The Nature of "Belief" in Middle-earth

[Andorinha]

We do not yet have a general, catchall category for discussing how JRRT depicts spirituality/ religion in his sub-created Middle-earth, so I'd like to open such a thread here now. In his various works, what information does he give us concerning the supernatural aspects of the many, detailed cultures he has created? Beyond a general sort of Spirituality, is there Religion in Middle-earth?

[Andorinha]

Organized Religion in LotR:

Is there a religion or religions in Middle-earth? Tolkien leaves us on peculiarly unsafe ground in this regard. No where does he allow his LotR characters to actually inform us, in a fulsome manner, concerning what they believe. Do they have a daily concern for a diety or dieties? Do they address prayers of supplication, thanks or worship to any supernatural being? Do they take oaths in the name of a supernatural being? Do they have diety-profanity terms, cuss words/ swearing? Do they have religious specialists, priests? Do they have a corporate expression of their beliefs embodied in a church organization? Do they have a profession of belief, a systematized creedo that explains the basic concepts they will adhere to? Do they have sacred days, with ritualized celebrations for these holy days? Are there any bodies of ritualized practice -- genuflections, hymn singing, memorized-chanted prayers, moments of reflection directed towards the supernatural? All these common indicators of religious belief seem missing in ME. At best we have the head-nodding of Faramir and gang as a gesture of respect/ thanks before their meals -- but without any deity being specified it could be nothing more than a moment of remembrance of the ancient glory of Numenor and Valinor beyond it. We also have some expressions of vague supplication, as when Frodo calls upon Elbereth as he faces Shelob, but did ALL hobbits know of Elbereth, and frame their appeals to her? We also have several rituals of burial, but what specifically do they tell us about the religious beliefs of the various peoples involved here?

All the human societies we know of in good historical contexts have developed a religious system. It seems odd indeed that the cultures of ME should not have such as well. Tolkien, with all his care in sub-creating societies that are detailed and believable, chooses not to illustrate the religious side of ME. Why? As his original backstories were developed from Finnish Kalevala, Nordic Saga, and classical Graeco-Roman sources he could have simply co-opted the religious accouterments of these pagan systems. But, he did not. There are hints of the Olympian dieties, or the Aesir in the Silmarillion, hints of Old Testament Biblical monotheism in the cosmology -- but no developed religious practice is generated from this base. There is a God, and subsidiary gods, but for some reason, no daily religious expression seems to have followed, the hobbits have no Church...

I have often wondered if this "areligious" situation was Tolkien's Roman Catholic reaction to writing a tale that HAD to be set in pre-Christian times. Did he feel uncomfortable with sub-creating a full expression of religious belief that could not be a definite Christian system? Rather than having his heroes involved with pagan worship, a damning situation, he simply never fleshed out this ubiquitous side of human culture. Rather than having Frodo "mistakenly" delivering a prayer to Manwe, or dancing in some wild Spring celebration of life's renewal for Yavanna, JRRT chose to simply ignore this vital aspect of human behaviour/ nature.

Keeping in mind that The Hobbit has no real need of religious expression, and keeping in mind that the backstory mythology has a decided pagan flavour to it (except where he tried in later times to "clean it up" and make it more congruent with Cristianity) the only in-depth narrative we have where a religious aspect could be expected is LotR. I think that by the time JRRT got to this tale he was moving away from his original, pagan sources of inspiration, was moving toward the creation of a more explicit Christian-theology based story, but did not know how to express this for an era that MUST be pre-Christian. His compromise was to leave the matter of religion largely undefined and undiscussed.

[Stormrider]

My first thought (as you mentioned above) was that religion is not really needed in the story. The many times I had read the story, I had noticed the lack of any references to a supreme being or beings other than Elbereth.

Of any of the races of LOTR, I would think the Elves would be the ones to rejoice and honor the Valar and Maiar since they seem the closest to them. The singing for Gandalf's loss in Lothlorien seems like a spiritual tribute. I can see the Elves singing spiritual songs in the Hall of Fire in Rivendell and if they were sung in Elvish, they may just have been that!

Another thought was the burial of Theoden's son. Although no supreme being seemed mentioned, it was a rather spiritual procession.

At Aragorn and Arwen's wedding and his coronation, Aragorn said something in Quenya if I recall...I need to look up what he said. It may have given tribute to the Valar or at least old Numenor.

[Fredeghar Wayfarer]

The Elves seem to have religious belief and honor the Valar as many cultures did their deities. The "A Elbereth" poem seems to be part of that tradition.

