Hope and Hopelessness

[HerenIstarion]

It seems to me JRRT used "hope" with 2 meanings. And Admir may have been lost by a man (elf, hobbit), but if Estel was still there, the actions were still proper.

from Finrod and Andreth

'Have ye then no hope?' said Finrod.
'What is hope?' she said. 'An expectation of good, which though uncertain has some foundation in what is known? Then we have none.'
'That is one thing that Men call "hope",' said Finrod. 'Amdir
we call it, "looking up". But there is another which is founded deeper. Estel we call it, that is "trust". It is not defeated by the ways of the world, for it does not come from experience, but from our nature and first being. If we are indeed the Eruhin, the Children of the One, then He will not suffer Himself to be deprived of His own, not by any Enemy,not even by ourselves.
This is th last foundation of Estel, which we keep even when we contemplate the End: of all His designs the issue must be for His Children's joy. Amdir you have not, you say. Does no Estel at all abide?'

and from more modern times, best illustration is Sam. There is no Admir with him any more -he knows there is no returning for him and his master anymore, but Estel (that is Trust in the Ultimate Good) gives him strengh to go on and conquer despair.

and edit:

How came Morgoth adn Sauron were evil?

the root of all evil = pride
pride = puttin oneself above all the rest = trusting one above all the rest

Trusting one above all the rest = Not trusting (or trusting less) Eru (the Ultimate Good)

Not trusting Ultimate Good = rejecting it

Rejecting Ultimate Good = being evil

[ November 04, 2002: Message edited by: HerenIstarion ]