Chapter 5: Thoughts on Death
I have seen many things in my time on Middle Earth. Great deeds of valor performed by both mortals and immortals. Acts of heroism and self- sacrifice great and small performed by people of all ages and races. And acts of immense cruelty and malice as well. These are also not limited to any one race.
I have witnessed death in many different forms. I have also killed with my own hands. After all, I am a hunter and a soldier. Violence is my trade. I have probably seen more death than most beings of my age.
It is a strange and variable thing – to take the life of another. Sometimes it comes with little forethought, as when you are in battle and it is a clear choice to either take your enemy's life, or he will take yours. Or when you take another's life in order to save someone you love. These types of death hold little horror for me, since they hold little thought. I have killed many goblins, orcs and evil Men in this fashion, and it does not bother me.
Yet there are some deaths which bother me greatly. To die at a very young age before one has a chance to live – that is a death which bothers me. I do not know why Iluvitar allows this type of death. But I also confess I do not know Iluvitar's song in its fullness. Perhaps this type of death is necessary for something else to occur. Or to teach those who remain some sort of lesson. Or perhaps the one who dies is taken to a place far better than what is here. I do not know. But it always disturbs me to learn of the death of one who has not yet fully lived.
Suicide is also a type of death which sometimes bothers me. Not all suicides, but some. It is not an option for immortals. Elves are not given the Gift of Death. We cannot escape this world through any form of death; even suicide. Therefore, the concept of suicide is very difficult for us.
Some people have called suicide an act of rebellion against Iluvitar. I understand this point of view. When a mortal falls under the spell of the Enemy, and accepts despair instead of hope, suicide must seem logical. For despair is giving up on hope. I witnessed the despair of King Theoden of Rohan when he was under the spell of Saruman and Wormtongue. Yet despair can be overcome. Mithrandir cast out the demons and healed Theoden. The King went on to reclaim his kingship, and showed great courage, hope and valor before his people and the people of Gondor. To despair is one thing. To give into it and to take your life because of it – well, that robs Iluvitar of effecting a healing and a turning from despair to joy. And joy is the primary chorus of Iluvitar's song of creation.
Death from illness is also strange to me. Elves do not suffer illnesses such as mortals. It is near-incomprehensible to me as to the cause for illnesses, unless it is through a wound in battle or by accident. Yet mortals suffer many, many illnesses, and they frequently die from them. It is difficult for me to watch a mortal die in agony. I wish to relieve their suffering. In earlier times I might have been tempted to help them die quicker. After all, we hunters do not allow the deer to suffer if we have wounded it. We track it and kill it as swiftly as possible. I sometimes thought of mortals in a similar fashion. But after meeting the Ringbearer at Rivendell, I have changed my mind about that.
I was in Rivendell on an errand from my father when Aragorn, Glorfindel and the four hobbits arrived. Frodo had suffered a stab wound from a Nazgul, and was expected to die. In fact, Lord Elrond was surprised to find the Ringbearer alive at all. I was not allowed to visit the bedside of the wounded hobbit, but Glorfindel recounted the harrowing tale of what had occurred. For three days I could hear the shrieks coming from Frodo's bedroom whenever he briefly regained consciousness. It was horrible. If it had been me instead of Lord Elrond who was tending him, I might have given in to the seemingly inevitable and have allowed Frodo to die. Or helped him. Now I know better. Life and death is not given into my hands. That decision is only for Iluvitar to make.
Even so, it seems so unnecessary to me that a person should suffer as if they were in torture before they die. I saw many Men in the Minas Tirith Houses of Healing who were in various stages of death. Some had resigned themselves to it, and had found some sort of peace. Some were fighting it as if they were fighting a bear. They would thrash and moan, kick and scream. Some could not comprehend that they were actually dying until it was too late. These seemed very surprised, even as they exhaled their final breath.
Yet, if it were left up to me, I would forbid this agony of death. I can find no use for it. The Lady Eowyn and I disagree on this point. She became a Healer in Minas Tirith before moving to Ithillen with Prince Faramir. The Lady Eowyn tells me she learned quite a lot from working with the dying in Minas Tirith. She says she learned compassion, patience, forbearance and truthfulness there. I think she already had those qualities in her before she worked with the Healers. We have agreed to disagree on this topic.
