I forced myself to refrain from writing about Lord of the Rings for my personal essay because I talk about it far too often and wanted to at least attempt to show that I have read some books besides Tolkien’s classic trilogy. Nevertheless I find myself thinking of Lord of the Rings frequently in this class because it is such a perfect example of the hero’s journey and it is probably my favorite story, and definitely my favorite movie, ever (big surprise to all of you, I’m sure).
I read The Fellowship of the Ring for my banned book project subbie year, and though it wasn’t the most action-packed book ever, I found it quite charming and I loved hobbits and their simple lifestyle. The Lord of the Rings movies have been a family favorite since I was about 5 so I sort of entered a relapse obsessiveness phase after reading the books, which I must admit I have not left in the 4 years since (in fact I have reread the books and The Hobbit and seen The Hobbit movies in the meantime). My family now watches the extended edition of the movie trilogy every year over winter break. Living that geek life.
The Lord of the Rings is a beautiful story to me because there is so much at stake, the risks are so high, and yet the heroes are small little “halflings” whose only weapon against evil is their extraordinary willpower. Frodo and Sam, a wealthy hobbit and his gardener, wander on towards a likely doom, holding on to nothing except their friendship and desire to save their homeland. It’s not a particularly complex storyline, but it’s a powerful juxtaposition of two overwhelmingly sympathetic protagonists climbing through a land of unspeakable evil. LOTR has many hero characters, so that it’s hard to determine who the main hero really is, and I like this because it’s a little more realistic than a kind of superhero image in which one person is responsible for the fate of all. Frodo is usually recognized as the hero because he was the actual ring bearer, however it's also easy to argue that Sam is more of a hero because he is frequently responsible for Frodo’s survival, as are countless other characters. I do think Frodo deserves his spotlight because it is his initiative and sacrifice that renders the quest successful; it is his body and mind that are damaged beyond return. Frodo does become dependent on the Ring and ultimately succumbs to its temptation, but I think this makes him almost more sympathetic and heroic because it demonstrates both that he is not perfect and the scope of the pressure and burden that he carried.
Part of why The Lord of the Rings is an even better story than the classic hero narratives, is that while much is restored and most people live happily ever after, Frodo, our hero, does not. Having journeyed on foot to the most evil place on Earth, Frodo at first returns to Minas Tirith, the great city of men, to a hero’s welcome complete with feasting and songs written about him, gifts from the King and Queen, and months of partying and recovering with all of his friends. It’s not until Frodo returns to his own home in the Shire that we realize Frodo’s suffering has not ended with the destruction of the Ring. Frodo is often ill from his physical and emotional wounds, he is very tired and he is seen as weird by the rest of Hobbiton, who does not understand everything he has been through. While Sam, Merry, and Pippin, are admired and marvelled at, Frodo no longer fits in. He states in the movie adaptation of The Return of the King: “How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on when in your heart you begin to understand... there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend, some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.” There is an overwhelming comparison to the return of a soldier from war, no longer knowing how to face ordinary situations after encountering such terror and death. Tolkien himself fought in World War I and almost all of his friends were killed. While Frodo’s companions are able to heal and live their lives happily in the Shire, Frodo leaves, sailing into the West with the elves so that he can receive their comfort and healing, but effectively dying to the people he has left behind. I like this ending more than a traditional happily-ever-after because it is more realistic in establishing the trauma that Frodo went through in carrying such an evil object, and also the sense of loss that I think any hero would feel after going on a journey that nobody at home can really relate to, and how distanced they would feel.
While I may be a little obsessive and repetitive in my LOTR comments, it’s because the story is meaningful to me and was a significant part of my childhood. The excellent movie soundtrack, the ease at which one can quote it, the maps, cultural nuances, and other languages that Tolkien provides for his creations, and the themes of caring for the earth and a warning against reckless power, all make The Lord of Rings my favorite heroic journey.
