Review Questions What are the four themes of The Lord of the Rings...

Review Questions

1. What are the four themes of The Lord of the Rings that we discussed?
2. Give examples of two motifs mentioned that we find in the movie version of The Lord of the Rings.
3. List six types of literary conflict. Which of these is only found in stories with fantasy elements?
4. Explain what a bildungsroman ("coming of age") story is.
5. Which of Sam's children were named after characters who were a part of the movie version of the story of the Ring?

Critical Thinking Questions

1. Explain the meaning of what Tolkien called "the ennoblement of the humble." Whose story does this phrase represent?
2. From the movie version of The Return of the King, find an example of each of these types of conflict: Man against the monsters; man against himself.
3. How many years did Sam serve as Mayor? How do you think his journey with Frodo prepared him for that role?
4. Consider the fates of Denethor and Theoden, both might rulers of men. How did each begin in the story? How did each one end? Which had the better death?
5. Thinking back to the events in the story, name at least three things that Eowyn and Faramir shared in common.

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Themes in The Lord of the Rings

Introduction

Bag End, Hobbiton, New Zealand.

You learned in an earlier unit that a theme is a main idea or concept expressed in a work of literature. Sometimes themes can vary somewhat between the book version and movie version of the story. Part of the reason for this is that longer stories, such as The Lord of the Rings, often have several themes and the book version allows for more time and space to develop these multiple themes. In a movie, the focus generally needs to be tighter and so the director must choose which themes to emphasize. Sometimes, directors even invent other themes to add to the story that were never in the original tale.

In The Lord of the Rings, the director did stay pretty close to the original themes in the book, though he did give greater emphasis to some themes and merely touched on others. Here, we will explore three of the themes emphasized in the movie and one that was lightly touched upon.

The Theme of the Corruptibility of Power

Have you ever heard the old quotation from Lord Acton, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"? The Lord of the Rings, in many ways, is the embodiment of that quotation. Sauron's lust for power led him to aid in the creation of the Rings of Power and to create the One Ring in secret. This led to his final corruption (for he was not always as he now appears) and ultimately led to his defeat when that Ring was destroyed. Saruman's initial position as a member of the White Council and a Guardian of Middle Earth was corrupted by his desire to join forces with Sauron in order to wield greater power. Even Denethor was driven to madness by his desire to rule and deny the return of the King.

In Frodo, we see the corrupting influence of the Ring of Power even more clearly. Unlike the others, Frodo was never a leader of men, other than the natural respect his position as a Baggins earned him. He never desired to rule; never desired power never wanted anything more than the borders of the Shire could give him. Thus, he represents the most innocent and pure-hearted of all the mortal folk. Yet, even Frodo was corrupted by the Ring of Power in the end. By the time he reached Mount Doom, he could remember nothing of the Shire and the simple pleasures which once contented him. The theme is brought home when he chooses the power of the Ring at the brink of Doom.

The Theme of the Power of Friendship

The theme of the power of friendship has been seen throughout the films, even more so than the books. The other hobbits join the fellowship, not because they can offer strength, skill, or intelligence to the expedition, but merely because they offer friendship. Legolas and Gimli begin the journey as enemies, but by the end, they are prepared to die as friends. The bonds of friendship that are rekindled between the Men of Rohan and the Men of Gondor make the victory at Minas Tirith possible. Frodo would have failed utterly if not for the friendship of Sam. In the end, none of these could have acted alone as well as they did together.

The Theme of Ennoblement of the Humble

A representation of David and Goliath, the classic biblical story of the victory of the small over the mighty.

Frodo's story is simply the tale of the "ennoblement of the humble," Tolkien once said. In many ways, this story is like the David and Goliath story of old. The character that is perceived as the humblest and weakest of all defeats the mighty enemy, armed with nothing more than faith and a desire to do the right and noble thing. This idea is seen throughout the movies, especially when Gandalf, Galadriel, and Elrond speak of the heavy burden placed upon Frodo and the fact that he, alone, can perform this task. The idea is seen more clearly at the coronation of King Aragorn, when the king and all his court bow before the humble hobbits, fully acknowledging the key parts they all played in defeating Sauron and in bringing this joyous day to pass.

