[Amarinth]

one of the most cherished insights i've personally distilled from lotr is that practically all, not some, not a few, not just the small, not just the great, but ALL free peoples of middle earth were needed to perform their own share of sacrifice in the struggle to defeat evil. such a scope of sacrifice hits so squarely on the face of many, many issues surrounding class struggles against despotism or tyranny in third world societies. maybe i'm babbling and not making any sense, but thing is, many of recent experiences in developing nations that have removed corrupt or abusive leaders show that the deed done ultimately results to a return to abusive regimes simply because principles have been compromised in favor of the comfort and advantage of the "great" in society. one full circle in a vicious cycle thus goes.

in lotr, the sacrifice and the willingness of frodo, aragorn, galadriel, elrond and many others have whipped up an inexorable tide towards the death of evil. in a way, it wasn't that frodo volunteered to destroyed the ring, nor that others volunteered to help him, but that all who opposed sauron especially the great committed to its destruction at their own personal costs (even olorin the maia had to anatomically die right?). i firmly believe the ring began its long defeat, if i may borrow from lady galadriel, with this pledge.

i've a question here somewhere and here it is. i've read many assertions to tolkien's religiousness and mythic inspiration in conjuring up lotr and all of ea (here for example), but how about sociological or political dimension of struggle? did tolkien consciously or subconsciously write in the idea that for war to be won all had to sacrifice (2 questions!)? there...

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every man's life is a path to the truth -- hesse