View Single Post
Old 08-31-2004, 02:04 PM   #19
Child of the 7th Age
Spirit of the Lonely Star
 
Child of the 7th Age's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,135
Child of the 7th Age is a guest of Tom Bombadil.
Davem,

Again, I think we are coming full circle: we are saying similar things but using different language. I intially picked up on the word "salvation" because that was how you expressed the dichotomy in your own post: subcreation versus salvation. I should have been more precise and substituted a term of my own. (Fordim's use of "grace" is much better. )

My concern was to emphasize that subcreation for Tolkien is inevitably rooted in divine truth: there can be no absolute dichotomy. It is certainly his own creation, the efforts of his own hard work, and not something handed to him on a plate by anyone or anything, divine or otherwise. God is not responsible for subcreation yet he still plays a role, since the core of the myth must encapsulate and reflect some of that greater truth. Without that truth at the center, Tolkien would have seen subcreation as an empty act.

As to what the Workhouse actually is, I think that is open to differing interpretations, as so many things in Tolkien are. You make some interesting and strong arguments to divorce it from the Catholic concept of purgatory. Yet, leaving loaded words like salvation and damnation aside, did not the First and Second Voice play some role in deciding who stays in the Workhouse and for how long? Doesn't this imply some type of judgment (with a small "j") as to the fate of those inside, i.e, at what point they would be better off outside the Workhouse? If there is judgment involved, how would you regard this? In other words, what is going on with the First and Second Voice?

It's been too long since I've reread Niggle and I will try to find time to look at it again. Unfortunately, I've been juggling dozens of balls since the start of the new academic year.
__________________
Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

Last edited by Child of the 7th Age; 08-31-2004 at 02:14 PM.
Child of the 7th Age is offline   Reply With Quote