Well, im not completly sure now, but... I have heard that Tolkien once said that of all the species in Middle-earth, he was a Hobbit.
It is not certain that this have anything to with this issue, but however, Hobbits does not strike me as a depressed people [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
He may just have been an really really humble Elf though [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
And there is also one certain thing you can find almost everywhere in the work of Tolkien, which he seems to make a big point out of, to me; and that is the difference between sorrow and dispair, and so on (like in the story where Aragorn dies, quoted earlier in this thread). It may be that he just worshipped sad but proud people, but as for me, I think there is something to it, though i realise that Hobbits are not really "sad but proud".
Also, if you analyse the characters in LOTR, none of the heroes fall under despair (save parhaps Frodo once or twice in Mordor?)... my point is that he clearly shows us why it is so important to carry on, and what will happen if you just give up trying. It is just like religion, keep ut the struggle and then recive your redemption.
His books and works are sad, yes... but not depressing. Not at any time does he shows us or gives us an excuse for dispairing or quitting. It remember this quote by Gimli, who kinda fits for the occasion: "Faithless is he, that says farewell when the road darkens".
[ July 19, 2002: Message edited by: greywind ]
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