Tony Meade
Active Member
SESSION 100
Comment on the nature of the wraith-world:
Comment on the nature of the wraith-world:
- Note: There is a parallel between Tolkien’s conception of the wraith-world and the “Upside Down” from Netflix’s Stranger Things. There may have been some Tolkien influence on that concept, such as the inability to see those who are brought into this corrupted, parallel world.
- The depiction of the wraith-world in the films have an uncertain and unclear visual quality that is hinted at by the description of Frodo’s experience as the Morgul wound begins to affect him.
- Glorfindel’s appearance in the wraith-world as a shining light hint that this is not an inherently evil place, but that it is a neutral plane where both good and evil beings are and look different.
- From Gandalf’s words, we know that this phenomenon is not unique to Glorfindel but is true of all of the Calaquendi who have dwelt in Valinor.
- Valinor exists on the same plane of existence as the wraith-world, after the fall of Númenor.
- This is parallel to a concept of Faerie being a parallel existence in the same place as our world.
- The power of Glorfindel over the Ringwraiths is partly a light vs shadow situation, but also one in which Glorfindel is a native of that plane, while the Ringwraiths are unnatural and trespassing.
- For Elves who have gone to Valinor, this dwelling in both planes at once is both a natural consequence and seemingly a fulfillment of the fate of the Elves.
- For Ringbearers, they have been damaged by their possession of the Ring and by entering the wraith-world whenever they wear the Rings.
- Note: The idea of the Blessed Realm as “Elvenhome” is in contrast to the idea that perhaps it was a mistake of the Valar to bring the Elves to Valinor, though that may be in terms of timing.
- The major distinction between the Elves and the mortal races is that the Elves have a soul that is bound eternally to Arda, while mortals have a destiny outside of Arda.
- The process of pulling a mortal body into the immortal spiritual plane is the concept of becoming a wraith, which is a violation of the proper place of those two things.
- Note: Tolkien emphasizes that mortals seeking physical immortality is unnatural and leads to evil. Aragorn’s death scene in the appendices is shown as the original model of mortals’ passing.
- Note: By allowing the Ringbearers the grace to travel to Valinor to receive healing for the unnatural way that they had been drawn into that plane through the power of the Ring. Bilbo and Frodo do not become immortal there; rather, they are cleansed of the corruption of the Ring so that they can pass more easily outside the circles of the world, like all mortals. This is in contrast to the concept of Purgatory, which is about correcting one’s own moral failings made through their choices, whereas this corruption was an external force imposed on them. Frodo and Bilbo may have died earlier than they would have naturally but do so cleansed and in peace.
- In answering Frodo’s question about the safety of Rivendell, Gandalf emphasizes that the might of a place to resist is not always clear in its appearance.
- We are reminded that the primary battle is on the spiritual level, and in that sense, Rivendell is a fortress, protected by spiritual power, and not walls or weapons, or even by geography.
- There does not seem to be a coincidence between the jolly singing of the Elves on the periphery of Rivendell and its power to resist evil things, even Sauron himself, in this spiritual battle.
- Just as Rivendell is strong, the Shire is said by Gandalf to be strong in a different way. Though this power is still spiritual, we know that the Shire is not invulnerable to the entry of evil beings.
- This difference is not just about quantity of power, but in qualities and source. That Frodo was able to resist the wound, and the hobbits to confound the Witch-king’s plans show this.
- This spiritual power to resist the Ringwraiths that exists in the Shire is part of the explanation for why they have such a hard time there and in dealing with the hobbits.
- We see the Ringwraiths put forth their power of fear in Crickhollow and assimilate it over time, but we also see them verbally thwarted by the likes of Gaffer Gamgee and Farmer Maggot.
- This power extends to The Prancing Pony in a similar way, as the Ringwraiths can’t enter there.
- Their strength in the wilderness is due to the absence of the things that thwart them in the Shire and Bree, being community, domesticity, joy, peace, and contentment.
- Being a Ranger, Strider would seem to be without all of these things, yet he is able to foster those things in the hobbits, and therefore oppose the Ringwraiths under Weathertop.