Gollum and Eagles: Deux ex machina?

[Essex]

this story is about Middle-earth, not about the Undying Lands.

for me, lotr has the most perfect ending I've ever read in a book. There is a sense of closure, the job's been done, but some cannot be healed here in ME so must travel on the Straight Road to find healing before they die.

Frodo says goodbye to his friends, and we travel back with Sam and finish the tale from his point of view. And why not, as a lot of people think Sam is the real hero of LOTR.....

Hang on, what has THIS got to do with D E M?????!!!!!!

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Essex

Hang on, what has THIS got to do with D E M?????!!!!!!

I'm just asking if it could possibly be seen as one. I know that I certainly don't see it that way, and I'm sure nobody on the Downs would, either, but some may see it as a rather 'convenient' end for Frodo. If we think about it, mortals are not allowed to make that trip, and there have been many courageous mortals, so why are Frodo, Bilbo and Sam allowed to make it?

I think Tolkien would have baulked at killing off these three Hobbits in any case, but might some see that as reason for this ending being a DEM?

Again, I'm not saying that this is what I think at all, as i find it a perfect ending; I'm just posing the question of whether it has the hallmarks of a DEM?

I would say that many aspects not just of Tolkien but of fantasy, sci-fi and horror in general could be dismissed as DEMs, when instead, they are just 'magic' or the fantastic.