I have seen many things in my time on Middle Earth. Great deeds of valor performed by both mortals and immortals. Acts of heroism and self- sacrifice great and small performed by people of all ages and races. And acts of immense cruelty and malice as well. These are also not limited to any one race.
I have witnessed death in many different forms. I have also killed with my own hands. After all, I am a hunter and a soldier. Violence is my trade. I have probably seen more death than most beings of my age.
It is a strange and variable thing – to take the life of another. Sometimes it comes with little forethought, as when you are in battle and it is a clear choice to either take your enemy's life, or he will take yours. Or when you take another's life in order to save someone you love. These types of death hold little horror for me, since they hold little thought. I have killed many goblins, orcs and evil Men in this fashion, and it does not bother me.
Yet there are some deaths which bother me greatly. To die at a very young age before one has a chance to live – that is a death which bothers me. I do not know why Iluvitar allows this type of death. But I also confess I do not know Iluvitar's song in its fullness. Perhaps this type of death is necessary for something else to occur. Or to teach those who remain some sort of lesson. Or perhaps the one who dies is taken to a place far better than what is here. I do not know. But it always disturbs me to learn of the death of one who has not yet fully lived.
Suicide is also a type of death which sometimes bothers me. Not all suicides, but some. It is not an option for immortals. Elves are not given the Gift of Death. We cannot escape this world through any form of death; even suicide. Therefore, the concept of suicide is very difficult for us.
Some people have called suicide an act of rebellion against Iluvitar. I understand this point of view. When a mortal falls under the spell of the Enemy, and accepts despair instead of hope, suicide must seem logical. For despair is giving up on hope. I witnessed the despair of King Theoden of Rohan when he was under the spell of Saruman and Wormtongue. Yet despair can be overcome. Mithrandir cast out the demons and healed Theoden. The King went on to reclaim his kingship, and showed great courage, hope and valor before his people and the people of Gondor. To despair is one thing. To give into it and to take your life because of it – well, that robs Iluvitar of effecting a healing and a turning from despair to joy. And joy is the primary chorus of Iluvitar's song of creation.
Death from illness is also strange to me. Elves do not suffer illnesses such as mortals. It is near-incomprehensible to me as to the cause for illnesses, unless it is through a wound in battle or by accident. Yet mortals suffer many, many illnesses, and they frequently die from them. It is difficult for me to watch a mortal die in agony. I wish to relieve their suffering. In earlier times I might have been tempted to help them die quicker. After all, we hunters do not allow the deer to suffer if we have wounded it. We track it and kill it as swiftly as possible. I sometimes thought of mortals in a similar fashion. But after meeting the Ringbearer at Rivendell, I have changed my mind about that.
I was in Rivendell on an errand from my father when Aragorn, Glorfindel and the four hobbits arrived. Frodo had suffered a stab wound from a Nazgul, and was expected to die. In fact, Lord Elrond was surprised to find the Ringbearer alive at all. I was not allowed to visit the bedside of the wounded hobbit, but Glorfindel recounted the harrowing tale of what had occurred. For three days I could hear the shrieks coming from Frodo's bedroom whenever he briefly regained consciousness. It was horrible. If it had been me instead of Lord Elrond who was tending him, I might have given in to the seemingly inevitable and have allowed Frodo to die. Or helped him. Now I know better. Life and death is not given into my hands. That decision is only for Iluvitar to make.
Even so, it seems so unnecessary to me that a person should suffer as if they were in torture before they die. I saw many Men in the Minas Tirith Houses of Healing who were in various stages of death. Some had resigned themselves to it, and had found some sort of peace. Some were fighting it as if they were fighting a bear. They would thrash and moan, kick and scream. Some could not comprehend that they were actually dying until it was too late. These seemed very surprised, even as they exhaled their final breath.
Yet, if it were left up to me, I would forbid this agony of death. I can find no use for it. The Lady Eowyn and I disagree on this point. She became a Healer in Minas Tirith before moving to Ithillen with Prince Faramir. The Lady Eowyn tells me she learned quite a lot from working with the dying in Minas Tirith. She says she learned compassion, patience, forbearance and truthfulness there. I think she already had those qualities in her before she worked with the Healers. We have agreed to disagree on this topic.