Melkor; Evil by Will or Evil by Nature? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

The Silver-shod Muse · 05-06-2002, 05:54 PM

Melkor was not designed to be evil. Melkor, as an Ainur, was given a choice to be, or rather to sing, however he pleased. He could follow the script and see great things come to fruition, or he could trust to his own faulty devices and do his own thing. With the greatest knowledge and skill comes the greatest responsibility and decisions with greater consequences.

Later it seems that Eru was leaving his children and the Ainur to fend for themselves on Arda, but he was merely allowing them to fight and live and choose for themselves, making mistakes and mending them and making them again. A mother doesn't go on dressing her child after he's grown; eventually he must tie his own shoes, even if he ties them in knots.

One of the ways that Eru knew that Aule wasn't trying to set himself up as a dictator or ultimate power was that he created the dwarves to learn and live for themselves, not as witless puppets but as children.

05-06-2002, 05:54 PM	#2
The Silver-shod Muse Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The shoulder of a poet, TX Posts: 388	Melkor was not designed to be evil. Melkor, as an Ainur, was given a choice to be, or rather to sing, however he pleased. He could follow the script and see great things come to fruition, or he could trust to his own faulty devices and do his own thing. With the greatest knowledge and skill comes the greatest responsibility and decisions with greater consequences. Later it seems that Eru was leaving his children and the Ainur to fend for themselves on Arda, but he was merely allowing them to fight and live and choose for themselves, making mistakes and mending them and making them again. A mother doesn't go on dressing her child after he's grown; eventually he must tie his own shoes, even if he ties them in knots. One of the ways that Eru knew that Aule wasn't trying to set himself up as a dictator or ultimate power was that he created the dwarves to learn and live for themselves, not as witless puppets but as children. __________________ "'You," he said, "tell her all. What good came to you? Do you rejoice that Maleldil became a man? Tell her of your joys, and of what profit you had when you made Maleldil and death acquainted.'" -Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis