Lord of the Rings and Philosophy @ Concordia University Wisconsin

[davem]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

So Morgoth owes himself redemption? Can he just order it up? I'm really not trying to be facetious, but what you are saying makes no sense. How can Morgoth repay to himself a debt he has made to himself? What debt is this? He has become evil, and therefore owes himself a debt of not-evil? And pays himself by what means? I'm trying to identify some strand of logic in all this.

He has an obligation to be fully & completely himself. Morgoth's 'sin' was not to deny Eru but to deny himself & his true nature - he is divided against himself - which is why, in the end, he cannot stand. He must, therefore 'redeem himself' & return to what he was (or become what he should have been.

I'm aware of the philosophical background of what you are saying. I'm asking you to defend it based on what Tolkien has written.

There is no internal evidence for either universal redemption or eternal damnation in the writings. The former just seems more humane & is what I favour.