Christ in Middle Earth

[Michael Martinez]

Originally Posted by Beren3000

I'm sure you'll agree with me that there are Christ figures in Middle Earth.
I mean, you can find Christ-like qualities in these characters:

-Earendil
-Gandalf
-Aragorn
-Frodo

And maybe there are others... So my question is, how is this significant? Why did Tolkien choose to portray many Christ figures? Why didn't he just come up with a single Christ figure that would be central to the action instead?

Tolkien, a self-proclaimed Classicist, was espousing the virtues that he found of value in both his Catholic heritage and the classics of ancient mythology and literature. What people deem to be Christ-like in these characters goes back to ancient Hebraic, Greek, and Egyptian teachings (all of which were influential on Tolkien's creation).

The mythology of Middle-earth (which is NOT the "mythology for England" -- that was The Book of Lost Tales) encompasses many aspects of our historical world -- including its mythologies and religions. Hence, you have angels and demi-god-like heroes marching across the landscape in battles which shape the world. You have trips to the underworld (Luthien's prayer for Beren in Mandos, the beseechings of Finwe for Miriel's return) and resurrections (Beren and Luthien, Gandalf, Turin at the end of the First Age, Finrod and other Elves in Aman, etc.) and you have figurative passages through the underworld (Angband, Moria, the Paths of the Dead).