Lent 2015

[dreamflower]

“One who cannot cast away a treasure at need is in fetters.”
(Aragorn in The Two Towers "Flotsam and Jetsam")

This is one of my favorite quotes in the trilogy, but really, it seems to be at the heart of much of the Legendarium. Casting away a treasure, a precious thing, seems to be the theme all the way back to the Silm. To be willing to sacrifice something that others may benefit is found in every tale: Feanor would not sacrifice the Silmarils to renew the light of the trees, and made that dreadful oath to keep anyone else from benefitting from them; Thorin was unwilling to sacrifice the Arkenstone; the One Ring cast fetters over nearly everyone in its vicinity; only Bilbo and Sam were able to let it go, though Frodo's efforts bore fruit in spite of his failure to let go, the fetters it cast over him held him even after it was gone.

Casting away fetters is part of what Lent is all about. Giving something up, giving to others. It's a lesson that Tolkien knew well.

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

This is very thought provoking.

[dreamflower]

Thank you.

[shirebound]

Thank you for showing us the connections here. I learned something from your post!

[dreamflower]

It came to my mind when I was reading Splintered Light and it talked about things that Frodo and Feanor had in common and how they were different.

I'd always thought that quote was appropriate to Frodo (though it was spoken to Pippin), but I had never before thought it might apply to Feanor! And watching BO5A last night, I realized how it could also apply to Thorin! And there are many other characters in Tolkien's world to whom this theme could apply!

And when I remembered that giving things up is one theme of Lent, it seemed very appropriate for the season.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

An excellent thought for Lent.

And there are many other characters in Tolkien's world to whom this theme could apply!

I've been thinking, recently, how different things would have been if Thingol hadn't been so determined to keep the Silmaril, then Dior and Elwing likewise, when it was stolen property and, once in their possession, should have been returned to the owner(s).

[dreamflower]

And also, had Denethor not been so determined to hold onto his power in Gondor; or Lobelia been so obsessed with Bag End, or many other things.

As Tolkien's good friend CS Lewis said,
“Nothing you have not given away will ever really be yours.”

[febobe.livejournal.com]

<3 Love this. Having been in fetters myself at times, I can understand the value of this.

[dreamflower]

Have you read the story I co-wrote with Gryffinjack? "Testaments of the Past" was the first time I dealt with the idea of that quote as it applied to Frodo.

After that I noticed even more.