The Theme of the Value of Pity

A theme that is hinted at in the movies and expressed more clearly in the books, is that of the value of pity and mercy. At the beginning, Frodo tells Gandalf that it was a "pity" that Bilbo did not kill Gollum when he had the chance. Gandalf responds that the pity of Bilbo may save the lives of many. Later, when Frodo meets Gollum, he learns this lesson of pity for himself. As a Ring-bearer, Frodo has learned the corrupting power of the Ring and feels that he must show pity for Gollum, thus sparing his life on several occasions. In the end, it is this pity, not Frodo's self-will, which saves the day. For in the end, Frodo's pity has left Gollum alive to take the Ring and rescue Frodo from himself. Ultimately, it is not Frodo who destroys the Ring of Power, but Gollum himself. Thus the pity of Bilbo and Frodo did win the final victory.

Recurring Motifs

Stories, whether presented in literary form or in film, often also use motifs (or leitmotifs) to help cement the ideas expressed. A motif is a phrase, object, or other element in a story that recurs often and is used to help unify ideas.

For instance, in the movie version of The Lord of the Rings, we see the recurring idea of the "story." Sam uses this idea of the story to inspire Frodo to continue the quest when they are under attack at Osgiliath. Later, it is the idea of a story being told about the adventures of Frodo and the Ring of Power that cheers Sam. (Remember, that Frodo responds that "Sam the Brave" would be one of the main characters in that story.) At the end, Frodo narrates about the fact that sometimes characters must leave a story, but Sam's part will continue for some time to come.

Another motif found in The Lord of the Rings is the image of the Ring—not only the One Ring but other Rings as well. Note the discussion of Galadriel's Ring and of Aragorn's Ring that identified him as an heir of the House of Numenor. Note the image of the Eye of Sauron, which revolves like a ring of fire. Such images help unify the whole story and increase the focus, whether consciously or subconsciously.

These themes and motifs are not all that can be found in the story or the movie. (Hint: if you read the book, look for the tree motif.) In fact, part of the way that you can make a story personal to you is by picking out themes and motifs that you find. Just make sure that these themes and motifs can be supported by the actual text of the book or movie. If you are able to do that, you will be able to write a great literary criticism paper when needed for a high school or college class.

Understanding Conflict in Literature

The Return of the King also offers us a chance to learn more about conflict in literature. Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces in a story. The use of conflict allows for the development of drama, tension, and suspense. Let's face it: a story where the protagonist faced no obstacles at all would be a boring story indeed.

Man against the fantasy monsters.

There are several types of conflict commonly found in stories. The main types of conflict are man against nature, man against man, man against himself (inner conflict), man against God (or Fate or Destiny), and man against society as a whole. However, one type of conflict is only found in stories with fantasy elements: man against the monsters. In The Return of the King, we see almost all of these types of conflict. Later, you will be asked to identify examples of some of these types of conflict in the part of the movie you just watched.

Dynamic and Static Characters

As we come to the end of The Return of the King, we see most of the characters change before our eyes. Characters that change, evolve, or grow as the story progresses are called dynamic characters. For instance, Gimli has changed a great deal from the gruff, uncooperative dwarf we saw at the beginning. Now, he is the friend of Legolas and one of Galadriel's greatest admirers. Sam has changed from a humble hobbit who craved the role of servant to a bold, decisive leader who made it possible for Frodo to reach Mount Doom with the Ring. Frodo, of course, has been transformed by the effects of the Ring. Even at the end, he is permanently scarred by all that he has gone through. These characters have all changed because the events of the story have changed them.

Merry and Pippin have also grown (quite literally) since the beginning of the tale. However, for them, and, to some degree, for Sam, the journey was not just about developing character: it was about growing into mature versions of themselves. At the beginning of the story, Frodo was fifty years old, though he looked younger because of the influence of the Ring. He was really a mature adult by then. But Sam and Merry were just in their thirties and Pippin was only twenty-nine. For Hobbits, who considered the twenties to be the "irresponsible tweens," these were just young men setting out on life's journey.

For them, the story is a bildungsroman, a "coming of age" story, a story that allows adolescents or young adults to learn lessons about adulthood through the maturity that comes with experience. As an example, look at the scene where the four hobbits are sitting in the Green Dragon at the end of their adventures. They are not dancing on tables then. In fact, they seem oddly out of tune with the other hobbits present. They have seen more and done more than any others in that room and have grown up because of it.

