The Gates of Gondolin
 

I was thinking that Tuor's quest for Gondolin was like a spiritual journey.

Tuor escapes thraldom, and lives in a cave as a solitary, ever seeking the Gate of the Noldor. Ulmo's spring leads him to the Gate, he passes into Nevrast, and is enamoured by and longs for the Great Sea (what is beyond it.) "Seven great swans" lead him to Vinyamar, he is given his quest by Ulmo, finds Voronwe, and begins to speak at times with Ulmo's voice. They pass through the Fell Winter, "under the eaves of the Mountains of Shadow", the "defilement" of the pure waters of Irvin, and come at last to the Guarded Gate.

Because he is not of the High Race, his sentence should be death for passing this gate. He begins a steep uphill journey, under gaurd, through the "leagues of the Seven Gates" and a "great weariness comes on him like a cloud" until he is given sustenance after the second gate by the Noldor. Each gate he passes is more beautiful than the last, and the hosts of the Noldor increase in size, and in the beauty of their raiment, with each one.

Wood, Stone, Bronze, Writhen Iron, Silver, Golden, and the Great which rings "like a harp of many strings, giving forth clear notes in harmony."

Because he wears the "mighty livery of Nevrast" it is "...clear truth, that he comes from Ulmo himself."

He is brought to the Tower of the King and looks upon the images of the Trees of Valinor. No longer a mere man...

JRRT never ceases to amaze and lead us gently and often unoticably into something of our own Journey.

I think you are right thorondil in that the many stages and facets of Tuors journey are for him more than just accomplishing Ulmo's will and a more than a wonderous journey.

They are a birth into the reflection of the light of valinor [Gondolin].

This was the closest that any man had yet come [ excepting perhaps Beren perceiving the light of the trees in the face of Melian] to beholding the bliss of Valinor. And a maturing of mankind in a way. A setting of the stage for Earendil and thus Numenor.

and some minorundertones indicate that no man can become great working on his own steam only. Tuor relies on higher power (Ulmo in the case, but it can be symbolically interpreted) in critical moment, and, though words he utters are proud in themselves, he as a person is not proud, but humbled and thus grows higher than he was.

Yes... and it also makes a frightfully interesting story, doesn't it?

Aragorn, too, went through a similar journey; but his was more down-to-earth and grim, perhaps. Tuor was aided by the supernatural, back in the misty and magic ages of the First Age; but in the late Third, as Middle-Earth had developed into a more earthly and realistic world, the world in fact of Men, and Aragorn's journey -- while in some ways similar -- was not quite so magical.

Gwaihir>>

Aragorn, too, went through a similar journey; but his was more down-to-earth and grim, perhaps. Tuor was aided by the supernatural, back in the misty and magic ages of the First Age; but in the late Third, as Middle-Earth had developed into a more earthly and realistic world, the world in fact of Men, and Aragorn's journey -- while in some ways similar -- was not quite so magical.
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You're right, Gwaihir. Aragorn's journey was also spiritual. He was called Estel (hope) and also battled evil in the wilderness for long years. He became "the most hardy of living men" and was "elven-wise."

When he was clothed by Galadriel "in silver and white, with a cloak of elven-grey and a bright gem on his brow"... "Then more than any kind of Men he appeared, and seemed rather an Elf-lord from the Isles of the West."

Also after he died, his body lay uncorrupted (reminiscent of many Saints), "an image of the splendour of the Kings of Men in glory undimmed before the breaking of the world."