Trick or Treat? Spooky Middle-Earth - Page 3
© Michael Martinez
Although Durin's Day never again figured into any of the events of the War of the Ring, the Tale of Years says that the war officially ended in early November, which would have been close to our October 31. Saruman was slain at Bag End and his spirit passed away from the world of the living to the world of the dead (or the houseless). In one year, from Durin's Day 3018 to Durin's Day 3019, Middle-earth was changed forever. The powerful Maiar were overthrown or their purpose in Middle-earth brought to completion. The woeful spirits of dead Men (whether Nazgul, who weren't so much dead as faded, and the Dead Men of Dunharrow) were released from long bondage and allowed to seek their eternal rest.
Tolkien used to say that The Lord of the Rings was about death and the search for deathlessness. It is also, however, about life, and the search for purpose in living. A renewal. There is the passing of the old and the arrival of the new. Just as the Celts celebrated the passing of their old year and the arrival of their new year with a feast and celebration, so we still celebrate our change in year, although we do it at a historically oddball time of year (there is virtually no major religious significance in Christian or Celtic tradition to December 31/January 1).
The Rings of Power for the most part conferred upon their weareres the ability to see the Unseen, to interact with wraiths. These abilities were apparently sought by the Eldar of Eregion because they were afraid of fading. This fate, foretold to the Noldor by the Valar when the Noldor marched into rebellious exile, daunted even the mighty Noldor. Tolkien says the Elves wanted "to live in the mortal historical Middle-earth because they had become fond of it (and perhaps because they had there the advantages of a superior caste), and so tried to stop its change and history" (Letter 154).
By stopping change and history, the Elves hoped to forestall the invetible fate that Iluvatar had in store for them: death. Now, many people are quick to point out that the Elves were supposed to live with the life of Arda. That is, they would naturally endure in the world so long as the world itself endured. Men, on the other hand, grew weary of the world and sought elsewhere. In this sense, Tolkien seems to be speaking of a different kind of "death". Death in Tolkien usually refers to the death of the body. But the body is a physical shell, regarded as nothing more than raiment for the Valar, who were naturally disincarnate spirits.
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