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Mat_Heathertoes · 02-18-2002, 05:59 PM

"The Doom of the World", they said, "One alone can change who made it. And were you so to voyage that escaping all deceits and snares you came indeed to Aman, the Blessed Realm, little would it profit you. For it is not the land of Manwë that makes its people deathless, but the Deathless that dwell therein have hallowed the land; and there you would but wither and grow weary the sooner, as moths in a light too strong and steadfast."

-Akallabeth p264-

And tales and rumours arose along the shores of the sea concerning mariners and men forlorn upon the water who, by some fate or grace of favour of the Valar, had entered in upon the Straight Way and seen the face of the world sink below them, and so had come to the lamplit quays of Avallónë, or verily to the last beaches on the margin of Aman, and there had looked upon the White Mountain, dreadful and beautiful, before they died.

-Akallabeth p282-

Now I'm not saying that because of these two quotes that Frodo and Bilbo would have climbed out of the grey ship and collapsed dead on the quayside [interesting and almost amusing image, don't you think? Elrond saying "Whoops, i'd forgotten about that..."] but rather that this unusual grace was a fitting way for the free peoples of the world to say 'thanks' for the special sacrifices that these two hobbits had made for the benefit of all. It is noted that there is a comparison one can draw with the Quest for the Silmaril in so far that the participants seemed to benefit from 'unnatural' changes in the respective fates and dooms thereafter (Beren is killed by Carcharoth but allowed a new span of life by Illuvatar. Frodo and Bilbo are physically scarred and distorted by the ravages of the One and granted this special doom perhaps also by Illuvatar relaying the grace via Mithrandir.
Letter 246 from The Letters of JRR Tolkien outlines this concept in great detail a small quote of which is outlined here ..

Frodo was sent or allowed to pass over the Sea to heal him - if that could be done,before he died.
He would eventually have to 'pass away': no mortal could, or can, abide for ever on earth, or within Time. So he went both to a purgatory and to a reward, for a while: a period of reflection and peace and a gaining of a truer understanding of his position in littleness and greatness, spent still in Time, amid the natural beauty of 'Arda Unmarred' , the Earth unspoiled by evil.

Brings a tear to ones eye doesn't it ?
They could've also have just built him a new conservatory at Bag-End and got a him a big bag of Jamaican-style longbottom leaf but that's just a lot of orc-talk .... [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

02-18-2002, 05:59 PM	#10
Mat_Heathertoes Wight Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: A Broom cupboard in Utumno Posts: 185	"The Doom of the World", they said, "One alone can change who made it. And were you so to voyage that escaping all deceits and snares you came indeed to Aman, the Blessed Realm, little would it profit you. For it is not the land of Manwë that makes its people deathless, but the Deathless that dwell therein have hallowed the land; and there you would but wither and grow weary the sooner, as moths in a light too strong and steadfast." -Akallabeth p264- And tales and rumours arose along the shores of the sea concerning mariners and men forlorn upon the water who, by some fate or grace of favour of the Valar, had entered in upon the Straight Way and seen the face of the world sink below them, and so had come to the lamplit quays of Avallónë, or verily to the last beaches on the margin of Aman, and there had looked upon the White Mountain, dreadful and beautiful, before they died. -Akallabeth p282- Now I'm not saying that because of these two quotes that Frodo and Bilbo would have climbed out of the grey ship and collapsed dead on the quayside [interesting and almost amusing image, don't you think? Elrond saying "Whoops, i'd forgotten about that..."] but rather that this unusual grace was a fitting way for the free peoples of the world to say 'thanks' for the special sacrifices that these two hobbits had made for the benefit of all. It is noted that there is a comparison one can draw with the Quest for the Silmaril in so far that the participants seemed to benefit from 'unnatural' changes in the respective fates and dooms thereafter (Beren is killed by Carcharoth but allowed a new span of life by Illuvatar. Frodo and Bilbo are physically scarred and distorted by the ravages of the One and granted this special doom perhaps also by Illuvatar relaying the grace via Mithrandir. Letter 246 from The Letters of JRR Tolkien outlines this concept in great detail a small quote of which is outlined here .. Frodo was sent or allowed to pass over the Sea to heal him - if that could be done,before he died. He would eventually have to 'pass away': no mortal could, or can, abide for ever on earth, or within Time. So he went both to a purgatory and to a reward, for a while: a period of reflection and peace and a gaining of a truer understanding of his position in littleness and greatness, spent still in Time, amid the natural beauty of 'Arda Unmarred' , the Earth unspoiled by evil. Brings a tear to ones eye doesn't it ? They could've also have just built him a new conservatory at Bag-End and got a him a big bag of Jamaican-style longbottom leaf but that's just a lot of orc-talk .... [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img] __________________ Give me fish now, and keep nassty chips!