Voronwë wrote:I don't think there is any question that the Valar erred in summoning the Quendi to Valinor. It is particularly noteworthy that Ulmo, who had the deepest understanding of the Music, was against the summons.
If the summons was according to the plan (will) of Ilúvatar, then I don't think it can be said that the Valar erred.
But if the Valar erred, it was not out of selfishness or petty concerns, but out of Love and reverence for these beings that were beyond their comprehension.
But I don't think we err out of (true) love. If it was an error, then I would say it was some sort of corruption of love, it involved some wrong motivation: Loving too much (idolatry), loving with self interest, loving without trust, loving wanting to possess, etc.
What does that mean, "So it is doomed"? In the context of the construct that Tolkien set up, that can only mean that it was according to (for lack of a better word) the "plan" of Ilúvatar, can it not? As such, the Valar really did not have any choice in the matter, did they. In the end, weren't they (and the Eldar as well) just Eru's puppets?
I don't think that Tolkien would have emphasized that Mandos was breaking his silence if he was simply reiterating that the Valar had decided, and not expressing his foreknowledge of what shall be.
But mere foreknowledge does not puppets make. The Valar were in the process of making a decision; perhaps Mandos knew beforehand what the outcome of their council (and its consequences) would be, but that doesn't mean it was pre-determined; that is, that doesn't mean they were bound to make that decision and not free to decide otherwise. If not, why the charade of a meaningless council?
There is also this written of Mandos:
He is Doomsman of the Valar, but pronounces his dooms and judgments only at the bidding of Manwë.
If Mandos only pronounces doom at the bidding of Manwë, then it seems the situation is thus: the Valar make this fateful decision, then Mandos pronounces the doom born of their decision, presumably at Manwë's bidding and apparently knowing what the consequences will be (not a gift I'd be keen on having).
While as I understand your view, Voronwë, Mandos is saying, 'Thus it was bound to be, by the will of Eru'.
However, in other places thus far we've seen that it is Manwë who seeks the will of Eru and then tells it to the other Valar. So it doesn't seem in keeping that it would be Mandos who would be declaring the will of Eru to the others here.
So put another way, I'm reading it as,
'
And so it is doomed' (by our deciding thus),
whereas you're reading it as,
'
For so it is doomed' (and was ever doomed by Eru).
I think it must all come down to how we understand the singing, its relationship to Ilúvatar, its relationship to the vision, and the vision's relationship to the Arda that eventually came to be.