Comments on: Revisiting Middle Earth: “The Return of the King”

By: David Louis Edelman

David Louis Edelman — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:38:06 +0000

bipolar2: Don’t think I said that Frodo did toss the Ring into the fire. I said that even if he had made it to Mt. Doom without Gollum, he wouldn’t have tossed the Ring into the fire. Meaning it was never going to be that easy.

By: bipolar2

bipolar2 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:45:17 +0000

** not a Ring toss **

But, of course Frodo does not toss the Ring into the fire.

The interplay of evil and good (always sharply delineated in LOTR) continues. For Golum leaps upon Frodo who has taken the Ring to be his. Grabbing Frodo’s left ring finger, Golum bites it off.

He then, holding the Ring aloft with Frodo’s finger still stuck through it, begins to gloat. And as he rejoices, he steps back, loses his balance falling into the lake of fire (Hell indeed) in which he and Ring are both consumed.

Without Golum’s unconquerable lust for his Precious, Frodo would have failed and the Quest with him.

bipolar2

By: Niktu_klaatu

Niktu_klaatu — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:19:42 +0000

Very cool and provocative posting, Thank you.

I agree with you about Galadriel and sauron, but would also add the duality of either gandalf or bombadil with sauron all three of whom are of the divine race of the maiar. Like sauron, Olorin (as gandalf was then known) chose sides in the war of the Valar and continued to serve that vala’s will down to the end of the 3rd age. Gandalf served Lorien ( the master of dreams and visions) by bringing comfort, encouragement, and support to the peoples of middle earth. Sauron, served Melkor (who’s power seems to be the ability to assume at times some of the powers of the other Valar) and once again attempted to replace Eru with himself. Interstingly, Sauron tried to rule with a master ring containing most of his native strength, and which gave him the ability to dominate all of the other rulers of middle-earth who had rings made by the same master-craftsman.

By: userx

userx — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 07:37:06 +0000

if you liked what you saw here you may be interested in the work of joseph campbell

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 05:42:57 +0000

Excellent ideas…its nice to read an analysis that isn’t ’skin deep’, that draws concepts from beyond the LOTR such as the Silmarillion. I’m also set to reread the trilogy for the umpteenth time this winter, and I’ll probably preface it with The Silmarillion and perhaps Unfinished and Lost Tales as well.
I found the comparision of Sauron and Galadriel very interesting as well. Two characters so diametrically opposed, yet as you point out, so similar in their resolve.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:37:59 +0000

Great analysis. I too remember very little about RotK, and this winter I’m set to reread the entire saga. I will keep on the watch for these dualities

By: George Pedrosa

George Pedrosa — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:53:53 +0000

Brilliant article. Keep it coming.

By: niku

niku — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 05:11:51 +0000

Loved this.

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 29 May 2007 14:25:47 +0000

Thanks for continuing to work through this. I found the paired characters observation interesting, as well as the note that, for this story, evil was a necessity in order for some good to come out at the end, and what while Tolkien’s stories so often seem cast in black and white, they don’t negate each other completely.

By: Pat Logan

Pat Logan — Sat, 26 May 2007 19:50:04 +0000

Very interesting. I’ve never seen anyone make this point about the philosophy behind LOTR. I think you’re onto something here.