Femnista Nov Dec 2012

8/13/2019 Femnista Nov Dec 2012

1/36

The Works of J R R Tolkien

Nov/Dec 201


2/36

was sixteen when the firstLordof the Ringsmovie hit theaters. Iknew nothing about it, but a

friend invited me to attend anopening day showing with him at

the biggest screen in the state, so Iwent, without expectations or knowing

what would unfold. That three hour experiencechanged my world forever. I saw an epic battlefor good and evil unfold on the screen. I metunforgettable characters. I saw deep religioussymbolism throughout. And I ran home to readthe books, just to find out what happenedrather than wait a year between installments.

The franchise gave me my best friend. We metonline as we co-moderated a Christian Ringercommunity, stemming from a website I used tohost about the Catholic and Christian

symbolism in the story. It gave me three yearsof Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, and Men. It made afull-blown fantasy fan out of me, and made merealize that God reveals Himself in unexpected ways. Idiscovered the film series is even more blatantlyallegorical than the books. Given that Tolkien was abeliever and Peter Jackson isnt, that intrigued me. Howcould such a thing be possible?

Its because Tolkien opened the door with hissymbolism, and when the movies settled in, God satdown in the midst of it and said, Im here look forme. To some of you, this concept may seem foreign.How can religion be in a series about wizards and allkinds of ethereal creatures? He is in the subtext. In thecharacters. In their actions. In their words. Its morethan Gandalfs death and resurrection into a glorifiedbeing, or Aragorn fighting a final battle and claiming histhrone. Its more than Frodo bearing a great burden ofsin to its demise, or Bilbo having a willing heart. Itsabout how an author set out to write a story, and hisfaith was so great that it came out in his tales. www.charitysplace.com

Many of the articles in this issue reference that. Itmay prompt you to become more familiar with theseevents and figures, or it may open your eyes tothings you missed in the past. But whatever yourstance, wherever you are in your walk through life,know that everyone who contributed to this issuehas one thing in common: we all admire, respect,and love Middle-earth very much. Without it, we

would have no Gandalf, no Bilbo, no Frodo, no Sam,no Aragorn. Tolkien had a brilliant mind that servedhim well and without his friendship, arguably thegreatest Christian theologian of our age, C.S. Lewis,might have remained contemplating riddles in thedark, rather than finding the truth.

Thank you, Tollers, for everything.


3/36

Follow us on Twitter& Tumb

The Great Wizard

Gandalf 4Mad BagginsBilbo 6

The Three HuntersLegolas, Aragorn, Gimli 8

Weak Things of the WorldHobbits 10

The Spirit of Rohanomer 12

From Traitor to HeroBoromir 14

Middle Earths Men of MagicBeorn, Radagast, Tom Bombadil 16

AinulindalThe Simarillion 18

Precious

Gollum 20The InklingsLewis & Tolkien 22

My Captain, My KingAragorn 24

Little Big ThingsSam 26

Ring But No RomanceAragorn & owyn 28

Mightier Than the SwordArwen 30

Symbolism of the ElvesFrom Galadriel to Legolas 32

The Real HeroFrodo 34
http://twitter.com/#!/charitys_placehttp://twitter.com/#!/charitys_placehttp://charitysplace.tumblr.com/http://charitysplace.tumblr.com/http://twitter.com/#!/charitys_place


4/36


5/36

By Carol Starke

when I was ten and The Lord of theRingsa few years later. I thinkreading those books at such a youngage cemented in my head what awizard should be. Wise. Strong.Discerning. And as Ive grown older,Ive seen more and more thatGandalf presents a fairly accuratepicture of Christ.

In The Hobbit, Gandalf takes anordinary hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, and

sends him on a quest for dragonsgold. Along the way, Bilbo tricks anasty creature, Gollum, and steals avery special ring. All Bilbo knows isthat he turns invisible when he putsit on, but Gandalf comes to realize itis the One Ring, the Ring of Power,the one thing the wicked sorcerer,Sauron, has been wanting all theseyears and believed lost and gone.Gandalf lets Bilbo keep it, though hecautions him to use it sparingly. As

time goes by, Gandalf becomes moreand more concerned for Bilbossafety, finally urging him to pass iton to his nephew, Frodo. Bilbo does,but not without a struggle, evenuttering the same phrase, hisprecious, that Gollum used when itwas his.

When Frodo finally takes possessionof the Ring, he tries to give it toGandalf, believing it will be safer inhis care. Just as Christ was temptedin the wilderness, Gandalf istempted, seeing his future beforehim, strong and undefeated. But justas Christ resisted Satan, so Gandalfwalks away, telling Frodo to keep theRing and never offer it again. Itwould use its power on Gandalf andturn his heart evil until he was nobetter than Sauron.

God sees our hearts: Man lookethon the outward appearance, but theLord looketh on the heart.

Appearances do not fool Gandalf. Hesees at once that Sam will make agood companion to Frodo, even if heis just a gardener. And he sees thatthe great wizard, Saruman, hasallowed himself to be turned by theRing. He wanted it for himself,though claimed he only wanted it todestroy Sauron. When Gandalf

refuses to cooperate, Sarumancaptures and holds him prisoner.

Unlike the other wizards, whodiscount the hobbits, Gandalf isintrigued by them, by their simplelives and carefree ways. Thoughsuperior to them, he spends time

with them, getting to know them,but still they surprise him. They arecreatures with heart and soul, and heis glad to know them. Here we have

another portrait of Christ. He walkedon this earth, spending time withpeople, getting to know and lovethem.

After telling Frodo of the quest hemust take to destroy the ring,Gandalf helps form a Fellowship, aparty that is complete with eightothers. Gandalf has other business,

but promises to meet up with Frodoand does later. Its fortunate forFrodo he did, for in their travelsthrough Moria, they come upon aterrifying beast, a balrog. Gandalfgives his life to save the Fellowship,crying out to them to flee even as heis killed by the beast. Here is the bestpicture of Christ. He led his disciplesand ended up giving His life, not justfor his followers but for all mankind.

If the Fellowship had failed, Saurwould have won, condemning all

Just as Christ rose from the deadso does Gandalf. And when hereturns from the dead, Gandalf thGrey no longer, he is more strongand powerful than he was before,now as Gandalf the White.

Its thanks to Gandalf that the Rinever makes it to the Crack of Doo

While Frodo and Sam trek acrossMordor, he and the others attempto divert Saurons attention so thehobbits will have a chance todestroy the Ring.

Gandalf came by his knowledge othe Ring thanks in part to Gollumand after questioning him, set himfree. Just as Christ is merciful, soGandalf. Gollum went straight toSauron, alerting him that the Rin

still existed and causing him to seout the hobbits who dared controit. But because of Gandalfs mercyon Gollum by freeing instead ofkilling him, the Ring is destroyedOn their journey to the Crack ofDoom, Frodo and Sam are follow

by Gollum. He takes it from themwhen Frodo wont throw it in.When he does, he falls to his deatdestroying the Ring at the sametime.

