Tolkien and the Monsters

[The Saucepan Man]

Another classic thread from Fordim.

I’m aware what may pop up to anyone’s mind following such a maxim. “what about hunting tiger – is it evil?”

I think that we have to make a distinction between mere beasts and creatures of evil. Regardless of how one defines evil, I would say that a creature can only be evil if it acts intentionally with a motive other than simple self-preservation. A hunting tiger is not evil because it is doing what it needs to do for no other purpose than to survive. And I am sure that there are a variety of creatures in Middle-earth that fall into this category. The fox, for example, that wonders upon Frodo, Sam and Pippin sleeping under the stars in the Shire no doubt needs to kill to survive. We would not, however, class it as evil.

There are also creatures within this “beast” category which are employed in the service of evil, but which, since they have no choice but to do so, I would not class as intrinsically evil. Oliphaunts, for example, and the beasts that drew Grond to the Gate of Minas Tirith. Perhaps the Ringwraiths’ horses and fell-beasts fall within this category too. As far as I am aware, there is nothing to suggest that they were “independently evil”, as opposed to simply being employed as steeds by evil creatures.

Some might say that Orcs fall within this category too, since one theory has it that they have no will of their own but are simply pawns used by the forces of evil. I don’t personally hold with that theory, although one does then get into difficult questions of whether Orcs are inherently evil, whether redemption is available to them etc. I will steer clear of that topic since, as Fordim noted, there are enough threads that address it already.

And what about Wargs? Are they simply overgrown wolves that are pressed into service by Orcs and the like. Or are they in fact creatures with an evil will? The fact that they are made out in The Hobbit to be sentient creatures that have willingly formed an alliance with the Goblins, plus the fact that they seem deliberately to target the Fellowship in LotR, would strongly suggest the latter. Indeed, the fact that Gandalf refers to them as “Hounds of Sauron” is probably a fairly big clue.

The Watcher in the Water I find interesting in this context. Superficially, it would appear to be a simple beast. One that is simply protecting its territory, or perhaps looking for a tasty Hobbit snack. Yet, as Imladris has mentioned, there is a suggestion that there is something more than coincidence in the fact that it targets Frodo, the Ringbearer. If this is more than coincidence, is its attraction to the Ring internal or external? In other words, does the Ring attract it or is it innately attracted to the Ring? If the former, then it may indeed simply be a beast: one that the Ring is using to escape. If the latter, however, then this might suggest that it is itself a creature of evil.

Finally Shelob and her predecessor, Ungoliant. As others have suggested, the fact that their motive for destruction and consumption is more than simple self-preservation, but rather destruction for destruction’s sake, would suggest that they are in themselves evil creatures (even though neither are loyal to the Dark Lords that they associate themselves with). Their sentience adds to this impression, as it does with Shelob’s “spawn”, ie the spiders that Bilbo encounters in Mirkwood. Although the Mirkwood spiders no doubt capture the Dwarves so as to feed themselves, the delight which they appear to take in doing so tends to indicate that there is more to their actions than simple self-preservation.

(Off topic:

For Christianity, it is everybody, for Islam, Muslims only (though Jews and Christians are tolerated as opposed to Pagans)

I would not agree with this statement. Islam, of course, can take different forms. But, in its purest form, I understand it to be extremely accepting of other faiths, at least as much so as Chrisitanity.)