The Seven Deadly Sins in Middle-earth

[Kaiserin]

Your theory, Squatter, is of course realistic. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

We know that these sins /virtues were very much present in Tolkien's mind (whether consciously or subconsciously, it is still there) and it spilled over into Middle-Earth's standards for right and wrong. It is clear that Tolkien deliberately - though maybe subtly - defined a sense of good and evil in his mythology. If he did not purposely inject the 7 deadly sins / cardinal virtues, he at least had a standard of morality in mind, which is obviously based on the virtues (as observed in the above examples).

Having established that Eru is the source of all and is good, his ways and principles (or those which we may consider as the virtues) must be the acceptable standard of behavior. The selfish and harmful desires that go against Eru's original intent (or - sin?) are therefore wrong and are seen by the readers as a conflict or "threat". The gravity of the wrongdoing creates that sense of a pressing need for those virtues (like a desperate cry for righteousness, perhaps?).

Though the consideration of the Seven Deadlies as evil / sinful, may not exclusively a Catholic belief, what is probably distinctively Catholic / Christian is the belief that these virtues are signs of strength and spirituality, and not weakness. What comes to mind right now is Gandalf's wise words to Frodo at Moria:

"I daresay [Gollum] does [deserve to die]. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment... I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it... my heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill before the end. And when it comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many"

We find here that pity / kindness / the humility to forgive must be chosen over judgment. Surely, it was harder for Frodo to think kindly of Gollum, but he ended up showing mercy and understanding (before the finger-biting incident at Mt. Doom, at least) - and that demonstrated his real strength over his own proud attitude toward Gollum.

[ August 23, 2003: Message edited by: Kaiserin ]