Standards flapping in the wind as hosts of heavily armed men saddle horses, swords and daggers and bows secured to belts and backs. An enemy lurks in the darkness, a threat to their lords, their land. Suns rise and set on dreaded mornings and blood-soaked battlefields as those that remain strive to carry on. These scenes are reminiscent of the bedtime stories of brave medieval knights riding off on quests and crusades in the name of something greater then themselves. Such sentiments are echoed in the theatrical adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Throughout The Two Towers, the second book and film of the series, Tolkien’s beloved themes of friendship, honor, and hope, reflections of medieval sentiments, are interwoven in the actions of several characters, making The Two Towers a twenty-first century celebration of the stories of old.
Friendships were key to the survival of the Fellowship as a group as well as individuals, and by extension the survival of the free peoples of Middle Earth. The fidelity between Sam and Frodo is perhaps the most compelling case for the power of friendship against the forces of darkness. Sam’s loyalty to Frodo is shown by his constant care for his master’s rest, food, and Sam’s reminders of home and hope for the journey ahead. It is also Sam who remains suspicious of the creature Gollum in an attempt to preserve their safety while Frodo shows mercy and friendship towards Sméagol, Gollum’s less dark side, as they bond over their ties to the Ring. This second friendship purchases Gollum’s guidance into Mordor. Merry and Pippin’s friendship enables their safe escape from the clutches of the Uruk-hai at the beginning of the film. Pippin’s desire for safety for his kinsmen and hi...
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...rd as an act of vengeance, cleansing the land of Saruman’s polluted nature.
Amid the shadows and darkness befalling Middle Earth, Tolkien’s medieval influences can be felt throughout The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The movies, particularly The Two Towers, reflect this theme in the form of the actions of characters, especially in times of great adversity. One of the most recognizable aspects of Tolkien’s medievalist sentiment is the medieval morality and respectability expressed by leaders and fighters during those times of darkness and their role in the ultimate downfall of the domination of Sauron. Friendships, honor, and hope prove to be tools greater then swords and arrows in the destruction of the destructive, the corrosion of the corrupt, for the men, hobbits, elves, and other mystical creatures that face a war far worse then any waged on Middle Earth before.
It will be the contention of this paper that much of Tolkien's unique vision was directly shaped by recurring images in the Catholic culture which shaped JRRT, and which are not shared by non-Catholics generally. The expression of these images in Lord of the Rings will then concern us.
Learning Module Seven - “Human Action” Myth in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
In Tolkien’s lecture, “Beowulf: The monsters and the Critics,” he argues that Beowulf has been over analyzed for its historical content, and it is not being studied as a piece of art as it should be. He discusses what he perceives the poet of Beowulf intended to do, and why he wrote the poem the way he did. Tolkien’s main proposition, “it was plainly only in the consideration of Beowulf as a poem, with an inherent poetic significance, that any view or conviction can be reached or steadily held” (Tolkien). He evaluates why the author centers the monsters throughout the entire poem, why the poem has a non-harmonic structure, why and how the author fusses together Christianity and Paganism, and how the author uses time to make his fictional poem seem real. He also discusses the overall theme of Beowulf and other assumptions of the text. To support his viewpoints, Tolkien uses quotations and examples from the poem, quotations from other critics, and compares Beowulf to other works of art. Tolkien discusses several statements in interpreting Beowulf as a poem.
Even though, the values of Beowulf and Grendel are similar to the ones that I and my entire generation have grown up learning, both of the epic and movie have qualities that make me unable to come to a conclusion as to which of the works recounts the story of Beowulf and Grendel in a more exceptional way. Therefore, I give the forthcoming generations the responsibility of making that
Through his burden of carrying the ring, Frodo is subject to many new perspectives that make him realize the importance of the group. Without the help of the others, especially Sam, Frodo would have not been able to accomplish the great task he was given. At first Frodo does not want Sam to come along as he feels it’s too dangerous to subject his friend to. This illustrates his perspective in the beginning of the story of being selfish and thinking that his journey can be taken alone, “It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam," said Frodo, "and I could not have borne that.""Not as certain as being left behind," said Sam."But I am going to Mordor.""I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I'm coming with you.” He later learns through new perspectives that without the help of Sam he would not have gotten far in his journey. Frodo is foreign to the harsh reality he is thrust into. Not only is he away from home, he is also burdened with the task of keeping the ring safe. This burden becomes quite a strain on Frodo, “There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?” J.R.R Tolkien The Lord of the Rings. With the help of Sam and the realization that he is doing this for more than himself,
Stitt, Dr. J. Michael. "The Long Road Toward Becoming A King." English 477 Tolkien & Fantasy Literature. Ed. Dr. J. Michael Stitt. N.p., n.d. Google. Web. 14 Mar. 2014. .
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
Tolkien, J. R. R., and Douglas A. Anderson. The Lord of the Rings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
Tolkien, J.R.R.. “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics.” In Beowulf – Modern Critical Interpretations, edited by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.
The Hobbit shows J.R.R. Tolkien’s belief in the ancient heroic tales of the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian epics. He asserts that a being goes through many adventures with the help of friends who believe that anything can happen. Tolkien reveals how bravery and courage make ordinary individuals succeed at ordinary tasks.
Sam’s love of Frodo is of the greatest importance. Without Sam, Frodo wouldn’t have made it to Mt. Doom, or consequently saved the world. “Frodo wouldn’t have got far without Sam”, Sam gives Frodo the courage to carry on, and bear his burden. Though Sam is Frodo’s servant, their relationship is that of best friends. When Smeagol killed his best friend to obtain the ring, a stark contrast is drawn between those two and Sam and Frodo. In this comparison it is important to note that Sam never tried to steal the ring as his love was too strong to allow the seduction of power, even when Sam has the chance to leave Frodo and take the ring for himself, “it was the love of his master that helped the most to hold him firm”. This love made it possible for Sam to reject the ring, and therefore save his master, leading to the destruction of Sauron.
Tolkien, J.R.R. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1954. Print.
While the classic battle between good and evil forces is a major theme of the medieval epic Beowulf, one may question whether these good and evil forces are as black and white as they appear. Scholars such as Herbert G. Wright claim that “the dragon, like the giant Grendel, is an enemy of mankind, and the audience of Beowulf can have entertained no sympathy for either the one or the other” (Wright, 4). However, other scholars such as Andy Orchard disagree with this claim, and believe that there is “something deeply human about the ‘monsters’” (Orchard, 29). While Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are indeed portrayed as evil and violent foes, there are parts within Beowulf that can also lead a reader to believe that the “monsters” may not be so monstrous after all. In fact, the author of Beowulf represents the “monsters” within the poem with a degree of moral ambivalence. This ambivalence ultimately evokes traces of sympathy in the reader for the plight of these “monster” figures, and blurs the fine line between good and evil within the poem.
One of the most important details in a friendship is to never leave or forsake the other. A friend is also loyal, for example in the movie Lord of the Rings, Froto and Sam Wise had a wonderful fellowship. They lived in peace and in one accord. Also in the movie, gandalf sent froto on a mission. Froto was scared and he didn’t want to go on the journey by himself.
Murray, Roxane Farrell. "The Lord of the Rings as Myth." Unpublished thesis. The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 1974.