Lord of the Rings and Philosophy Final Report

Philosophy of Lord of the Rings and Philosophy Final Report

Adriana Pintilie H0-3

The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien became one of the most successful novel series. These fantasy novels are extremely unique due to the fact that Tolkien created new mythologies, languages, and an entire history of Middle Earth. After it became a large movie franchise, it was able to gain a large following from all demographics. 

Due to its being such a complex novel, there are several branches of philosophy that can be examined. I will specifically be discussing the themes of providence, courage, as well as duty and love. 

                                                               Providence 

The Lord of the Rings doesn’t include any direct references to any sort of god or even a supernatural realm, except in a few passive comments. One of the most famous is Gandalf’s explanation to Frodo on how he came to have the Ring. Frodo obviously didn’t want it. However, Gandalf says that behind the facts of its history “there was something else at work…I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring…in which case you also were meant to have it…” Besides the several hints he puts in the story, Tolkien worked the idea of providence into the plot. The workings of providence are seen most obviously in the way mercy and kindness shown to the wretched and malicious Gollum by Frodo leads to the salvation of the world. Sam and Frodo reach Mount Doom but Frodo is unable to give up the Ring. Then, when all is thought lost, the Gollum they’ve all allowed to live bites the Ring off Frodo’s finger. He then falls off the edge of the path and into the fire, where the ring is ultimately destroyed. 

                                                               Courage

Courage can be explained as the expression of a deep acknowledgment that you are a part of a greater story and even if your part ends badly, your loss will be turned to good. This is the idea behind one of the most famous quotations from the book. Frodo, talking about the crisis created by the discovery of the Ring says, “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” To which part of Gandalf’s reply is “…All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” That’s the key concept to understanding courage in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien didn’t speculate courage. He showed that courage is as a matter of choice. To add another point, Tolkien doesn’t romanticize courage as a force for good in itself. He makes the point that courage is focusing on facing not what we have but what we do. It is a constantly repeated choice. Even the classically heroic characters, like Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli, all clearly courageous, are placed in a situation they’d rather avoid and in response to which they must choose to risk their lives. They don’t live for these situations, but rather for the things they love, like friends and home. They only fight when they must to defend what needs protecting.

                                                         Duty and Love

Duty can be described as an action one does because they have to. For example, Frodo accepts the burden of the Ring when he sees that, as Gandalf said, he was meant to have it. Aragorn takes up the responsibility of joining the quest because as the prospective king it is his duty to protect the people. There are also actions one does because they love someone or someplace. The other three hobbits- Sam, Merry, and Pippin- only leave the Shire and insist on joining the fellowship because of their love for Frodo. Later, when they realize that their home is in danger, they act not just out of love for Frodo, but out of love for their home and its residents. The two themes of duty and love can overlap and often times what begins as duty grows into love. For example, Same leaves the Shire because he loves Frodo, but also because he has a very strong sense of duty to serve Frodo. The love he feels, however, becomes clearer and clearer as their journey continues and at the end, he serves Frodo as a friend and not a servant. It could even be argued that only then could the Ring be destroyed. 

Questions

1.    What is an example of a working of providence in the plot? 

2.    Rather than speculation, how does Tolkien show courage? 

3.    Why does Aragorn take up the responsibility of joining the quest? 

4.    What is an example of duty growing into love? 

Discussion Questions

1.    Do you agree or disagree with the idea that duty is an action one does because they have to? 

2.    What are your thoughts on Galdalf’s statement “..we have to decide what to do with the time given to us”? 



Midterm: https://cophilosophy.blogspot.com/2018/10/lord-of-rings-and-philosophy-one-ring.html


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