[Puddleglum]

Originally Posted by Galin

Part of the source in question might be letter 246 (drafts, dated 1963, to a Mrs Elgar).

Thanks for posting the ref to L246, Galin. I had intended to bring that one up, but you beat me to it <g>.

Another related point that underlies Tolkien mythos is that Eru (The One) doesn't "fix" evil and the hurts that come from it by "rolling things back to the way they were" (by "undoing" the evil) - but RATHER by redressing the hurt, by making a new thing that is, in the end, better and richer and more beautiful than the old, but which would not have been but for the presence of the evil. Thus, for example:

In Silmarillion/Ainulindale Eru/Illuvatar says

Thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.

And, later, after the rebellion of Feanor

when the messenger decalred to Manwe ... the last word of Feanor: that at the least the Noldor should do deeds to live in song for ever, he said ... Thus even as Eru spoke to us shall beauty not before conceived be brought into Ea, and evil yet be good to have been.' But Mandos said: 'And yet remain evil.'

We are not told the details of what the "redressing" of his hurts would be for Frodo, but we are left with at least two glimpses or hints.

1) As Galin quoted from letter 246, Frodo was going to a place where he would be living with Eldar who had personally conversed and learned much wisdom direct from Eru's vice-regents in Middle Earth (The Valar). A place where the people had many arts and skills far exceeding those of the (relatively) barbarous folk of Middle Earth, and yet were intensely in love with nature (much as the Hobbits) {this from recountings in "The Book of Lost Tales" and other places}.

2) Hobbits, Tolkien makes clear (also in letter 246 and elsewhere), are of man "kind" and share the essential trait of men - the "Gift of the One to Men" - that, unlike Elves, they are not bound within the circles of Ea but, at death, go beyond it to where Eru himself dwells. About this Aragorn comforts Arwen (and this would be a comfort to Frodo as well)

Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory.

That flows from the essential "Estel" (hope) that underlies LOTR and Sil - That even tho the "One" is not personally present "in" Ea, he is still providentially involved in its history and in the beings he made to inhabit it. And, THEREFORE, that he will, in some manner, redress all hurts of his creatures and his creation.

He that attempteth {to thwart my/Eru's plan} shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.