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Old 03-16-2010, 08:13 AM   #25
Hookbill the Goomba
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Hookbill the Goomba is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Hookbill the Goomba is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Hookbill the Goomba is lost in the dark paths of Moria.Hookbill the Goomba is lost in the dark paths of Moria.
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It's interesting how the peoples of Middle Earth act with regard to the Valar and Eru. It us much less religious in many of the senses that are usually ascribed to it. Indeed, I often got the impression, especially from the fact that only Sauron ever builds a temple, that the peoples were against formalised forms of worship and religion. Odd thing for Tolkien, being Catholic, you might think.

More than that, though, it is the way in which the Valar or Eru are invoked speaks more of common superstition than of organised religious dogma. The Elves get closer to it in their reverence for Elbereth, I suppose. But more often than not, it is a case of the simple day-to-day little superstitions to which these gods have been put.

I always found this odd, again, given Tolkien's religious beliefs. However, I get the impression that Catholic ideology (with regard to worship and ceremony at least) was less important to him when writing the books of Middle Earth. He speaks much closer to a more primitive form of religion - a more naked and stripped down one in which the gods simply are.

Perhaps it is the line between the old Norse gods, the Celtic spirits and the gods of Catholicism that blur in this mythos. Therefore, the references become more vague with regard to how the peoples relate to them. Moreover, this being a new world built on somewhat different rules to the real world, to add in more details about religious practices would, I think, feel out of place in a work so focussed on action and peril. Sauron is a threat right now - there may be time for a short prayer, but nothing extravagant.

This is, I think, the raw essence of religion in ME, perhaps. The immediate, the peril and the small. Eru knows that the Valar cannot be counted on much for the big acts of salvation and epic battles - how long did it take them to decide to do anything about Melkor before the War of Wroth? How much convincing did they take?
More on this can, I think, be seen in the fact that the ways, other than catastrophic war, that the Valar have been known to interact with the children of Iluvatar. I don't have my Silm with me right now (I'll probably edit this with the appropriate quotes when I get home), but I seem to recall a line either in the Valaquenta, or Possibly Ainulindule telling us how Ulmo uses all the rivers of Arda to hear of the problems in ME and send what help he can at times.

This sparks another thought in me, actually.
There is a distinct difference in the way the children interact with the Valar before and after the exile of the Noldor. Before, it is a very intimate and close relationship with Ulmo physically pulling them to Valinor on an island, Aulė teaching the Noldor steel craft and so on. After the departure of Feanor and co. the Valar become cold and distant. Tolkien has remarked in interviews about how everyone in this mythology makes mistakes, even the gods.
The Elves and men go through the ages of war with Morgoth with little help from the Valar (the occasional cameo from Ulmo is always appreciated, though). Then, suddenly, they come in power and war, overthrow Angband and break the world apart.
One might think the peoples would have some kind of fear of the Valar who, after all, saved them at the price of the breaking of Middle Earth. Perhaps that is why they are not overly keen on direct intervention. "We just finished fixing it up, we don't want them trampling everything again!"

It's another interesting point that it is when a direct invocation of organised religion - Sauron's Temple in Numenor - the result is chaos and destruction. It seems that, after the flight of the Noldor, direct interaction with the gods and overtly religious practices have very negative effects. The small utterances and mini ceremonies are, perhaps, all the peoples dare try?

Forgive me if this is a disjointed and poor post. Been away from the Books forum for too long.
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