Effects Of Adversity On Identity In The Lord Of The Rings

In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, adversity is defined as “a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune”. Throughout his film, The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Peter Jackson displayed the effects of adversity on identity through his deuteragonist, Aragorn. Adversity shaped Aragorn’s identity in three instances; when Gandalf died, when the Uruk-hai initiated an attack against the fellowship, and finally, when Frodo and Sam departed in a different direction from Legolas, Gimli, and himself.

After defeating the Balrog, a vicious fiery dragon-like creature in the Mines of Moria, Gandalf the Grey was pulled off of the bridge of Khazad-dum, resulting in his death. Since Gandalf was the leader
of the fellowship, his death had caused considerable adversity among the remaining group. This difficulty shaped everyone’s identity, but especially Aragorn’s, as it forced him to procure the role of the leader. As he had never envisioned himself as being the leader of the fellowship, doing so was a challenge for him. He led the group effectively, and consequently, it shaped his identity. He became more authoritative, yet humble, as a person, as well as, more trusted by the group, and eminently more wise. Additionally, from Gandalf’s death, Aragorn adapted the duty of discouraging grieving among the group, which was an act that further shaped his identity. When Frodo and Sam were crying and mourning the death of Gandalf, Aragorn kindly reminded them that they should continue their journey. This resulted in him being seen by the others as a leader.The adversity evoked by Gandalf’s death shaped Aragorn’s identity in such a way as to make him more authoritative, prudent, and overall a better leader. In this example, Jackson showed the connection between adversity and human condition, and how it contributed to Aragorn’s metamorphoses as a character.