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Birdland · 04-23-2002, 09:05 AM

I've been trying very hard to pin down a definition of true "evil".

Since I'm pretty much raised in a Eurocentric, Christian/Judaic culture, I first looked at the "Seven Deadly Sins":

Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, Sloth.

Welllll...you can easily find hobbits committing at least five of the seven just by reading "A Long-expected Party". We have a bunch of prideful, envious, gluttonous, greedy, and slothful hobbits running around, but for some reason, you don't get a feeling of evil. More like a "Hey, they're just like us" feeling.

Lust is missing, but hey, this started out as a children's book, so we won't go there. (But, in fact, I can only think of one Tolkien character guilty of Lust, and that was Wormtongue.) Also Anger, if you define anger as Wrath or Rage. Hobbits get miffed, huffy, snitty, put-out, but you never see a demonstration of true rage in a hobbit, except when under the influence of the Ring.

Looking at the Seven Heavenly Virtues:

Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence. (Good judgement)

These virtues seem only to describe "the best" of the hobbits, Frodo, Bilbo, Sam, though we see flashes of them in most of the other hobbit characters. Fortitude particularly seems to be a virtue that most Hobbits are known for. They all seem to have the ability to call on it in times of need.

Hmmmm, where am I going with this? It has always seemed to me that the two Deadly Sins that would lead to acts of true Evil are Anger and Lust (if you define this as a lust for power) Hobbits seem to be in short supply when it come to these two sins. Look at the true abhorance they have to the idea of "hobbits killing other hobbits" Murderous rage is almost foreign to their nature. And murder for gain? Well, we only know of one hobbit that succumbed to that, and look how he wound up.

And it is important to note that a Hobbit's strongest virtue is Fortitude, which is a most necessary virtue if one is to resist the temptation of influences which lead to acts of evil.

My own opinion is that while there are exceptions to every rule, Hobbits as a race would be very unlikely candidates for acts of True Evil. They can be cantankerous and fallible, as we all are, but "Evil"?...Nah!

OK, you can tear it apart, now. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

04-23-2002, 09:05 AM	#42
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	I've been trying very hard to pin down a definition of true "evil". Since I'm pretty much raised in a Eurocentric, Christian/Judaic culture, I first looked at the "Seven Deadly Sins": Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, Sloth. Welllll...you can easily find hobbits committing at least five of the seven just by reading "A Long-expected Party". We have a bunch of prideful, envious, gluttonous, greedy, and slothful hobbits running around, but for some reason, you don't get a feeling of evil. More like a "Hey, they're just like us" feeling. Lust is missing, but hey, this started out as a children's book, so we won't go there. (But, in fact, I can only think of one Tolkien character guilty of Lust, and that was Wormtongue.) Also Anger, if you define anger as Wrath or Rage. Hobbits get miffed, huffy, snitty, put-out, but you never see a demonstration of true rage in a hobbit, except when under the influence of the Ring. Looking at the Seven Heavenly Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence. (Good judgement) These virtues seem only to describe "the best" of the hobbits, Frodo, Bilbo, Sam, though we see flashes of them in most of the other hobbit characters. Fortitude particularly seems to be a virtue that most Hobbits are known for. They all seem to have the ability to call on it in times of need. Hmmmm, where am I going with this? It has always seemed to me that the two Deadly Sins that would lead to acts of true Evil are Anger and Lust (if you define this as a lust for power) Hobbits seem to be in short supply when it come to these two sins. Look at the true abhorance they have to the idea of "hobbits killing other hobbits" Murderous rage is almost foreign to their nature. And murder for gain? Well, we only know of one hobbit that succumbed to that, and look how he wound up. And it is important to note that a Hobbit's strongest virtue is Fortitude, which is a most necessary virtue if one is to resist the temptation of influences which lead to acts of evil. My own opinion is that while there are exceptions to every rule, Hobbits as a race would be very unlikely candidates for acts of True Evil. They can be cantankerous and fallible, as we all are, but "Evil"?...Nah! OK, you can tear it apart, now. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]