Power is something that can corrupt the noblest person. Tolkien shows readers through his Lord of the Rings trilogy that the temptation of power and succumbing to it can destroy an individual. However, he has also created characters with strong morals and sense of identity who are able to withstand the temptation of power.
Galadriel is a kind and generous elf who is the Lady of Lórien. During the Company’s stay she is tempted by the Ring but decides to reject it. Galadriel shows great hospitality to the Company when they arrive from the Mines of Moria; she gives them clothes, supplies and gifts. While the Fellowship stays in Lórien Frodo offers the Ring to her. Galadriel states that she has wondered what she would do if she had the One Ring and that she wants it. Galadriel is swept away with her desire for the Ring: “In place of a Dark Lord you will set up a Queen…All shall love me and despair!” (Tolkien 366). In this moment Galadriel can take the Ring for herself and remain in Middle Earth. However, she regains her composure and refuses the power of the Ring. In this way Tolkien shows Galadriel’s strong sense of morals. The rejection of the Ring makes her helpless to maintain an Elvish presence in Middle Earth, but if she took it she could stay at the cost of the Ring continuing to exist: “For Galadriel… who remain[s] uncorrupted by [the Ring’s] seduction of unlimited power, [her] strength comes from [her] awareness of [her] own being” (Katz 20). Galadriel’s kindness, generosity and the awareness of her self saves her from the malevolent power of the Ring. Through Galadriel Tolkien shows readers that with moral character you can deny power.
Similarly, Saruman is a character in a position of power, except he has little appreciatio...
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...and Philosophy: One Book to Rule Them All. By Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson. Chicago: Open Court, 2003. N. pag. Print.
Katz, Eric. "The Rings of Tolkien and Plato: Lessons in Power, Choice, and Morality." The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy: One Book to Rule Them All. By Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson. Chicago: Open Court, 2003. N. pag. Print.
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Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. London: Harper Collins, 2010. Print.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. London: Harper Collins, 2010. Print.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. London: Harper Collins, 2010. Print.
Learning Module Seven - “Human Action” Myth in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
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· Urang, Gunnar. "J. R. R. Tolkien: Fantasy and the Phenomenology of Hope" Religion and Fantasy in the Writing of C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and J. R. R. Tolkien. United Church Press, 1971
Humans exist between two distinct beliefs, one being that of individualism where the person is only focused on benefiting their self and their tribe, and the other being altruistic where the priority is put on the betterment of the group at the downfall of the individual. In nature, animals only exist in the belief of self betterment but humans have the moral dilemma between self preservation and group preservation. Through new perspectives, this inner conflict can be transformed to become more altruistic or group minded. Whether that be through the journey of saving Middle Earth or the simple journey through high school. This theme is explored in J.R.R Tolkien's novel, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This novel takes the reader through
The paper will begin with a look at the life of Tolkien. This will serve the purpose of providing some context for the novel. Looking into the life of Tolkien will also serve to give the reader some insight into the mind that gave birth to such a rich land and why the novel may have some importance for sufferers of mental illness. Next will likely be a short summation of the
Essay Assignment 1 The movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, was a powerful period piece that will continue to stick out among adventure/war movies because of the well-crafted storyline and a strong theme of hope in the face of impossible odds. The sequel to the first movie in the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, the movie picks up following two young hobbits, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, on a quest to destroy the Dark Lord Sauron's’ one true ring of power. When the first movie ends, “The Fellowship”, is broken because Gandalf the Grey is presumed dead and the group splinters. This movie furthers the quest of “Fellowship” to destroy the ring and each “splinter” has their own objective to help defeat Sauron.
Rauk, John. "Societal Reception of Tolkien and Other Modern Writers." Michigan State U., East Lansing, MI. 28 Apr. 2004.
Tolkien, J. R. R., and Douglas A. Anderson. The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
Just before he leaves, Gandalf asks Bilbo for his ring. Due to the power in which the ring possesses while it is in his possession, he does not want to give it up. The novel ends with the destruction of the Fellowship due to the power in which the ring contains. One of the prime facts of the Middle Earth is power. Power is not neutral, but is always evil.
Stumpf, S.E and Fieser, J. Philosophy: History and Readings, New York: Mc Graw Hill, 2008.
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again. New York: Ballantine, 1982. Print
Tolkien, J.R.R. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1954. Print.
Lüthe, Max. Once Upon a Time on the Nature of Fairy Tales. New York: Ungar, 1970.
“Yes, sooner or later—later, if he is strong or well-meaning to begin with but neither strength nor good purpose will last—sooner or later the dark power will devour him” (141). This quote from Gandalf shows him warning Frodo about the power of the Ring in The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One. This quote displays J.R.R. Tolkien’s mistrust of unlimited power, which he expresses in each of his books. He served in World War I where he saw the effects of tyrannical leaders with unlimited power firsthand. Tolkien believed that with great power comes corruption. So, no one person can be trusted to wield so much power. He demonstrates this in each character that has a role of leadership of the different groups of Middle-earth. Galadriel, Boromir, and Saruman, all hold positions of power or influence within their various groups. Yet none of them could be trusted to possess the dark power of the Ring, while the simple hobbit named Frodo seems to be able to carry on the
Murray, Roxane Farrell. "The Lord of the Rings as Myth." Unpublished thesis. The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 1974.