Gollum and Eagles: Deux ex machina?

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Legolas

It is incorrect and ironic to consider the eagles' rescuing episode to be a case of deus ex machina (as presented). To dismiss it as a literary device present only to 'save the story' is to ignore the nature of Tolkien's fictional history.

It is not a literary device deus ex machina, but a literal deus ex machina - a literal act of God. The eagles are not a symbolical representation of God (or anything else) - they literally are sent from God (or actually his regent, in this case). That was the entire point.

Umm, don't you mean "act of Eru" and "sent by Eru"? Or well, that person who is responsible for the music but who isn't directly named, who is conspicuous by his absence from LotR?