I can see what you're all saying about Frodo, & I agree to a point, but I was more interested in Tolkien's understanding of 'God'/Illuvatar. When Smith, in the midst of a terrible war, only weeks from his own death, speaks of 'a sacrifice of blood outpoured' to a God whose purposes are utterly inscrutable & who 'only canst be glorified/ by man's own passion & the supreme pain', is Tolkien of the same view?
In other words, I'm more interested in Tolkien's own concept of God, as He is presented throughout the Legendarium. Does Frodo's suffering 'glorify' Illuvatar? Is Tolkien saying it does, is he saying, as Smith seems to be, that this kind of suffering & outpouring of blood is the
only thing that can glorify God? What kind of God is Tolkien presenting us with in the Legendarium? Why is Eru so detatched, so distanced from events, only intervening directly sporadically, leaving things to the Valar?
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