Image of a New Zealand stamp.

However, some characters do not develop much as the story progresses. These characters are static characters. These characters may be static because they are not important to the story, or they may simply have no room to grow and change. Aragorn, for instance, does not change essentially in the story. He remains the same brave, noble, true-hearted man throughout the tale. He simply reacts to the needs and changing circumstances around him.

Those who have read the story will notice that themes, motifs, plotting, and character development of the movie differ in some ways from those in the book. For the most part, many of these elements are consistent. The Return of the King reveals some of the most glaring differences between the two versions of the story.

We have discussed a couple of these in the last section. One of these differences was in the scene where Frodo decides that Sam has betrayed him and, in return, betrays Sam by sending him away at the entrance to Cirith Ungol. In the book, the only time when Frodo truly mistrusts Sam is when he finds that Sam has taken the Ring from his presumably dead body. Even in this instance, the mistrust is fleeting. However, the director apparently felt that it would heighten the suspense to have Frodo go through Cirith Ungol alone. In "reality," Sam was fighting by his side. It was Sam who fought with Gollum in the cave and this allowed Shelob the opportunity to attack Frodo. Why this director chose this option, which actually weakens the friendship theme, is a mystery only he can solve.

Evoking Emotions in an Audience

This scene in Cirith Ungol is one of the most dramatic scenes in both the book and the movie. Both the author and the director are able to create an atmosphere of fear and suspense. Atmosphere is the sensation or emotion that an author or director is able to create in a reader or viewer by the use of words, scenery, music, and other elements. Before we even see Shelob (who is the ancient ancestor of the Mirkwood spiders which Bilbo encounters), we are emotionally prepared for something frightening.

In Cirith Ungol we also see the stirring scene where Sam weeps over the body of the fallen Frodo. This scene is actually stronger in the book, but even in the movie, it creates a sense of pathos, a feeling of deep emotion that a writer or director creates in an audience which allows them to participate in the feelings of a character. This sense of pathos came about quite honestly. While he was writing this chapter, Tolkien wrote to his son that he was having trouble sleeping or completing his work at Oxford due to his "great absorption" in Frodo. Tolkien also reported that when he read these passages to C.S. Lewis, Lewis "approved with unusual fervor and was actually moved to tears." Perhaps you were, too.

Elements of Plot

All of the action of the first two films and most of the third has finally led up to the climax of the story: the destruction of the Ring. The climax of a story is the moment when a great event occurs or a great decision is made that changes the course of events. That is certainly true in this case. All of Middle Earth seems braced for destruction; Aragorn and most of the members of the fellowship are embroiled in a hopeless battle and Frodo stands at the edge of Doom, faced with the decision of whether or not he should claim the Ring. What happens there changes everything. The dramatic scene that plays out between Frodo and Gollum is the culmination of all the rising action of the plot before it. This rising action is comprised of all the scenes before this one which have created the tension that leads to the climax of the tale.

Image of an erupting volcano, similar to Mount Doom.

Plots are composed of more than just rising action and the climax. In most stories, especially long ones, the resolution of the climax still leaves a lot of unanswered questions. It is in the denouement, the falling action, that these questions are answered. This falling action ends in resolution, gradually brings the reader or viewer back to earth, and gives a sense of completeness to the tale.

In The Return of the King, we see this falling action take place in stages. First we see the Hobbits rescued and the joy of that reunion with the other members of the Fellowship. Then we see the coronation of Aragorn with all the requisite splendor that occasion requires. Then we see the return of the Hobbits to the Shire and Frodo's final voluntary exile from Middle Earth.

Even with all of this, the movie still omits at least four complete chapters of the book. These chapters deal more fully with some of the aftermath of the battle. They also deal with the "true" changes that have been wrought in the Shire while the Hobbits were away. It seems that Saruman, in a petty act of revenge, stirred up quite a bit of trouble in the Shire, destroying trees (including the Party Tree) and instituting a new restrictive form of government under his command. The hobbits (aside from Frodo) emerge as Shire heroes, as they right the wrongs that have been done to their beloved homeland. Frodo does not participate much in these events, though he supports them, and in the end, he confronts Saruman himself. However, Frodo has suffered so much on the journey that he has seen enough of fighting. He leaves this battle to his fellow hobbits.

