Destruction

[JenFramp]

I’ve just been sitting here and thinking about Sauron, Morgoth and some other stuff and I think I might have struck upon one of the underlying themes of the series of tales.

As you probably know JRR felt strongly about issues of technological change and the growth of what we’ve come to look at as the modern world, we can see it most simply in Sandyman joining forces with Saruman when he came to the Shire and helping him chop down loads of tress.

But I’d be inclined to say that demonising technological progress was not really what he was trying to get at. I’d also like to highlight a few characters in whom the real thrust of his thought is embodied: Saruman, Melkor and Sauron, and Aulë.

The theme I’m trying to look at runs through all of them, firstly Saruman, Curunír, the Man of Skill. Originally the head of the coucil he was a craftsmen, in such a position he thouhgt he could best defeat Sauron by studying his arts - he was subsequently seduced by their power and turned to the darkside (to coin a term) yet still in the begining he had been head of the Istari as Gandalf admits.

Secondly both Sauron as a Maiar (one of the greatest) of Aulë and Melkor (who was said to be "most like Aulë in the begining" in the Valaquenta) were, like Aulë craftsmen and creators. Yet it was these two, and indeed because of their skills, that became the most evil of all things, corrupted by their envy of Eru the true creator of all things. Despite this turning, it was Melkor who was singled out as the most powerful of all the Valar (it taking all of them together to beat him).

Finally of all the Valar (putting aside Melkor) Aulë was the only one to rebel, if only in a well meaning way, against Eru (in fact he rebelled in exactly the same way as I think Melkor might have if he had not grown so envios). The creators nature given to him had made him prone to ill. And yet, Aulë was to have the greatest role in the creation of Eä.

So then it seems Tolkien is trying tosuggest it is those of an craftsman like, innovative and creative nature who are oft the most powerful. Yet at the same time they are the most at risk to straying from the path of right and falling into evil. Furthermore, in light of this perhpas JRR suggests that while such natures are the most powerful they might not always lead - for though Melkor was the greatest Ainur, Manwë was the chief of the Valar (for he was wise ’knowing most the mind of Eru’), and though Saruman was the mightiest of the Istari, eventually Gandalf was the head of the council (again as the wisest) and led them to victory over Sauron.

Well that’s just what I think, ladies and gentlemen you thoughts please...