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Originally Posted by Fordim Hedgethistle
(although I would have bet a month’s salary that Bethberry was going to vote that way – old narratologists die hard…  ) |
You know,
Fordie, I don't think I've ever voted on any of your other polls, but when I realised you probably set that choice
just for me, well, I had to acknowledge your efforts some how and voting for any of the others, well, it just didn't seem to do justice to your efforts.
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Originally Posted by SpM
Bęthberry asked me:
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Just out of curiosity, could you provide us with a brief outline of what you can imagine?
I did give this some thought. One alternative which (I think) would maintain the essence of the story would be to have Gollum trip while triumphantly holding the Ring and lose his grip on it. The Ring then rolls over the edge of the Crack, but Gollum doesn't follow it in. Having had his life preserved well beyond his natural life by the power of the Ring, Gollum then dies of old age with its destruction. Would that fit the bill? Eru could certainly not be labelled a "murderer" in those circumstances as Gollum would have been bound to die with the detruction of the Ring, whatever else happened. There might even be scope for Gollum to renounce his sins, thereby setting up the possibility of his redemption, in his dying words to Frodo.
Any thoughts?
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Well, that certainly would satisfy various of the themes of redemption, but then again, that works against that very satisfying--narratologically--scene where Gollem almost repents but is cut off from his chance by a good man who means well but whose efforts at that moment foreclose goodwill--one of those catastrophic moments Tolkien discusses in his letters.
I suspect also that, narratologically, having Gollem simply die of old age once the Ring is destroyed would lack some of the climactic energy and shock which his fall into the Crack of Doom has. It might also fail to give an emotional satisfaction to those who like to see villians get their comeuppance. Of course, here the narratological imperative runs counter to the moral impulse.