Hurin's life while he (and his family) was under the Dark Lord's curse. Any thoughts?

EDIT: In view of HI's quote (the last one), is this the answer to my question above? That because Morgoth can in no way alter the Music, and the Men are not bound to it, he is given some control over their lives? Somehow I don't think so...

[HerenIstarion]

That because Morgoth can in no way alter the Music, and the Men are not bound to it, he is given some control over their lives? Somehow I don't think so

And rightly so!

For I have an answer to that ready too Strike the lights on:

Melkor did pollute Arda two times - first when he put part of himself into its matter, and secondly, when he tempted human kind into its Fall

Even without the Fall, it is arguable that men came out lesser than their fate would be without Morgoth's Ring (term used to mark his taint in all matter). Such a taint is considered the main reason for Elves' fading, for their fëar and hröar, originally designed to coexist in harmony from start to end of Arda, grew in disaccord with each other, fëa, being the stronger of the two, burning out the hröa. But whatever the individual cases, the Elves were not fallen as a race.

Now men, having Melkor's taint in the very matter of hröar of theirs (same as elves), and assuming that fëar and hröar affect each other, made a second breach in their defence (it is arguable that they were more gullible to Melkor exactly because of original taint he put into matter) by actually denying Eru in Melkor's favour.

Mark who grants death at the exact moment of the Fall. It is a Voice (of Eru)!

The logical conclusion: having hröar under partial control by Melkor, Men willingly put their other half, up to that moment free of him - their fëar under same control. Death in this respect comes in indeed as a Gift (though it may seem a punishment for those who deemed themselves (and probably were) eternal, but is, in fact, a release - denying Melkor his prey, letting it slip to where he would not be able to get it, at the very moment he thought himself victorious, and, at the same time, providing other means to achieve the same goal - eternety in union of matter and spirit, granting also that final result would be better than original design. (Another probable point is that, since this double fall, men were so weakened, have they had longer lifespan, most of them would inevitably turn to Melkor.)

Release from Bondage (very pointedly chosen to be an undertitle for Beren and Luthien story) is one of the right terms to apply here.