‘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?