All these traits and more are whamake you want a wizard likeGandalf on your side. Beyond hisobvious magic, hes true in times

war, brave in the face of danger,and wise in judgment. And, likeChrist, he wins in the end.


6/36


7/36

By Carissa Horto

and thats where the story of MiddleEarth truly begins. Not with wizardsand elves and mighty dwarves and acertain Ring of Power, but with a lowlyhobbit. One whod prefer to stay safelyindoors, eating seed cakes, and well outof the way of trouble. This isnt FrodoBaggins, the unlikely hero of The Lordof the Rings. Rather, this is his uncle,ages before he threw the party for hisone-hundredth-and-eleventh birthdayand then vanished in a puff of smoke.

Yes, Bilbo Baggins is his name.

It takes a lot for someone comfortablein their life to get up and head out thedoor for adventure. Frodo can attest tothat, as well as anyone who has everdone it. In Bilbos words, theres noknowing where you might be swept offto. Bilbo is quite comfortable in BagEnd. But something happens the dayGandalf the wizard and 13 dwarvescome calling. The heart of his Took

ancestors beats strong in his chestwhen he hears his unwelcome visitorsspeak of dragons and mountains andhoards of gold and a quest.

Dont imagine for one moment that allhobbits share the same deeply buriedadventurous spirit as Mister Baggins.In fact, had Gandalf knocked on thedoor of anyone else in The Shire, minusperhaps the Tooks or Brandybucks,hed have been turned away with a fleain his ear. Gandalf doesnt pick Bilbosdoor by accident. Neither does he pickBilbo by playing Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Moe. Bilbo is chosen for a purpose.Partially because the dwarves findthemselves in need of a burglar butmore likely because Gandalf spots agleam of something in Bilbo. Thissomething needs only a littleencouragement to burst into life. Or, asGandalf says inFellowship, All he

needed was a little nudge out the door.

Bilbo isnt like his complacent, docile,rather petty neighbors and relations.Complacency is a disease of a sort. Itsnot deadly by any means but can rob aperson, or in this case a hobbit, of thedesire to take the first step on a biggerjourney. Hobbits are naturally peacefulcreatures and Bilbo is no exception.But when he finds Sting in the lair ofthe three Trolls Gandalf turns to stone,the something that began changing,changes just a little bit more. The spark

is now a burning ember and theadventurous side wins out. After all,running out the door without ahandkerchief to attempt a grandadventure affects a person.

The hobbit who has only wielded aknife for cutting his dinner now wieldsa sword in defense of dwarves against ahoard of spiders. Does this sound likethe same hobbit who nearly faintedwhen he thought the dwarves were

going to shatter his best dishes?Perhaps the start of adventure for Bilbois really just answering Gandalfs call.He doesnt answer it willingly, thatsfor certain. He does everything possibleto stay in his comfortable, complacent,content little world where nothing everhappens. But Bilbos destiny, and yes itis fate, is for him to be something morethan just Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End.

God calls His children to follow Himjust as Gandalf calls Bilbo. Each iscalled individually just as Bilbo iscalled and just as there are many whowould have turned Gandalf away so toowill Christ be turned away. This is whatmakes Bilbo special. He answered. Itwasnt easy or pleasant and there aretimes during his journey that Bilbothinks hell never see home again. Buthe does return to Bag End. He survivesand emerges all the better for having

left in the first place.

How would Bilbo have felt had he nreturned? What if the battle of the farmies had been the end of him?What if the great dragon Smaug hadcaught him? Would Bilbo have cursthe day hed chosen to followGandalf? No. Because that adventufrom start to finish, wakes somethinglorious in Bilbo Baggins. He sees thworld, makes friends, meets elves,speaks to a dragon, not to mentionfinds a magic Ring. He wouldnt

exchange that experience for anythiin the world; even his life.

The story of Bilbo is one of readinesSometimes its just answering yeseven though every comfortable bit oyour nature screams no. But if Bilbocould do it, so could anyone. Plus,theres a good chance that dragons ospiders or a barrel ride down a riverwill not be the result of taking thatstep of faith nowadays. Bilbo isnt

called Mad Baggins for nothing. Hcomes home different and his friendand relations never know quite whato make of him. The only one whohalfway understands is Frodo who idestined for his own adventure. Uphis return, seeing Bag End in thedistance, Bilbo pauses beside Gandaand utters a poem, a few lines ofwhich are these, Roads go ever eveon under cloud and under star, yetfeet that wandering have gone turn last to home afar. And Gandalf sayin surprise My dear Bilbo! You arenot the hobbit that you were.

One of the best parts about great anunexpected adventures is thatsomeday they lead you back home.


8/36


9/36

threading their way through J. R. R.TolkiensLord of the Rings trilogy,which no one can praise enough.One of those is friendship, oftencalled fellowship instead. (Imstarting to think fellowship is morefun to say. Am I biased? No, not atall.) This tightly-knit bond isexplored in groups both small and

large. The first part isnamedFellowshipof the Ring, after all.Among the many close friendships inMiddle-earth, the one that moves methe most is that of Aragorn, Legolas,and Gimli. The Three Hunters.

Whether youre a seasoned Tolkienfan, or a newcomer to the wonders ofMiddle-earth, the breaking of theFellowship is difficult to bear. Even

if youre reading the books orwatching the movies for thehundredth time, it doesnt get anyeasier to swallow. The NineCompanions went through so muchtogether, traveling as one unit overmountains and through valleys on adangerous mission, only to lose twomembers and scatter to the wind.

The heroic willpower of Aragorn,Legolas, and Gimli is simple, utterlywithout ostentation, but incrediblypowerful all the same. On one hand,their journey across the plains of

Rohan offer comfort for us, theobservers, to soften the worry for thesafety of Merry and Pippin whiletheyre in the clutches of the fightingUruk-hai. On the other, their

journey also can offer us inspirationwhen we embark on our owndaunting quests.

First of all, none of the ThreeHunters feel the need to becomesomething or someone else to helpthem in their journey. The odds areimpossible, but if theres anyquailing in their hearts, they ignoreit. They, or any parts of them thatseem insufficient, dont matter.Merry and Pippin matter. The ThreeHunters throw themselves heart andsoul into their pursuit, and theyremain true to themselves, in the

very best sense of the word.Regardless, theyll always behumble, wayfaring heirs of the lordsof Men, Elves, and Dwarves. Just asthey arenothing more, nothingless. They just give their all.

Aragorn uses his Ranger skills inhunting and tracking to keep on thechallenging trail of the Uruk-hai

bearing Merry and Pippin toIsengard. Legolas uses his keenElven vision to spot objects fromafar, even a great eagle mounting todizzying heights above their heads.

