Fantasy Morality

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Bilbo's "happy prophesy" was made possible by his own actions.

...

If Túrin had stayed in Doriath, it is difficult to see how Morgoth's curse could have been fulfilled. Morwen and Nienor would have found him there, and the whole sorry outcome need not have happened.

Turin's issue is more complicated than Bilbo's. I do agree that it's their choices that lead them towhere they are. However, in Turin's case, it's a curse, not a prophecy, and in Doriath, there is also the power of Melian. Morgoth says: "The shadow of my thought shall lie upon them [Hurin's family] wherever they go, and my hate shall pursue them to the ends of the world." This implies that Morgoth meddled with Turin's fate, not simply predicted it.

About Doriath. I noticed that whenever Morgoth and Melian have a "mental battle", Melian wins, like in this passage: "To her [Melian] often his thought reached out, and there was foiled." Maybe the Girdle would have shielded Turin from the curse as well, if he didn't bring it on himself.

Perhaps "fate" is merely the natural outcome of choices made, not predestined, but all the same known to the Children's creator.

I'd agree with that, but I think that you also have to take into account the possibility of someone making a 'wrong' choice. Maybe people just can't make 'wrong' choices? I mean, those that would go against fate (good/bad doesn't matter). They still think they choose, but really the choice was made for them (or made to fit them) beforehand.

I think we got a bit off topic with discussing 'fate', don't you? I blame it on all the jumbled up nonesense in the essay.