Was Tolkein a fatalist?

[Guinevere]

Alatariel : I agree with you when I look only at LotR. But when I read the Silmarillion, it looks different. Most of it is deeply sad, "doom" is ever present and some of the tales end without any hope, especially the one about Túrin. This bothered me a good deal when I read it (and still does)
I think what the Lord of Angmar said in his post sums it up nicely.
I just remembered something which Tolkien stated in one of his letters (#195)

I am a Christian,(....) so that I do not expect "history" to be anything but a "long defeat" - though it contains (and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly) some samples or glimpses of final victory.

[ October 03, 2003: Message edited by: Guinevere ]