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Originally Posted by Folwren
I don't know that Tolkien was pointing directly to our world with his getting worse and worse but he could have been. I know that C.S. Lewis was aware of the deteroration of this world and the people therein, and I would guess that Tolkien was as well.
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I would disagree. Surely things change, yet if you read history we're still the same humans (or not) that we were thousands of years back. The Christian Bible shows many examples of less than civilized/immoral behavior that could be taking place today.
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I don't see that as possible in Middle Earth. The things that were lost there may not be recoverable...least ways, that's the impression I've gotten from what I've read of his books.
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I would agree. To me it seems that each new age in Middle Earth is born with some loss. Within that age some beings may achieve some great things, yet when averaged and compared with the preceding ages, the achievements are never as lofty.
In the Fourth Age Minas Tirith may enter its glory, yet it will never be as it first was, or as Gondolin was before it. And as Gimli says to Legolas as they enter Minas Tirith, men seemingly will never live up to their own potential.