Gimli uses his Dwarf stamina tokeep up and keep going, despite tfact that his friends have stridestwice as long as his own. They urgeach other to keep heart, nursefaith, and take joy. And allthroughout, Legolas sings.

This camaraderie in the midst of

hardship, worry, and burden has mark one of my favorite passagesany book Ive ever read. Most of utend to bear hardships veryheavilyif we manage to bear theat all. The Three Hunters shouldetheir burden without ceremony.

In the end, these three trek a greadistance in a short time. Eventhough they fail to rescue Merryand Pippin before the Hobbits are

forced to seek refuge in Fangorn,they still manage to do what noother trio could have done: coverforty-five leagues (roughly onehundred and thirty-five miles) onfoot within four days, with a fewhours to spare. The King of Rohanephew omer, on hearing

Aragorns account, calls the heir oGondor Wingfoot. Its a nicenickname that implies you can soto great heights even while youretrudging along on your own twofeet. Dont you think so?

By Eleanor Knig


10/36


11/36

By Christy McDouga

our heroes are larger than life. Theyrefabulously strong or wealthy orintelligent or brave. In MarvelsCaptain America, Steve Rogers is aplucky but ultimately ignorable littleguy; its not until hes turned into anear-immortal near-giant that hesworth writing a story about. Iron Manis fabulously wealthy and has a suitthat makes him nearly invincible.Super-genius Bruce Banner isuninteresting until he becomes the

indestructible, destructive Hulk. Wewant to see power in our heroes.

J.R.R. Tolkien wrote an English mythabout something a little closer to whatChristians know as reality. He wroteabout the upside-down logic of a greatand desperate task achievable only bythe smallest, weakest, and humblest ofcharacters. We find this logic hard tounderstand, but its made clear in thewritings of Paul the Apostle and

illustrated beautifully by Tolkien inThe Lord Of The Rings.

In The Hobbit,a Hobbit is an amusingand plucky character who stumbles hisway through adventures and comesout quite a different person than hestarted. But its not until The Lord OfThe Ringsthat the story changes tobecome one of desperate times andtremendous affairs that can onlyberesolved by Hobbits, the beings ofMiddle-earth least suited to desperatetimes and tremendous affairs.

Hobbits are small, homely, home-andcomfort-loving creatures who are soinsignificant and so good at hidingthat hardly anyone in Middle-eartheven knows they exist. Theyre humbleand dont like adventures. Even in TheHobbit,the Dwarves dont like havinga Hobbit sent along on their quest.

Who wants a Hobbit when it comes

time for great deeds? No one, least ofall Hobbits themselves.

And that is the miracle of the Hobbit.The greatest deed in all Middle-earth,the most difficult, the one no one

wants, that of walking like a completeidiot through the dark hell of Mordorto chuck the greatest treasure of theThird Age into a volcano accuratelycalled Doom, can only be done by thatsmall, weak, unimportant being, a

Hobbit. If a Wizard does it, he wonteven get close to Mordor, for thehidden glory he carries as a divineMaia of Valinor will reveal himinstantly to the Enemy. No one couldever overlook an Elf walking throughdark lands. A Man would die long

before he reached Mount Doom. But aHobbit is so little he can slip throughcracks. A Hobbit is so funny-lookinghe can disguise himself as an Orc. AHobbit is so earthy he knows how to

move in near-invisibility. A Hobbit isso tough that he can be stretched thin,like butter scraped over too much

bread, and still take the next step.

Its almost as if the Hobbits werecreated specifically for this deed, as iftheyre small and overlooked andtimid and intrinsically tough andhonest on purpose, for thispurpose.

All the attributes that among theglories and strengths of Wizards, Elvesand Men appear to be weaknesses

become the very aspects that get theHobbits through Mordor to the end oftheir road. This is the hour of theShire-folk, Elrond says at his Councilin The Fellowship of The Ring,whenthey arise from their quiet fields toshake the towers and counsels of thegreat. Who of all the Wise could haveforeseen it?

The Apostle Paul was a superhero

among the Jews of his time. He saiIf anyone thinks he has reason foconfidence in the flesh, I have

more (Philippians 3:4b). He hadeverything a Jew ought to have and

was everything a Jew ought to be. Hwas even a superhero amongapostles, with his call, his educatiothe many churches he founded, themany disciples he made. He was onof the Great. And yet he told theCorinthian Christians this: Consid

your calling, brethren: not many oyou were wise according to world

standards, not many were powerf

not many were of noble birth. But

God chose what is foolish in the

world to shame the wise; God chos

what is weak in the world to sham

the strong; God chose what is low

and despised in the world, even

things that are not, to bring to

nothing things that are, so that no

human being might boast in the

presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:-29)

Not all of us are educated. Not all ous are physically strong. Not all of uare attractive. Not all of us havegood, loving family backgrounds. Nall of us have lived even, smooth liv

without trauma. Not all of us havebeen Christians from birth and havnothing to regret in our histories.Few people would ever say aboutmost of us, Now, theres the perfecperson for God to use. And Goddelightsin using those people whothe Wise would overlook. He doesnhave to turn us into Captain Amerito do it.

Sometimes a Hobbit is the perfectperson to do the greatest deeds.

All Bible verses from the ES


12/36


13/36

By Lianne M. Bernar

whose culture is rich and vibrant.omer, nephew of King Thoden andbrother of owyn, reflects the fightingspirit of the Rohirrim. While hes abrave and skilled warrior on thebattlefield, hes also loyal and caring,values that prepare him for when hebecomes king after his uncles death.

omer is a warrior like his fatherbefore him, tall in appearance andproud. He commands his own eored as

a Marshall of the Mark over his fathersformer jurisdictions in the east,protecting the borders of Rohan andupholding the law of his people. He ishardened for a man in his mid-twentiesthanks to experience on the battlefield;as a result hes always prepared for theworst and doesnt seem to rely much onhope. On their first meeting, omertells Aragorn and his companions that(h)ope does not remain to find Merryand Pippin after his eored intercepted a

band of Uruk-hai near their northernborders. Nor does omer hope thatreinforcements will come to their aid atPelennor Fields as his remaining forcesface a new onslaught of orcs andEasterlings. Aragorn later chidesomer for forgetting his promise thattheyll see each other again but omeradmits that hope oft deceives.Hardened by the realities of war,omer is a man who faces the presentproblems with whatever forces orresources he has and doesnt look forhelp in his tasks.

Yet despite his sternness, omer isperceptive of people. He recognises thedanger Grma Wormtongue poses toRohan. Despite curious circumstancesthat bring Aragorn, Legolas and Gimlito Rohan and how they passed throughLothlrien, a forbidding place to theRohirrim, omer chooses to help them

in their search for Merry and Pippin.

