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I think Ibrin may have a good point with the aspect of despair. Despair is one of the great sins in Middle-earth, and hope one of the great virtues. We know that Sauron worked on Denethor by leading him to despair, since he apparently could not corrupt him to join him (which would make Denethor more virtuous than Saruman, who was corrupted to join!). This despair was his great failure. To carry on as if one had hope in a hopeless situation is what Gandalf did - was it him or Aragorn who said that they would then carry on without hope?
Giving up before the end (for not even the wise can see all ends) is one of the greatest mistakes that characters make in Tolkien's works. Was the claiming of the Ring giving up/giving in for Frodo?
Very interesting topic, Fordim, and great to have you active again!
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
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