Types of Heroism in The Lord of the Rings
2002; Mythopoeic Society; Volume: 23; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0146-9339
Autores Tópico(s)Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies
ResumoWHILE much has been written about J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord the Rings, very little attention has been paid to Tolkien's treatment Masculine types. (1) A major complication in addressing the problem the various patterns masculine (or feminine, for that matter) heroism to be found in Lord the Rings is the existence in the story several different types heroism represented by the various Free Peoples Middle-earth. Each these representatives embodies very different type ideal masculinity for the readers. Hobbits have boyish quality which is large part their appeal, while the Wizards or at least Gandalf represent the type the Wise Old Man. Men in the story are usually mature character, and driven by an almost Stoic sense duty; they can be proud and fierce, like Boromir, but they are not wantonly cruel. They seem best to represent the masculine types the Warrior and the King, especially in the case Aragorn, son Arathorn, who becomes at the end Tolkien's epic-romance an embodiment Arthur Redivivus, the King-Who-Returns. Regretfully it is not possible to discuss all the varieties heroism manifested by the various Free Peoples Middle-earth. In this study I will confine myself to discussing four the nine companions the Fellowship the Ring: the two hobbits, and Frodo, and Gandalf and Aragorn. SAM Most readers Lord the Rings identify strongly with the hobbits for natural reasons. They figure prominently in the story after all and they have an obvious boyish charm and appeal. However, even among the hobbits we are presented with variety types heroism. It is Pippin and Merry, or to give them their more heroic-sounding full names Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck, who actually engage most clearly in conventional heroic activity. Each them gets tested in baffle. Pippin plays small but important part in the defence Minas Tirith--his disobedience to his liege-lord Denethor at critical moment results in the rescue by Gandalf the wounded Faramir, Denethor's son, from the funeral pyre on which Denethor immolates himself. Pippin also fights later at the Battle the Morannon, in which he slays great troll. In similar way Merry is rewarded for his disobedience to his liege-lord Theoden, when together with the shield-maiden Dernhelm/Eowyn, Theoden's sister-daughter (i.e. nie ce), he helps to slay the Chief the Ringwraiths, the Witch-King Angmar, at the Battle the Pelannor Fields. Both also together with Gamgee lead the successful revolt the hobbits against the henchmen Sharkey/Saruman in The Scouring the Shire at the end Lord the Rings (Book VI.8). They retain something their boyish spirits even after they achieve heroic status, becoming literally larger than life after drinking the entdraughts Treebeard in the forest Fangorn. Gamgee embodies different though not completely unrelated kind heroism, shown primarily through his dogged or die determination to serve his and follow him even to the Cracks Doom. For Tolkien himself was a more representative hobbit than any others that we have to see much of (Letters 329). He even describes him as vulgar and cocksure: Sam was cocksure, and deep down little conceited; but his conceit had been transformed by his devotion to Frodo. He did not think himself as heroic or even brave, or in any way admirable-except in his service and loyalty to his master (329). He is not totally lacking in initiative or imagination, and for brief while after Shelob's attack on Frodo, in the chapter The Choices Master Samwise (Book IV.10), when thinks his is dead, he debates whether to take the ring and go on alone and try to fulfill Frodo's quest without him: What shall I do, what shall I do? he said. Did I come all this way with him for nothing? And then he remembered his own voice speaking words that at the rime he did not understand himself, at the beginning their journey: I have something to do before the end. …
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