Hes also able to tell that theres moreto Aragorns story than what hes told.His stoic judgement enables him to bea valued advisor to his uncle and agood leader.

omers service and role as a Marshalreflects his faithfulness to the realm.He is briefly imprisoned for makingthreats toward Grma out of protectionof the king despite of the courts law. Arecovered Thoden later says that he

owes omer much for his loyalty, and(a) faithful heart may have a forwardtongue. This devotion also manifeststowards the Rohirrim; grieved as he isover Thodens death, omer quicklymusters his forces and leads themonward in his stead. His dedication tolead and help his people continuesafter the War of the Ring as he workstirelessly to restore the buildings andlands destroyed during the war. Hesnamed omer adig, the Blessed, for

the peace hes able to secure for hispeople and the riches that Rohanproduces during his reign.

This sense of devotion and earnestnessalso extends to his friends, which ishighlighted in his friendship withAragorn in the books. They fight sideby side at Helms Deep, at PelennorFields, and before the gates of Mordor.While Aragorn and his allies debate onhow to proceed with their final attackagainst Sauron, omer pledges hissupport because Aragorn is his friendand needs his help. He doesnt needany other reason for accompanyingAragorn, saying that he has littleknowledge of these deep matters; but Ineed it not. Their friendship continuesafter the War of the Ring as the twokings campaign together against theremnants of Saurons forces.

While omer is a dedicated warrior of

Rohan, hes also a caring brother toowyn. As a result of losing theirparents at such an early age, omerespecially protective of his sister. Hknows Grma has his sights on owand would have slain him before,forgetting the law of the hall. Whilhe cant always be there for her duehis duties, hes not unaware of herinternal suffering; in the House ofHealing he admits that he becameaware that his sister was touched b

frost when Aragorn first appeared Edoras, Rohans capital.

Though they do not share very manscenes together in the book, omeractions show how important owynto him. When he sees his sister lyinamongst the dead at Pelennor Fieldhe becomes visibly distraught, as aman who is pierced in the midst of acry by an arrow through the heart.He gives in to grief and fury, chargi

head-on towards enemy forces andshouting Ride! Ride to death and tworlds ending! owyn is the onlyperson over the course of the novelwho elicits such strong, protectiveemotions from omer. Likewise, hethe only one who can draw owyn oof her despair and the darkness of hillness by calling her name in theHouse of Healing.

While only a secondary character inThe Lord of the Rings, omer is apivotal figure for the people of RohaHis keen discernment and dedicatiocarries him through the War of theRing and prepares him for kingshipHes a good friend and ally, neverfailing to be there for Aragorn whenhe needs help. Hes a caring brotherwho looks out for his sister. omerexemplifies the Rohirrim spirit ofcourage but also its great heart and

unwavering loyalty.


14/36


15/36

By Jessica McDona

Everyone despises their actions. Wedont understand how someone couldbetray a friend or family member forsomething as petty as money, fame, orpower. We loathe traitors. But then,theres another type of traitoronewho starts out with good intentions butis overtaken by temptation and in theend falls helpless to the clutches of evil,betraying those they swore to protect.J.R.R. Tolkiens intriguing, heart-breaking Boromir comes to mind.

For years, Ive read and watched TheLord of the Rings. I love the unusualfriendship of Legolas and Gimli, thehumility and nobility of Aragorn, thebravery of the hobbits, and the wisdomof Gandalf. Often, Boromir isnt givenmuch thought. Hes the bad memberof the Fellowshipthe one who gives into temptation. Thefailure. Thetraitor.He knows how dangerous the Ring is,the truth of what it will do to those who

possess it, yet ignores all warnings andwisdom. Trusting in his own strength,he reaches for the Ring. I ask only forthe strength to defend my people! Hetells Frodo, adamantly. If you wouldbut lend me the Ring...

Boromir deceives himself into thinkinghis intentions are noble. The Ring is agift to the foes of Mordor. Why not usethis Ring? He asks the council inRivendell. Give Gondor the weapon ofthe enemy. Let us use it against him!But what he doesnt realize, despitecountless warnings, is evil cant befought with evil and the Ring is alreadysubconsciously beginning to consumehis thoughts and desires. Can we relateto Boromirs struggle with temptation?The Ring is an object of evil that luresits victims by offering the fulfillment ofhopes and dreams. It callsto Boromir,it tempts him. The lies of the Ring

convey that this object of pure evil will

bring good things: victory over theEnemy, relief for the armies of Gondor,freedom for all of Middle Earth, fewermen counted among the dead but itlied! Who is strong enough to holdsuch a mighty weapon and not give into its seductive powers? Would anymortal man be able to withstand theconsuming nature of ultimate power?When Frodo offers the ring to Gandalf,unlike Boromir, the wizard realizes theseductive power of evil. I would use

this ring from a desire to do good, butthrough me, it would wield a power toogreat and terrible to imagine.

Boromir is openly tempted by the Ringon numerous occasions; and, becauseof this, the members of the fellowshipdont trust him completely. Men areweak! Men cant resist temptation arethe thoughts crossing their minds. But,for awhile, Boromir seems to have histemptation under control. How often

are we, like Boromir, tempted to sin?How many times do we feel resistanceslipping away as we ponder what ourpersonal Ring could mean for us, if wecould just reach out and take it forgood, of course. Unfortunately, theRings call is too great and he tries totake it from Frodo by force. Its onlyafter the Ring is out of sight and out ofreach, that Boromir realizes what hesdone. Hes betrayed the person heswore to protect. Hes a traitor becauseof his weakness. Temptation becamesin. Frodo realizes this. Boromir wasour friend, he tells Faramir, inearnest. He doesnt condemn Boromirbut instead shows him mercy. Frodotook the Ring out of Boromirs reach.He knew what a dangerous temptationit posed. That knowledge brought forthmercy and forbearance. How muchmore patient would we be with oneanother if we realized what Frodo

knew? Were weak. Were prone to

temptation and sin. Frodo recognizhis own weakness. He knew first-hand the weight and power of whatresisted; that understanding enablehim to be merciful to Boromir.

Thankfully, Boromirs story doesntend with the shame of his betrayal.Hes horrified by his own actionshumbled and repentant. Pulling outhis sword, he rose to fight and protethe Hobbits he betrayed. He did wh

he failed to do before; he selflesslygave his life for his friends. Maybeprotecting Merry and Pippen is hisattempt to regain his honor andcorrect his terrible mistake. Where falls to the ground with three arrowin his chest is a heart-wrenchingscene of bittersweet honor. His faceetched with pain, regret, and sorrowand eyes filled with a resolved peaceBoromir falls to his knees, unable tostand. When he breathes his last,

were left with a sense of sadness; yalso admiration.

