Home » Reading & Literature » J.R.R. Tolkien » Beware That Baker in the Kitchen! - Page 5

Beware That Baker in the Kitchen! - Page 5

© Michael Martinez

Was it too late for dissension in the ranks? Even the good-hearted Fingon went charging into the fray without knowing the just and unjust causes of the combatants, or seeking for them. His irresponsible and headlong charge, born of loyalty, seems to have doomed all of his people. What would have happened if Fingon had asked first what was going on? What if he had refused to support Feanor's theft of the ships? Would the Noldor still have launched themselves into exile, or would only a small fraction of the nation have been doomed? The road into darkness seems to have many pitfalls, but there are also pit stops. There are points where one may assess what one has done and turn back. Boromir's redemption is an example of how someone could set out upon the dark path, and yet not make the full journey. He still paid with his life for trying to take the Ring, but his death was a noble one. He sacrificed himself trying to save two companions. Even Ar-Pharazon is said to have hesitated when Sauron urged him to cut down the White Tree of Numenor. It was Isildur's valiant effort to save a fruit before the Tree was destroyed that finally pushed Ar-Pharazon over the edge. It might be argued that, had Isildur done nothing, the king would still eventually have agreed to Sauron's suggestion. Sauron wasn't about to relent in his efforts to corrupt and destroy the Numenoreans. Nonetheless, Isildur's action prompted Ar-Pharazon to reaction, and Ar-Pharazon resumed the journey into darkness. Earnur, the last King of Gondor from the Line of Anarion, didn't exactly turn to evil, but he succumbed to pride. And yet his downfall was also delayed. The first time the Lord of the Nazgul issued a challenge to the king, the Steward Mardil was able to restrain Earnur. Earnur had a respite, but in time he resumed his self-destructive course. He responded to the second challenge. It's not really easy for anyone to become evil in Middle-earth. The Orcs weren't always evil. Somewhere back in their beginnings they were good, as good as anyone else. They weren't really Orcs. There eventually came a day when they could be called Orcs, but what was the transitional process like? And were they so far gone down the path they couldn't return, if the desire entered their hearts? The question of the redeemability of the Orcs troubled Tolkien and has disturbed many of his readers. Many people assume the Orcs were all destroyed in the War of the Ring, but that is not the case. The Epilogue (which Tolkien was persuaded not to publish) indicates the Orcs were still around. Sam even speculates that they won't ever be completely destroyed, and during World War II Tolkien often made reference to the "Orcs" in the British army in letters to his son.

The copyright of the article Beware That Baker in the Kitchen! - Page 5 in J.R.R. Tolkien is owned by Michael Martinez. Permission to republish Beware That Baker in the Kitchen! - Page 5 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.