[Imladris]

Regarding Eucatastrophe:

I will be using On Fairy Stories definition because I think that that is the way Tolkien meant it to be used -- that is how he defines myth, or as he calls it, Fairy Stories.

But the "consolation" of fairy-tales has another aspect than the imaginative satisfaction of ancient desires. Far more important is the Consolation of the Happy Ending. Almost I would venture to assert that all complete fairy-stories must have it. At least I would say that Tragedy is the true form of Drama, its highest function; but the opposite is true of Fairy-story. Since we do not appear to possess a word that expresses this opposite -- I will call it Eucatastrophe. The eucatastrophic tale is the true form of fairy-tale, and its highest function.

The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending: or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous "turn" (for there is no true end to any fairy-tale)...it denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal final defeat and in so far is evengelium, giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.

So ecuastrophe is a glimpse of Joy. What is Joy?

The peculiar quality of the "joy" in successful Fantasy can thus be explained as a sudden glimpse of the underlying reality or truth. It is not only a "consolation" for the sorrow of this world...but in the "eucatastrophe" we see in a brief vision that the answer may be greater -- it may be a far-off gleam or echo of evangelium in the real world.

So, a eucastrophe contains Joy -- the Joy fo the Christian story, the Christian myth become fact.

...such joy as the very taste of primary truth...It looks forward (or backward the direction is unimportant) to the Great Eucatastrophe. The Christian joy, the Gloria, of of the same kind; but it is pre-eminantly (infinitely, if our capacity were not finite) high and joyours. But this story is supreme, and it is true...it has followed them, especially the "happy ending."...

I believe that it is very clear that Eucatastrophe happens at the end of a story. First, it is defined as the happy ending. Second, it is Eucatastrophe not Eucatastrophes. Thus I must eat my words about sub-Eucatastrophes.

Style has nothing to do with Eucatastrophe -- in fact a badly done story with a Eucatastrophe is often the redeeming grace of such a story.

Joy, I believe, is relative. If you see the fleeting glimpse of Joy -- the reflection of the Christian myth become fact, then there is eucatastrophe. I see the Christian Story in the Silmarillion -- in fact I see it all too clearly -- not even as a mere reflection. Do I see joy in the Christian story/Silmarillion? No, I do not. Thus...do I have Eucatastrophe?