[Mithadan]

My view was, in part, stated in another thread as follows:

Re: The role of Fate in Middle Earth

In an attempt to draw this discussion from a generalized discussion of fate/doom/foresight to a Middle Earth specific discussion, I quote the following:

Quote:

"the hearts of Men should seek beyond the world and have no rest therein; but they should have a virtue to shape their life, amid the powers and chances of the world, beyond the Music of the Valar, which is as fate to all things else..." Silmarillion, p.22

Now this suggests that while men have free will, elves and the Valar and all else does not, at least to the extent that any matter derives from the Music. Two points. First, the Music was interrupted or prematurely terminated due to Melkor's disruption (which, as part of the Music is also "as fate"). Second, the vision of Arda which followed also ended early (before the coming of the Man?).

Does this mean Men have free will and elves, etc. do not? What happens when the races interact? Perhaps men are caught up in fate or doom when they deal with elves or the Valar (or even Maiar such as Gandalf or Sauron). Assuming the Music was broad brush strokes of fate, are the details subject to free will? What happens when history goes beyond the point where the Music ended? Do elves, etc. then have free will?

This thread may be found here.