In fact, for many of the Elves, it was more than mere belief, it was historical fact that a race of divine beings was watching over them. They'd lived among the Valar in Valinor for a time during the First Age! The Elves knew that one day, they'd be reunited with the Valar, either by sailing across the sea to the Undying Lands or traveling to the Halls of Mandos in spirit form if they died. They knew this was true because they'd been there!

I would assume they also knew of Eru Iluvatar, Tolkien's version of God, since the Valar likely taught them about him. Not sure what they believed about him though. Does anyone recall if "Children of Eru" was a term just used by The Silmarillion's narrator or if the Elves knew of their creator?

As far as the religion of Men, I think you're right. As a devout Christian, Tolkien probabaly didn't feel comfortable depicting pagan belief systems and just chose to leave that part out. In The Silmarillion, it's mentioned that the Valar were often mistakenly seen as gods by Men (Tolkien's explanation for the ancient pantheons of mythology). I would guess that the peoples of Middle-earth worshipped the Valar by various names.

Who knows about the Dwarves? They were very secretive about everything in their culture, religion included. I'd say they probably worshipped Aule the Smith, their creator. Whether they acknowledged Eru or the other Valar though is hard to say.

Hobbits don't seem to have religion at all, as far as I can tell. Tolkien seems to depict them as innocents, unaware and unconcerned with the notion of an afterlife or gods. Whenever Gandalf spoke of fate bringing the Ring to Frodo for a purpose or described the white shores of Valinor and what happens after death, the Hobbits looked at him with wonder and confusion. Living off the earth as they did, they probably just thought everything returned to it in the end.

Frodo's invocation to Elbereth was likely picked up from Galadriel or from his readings of Bilbo's "Translations from the Elvish." I never got the feeling that Elbereth or the Valar were known to the average Hobbit.

As for the Orcs, Trolls, and other dark races, they probably worshipped Morgoth and/or Sauron, as much out of fear as any devotion. The Dark Lords would allow no less, I suspect.

As you can see, a lot of this is speculation but that's my take on religion in Middle-earth.

[Andorinha]

Yeah, the Hobbits seem to be the least impacted by a visible religion... this will require some more thought. I'm also interested now in looking up what little may be available regarding the belief system of the Dwarves, and how closely it might follow that of the elves. Back in a bit!

[Stormrider]

Fredegar stated:

Who knows about the Dwarves? They were very secretive about everything in their culture, religion included. I'd say they probably worshipped Aule the Smith, their creator. Whether they acknowledged Eru or the other Valar though is hard to say.

Would Eru have allowed the Dwarves to worship Aule? He was rather angry with Aule when he found out about the Dwarves and almost destroyed them. Actually Aule agreed to do it himself and that was when Eru softened toward them and allowed them to stay after a long sleep.

The Dwarves knew about Aule, at least the fathers of the Dwarves did, since they were awakened in the beginning. I imagine they would have been very humble toward him as their creator but I think they had "the fear of god" toward Eru after their encounter with him. I don't think they would have ignored Eru in their worship.

[Fredeghar Wayfarer]

May 16, 2008 6:16:12 GMT -6 Stormrider said:

Fredegar stated:

Who knows about the Dwarves? They were very secretive about everything in their culture, religion included. I'd say they probably worshipped Aule the Smith, their creator. Whether they acknowledged Eru or the other Valar though is hard to say.

Would Eru have allowed the Dwarves to worship Aule? He was rather angry with Aule when he found out about the Dwarves and almost destroyed them. Actually Aule agreed to do it himself and that was when Eru softened toward them and allowed them to stay after a long sleep.

The Dwarves knew about Aule, at least the fathers of the Dwarves did, since they were awakened in the beginning. I imagine they would have been very humble toward him as their creator but I think they had "the fear of god" toward Eru after their encounter with him. I don't think they would have ignored Eru in their worship.

Eru doesn't really have any say in who does or doesn't worship him. If he did, the various races of Men wouldn't have worshiped the Valar as gods. The peoples of Middle-earth had free will and could choose to worship and believe what they want. I can't see Eru forcing or coercing the Dwarves to worship him. That goes against the traditional depiction of a benevolent God, which I get the impression was Tolkien's belief.

My memories of Eru and Aule's confrontation are hazy. Were the Dwarves aware of what happened and how close they came to destruction or was this all behind the scenes in the realm of the Ainur?

[Stormrider]

I agree with you, Fredegar, that Eru would not have forced any race to worship him and allowed free will to decide that. The chapter in The Silmarillion that speaks of the creation of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves is Chapter 2 "Of Aule and Yavanna":

It is told that in their beginning the Dwarves were made by Aule in the darkness of Middle-earth; for so greatly did Aule desire the coming of the Children, to have learners to whom he could teach his lore and his crafts, that he was unwilling to await the fulfilment of the designs of Iluvatar. And Aule made the Dwarves even as they still are, because the forms of the Children who were to come were unclear to his mind, and because the power of Melkor was yet over the Earth; and he wished therefore that they should be strong and unyielding. But fearing that the other Valar might blame his work, he wrought in secret: and he made first the Seven Father of the Dwarves in a hall under the mountains in Middle-earth.

