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Old 12-11-2002, 08:51 AM   #16
The Squatter of Amon Rûdh
Spectre of Decay
 
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Mim, by betraying their position to the servants of Morgoth, essentially was saying "I'm on Morgoth's side".
This is almost certainly how Tolkien would have seen the situation, since the opposition of Morgoth is the acknowledgement of Eru's right to sole divine honour. By this argument, anyone who upholds that tenet is automatically in the right, no matter what actions they take in so doing; and by the same token anyone who allies with Morgoth, whatever their reasons may be, is in the wrong.

This is all very well: Mîm's actions are selfish, short-sighted and in opposition to the cause of the common good. My argument is that Túrin could have avoided the entire situation simply by not forcing someone whose son his men had just killed to offer his force hospitality. Had he sought out a different hideaway, perhaps leaving behind some token of apology, the Petty-Dwarf would have had much less inclination and no opportunity to betray him. Perhaps if his men were a little more disciplined the entire situation could have been avoided in the first place; but one has to possess discipline before one can inspire it in others, and self-discipline is not Túrin's strong suit.

My point is that this is just another example of how Túrin plays into Morgoth's hands at every turn. Mîm, if left alone, would never have had any dealings with either side. He was, in many ways, a mean and petty character, yet he was originally neutral and could have gone either way. When Túrin's band of outlaws turned up, killed off his son, barged into his home and treated him like a servant, they awoke in him a natural resentment and desire for revenge. Since he was obviously incapable of seeking retribution alone, he turned to the only potential ally he could find. Granted, this ally was someone whom he should have seen as his enemy; but like a lot of small people with a grievance he wasn't interested in the big picture; just getting some measure of redress for himself.

By the same token, Húrin's killing of Mîm is justified in that he finds the betrayer of his son claiming the treasure and halls that Túrin had liberated in killing Glaurung. I didn't say that Mîm was noble or just; only that the enemies of Morgoth brought a lot of misfortune to his door, and that this turned him against them. Húrin himself railed against his allies for much lesser ills after his release, and he was one of the noblest of Men. Mîm is a weaker vessel altogether.

All of which leads me to the question: was the curse that Morgoth placed on Húrin's family one of eternal stupidity? They certainly seem adept at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
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