Thanks for the encouragement! Part two will apply these ideas to the three demonic "incarnations" of evil in Middle-earth: Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman.
That's good. It was hard to watch the sly psychological perversion that the hidden Sauron foisted on Celebrimbor in the recent episode of Amazon's "Rings of Power." Pride opened the door. It was also sobering to immediately realize that that's exactly what's going on with so many little Saurons in our world, trying to attain power and dominance with devious malevolence.
Pride always cometh before the fall, as it did for Satan and his demons and for our first parents. Though Celebrimbor's motive was partly due to pride, in Tolkien's letters he also explained that Sauron tempted Celebrimbor and the Elves of Eregion through their desire to correct the destruction of Creation caused by Morgoth, essentially to re-beautify the world and purify it of sin. He convinced them that they could do this through the rings, though Gil-galad and Elrond both rejected this temptation; in a way, Galadriel did succumb, as she used her ring to "embalm" Lothlorien and prevent it from decaying.
While Morgoth wanted to dominate Creation and make his own world apart from God, Sauron wanted to dominate the minds and wills of people, to enslave them, the best means for which was of course the One Ring and the appeal of apparent goodness. These will be themes in part two of my article.
Thank you - am looking forward to seeing part 2.
Thanks for the encouragement! Part two will apply these ideas to the three demonic "incarnations" of evil in Middle-earth: Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman.
That's good. It was hard to watch the sly psychological perversion that the hidden Sauron foisted on Celebrimbor in the recent episode of Amazon's "Rings of Power." Pride opened the door. It was also sobering to immediately realize that that's exactly what's going on with so many little Saurons in our world, trying to attain power and dominance with devious malevolence.
Pride always cometh before the fall, as it did for Satan and his demons and for our first parents. Though Celebrimbor's motive was partly due to pride, in Tolkien's letters he also explained that Sauron tempted Celebrimbor and the Elves of Eregion through their desire to correct the destruction of Creation caused by Morgoth, essentially to re-beautify the world and purify it of sin. He convinced them that they could do this through the rings, though Gil-galad and Elrond both rejected this temptation; in a way, Galadriel did succumb, as she used her ring to "embalm" Lothlorien and prevent it from decaying.
While Morgoth wanted to dominate Creation and make his own world apart from God, Sauron wanted to dominate the minds and wills of people, to enslave them, the best means for which was of course the One Ring and the appeal of apparent goodness. These will be themes in part two of my article.
Excellent - I had forgotten the differences between the dark lords.