The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum


Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page

Go Back   The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum > Middle-Earth Discussions > The Books
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-14-2008, 10:22 AM   #1
alatar
Doubting Dwimmerlaik
 
alatar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Heaven's basement
Posts: 2,466
alatar is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.alatar is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by doug*platypus View Post
So, what I'm saying is that, with these things taken into consideration, his hatred, and his growing lust for power (if I may paraphrase one of my favourite movies, all those who gain power are afraid to lose it) are enough to explain why he wanted to conquer Middle Earth. I don't believe that he would have been seeking the return of his former master. I feel he would have been reluctant to once again assume a subservient role, as his ambition had grown in the interim. Or, as Willie says, perhaps his daddy decided to hug the mailman?!
But then what? If he would have conquered all, would there be anything of interest to keep the Old Eye going? If everyone who remained were dissatisfied, would that be enough? If all of the Free Folk ended - by choice like Denethor II or either fallen in bitter battle or by the games of the orcs - what would Sauron do then?

You really want to give some consideration to those retiring years before they show up.

Or would he, having conquered all resistance in Middle Earth, think that with its entire resources at his disposal, that he could export war to the West?
__________________
There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.
alatar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2008, 01:51 PM   #2
Ibrīnišilpathānezel
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Ibrīnišilpathānezel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Back on the Helcaraxe
Posts: 733
Ibrīnišilpathānezel is a guest at the Prancing Pony.Ibrīnišilpathānezel is a guest at the Prancing Pony.
I tend to think that if he had conquered Middle-earth, Sauron might have given thought to conquering the West -- if it had not been removed from the planet. Sauron himself might have been able to find and cross the Straight Road to return to Aman, but could he have brought his armies with him? And he does have something of a paranoid personality; would he have trusted that Middle-earth would remain under his sway with him (and probably his most powerful minions) not there to mind the store (so to speak)? I think he would have had doubts. And if he is aware of the fact that the Valar called upon Eru Himself to protect Aman from Ar-Pharazon and his armies, might he not worry that they would not hesitate to do so again, should he somehow manage to present a direct threat to the West? My personal feeling is that Tolkien's remarks in Morgoth's Ring, that Sauron wanted order -- HIS order, thus with himself as ruler -- above all might well prevent him from doing more than toying with the idea of attacking Aman after conquering ME. The movement of troops and materiel between the worlds would be quite daunting, and I rather think that Sauron had a Miltonesque view of life, that it would be better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven. Tolkien's comments about the motives of Melkor and Sauron in MR also incline me to believe that Sauron really had no desire to see Melkor freed from the Void. Since Melkor's eventual aim was total nihilism, and Sauron was at all aware of it, he had to know that sooner or later, a free Melkor striving toward his personal goal would eventually turn on him. Without a world in existence, there would be nothing for Sauron to order and rule. To that end, Melkor's ability to wreak havoc worked to help make the peoples of ME easier to subjugate -- or would, once Melkor and his destructive madness were out of the picture. In that regard, the Valar did Sauron a favor, clearing the way for him to eventually conquer what Melkor wanted to destroy.

That said, it's certainly possible that Sauron, if he conquered ME, would turn his thoughts toward a campaign against the West, but just how hungry for conquest WAS he? Would he risk losing what he had finally gained, a world of his own? I wonder....
__________________
Call me Ibrin (or Ibri) :)
Originality is the one thing that unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of. — John Stewart Mill
Ibrīnišilpathānezel is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:44 PM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.