Did the Valar make a huge mistake?

[lindil]

Was the Summons of the Valar a tragic mistake which itself doomed the Noldor as well as the elves living still in Middle Earth?

Yes it was a 'tragic' mistake in that it led to tragedy, but also leaving all of the Elves to M-E may also have been equally tragic. Were not the Avari a 'tragedy of Elven potential'? Should they have had private tutors such as Melian ?

I do not think the Fall/Doom of the Noldor was however a direct result of the summons, it was the result of listening to Morgoth which could/would have just as easily happened in M-E when he returned, and returned he would have, Noldor or not.

Things were amplified in Aman for sure, but Feanor might still have been born [ or some great Noldo like him] who could have taken to much life out of his mother, etc...Yes there would have been no Silmarill's as we know them, but then the mind and hands of Feanor would have been busy at work at something. He would probably have clashed with Elwe himself! or Eol or been seduced perhaps more directly by Morgoth or Sauron upon Morgoth's return.

Morgoth could/probably would still slay the Two Tree's bringing about his flight and return, etc...

I seem to recall several regrets in the Silmarillion [or later HoME] but at 3am I am not going to be able to find them too easily, but what comes to mind [accurate or not] is a]Creating light only for Aman with the Two Trees [ Yavanna was at least upset by it]. Delaying the making of the war upon Morgoth [as quoted so aptly above by Maedhros] and the summoning [OK I did look it up [p.52-3 in my ballantine pb]

Then again the Valar were gathered in council, and they were divided in debate. For some, and of those Ulmo was the chief, held that the Quendi should be left free to walk as they would in Middle-Earth, and with their gifts and skill to order all the lands and heal their hurts. But the most part feared for the Quendi in the dangerous world amid the deceits of the starlit dusk; and they were morever filled with the love of the the beauty of the Elves and desired their fellowship. At the last, therefore, the Valar summoned the Quendi to Valinor...and Mandos broke his silence saying: 'So it is doomed'. From this summons came many woes that afterwards befell.

emphasis mine

So it was fated [darkly] that it should happen and that much woe and great tales would be the result.

[ December 26, 2002: Message edited by: lindil ]