Exploring the Fate of the Characters

Because the movie leaves out so much of the final book, we are left with little information about the final fate of the characters. Even the book itself does not answer everything. However, Tolkien, scholar and world-maker that he was, wrote roughly 100 pages of appendices containing timelines, histories, genealogies, calendars, languages, etc. By culling through these additional resources, we can find more about the final fate of the Fellowship and their friends.

Aragorn and Arwen

Aragorn and Arwen

As the film suggests, Arwen and Aragorn (King Ellesar) did finally marry in a large ceremony attended by many of the Elves of Middle Earth. For many of these Elves, this was also an occasion to say goodbye, for many of the remaining Elves in Middle Earth left soon after this event.

When Arwen married Aragorn, she not only gave up her Elf status, she also gave up her immortality as well. As one of the "Half-Elven" children of Elrond, she had that choice. (Her two brothers, who appear in the books, also choose mortality.) Though it seems strange to make that choice, in Tolkien's mythology, it makes a certain sense.

The Elves and Mortal Men had a strange relationship in which each often envied the fate of the other. Men, of course, often desired immortality. This was the trick used to lure the Nine Kings to their fate as Ringwraiths. However, the existence of the Elves was tied to Arda (the earth). If anything were to ever happen to Arda, the Elves would cease to exist. For men, death was certain. In fact, Arwen refers to this as the "Gift of the One (the one God, Eru) to Men," a clear allusion to the story of the Garden of Eden where an angel was sent to guard the Tree of Life, lest man should be immortal and thus live forever separated from God. Yet, though men would die, they faced an eternity after death. The Elves sometimes envied Men for this.

Aragorn and Arwen eventually did have a son named Eldarion and at least two daughters as well. Aragorn reigned as King of the Southern and Northern Kingdoms (including the Shire) until his death at the ripe old age of 210. At their parting, the mortal Arwen was able to comfort Aragorn with these words: "We are not bound forever to the circles of the world and beyond them is more than memory." Her choice of mortality made this possible.

After this, as Elrond foresaw in the movie, Arwen (called Queen Evenstar by her people) mourned Aragorn's passing alone, wandering through Middle Earth. She died in the remains of Lothlorien, upon the hill of Cerith Amroth, at the place where she became betrothed (engaged) to Aragorn when he was 49 and she was only 2739 years old.

Eowyn and Faramir

Eowyn and Faramir

During the scenes of Eowyn's recovery in the extended edition, The Return of the King hints at a love story between Eowyn and Faramir. These two found that they had much in common as they recovered. As they waited to hear the outcome of the Battle of the Black Gates, it was natural that they should fall in love.

After Aragorn returned as king, he relieved Faramir of the duties of stewardship and made him a Prince of Ithilien, the area he had long guarded and the place where he had captured Frodo and Sam. Faramir and Eowyn married and lived a long and happy life together.

Legolas and Gimli

Legolas and Gimli

Legolas and Gimli remained firm friends after the adventure was over. Together, they called in their kinsmen to help rebuild Minas Tirith and fashion gates to the city made of mithril and steel.

When the group had fought at Helm's Deep (way back in The Two Towers ), Gimli had become fascinated with the "Glittering Caves" in which the women and children hid. These caves, he discovered, were full of unmined jewels. After the battle, Gimli became the Lord of the Glittering Caves and took a group of dwarves to live there.

Since most of Legolas's kin had left the shores of Middle Earth, Legolas and some of the remaining Elves moved to the lovely woods of Ithilien, where Faramir ruled as prince. After many years, the call of the sea became too strong for Legolas and he built his own gray ship so that he could sail Over Sea to the Elvish homeland where Galadriel, Elrond, and the other Elves now lived.

Legolas did not go on the journey alone. Because of his service to Middle Earth, Gimli was accorded a special invitation by Galadriel, an opportunity never granted to any other dwarf. Because of his friendship with Legolas and his desire to see Galadriel again, Gimli accepted this unique opportunity to sail to Elvenhome.

