Apologies for starting yet another Tolkein thread, but my wife and kids just came back from TTT, and my wife asked a question I thought some of you might be able to address.
Namely, why is Sauron evil?
My son responded that he came from the first evil, but what was the cause/source of TFE? Why does Sauron want to destroy/dominate all that is good?
My wife found this question vexing, because she did not understand Sauron’s motivation, or the reason for this history of Middlearth warfare.
Usually you can figure out a villian’s motivation. In Batman, Joker had reason for being evil - a lousy childhood IIRC. Most criminals, we can figure out some motivations. In fact, I think the crimes/criminals we find most disturbing are those which lack any apparent motive.
And tho we may not agree with the reasons for most wars, at least we can identify them.
But what is the motivation behing Sauron. Why does evil exist in Tolkein’s world?
(Tho I’ve read the H and TLotR several times, I’ve never made it through the Silmarillion. Is the answer in there?)