Now Iluvata knew what was done, and in the very hour that Aule's work was complete, and he was pleased, and began to instruct the Dwarves in the speech that he had devised for them, Iluvatar spoke to him; and Aule heard his voice and was silent. And the voice of Iluvatar said to him: "Why hast thou done this? Why dost thou attempt a thing which thou knowest is beyond they power and thy authority" For thou hast from me as a gift they own being only, and no more; and therefore the creatures of thy hand and mind can live only by that being, moving when thou thinkest to move them, and if thy thought be elsewhere, standing idle. Is that thy desire?"

Then Aule answered: "I did not desire such lordship. I desired things other than I am, to love and to teach them, so that they too might perceive the beauty of Ea, which thou hast caused to be. For it seemed to me that there is great room in Arda for many things that might rejoice in it, yet it is for the most part empty still, and dumb. And in my impatience I have fallen into folly. Yet the making of things is in my heart from my own making by thee; and the child of little understanding that makes a play of the deeds of his father may do so without thought of mockery, but because he is the son of his father. But what shall I do now, so that thou be not angry with me for ever? As a child to his father, I offer to thee these things, the work of the hands which thou hast made. Do with them what thou wilt. But should I not rather destroy the work of my presumption?"

Then Aule took up a great hammer to smite the Dwarves; and he wept. But Iluvatar had compassion upon Aule and his desire, because of his humility; and the Dwarves shrank from the hammer and were afraid, and the bowed down their heads and begged for mercy. And the voice of Iluvatar said to Aule: "Thy offer I accepted even as it was made. Dost thou not see that these things have now a life of their own, and speak with their own voices" Else they would not have flinched from thy blow, nor from any command of they will." The Aule cast down his hammer and was glad, and he gave thanks to Iluvatar, saying: "May Eru bless my work and amend it!"

But Iluvatar spoke again and said: "Even as I gave being to the thoughts of the Aiunr at the beginning of the World, so now I have taken up thy desire and given to it a place therein: but in no other way will I amend thy handiwork, and as thou hast made it, so shall it be. But I will not suffer this" that these should come before the Firstborn of my design, nor that thy impatience should be rewarded. They shall sleep now in the darkness under stone, and shall not come forth until the Firstborn have awakened upon Earth; and until that time thou and they shall wait, though long it seem. But when the time comes I will awaken them, and they shall be to thee as children; and often strife shall arise between thine and mine, the children of my adoption and the children of my choice."

Then Aule took the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, and laid them to rest in far-sundered places; and he returned to Valinor, and waited while the long years lengthened.

Since they were to come in the days of the power of Melkor, Aule made the Dwarves strong to endure. Therefore they are stone-hard, stubborn, fast in friendship and in enmity, and they suffer toil and hunger and hurt of body more hardily than all other speaking peoples; and they live long, far beyond the span of Men, yet nor for ever. Aforetime it was held among the Elves in Middle-earth that dying the Dwarves returned to the earth and the stone of which they were made; yet that is not their own belief. For they say that Aule the Maker, whom they call Mahal, cares for the, and gathers them to Mandos in halls set apart; and that he declared to their Fathers of old that Iluvatar will hallow them and give them a place among the Children in the End. Then their part shall be to serve Aule and to aid him in the remaking of Arda after the Last Battle. They say also that the Seven Father of Dwarves return to live again in their own kin and to bear once more their ancient names: of whom Durin was the most renowned in after ages, father of that kindred most friendly to the Elves, whose mansions were at Khazad-dum.

I guess I remembered the possible destruction of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves incorrectly! It was Aule himself who offered to destroy them for his folly in making them without permission and in secret--not Iluvatar who demanded that the Dwarves be destroyed. The Dwarves shrank from Aule's hammer and were afraid. But Iluvatar saved them showing his compassion. I guess from this passage you could say that the Dwarves had knowledge and saw Aule and (or maybe just heard) Iluvatar.

It seems that the purpose of the Dwarves is to serve Aule, too, however, Iluvatar has made a place for them in the End. Given this information, perhaps they did honor Iluvatar and Aule both. Not sure in what depth they did or how they did, but I would think since they had this first encounter with Aule and Iluvatar it would have made an impression on the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves and surely they would have passed some of this encounter down in their songs and tales or scripture (if they had a book such as that).