Boromir begins nobly, makesmistakes and ends striving to serveand protect. Perhaps by then he seehow evil the Ring actually is. Maybehe realizes evil cant be fought withevil, no matter how things may seemIt could be that he finally understanwhat everyone warned him about:men are weak and we cant trust inour own strength. It could also be hrealizes the importance of sacrifice,protecting the weak, and keeping yoword. His integrity is no longer inquestion when he dies protectingMerry and Pippin. John 15:13 says,Greater love hath no man than thisthat a man lay down his life for hisfriends. Boromir made mistakes; hwas tempted and he fell. But, in theend, he turns his back on sin and se

and dies a hero.


16/36


17/36

By Caitlin Horto

Middle Earth, if not the major theme.Tolkien created a world that defiesimagination with characters almost toonumerous to count and rich in theirvarying personalities. Some of them,the best and most unique, are nearlyalways forgotten from screen and radiodrama adaptations. Beorn, the shape-shifter who is both man and bear,appears as a hero in The Hobbit.Radagast the Brown is a wizardkinsman to Gandalf who forgot his

calling and can never leave MiddleEarth. And finally theres the cheery,enigmatic Tom Bombadil, who can putthe Ring on his finger and not vanish.These are men of magic and of ancientwisdom and Tolkiens finest creations.

For readers of The Hobbitthe nameBeorn probably sounds very familiar.Tolkien described him quite clearly, asa huge man with a thick black beardand hair, and great bare arms and legs

with knotted muscles. On top of that,he changes into a bear. His personalitydoesnt mesh well with others. Herequires his trust to be built up slowly,a feat Gandalf accomplishes when heshares the story of his, the dwarves andBilbos harrowing escape from goblinsin the Misty Mountains. The CompleteGuide to Middle-Earthlists Beorn as aman, a chieftain of the Beornings, aberserker, and a skin-changer (shape-shifter). The usage of berserkerreveals Tolkiens professorship inAnglo-Saxon and studies of medievalliterature; according to the EnglishDictionary it means frenzied Norsewarrior. Beorn is unique among hispeople because when Gandalf and theothers wind up on his doorstep in needof help he doesnt turn them away. Heeven goes to their aid in the Battle ofFive Armies; changing into his bearform, he rescues Thorin from a throng

of orcs and later kills their leader, Bolg.

He is quite a hero and one who shouldbe incredibly memorable in The Hobbitfilms. Its not everyone that can turninto a bear!

Radagast the Brown is a character thatsort of straddles the fence, as it were.He knows and likes Gandalf the Greyand appears in The Lord of the Rings,with mentions in The Hobbit.Whiletalking to Beorn in the latter, Gandalfbrings up Radagast, who lives near the

southern border of Mirkwood. In TheFellowshipof the Ring,Radagastunknowingly sends Gandalf toSaruman, where hes imprisoned, andlater helps free him by sending theeagle. He does it without knowing heshelping, thus painting him as ratherclueless. The Guidelists him as one ofthe Istari (order of wizards) whostudies beast and herb-lore. Hes amember of the White Council, as isGandalf and Saruman, and is involved

in the attack on the Necromancer, alsoknown as Sauron, which takes placeduring The Hobbit. Perhaps what thebooks dont say about him is moreimportant: he doesnt fight in the Warof the Ring and does nothing to aid anyof the people, indicating a passivestance. Radagast is a good man and adecent wizard but he doesnt take sides.That tendency, more than anythingelse, explains how and why Radagastcant move on from Middle Earth.More should be revealed of thischaracter and his quirks in the movies.

Finally, last but never least: the mind-boggling Tom Bombadil of the booktrilogy. Dont bother looking for him inthe movies; hes a cut character whoseonly image is on a card for a game.Tom is a very hospitable character whotakes care of Frodo, Sam, Merry, andPippin while they travel through the

dangerous Old Forest that borders the

Shire. Hes a merry figure, wearing blue coat, yellow boots, long brownbeard, and a battered hat with a blufeather stuck in the band. His wife iGoldberry, daughter of the River-woman of the Withywindle in the OForest, and she is golden-haired andas merry as her mate. Tom is regardas important to the lore of MiddleEarth, as he states of himself in TheFellowship: Eldest, thats what Iam Tom was here before the river

and the trees; Tom remembers thefirst raindrop and the first acorn. Hgoes on to state that he knew the daunder the stars, before the Dark Lorcame, and when he puts on the OneRing, it has no effect on him at all. Hname given him by the Elves, IarwaBen-Adar according to The Guide,means old and without father, he isimmortal. Readers cant even beginspeculate on who Tom is, other thanHobbit rescuer and friendly figure i

dark passage of the book, so mostdont even try. Tolkien did nothing fully clarify the character, insteadshrouding ancient Tom Bombadil incomplete mystery.

These magic men, all with differentabilities and talents, are a part ofTolkiens magnificent world. WithinMiddle Earth they never meet but thlove Tolkien poured into theircharacters binds them together in amagic that can never be tamed. EveRadagast, who is imperfect andforgetful, has his own unique talentto share. J. R. R. Tolkien was a masstoryteller who chose to reflect hisfaith, his academic work, and hischildrens favorite characters in hisepic tales. Beorn, Radagast, and Toare all players in his magnificent setof novels, adding a richness to thestories that is unforgettable.


18/36


19/36

By Tryntsje Cuperu

are full of Christian symbolism. Still,youre hard-pressed to find a mentionof faith in a divine being in any of hisworks other than The Silmarillionandespecially its first part:Ainulindal. Itis a collection of stories about the earlyhistory of Middle-Earth. The tales,written over a long period of Tolkienslife, were edited and published in 1977after his death by his son Christopher.The Silmarillionconsists of five parts.Ainulindalis only ten pages long, but

a beautiful and meaningful story.

It tells us of Ilvator, the Being whostands at the beginning of all and whosname means Father of all in theElvish language. Ilvator creates theAinur, powerful angelic beings who arethe offspring of his thoughts. The Ainursing before Ilvator and through theirsinging and listening they come to adeeper understanding of their Creatorsmind, which gladdens Ilvator.

Ilvator presents to the Ainur a newsong with a powerful theme. As theAinur sing and rejoice, one of them,Melkor, decides to interweave a melodyof his own imagining into the heavenlymusic. With this he hopes to increasehis own glory. Instead, his interferenceleads to discord and cause the otherAinur to falter in their singing. Ilvatorproposes a new theme, but againMelkor soon causes the harmony tochange into uproar. For the third timeIlvator starts a new musical theme,and this time the war of sound betweenthe original theme and Melkors ideasis so strong it makes the heavenly hallsshake.

