10 Comments
User's avatar
Hannah Rose Williams's avatar

It's a gray, sad morning here at my house. Thanks for the little glimpse of beauty and wisdom.

Expand full comment
JRR Jokien's avatar

You're so welcome! Thanks for the kind feedback and for reading

Expand full comment
Jerry Foote's avatar

By setting Middle Earth in a pre-Christian stage, Tolkien could not include a true 'fullness of time' event that effectually makes everything sad untrue, let alone an actual 'eschaton.' So the literary Christ figures (Frodo, Aragorn, Gandalf) stay typological, rather than allegorical. The lovely places like Menegroth, Rivendell, or the Shire can't be the new creation. They are more like the oaks of Mamre or Bethel or Eschol. They still need to be saved, and perhaps also to be forfeited by the hero.

Expand full comment
JRR Jokien's avatar

I love this distinction between allegorical and typological that you draw in light of the pre-Christian, pre-Incarnation status of Middle-earth.

Expand full comment
Dee's avatar

Insightful and beautifully written, as always 😊

Expand full comment
JRR Jokien's avatar

Thank you so much!

Expand full comment
Great Reads & Tea Leaves's avatar

Beautifully worded. Can’t wait for the next instalment this week.

Expand full comment
JRR Jokien's avatar

Thank you!

Expand full comment
Matthew Piazza's avatar

I'd completely missed or forgotten this statement Frodo made so early on, thanks for pointing it out Josh!

Expand full comment
JRR Jokien's avatar

You're welcome! It was something I'd not picked up on before either, so I was glad to share it!

Expand full comment