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PotbellyHairyfoot
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Post Melkor's enemies- Men
on: July 22, 2007 03:21
Where did the various tribes of First Age Men originate.?What are there goals? Why are they in Beleriand? What sets men apart from the other speaking peoples fighting Melkor?
cirdaneth
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Post RE: Melkor's enemies- Men
on: September 27, 2007 09:03
Where did the various tribes of First Age Men originate.?
Although Tolkien describes the awakening of Men in the East he leaves their pre-Beleriand history deliberately vague, allowing those who wish to fit the Eden story into it, blended with the activities of Melkor/Morgoth if they wish. Writing about elves as fantasy, he could do as he wished, but as a Roman Catholic he was risking excommunication if didn’t leave room for the Fall of Man. He weaves around it very skilfully, especially in the Athrabeth Finrod a Andreth, where Andreth mentions a Darkness that they left behind in the East, but will not tell Finrod what went wrong, only to say that having reached the Western Coasts they found the Darkness was already there before them. Perhaps Tolkien meant us to link the kinslaying at Alqualonde with Cain’s kinslaying of Abel.

What are their goals? Why are they in Beleriand? The three houses of the Edain entered Beleriand from the East with the goal of escaping the Dark, and those of their kind who worshipped it.

What sets men apart from the other speaking peoples fighting Melkor?
The main difference with the Edain is their mortality. They age, and weary and die of disease and decrepitude. They succumb to infected wounds, and do not heal in the way elves do, and when they are slain in battle they are not rested, purged and rejuvenated in Aman. The elves know what will happen to their souls, and the Dwarves have their faith in the return of spirit, but Men’s lives are short and they do not know what will become of them beyond Death. The lies of Morgoth have made everyone forget that Death was supposed to be Eru’s Gift to Men. To fight Morgoth and to die in that cause takes great faith for Men, and the elves respect that, seeing Death and doubt as a bad thing. Yet even they do not know what becomes of their spirits after the end of Arda. They just have longer to wait!.
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