Ilvator quiets the Ainur and showsthem what the point of their music is:in thought they created a world in thevoid, a world that would laterencompass Middle-Earth and where all

Tolkiens well-known stories take

place. The Ainur are surprised to seethe world contains many things theydnot thought of during their singing. Forexample, the Children of Ilvator: theElves and Men that were soon to comeinto being. In singing, the Ainur eachexpressed a part of Ilvator's thoughts,but none of them were able to fathomall that was in the mind of theirCreator. Melkor is also surprised to seethat which he thought up during hisrebellious singing was part of the new

world, but only added to its beauty andto the glory of Ilvator. So Melkor istaught a lesson by Ilvator: No thememay be played that hath not its

uttermost source in me. For he that

attempteth this shall prove but mine

instrument in the devising of things

more wonderful, which he himself

hath not imagined. Hearing this,Melkor is filled with shame but with itcomes a secret anger.

Ilvator sends the Ainur to the newworld, where theyll labor to make itready for the coming of the Children ofIlvator. Melkor also goes with themand as soon as any of the Ainur start towork, Melkor meddles with it. But hecant ever completely undo the Ainurswork and steadily but surely the worldis filled with new and beautiful things,and Ilvator himself creates the firstElves and Men.

As in all Tolkiens works, theres aheavy influence of all kinds of Westernmythologies. For theAinulindalinparticular, Tolkien admitted to beinginfluenced by the Norse and Germaniccreation myths. Still, the parallels withthe creation story in Genesis 1 and 2are inescapable for anyone readingAinulindalwith a little knowledge ofthe Bible. When I readAinulindalforthe first time, it filled me with a

renewed admiration for the enormous

creativity of our God. It made me lowith fresh eyes at all the little thingsof nature, such as grass, pebbles anclouds and recognise from what awonderful Mind they came. It alsomade me realize how much pain itmust have cost our God when one oHis own creations rebelled againstHim and damaged all His creationsAnd last but not least, this storyshowed me anew that Satan in theend will be defeated, because all his

plans are already known to God. BuGods master plan never came up inSatans mind, because Gods mind iunparalleled.

Some of you reading this article or tAinulindalmight protest and ask,but what about the Ainur? Arent thgiven the status of demigods, creatoin their own right? Isnt this idolatryTolkien was questioned about thistopic in a letter by Peter Hastings,

manager of a Catholic bookshop inOxford. In reply he wrote hisportrayal of the Creator in this storywas a tribute to the infinity of Hispotential variety. This was no douan expression of Tolkiens faith in thpower of stories. In his famous essaOn Fairy Stories heexplained histhoughts on this subject. Often whehe heard a story or a myth he wouldglimpse joy beyond the walls of thworld.To Tolkien this was proof thevery story or myth had in it an echof the True Myth: the story of Godwith this world, the story of salvatiothrough Christ. Tolkien poured thisbelief in the writing of his own newmyth and so it is that we can seeechoes of Gods story in all his workThough the details might sometimeconfuse us, I seeAinulindalas oneTolkiens stories with the strongest these echoes.


20/36


21/36


22/36


23/36

By Lydia Jacob

what it might have been like to readthe first draft of The Fellowship ofthe Ring? If you had been a memberof The Inklings, you wouldnt haveto wonder. Not only would you havegotten to read the first draft, youwould have gotten to hear it read bythe author himself.

The Inklings was a literary groupfounded by Edward Tangye Lean in1931. It was open to students and

professors of University College atOxford University. After a couple ofyears, Lean left Oxford and J.R.R.Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (who hadbeen members of Leans group)began their own Inklings group atMagdalen College. This newlyformed group met on Thursdaynights in Lewiss room and onTuesday afternoons at a local pubcalled The Eagle and the Child, or asit was more commonly known, The

Bird and the Baby.

Members of the group includedTolkien, Lewis, Owen Barfield,Charles Williams, Roger LancelynGreen, Adam Fox, Henry VictorDyson, and Robert Havard. Lewissbrother Warren and Tolkiens sonChristopher were also members.Unlike most literary societies, theInklings did not have officers orrules. It was more of a discussiongroup where the members couldshare their work and receivefeedback on it.

Many of the Inklings influenced andwere influenced by each other. OwenBarfield was one of the firstmembers of the group and wasknown as the first and last Inkling.He had a strong impact on C.S.Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In fact,Lewis dedicated several of his

Narniabooks to Barfields children.

Charles Williams was anothermember of the group who made an

impression on Lewis and vice-versa.The two became friends even beforeWilliams joined the Inklings. Afterhe read LewisThe Allegory of Love,

Williams wrote Lewis a letter sayinghow much he liked it. Coincidentally,at the same time, Lewis read Charles

Williams novel The Place of theLion, and wrote him a letter tellinghim how much he enjoyed it. Thetwo authors began to correspondand soon became good friends. After

some time, Williams moved toOxford and was able to become amember of the Inklings.

Roger Lancelyn Green was one of theco-founders of the literary group and

was another one of Lewiss goodfriends. Because of a suggestion thathe made to Lewis, theNarniaseries

became known as The Chronicles ofNarnia.

The Inklings did not always haveonly positive things to say to oneanother. Henry Victor Dyson, for

example, criticized Tolkien forincluding too many elves in TheLord of the Rings. Faced withDysons complaints, along withnegative comments from some ofthe other members of the group,Tolkien refused to read any morehis work aloud during themeetings. Some of the membersalso ribbed Robert Havard for

being consistently late to meetingLewiss brother Warren came up

with the nickname the UselessQuack for Havard and thanks toLewis, it stuck for many years.

It has been over sixty years sincethe Inklings last met, but the grouis still influencing writers today.The Wade Center at WheatonCollege maintains a collection of11,000 books, quite a few of which

were written by Barfield, Lewis,Tolkien, and Williams. The

collection also includes letters anmanuscripts. More significantly,several groups have been formedover the last three decades thatshare the name and purpose of thoriginal group. One group wasstarted in 2006 and meets on a

weekly basis near The Eagle andthe Child. There is also a literarymagazine at Miami UniversitycalledInklings.


24/36


25/36

By Charity Bisho

with elements of Christian theologyand symbolism, particularly when itcomes to his many Christ-figures.These include Frodo (the SufferingChrist, bearing a burden of Sin to itsdestruction), Gandalf (the wizardwho is more than he appears, andafter sacrificing his life for others,comes back glorified), Arwen (whointercedes for and sacrifices hermortal life for those she loves), andeven Sam (as the eternal helper and

servant). But never is the Christiantheology more clearly expressedthan in the story of Aragorn as itunfolds in The Lord of the Rings.

Our introduction to Aragorn is as astranger in a wayside inn. He is farmore than he first appears, for underthe rough exterior beats the heart ofthe King of Gondor. Like Josephtook Mary and young Jesus to Egyptto escape his death at the hands of

King Herods armies, Aragorn wastaken out of Gondor to Rivendellafter the death of his father, to sparehis life so that he might grow up intohis kingship. Like Christ gathereddisciples about Him, Aragorn takesunder his leadership the Hobbits inGandalfs absence. He defends, leadsand teaches them so that each maycontinue on in his absence. He triesto guide Boromir in the way of truth,until like Judas, Boromir betrays histrust and tries to take the Ring fromFrodo. Yet in his final moments,when Boromir identifies Aragorn asmy captain and my king, Boromirindicates that his heart has changed,and softened toward the savior ofMiddle-earth.

