Descent into Hell!!! Rarrr!...Well, sort of...

[Lalwendë]

The main drawback as I see it is that the Men of Dunharrow were not 'fence-sitters', they were oath breakers and as such had done wrong. Given what Tolkien wrote later about "evil temple", maybe he wanted to show that these Men had been engaged in worship of Sauron/Morgoth and that it was this that led them astray and made them break their oaths.

There is just one major drawback to this theory - that Baldor must have lived quite some time after Isildur. Perhaps there were still Men who wanted to follow this 'cult', worshipping the dead, even?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

The main drawback as I see it is that the Men of Dunharrow were not 'fence-sitters', they were oath breakers and as such had done wrong.

What of the angels that chose not to fight with God that also inhabit that land between the Evil Forest and the river Acheron?

Talk about breaking an oath.

And yes, I'm arguing to inspire discussion and fun of that sort.

[Raynor]

Given what Tolkien wrote later about "evil temple", maybe he wanted to show that these Men had been engaged in worship of Sauron/Morgoth and that it was this that led them astray and made them break their oaths

It is stated in The passing of the grey company that they did serve Sauron:

But when Sauron returned and grew in might again, Isildur summoned the Men of the Mountains to fulfil their oath, and they would not: for they had worshipped Sauron in the Dark Years.

[Lhunardawen]

How coincidental. My World Lit class is just finishing up with Inferno, too, and I also searched this thread to see if it can help me with my paper.

Originally Posted by Fea

The descendent of one for whom the dwellers of the place did not fight is one given the power to descend into the place and release them from their fate.

The Harrowing of Hell.

It made me think a lot. The King of Men.

Ooh, that gave me shivers.

But in the Harrowing of Hell, Jesus supposedly took only selected people from Limbo with Him to Heaven. Meanwhile all of the Dead were granted release from their oath, assuming of course that none of them opposed their king and chose to stay behind and have tea parties instead of fighting with Aragorn.

Just noting a simple observation.

Fea, why don't we engage in mutualism for our respective papers?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Lhunardawen

Just noting a simple observation.

Tolkien's third volume is called The Return of the King.

Just noting another.

Aragorn also has powers to heal. Eowyn lay as though dead. Aragorn brought her back. The little girl who died... Jesus said she was merely sleeping.

Just noting another.

Fea, why don't we engage in mutualism for our respective papers?

I'm perfectly okay with that.