Greetings,
Magician of Nathar! I just wanted to point you to some other threads that might prove to be interesting reading on some of the points you have raised. First, the Eagle issue:
The Great Eagle Mystery goes into some depth on the question of the Eagles in this regard. Secondly, a discussion on the writing style and characterization in LOTR:
Psychological Depth in Tolkien's Characters , and also another thread I can't seem to find with the search function, called "Dumbing Down the Books", which may be gone forever now, because it became rather heated and was closed for a lack of demonstrated decorum. I will say that subjects like this can easily go that way, and I hope this one will remain on the cordial level. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] With that in mind, I shall continue:
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Sure, the ring represents power and the whole story shows how absolute power corrupts absolutely, listing off examples like Saruman, Gollum and Boromir.
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I will say that I do not believe that these three characters show an "absolute" evil or corruption, even in their characterizations. Boromir especially, repents and dies defending Merry and Pippin from many foes. Saruman's fall is the fall of centuries and takes place mainly "offscreen" with regards to LOTR, but the style of the book is such that the nature of his fall is hinted at and the reader can draw what conclusions are natural. (His character would be the closest to 'absolute' evil of the three, I think.) I think Tolkien's style demands more of the reader in this way. Gollum, although he ends in "persistent wickedness", according to Tolkien, still has his chance at redemption, and I, for one, can feel the delicacy of the moment and how it passes away with Sam's rough words on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol.
To the absolute nature vs. relative nature of evil that you refer to, suffice it to say that I understood you to mean that the "evil" side is simply underdrawn, so that a reader is encouraged to be biased against it, no matter its innate nature. I figured that was the privilege of the author myself, but an individual reader is free to interpret it in anyway he or she pleases. I can understand why a story told from hobbits' points of view would not delve into the point of view of the "forces of evil." Even in Frodo's connection to Gollum, he is acting from an impetus of good, the admonitions of Gandalf and then his own developing innate sense of mercy.
More later, as I always say!I take my leave. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
Cheers,
Lyta
<font size=1 color=339966>[ 2:34 AM February 03, 2004: Message edited by: Lyta_Underhill ]