June 18, 2002

Re: Christian Mythology
Brett C.

Hello Havylyn N. My point was not to say that Tolkien was using the LOTR as any type of allegory [he would rail at me for suggesting it] but to give some idea on the powerful influence his Christian beliefs had in his writing. Your reference about Roddenberry is exactly what I was getting at, in response to articles that seemed to suggest that Tolkien's own beliefs system was less a contirbuting factor to the evolution of Middle Earth than I feel it really was.

Loremaster, as far as the Nazgul's ability to overcome their fear of water, I can only quote Christopher Tolkien's writing in Unfinished Tales which discusses this peculiar and, Tolkien himself admitted, somewhat difficult to maintain weakness of the Ringwraiths. That is that, at the ford of Bruinen, with, as C. Tolkien notes '...the lure of the Ring right in front of them...' that only the WitchKing and two others of the Riders actually dare to cross the ford, while the others remain on the far bank and must be driven into the flooded channel by an assault by Glorfindel and Aragorn bearing flaming torches.