The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Rings of Power & Osanwe-Kenta

Lalwendë · 01-10-2005, 02:37 PM

I've got to thinking again after reading the comments by davem, Bethberry and Formedacil on evil. Tolkein as a Catholic and Christian would have heard much on the 'nature' of evil by way of his religious beliefs, and one of those could well have been the line of thought that it is best not to go too deeply into the study of evil lest it corrupt the soul into evil itself. This is a common thought amongst many fundamentalists today, who ironically do not always approve of Tolkien!

But applying these comments to the Osanwe-kenta, I'm quite sure that Tolkien was making a point about being aware of and wary of evil; or perhaps suspicious is a better word? But alongside this, he could also have been making a philosophical point about those who allow too much knowledge of evil to eneter their heads. He could have been saying that evil can be manipulative, it can treat you as a 'friend', much in the same way as Melkor does to those he wishes to enslave, and that while we must be aware, we must also not go too far into these matters, in case we too become enslaved.

So, aside from the Osanwe-kenta telling us much new information about Arda, does it also have a metaphorical message for us?

01-10-2005, 02:37 PM	#37
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I've got to thinking again after reading the comments by davem, Bethberry and Formedacil on evil. Tolkein as a Catholic and Christian would have heard much on the 'nature' of evil by way of his religious beliefs, and one of those could well have been the line of thought that it is best not to go too deeply into the study of evil lest it corrupt the soul into evil itself. This is a common thought amongst many fundamentalists today, who ironically do not always approve of Tolkien! But applying these comments to the Osanwe-kenta, I'm quite sure that Tolkien was making a point about being aware of and wary of evil; or perhaps suspicious is a better word? But alongside this, he could also have been making a philosophical point about those who allow too much knowledge of evil to eneter their heads. He could have been saying that evil can be manipulative, it can treat you as a 'friend', much in the same way as Melkor does to those he wishes to enslave, and that while we must be aware, we must also not go too far into these matters, in case we too become enslaved. So, aside from the Osanwe-kenta telling us much new information about Arda, does it also have a metaphorical message for us? __________________ Gordon's alive!