The Children of Hurin lecture 2 of 8, examining the victory of Morgoth over Elves and Men at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Morgoth’s capture of Hurin, Hurin’s steadfastness, and Morgoth’s curse on Hurin’s family.
Text:
Chapter 2, “The Battle of Unnumbered Tears”
Chapter 3, “The Words of Hurin and Morgoth”
Direct Download – 39:31 – 36.4mb mp3
Text: The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
*To my knowledge, there is no difference in pagination between the various printed editions. Therefore, though I am using the mass market paperback, you can use the hardcover or trade paperback edition and still follow along with no problem when I reference page numbers.*
Michael Lucero
/ February 20, 2013I am really enjoying this podcast series for the most part; however, I had to comment on two things I disagree with in this episode.
1) It is incorrect to say that within the Christian religion, Satan is the god of this world, and that he makes everything happen, albeit with the permission and allowance of God. This is absolutely false. The only place this idea is present in the Bible is the book of Job, which does not seem to be a historical account, but a myth of sorts. Almost everywhere else in the Bible, God is the primary mover in the Christian understanding, the one making things happen. Satan is presented as being a “prince of the world”, but I think this is more metaphorical, in the sense that he is given the right to go where he wants and do what he wants without suffering consequences, until the Day of Judgment, and also that he dictates the ideals, opinions, and worldviews that are associated with the mainstream system that is called “this world”. But this is a far cry from being the “god of this world” that you described him as. Also, in terms of Tolkien’s story, it is even wrong to say that Melkor is the Master of the Fates of Arda. This is a claim he makes, but Tolkien makes it clear in The Silmarillion that it is a false claim. I’m not sure if you were saying that or not in the podcast, but if so I think it’s a bit unclear.
2) Regarding Tolkien’s treatment of the afterlife being a place where he perhaps fails, this section is all of a piece with his discussions of the different fates of elves and men in the Silmarillion. In that work, he talks about how Death is a gift to men, since Arda is not their ultimate home, but rather with Illuvatar, whereas elves are comfortable and at home in Arda. This is the principal difference between elves and men, and I’m certain that you already know all of this. But what I would like to point out is that Tolkien said repeatedly in his letters that Death and Immortality was the main theme of all of his works, so it cannot be held as a mistake that he chooses to explore these subjects. To do so would be to engage in the same mistakes that critics of the fantasy genre as a whole make, when they (in the words of C.S. Lewis) “regard as faults…those very properties which the poet labored hardest to attain and which, rightly enjoyed, are essential to its specific delightfulness.”
Other than that, great job on the story of Turin so far!