When Aragorn is tempted by theRing, he refuses it just as Christrefused Satans temptation, and

went on to suffer but triumph.

Others encourage Aragorn toembrace his destiny earlier than isrequired, but he instead waits untilthe proper time. When it is finallytime for him to become the man hes

born to be, Aragorn is given Andril,a sword that was reforged from the

broken shards of Narsil, the bladethat struck the Ring from the handof Sauron in the First Age. Andrilrepresents the Sin of Aragornsancestor, Isildur, who let the Ring

survive. It is reforged for Aragorn,which reminds us of Christs abilityto take a sinful life and renew it.

Aragorn takes Andril into the Pathsof the Dead, where through itsinfluence (through defeating sin) hetakes control of the long-dead armyof Gondor, and emerges as King ofthe Dead. Christ did the same thingin death; it couldnt hold Him, therehe prophesied to the dead spirits,and when He was resurrected, many

dead came back to life and walkedthrough the streets of Jerusalem.

Aragorns separation of Arwen, hiseternal love and his greatest sourceof faith in his ultimate triumph, isreminiscent of the separation ofChrist from the Church (Believers),until they are reunited under thenewly blossoming Tree of Gondor, inhis very own New Jerusalem, when

Aragorn is crowned King. Like manyChristians over the centuries, Arwennever gives up on Aragorn, even

when its in her best interest to doso. She believes in him. She waits forhis return, and is rewarded with thehappiness that her sacrifice broughtabout: he marries her.

There are significant differences inthe books and films. The theology isthe same but the presentation is

different. In the books, Aragorn is

never a reluctant king. He issimply waiting to fulfill his destinthus the symbolism is much moreintact. He carries Andril with hifrom the start and lets no otherman touch it, signifying that Chri

was always equipped with thepower to defeat sin, just waiting fHis Father to say it is time.

In making Aragorn fearful of hisdestiny, the writers of the film

series enabled other characters toplay much more significant rolesand in many ways, further blatanillustrated the symbolism of theirlives. With Aragorn reluctant toembrace his destiny as the King oGondor, Arwen becomes a muchmore powerful character, since sh

believes in him even when it seemhe may abandon or disappoint heHer sacrifice is greater, since wecant be certain Aragorn is worthy

of it. But her faith in him is justifiand in the end, her father allowsthem to marry without furtherconcern. Aragorns upbringing alsreveals Elrond as much more of aGod figure in his own right, sincehe never does more than nudge

Aragorn toward his destiny. Heknows what he wants for him, an

what is best for him, enabling himalong the way, but still the choiceleft up to Aragorn.

Aragorn not only reminds us ofChrist, he exemplifies what maycome of a life when we cease to feour sinful origins and place ourtrust in Gods plan for our life. Oudenial of God is rather like movie

Aragorns fear of embracing hisheritage. Until he accepts that he a Son of the King, he cant be allthat he was meant to be.


26/36


27/36

By Ella G

Friendship isnt about who knew youthe longestits about who came andnever left your side. Its an easy quoteto think happy thoughts about and letthem pass on by. But think about it.The friends worth having are the oneswho laugh, cry and do whatever it takesto make you a better person. Its noteasy to be that type of friend. Its muchquicker to be a casual acquaintancethat bails at the first sign of trouble.

Samwise Gamgee is a true friend toFrodo Baggins. They might not be closein the Shire, but that quickly changes.Sam is given an important task, towatch out for Frodo as he takes theRing to Mount Doom. Its not a task forthe faint of heart. There are dangerouslands to cross and the Dark Lord willconstantly be searching for them. Sam,though, is the kind of guy who honorshis word no matter what. Frodo needsassistance to get through this journey

and hes going to be there for him. Ittakes a little push for Sam to willinglycross the boundary of the Shire but hedoes it. Sometimes it does take a friendto push you outside of your comfortzone, to do the thing that absolutelypetrifies you. Frodo knows what Samneeds (a kind word) to get him going. Alittle encouragement goes a long way.

Journeys arent only of a physicalnature but can be figurative too. Theycan reveal what kind of character youhave. Did Sam plan on the hardshipshe would endure? If hed known, wouldhe have done it? Did he want to knowFrodo thatwell or was he content tohave a casual relationship at the puband call it a day? Turns out, he doesnthave much of a choice. Whether hewants to or not, hes going to get todevelop a strong relationship withFrodo, one that will either grow and

blossom or crash and burn.

Sam isnt alone at first. He has theFellowship for awhile, made up of allsorts of people. Hobbits and dwarvesand elves, oh my! But it works. Everysingle one of them has a part to play.Its the same for our human existence.Often were not called to be the onlysupport of someone; were only a smallpiece. But sometimes that piece can bethe biggest piece of the entire puzzle.Sam is the one who fights off Shelobbefore she can kill Frodo; Sam is vital

in keeping the Nazgl away from hisfriend. These things seem impossiblefor a small hobbit to do, yet he doesthem. Sure Legolas is great with a bowand arrow and Gimli can swing an ax,but Sams heart and love for Frodomakes those other defenses pale incomparison. Occasionally, little thingscan win big battles.

One of the biggest things Sam does forFrodo is when his friend turns him

away. Frodo tells him not to follow himanymore; hell go on alone.But Samfollows him anyway. Sam knows in thedarkest hour, what his friend needs ishis presence. Frodo didnt think so, butSam did. Frodo might be unreasonableand under the spell of Gollum and theRing yet that was no reason to abandonhim. In life, at times our friends will beunbearable. Their journey will be toomuch for them. Theyll try to push usaway. To quote Sam, I cant carry it.But I can carry you.A true friendbears the burdens of another withoutcomplaint. Sam did what Frodo couldnot: he carried his friend, on his back,up to the mouth of Mount Doom. Itwas what was needed.

Sadly it comes to a climax where Samdoubts everything he has done forFrodo until this point. Theyve reachedMordor, all that remains is for Frodo to

toss the Ring into the fire. Yet Frodo

wants to hold onto the ring; he wanthe power that comes with having itones use and possession. Had I beein Sams place, Id have had secondthoughts about why Id just done whI didwhy I left my home, battled asorts of creepy creatures, nearly gotkilled numerous times for what?!Sam doesnt do that. He stands by hfriend and even when Frodos greednearly gets him killedhe saves himfrom danger one last time.

It only makes sense that as The Lorof the Ringscomes to a close, Frodogives Sam the task of finishing thestory. Frodo knows his friend playesuch a role in his life. Its a role thatneeds his own spin on it; Sam needto share it in his words. Frodos lifewouldnt have as much impact if nofor Sam. What I wouldnt give for thto be said of me in the lives of somemy friends.

