Friendship In J. R. Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings
Laying Everything Down
“Whereas the function of a friend, who is a second self, is to supply things we cannot procure for ourselves” –Aristotle. Throughout literature, a story would not be complete without the best friend. Beowulf has Wiglaf. King Arthur has Sir Lancelot. Tom Sawyer has Huck Finn. Sherlock has Watson. Batman has Robin. All of these lauded heroes would not have survived without their trusty companions. In Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth, best friends are as vital to the story as the hero. Tolkien, however, was able to write about these friends due to his own experiences. J.R.R. Tolkien enjoyed an extraordinary social life. According to David Doughan, Tolkien “soon became one of the founder members of a loose grouping of Oxford …show more content…
Throughout the story, it is Frodo’s faithful friends that enable him to push on towards the goal. When the Frodo volunteers to take the ring to Mordor, “Merry, Pippin, and Sam refuse to be parted from Frodo, and Gandalf unexpectedly seconds their plea to join the company, suggesting that Elrond should trust more to their love for their friend than to the counsels of prudence” (Films Media Group). Gandalf, Sam, and the rest of the fellowship offer their lives, loyalty, and love for the hero. In the Mines of Moria, Gandalf sacrifices his life in order to save the fellowship. On the slopes of Mount Doom, Sam determinedly carries Frodo up the mountain (Tolkien, Return of the King 233). After their journey is completed and task accomplished, Frodo travels home carrying the hope of new beginnings, the joy of an adventure concluded, and the pleasure of devoted friends. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (English Standard Version). Friends are essential parts of living life. We need friends who will support us, love us, encourage us, and even lay down their life for us. Just as Sam and Gandalf value Frodo’s life over their own, we must also be willing to lay everything down for our friends. For just like Frodo, we won’t get very far without
“Whereas the function of a friend, who is a second self, is to supply things we cannot procure for ourselves” –Aristotle. Throughout literature, a story would not be complete without the best friend. Beowulf has Wiglaf. King Arthur has Sir Lancelot. Tom Sawyer has Huck Finn. Sherlock has Watson. Batman has Robin. All of these lauded heroes would not have survived without their trusty companions. In Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth, best friends are as vital to the story as the hero. Tolkien, however, was able to write about these friends due to his own experiences. J.R.R. Tolkien enjoyed an extraordinary social life. According to David Doughan, Tolkien “soon became one of the founder members of a loose grouping of Oxford …show more content…
Throughout the story, it is Frodo’s faithful friends that enable him to push on towards the goal. When the Frodo volunteers to take the ring to Mordor, “Merry, Pippin, and Sam refuse to be parted from Frodo, and Gandalf unexpectedly seconds their plea to join the company, suggesting that Elrond should trust more to their love for their friend than to the counsels of prudence” (Films Media Group). Gandalf, Sam, and the rest of the fellowship offer their lives, loyalty, and love for the hero. In the Mines of Moria, Gandalf sacrifices his life in order to save the fellowship. On the slopes of Mount Doom, Sam determinedly carries Frodo up the mountain (Tolkien, Return of the King 233). After their journey is completed and task accomplished, Frodo travels home carrying the hope of new beginnings, the joy of an adventure concluded, and the pleasure of devoted friends. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (English Standard Version). Friends are essential parts of living life. We need friends who will support us, love us, encourage us, and even lay down their life for us. Just as Sam and Gandalf value Frodo’s life over their own, we must also be willing to lay everything down for our friends. For just like Frodo, we won’t get very far without