[etburyan]

I have enjoyed reading your thoughts. Although I don't have my copy of Silmarillian with me, I am in China, I have thought about the connection between satan and Melkor. I love the way that Tolkein writes it. How even what Melkor intends for evil turns out to be in THE PLAN. In any case, if I am remembering correctly, Satan, in Jewish tradition, is the tempter. Hence, he is different from all other angels in that he has that which caused the original sin. He has knowledge of good and evil. To tempt is to know that which is good and convince others not to do it, or at least to know evil and convince others to do that. I know that this isn't what Tolkein wrote about Melkor, but I think that it is interesting to think about.