Err having read a kind comment on my CP (which I visited for the first time since registering recently) I have returned to this thread, despite feeling somewhat overwhelmed by the erudition displayed by other contributors
. As to my theory about choice it relates to the higher life forms mainly - Galadriel is clearly aware of the consequences of her making a different choice and of her own vulnerability to the desire for power ....... Saruman's choice was exposed by Gandalf...... The Balrogs were Maia but were erhaps corrupted so early to be relatively ignorant of the consequences..... they seem reduced to being spirits of absolute fury, hatred and destruction incapable of choice ......it is impossible to imagine a Balrog redeemed where it is possible to imagine Saruman being redeemed even at the end. Orc seem to be merely acting according to their brutish nature as Osse said...... I am not sure this is really very useful ......
But the question of acting according to "nature" is interesting in relation to evil ..... I did a course on Criminal psychology a couple of years ago and it was fascinating and 2 cases are particularly pertinent here I think.. There are people who have extra chromosomes which have various consequences. As you no doubt all know the genetic difference between men and women is that men have an XY pair of chromosome and women have XX. Some women are XXX - they tend to be super girly girls who on no account be allowed to drive your car....... men who are XYY (ie extra male men) have incredible likelihood of being psychopathic killers.......I will resist the temptation here toi make flip comments... (ssoo hard)
and there is a theory that the chromasome makes them freakishly tall and a bit wierd looking which may lead them to become isolated and alienated .... but it does raise the question of how responsible their are for their crime if they are the victims of their biology? They also had tehse children who were absolutely and remorselessly violent with no sense of wrong, who had been shown to have abnormal brain waves .......it was really terrifying....