Merry and Pippin

Merry and Pippin

Because of the leadership role that Pippin and Merry played in ridding the Shire of scoundrels when they returned, the two became heroes in the Shire and the most eligible bachelors in the land. For a while, the two lived together, but eventually they both married.

Pippin eventually inherited the title of Thain of the Shire and married a hobbit-lass named Diamond of Long Cleeve (perhaps she was the one standing by him as he caught the bouquet?). They had a son named Faramir, who eventually married one of Sam's daughters named Goldilocks.

Merry (known as "Meriodoc the Magnificent" by those in the Shire) also married and perhaps had a son. The information on this is unclear as one place in the appendices says that he did and yet the child never appears in the genealogy. (Authorities feel that Tolkien may have lost track of this point.) In any case, Merry became a linguist, a scholar, and a writer (Tolkien must have been proud). He wrote at least three books that we know of: "Herb-lore of the Shire"; "Reckoning of the Years"; and "Old Words and Names in the Shire." Merry also became the Master of Buckland, the large, loosely independent settlement where his father ruled as Master before him.

Both Merry and Pippin were appointed by King Ellesar as Counsellors of the Northern Kingdom. When Merry was 102 years old, King Eomer sent a message that he would like to see Merry before he died. Merry and Pippin both returned to the Northern Kingdom at this time, seeing Eomer first and then traveling to Gondor. Pippin brought with him a copy of Frodo and Sam's record of the events of the War of the Ring to be placed in the libraries of Minas Titith. The two hobbits died there and were buried with the great of Gondor.

Frodo

Frodo

A reader once asked Tolkien what would have happened if Frodo had kept the Ring, unhampered by Gollum. Would he now rule Middle Earth and be immortal, like the Ring Wraiths? Tolkien replied that Frodo, though the Master of the Ring, would not have yet been strong enough to wield it, especially in the heart of Sauron's stronghold. Most likely, he said, Sauron would have sent the Nazgul to distract him, perhaps by feigning worship and obedience. Then Sauron would have exerted his remaining power to kill Frodo and claim the Ring for his own.

Fortunately, Gollum spared Frodo that fate, though he claimed a finger in the process, and Frodo was reminded of how close he had come to destruction every time he saw the missing digit. But remember, during the time of the adventure, Frodo had also suffered enormous physical and mental torment, had been stung by Shelob, and had been stabbed by the Wraith King in a blow that would have killed a normal man.

Frodo returned to the Shire, but the best parts of him had been lost upon the way. He had sacrificed his normal life and could no longer find peace in Middle Earth, so he sailed in the West to the Grey Havens with Bilbo, which was his right as a Ring-bearer. But did he live forever? Tolkien said that Frodo was still a mortal and, as a mortal, would die. The Grey Havens was simply a place where Frodo could be healed of his wounds before he died. If you remember, King Arthur also mysteriously sailed to an island in the West when he was mortally wounded. Do you think there is any connection?

Sam

Sam

At the end of the movie, after Frodo leaves the book for Sam to finish, he tells Sam that Sam still needs to remain because he still has much to do and be. This is truly a prophetic statement. Sam, the simple gardener from the Shire, ends up with a rich, full life.

When Frodo returned from his adventures, he was still a broken hobbit. Sam moved into Bag End to care for him and, when he married, Rosie and his growing family joined them. When Frodo sailed to the Grey Havens, he left all of his possessions, including Bag End, to Sam.

Sam needed all the room he could get, for he and Rosie had thirteen children: Elanor the Fair, Frodo, Rose, Merry, Pippin, Goldilocks, Hamfast, Daisy, Primrose, Bilbo, Ruby, Robin and Tolman (Tom). When Elanor was older, she was chosen as a maid of honor to Queen Arwen and Sam, Rosie, and Elanor traveled to Gondor and spent a year there. Sam's youngest child was born there in Gondor.

Sam was also elected Mayor not just once, but seven times! He served as Mayor for a total of 49 years and retired at the age of 96. Shortly thereafter, Rosie died. Sam then left the Shire and sailed to the Grey Havens himself on one of the last ships to leave Middle Earth. This was his right as a Ring-bearer, though he bore the Ring for only a short time while Frodo was held captive in the orc tower.