Despots, old and new

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

My feeling is that it is both easy and difficult to draw parallels between fiction and the real world when the fiction half is very strongly influenced by the archetypes of myth and legend. Mythical Good and Evil can be absolute; it can be drawn in black and white, whereas reality is full of myriad shades of gray. Myth is the distillate of the two components of gray, and thus one can find a lot of partial parallels between what is real and what is invented. For instance, one can look at Sauron's militaristic regime and equate it with Rome, but the Romans distracted the general populace with what we now call "bread and circuses," hoping that so long as the people felt their creature comforts, needs, and entertainments were being adequately maintained, they wouldn't notice how the wars and the costs of spreading the Empire were getting out of hand. Nowhere does Sauron use this tactic -- though we can sure find it in our modern world. It seems that Sauron's idea of appeasing the masses is by tricking them into things that will directly benefit him: handing out rings of power to ensnare those he would otherwise have had a hard time subjugating, establishing Melkor worship in Numenor, where he as the chief high priest of the religion would get the king under his thumb and thus become a very potent power behind an impotent throne. Oh yes, there are many aspects of many real despots and despotic regimes in Sauron and Melkor, but as they are symbols of the root of all evils in the world, they cannot, I think, be truly equated with any single person or government. Some degree of what they are as a distilled form of Evil is in all persons and policies that seek to control and subjugate others. IMHO, of course.

[Nogrod]

Soo many loose ends to comment on! *and so little time before needing to go to sleep - like now*

So just one comment...

I do agree with Ibrin that it is both easy and hard to draw parallels. Like here...

Originally Posted by Inzil

Also, you seem to single out Númenor for special examination. I really don't see much in the way of a modern parallel. The Fall of Númenor, in my opinion, and its ultimate root in the desire of the Dúnedain to obtain immortality. They wanted something they were biologically incapable of having. The reason apparently they alone as mortals were susceptible to this failing, I think, was bound to their proximity to the Undying Lands, so close they could physically see what in their eyes was Paradise. I can think of no 'real' parallel.

I see what you Inzil aim at, but on the other hand, think of the early Jesus movement! (I mean before the forming of Christianity as such.) Weren't they just in that position? Being preached about immortality - like many mystery cults of that time did - and having a charismatic leader who embodied to them that immortality and making them feel the nearness of salvation (which never came). And how unfair that was! They could touch Jesus as a physical creature, that close he was! And still they were denied the eternity!

And actually one could continue on that parable by saying that the synoptic Gospels were close to the way the Numenorian's held high the "true faith" but with the late John everything got out of hand - like Sauron got his ideas mingled with the Numenorian belifs... sweet talkin' but corrupted and rotten to the bone!

I mean you can interpret these in many ways...

But an interesting topic!

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I do agree with Ibrin that it is both easy and hard to draw parallels. Like here... I see what you Inzil aim at, but on the other hand, think of the early Jesus movement! (I mean before the forming of Christianity as such.) Weren't they just in that position? Being preached about immortality - like many mystery cults of that time did - and having a charismatic leader who embodied to them that immortality and making them feel the nearness of salvation (which never came). And how unfair that was! They could touch Jesus as a physical creature, that close he was! And still they were denied the eternity!

Ah, but Jesus taught his followers to have faith in God and to trust in His plan for them. If they held true, they would be rewarded in Heaven after the end of their lives on Earth. That, essentially, is what the Eldar sent by the Valar encouraged in the Númenóreans.

'The love of Arda was set in your hearts by Ilúvatar, and he does not plant to no purpose. Nonetheless, many ages of Men unborn may pass ere that purpose is made known; and to you it will be revealed, and not to the Valar'

Silmarillion Akallabêth

The Númenórean king, Tar-Atanamir was not satisfied by those words, and he was the first of his people to 'cling' to life to the bitter end.