In many ways I see Sam as an allegoof Christ. Hes a servant, willing to dfor his friend. He saves Frodo fromevil and painful death and is hisconscience. Christ is all of that andmore in my life. I see it vividly in thfinal scene. Frodo is about to go intthe fire of Mount Doom and Sam yefor Frodo to grab his hand. That isChrist to mecalling out, urging meto reach for Him; hell save me fromthe fire. All I have to do is trust. Andwhen you think about it, when youthink about where you started fromand where you are now, you quicklysee that Christ, much like Sam inFrodos case, never leaves your sideNot even when youre unreasonableNot even when youre unlovable. Hocan you not reach? How can you nowant a person like that in yourcorner?


28/36


29/36

By Rachel Sexto

television are highly concentrated inthe fantasy or science-fiction genres. Acentral distinguishing feature of mostof these stories is that their setting isan entire created world. One of themost detailed of these, with a vastmythology made up of a full history,geography, and languages, is the worldof Middle Earth. Created by J.R.R.Tolkien, Middle Earth was his settingfor his childrens novel The Hobbitandhis masterpiece The Lord of the Rings.

Aside from its scope and depth, MiddleEarth feels authentic and real becauseits characters, whether theyre Elves orHobbits, experience real emotions wecan all relate to. Unrequited love is partof human experience and is present inMiddle Earth too. The relationshipbetween Aragorn and owyn ischaracterized by fellow warriorcamaraderie and a romance that doesnot come to fruition, which humanizesthe epic story of good versus evil.

Many races inhabit Middle-earth:Elves, Hobbits, Dwarves, and Men,including a nearly extinct subset calledthe Dnedain. They are blessed withlong life. One of the few remaining isAragorn. He is the heir to the highestthrone of men, a King who will have toclaim his rightful reign over Gondor.Aragorn was raised by the Elves for aperiod of his life. He proves his skill asa tracker and a soldier countless times.He has a romantic connection with theelf maiden Arwen. Shes the daughterof the elf lord who fostered Aragornand is willing to give up herimmortality for him.

He sets out as part of a fellowship withthe near-impossible mission to destroythe One Ring, made by the evil Sauronto control all other magical rings giftedto the races of Middle Earth. Sauron

was defeated by men and Elves long

ago but the Ring wasnt destroyed dueto mens weakness for power. Aragornfears this weakness in himself and hasforsaken his destiny as King. He mustbe part of the fight against evil, but heurges Arwen to forget him and go withher people just before the Fellowshipdeparts on its journey.

owyn is niece to Thoden, king of thekingdom of Rohan. She lost her fatherto Orcs and her mother succumbed to

grief. Her brother, omer, leadsThoden's armies, and they both livewith him. She is trained to be a skilledfighter but fears glory will never enterher grasp because of her gender. Sincethe One Ring wasnt destroyed, Sauronwasnt fully eradicated either, and hispresence, through his puppet thecorrupt wizard Saruman, has infectedthe mind of Thoden. This leavesRohan basically defenseless.

Aragorn and owyn meet when part ofthe Fellowship arrives in Rohan to saveThoden's mind and by extension,Rohan itself. Its a small but essentialstep in the larger struggle against evil,and it brings together these twofighters. They come to respect eachothers skill with a blade and as people.They first converse when she ispracticing with a sword, which he seesand discusses with her. He seems tounderstand her fervent desire todistinguish herself in battle, though sheis a woman.

This subplot is as romantic as the bookversion of The Lord of the Rings gets.The interaction on the page betweenthem, though unrequited, does consistof romantic love on her side. The filmsmake this even more explicit. Differentshots show Aragorn and owyn lookingat each other at various times; they

share a long look just before Aragorn

rides off to face Orc opponents in askirmish and she heavily implies hefeelings for him before he rides off trecruit special reinforcements for thcenterpiece Battle of Pelennor Field

The gentle rejection owyn receivesfrom Aragorn highlights the realismof this storyline. The actors can becredited with a lot of this, but thewriting is succinct and affective.Aragorn simply says, I cannot give

you what you seek, but continueswith I have wished you happinesssince the moment I saw you. You gthe feeling things might have gonedifferently for them had not anunexpected complication arose. Jusbefore this scene, Aragorn learns thArwen is weakening and will only bsaved if evil is defeated, so he decidto embrace his fate as the King ofGondor. This makes sense to usbecause, though we truly root for

owyn in every way, weve alreadybeen treated to earlier scenes betweAragorn and Arwen. The film writertook nearly all this material from thAppendices Tolkien wrote forRingswhich covers their romance. So in tway, the films add even moreromance to counteract all the action

Romantic love, requited andunrequited, is an authentic emotionIts inclusion through the interactionbetween Aragorn and owyn balancagainst the tense conflict of good vsevil in the plot. Lest anyone feel toosorry for owyn, that isnt the end oher story, or her romance! Its apleasure of reading and viewing TheLord of the Ringsthat a warriorsfriendship between a man and womis explored so well andthey each romance too!


30/36


31/36

By Hannah Kingsle

its author J.R.R. Tolkien constructsmany relationships where charactersare paired to be mutually dependenton each other for encouragement,strength, and the courage to faceunbearable odds. Sam and Frodo areone popular example of this bondbetween brothers, another beingMerry and Pippin. Aragorn, Gimli,and Legolas enter a brotherhoodthat proves beneficial in battle andin peace time. But these arent the

only pairings: Arwen and Aragornare also a significant couple. Theirbond may be less brotherly and morealong romantic lines, but there arestill parallels that can be drawn inthe way their lives intersect andimpact one another.

Arwen is a member of the HighElves, while Aragorn is a the Rangerand rightful heir of two thrones. TheElves are immortal and do not die

unless they are killed by another.Most of the Elves depart for Valinor,across the sea, as their time inMiddle-earth passes away, but shechooses to remain behind, to marrya mortal.

Tolkien portrays Arwen as romanticand ethereal, but also as strong andqueenly. Its a curious matter thatsuch an independent woman couldbe compelled to give up the gift ofimmortality for the one she loved. Inthe film, theres a dialogue that takesplace between the two. Arwen tellsAragorn she chooses a mortal lifebecause she desires to live it besidehim. When he protests that she cantdo that, much less gift him with theEvenstar, which represents her life-force, she responds, It is mine togive to whom I will. Like my heart.Some might see the Arwen of the

books as a character that exists to

support other characters, both as thelove interest, and perhaps a useful,hopeful image, yet this meaningfuldialogue suggests Arwen is morethan just a prop for storytelling.Instead, she exhibits the same self-sacrificing spirit of many otherfigures in Tolkiens series; and whileher battles may be less bloody, theyare nonetheless powerful. Theyrestories not of warfare and magicrings of power, but of the heart.

Arwens love is so pure, so selfless,that it enables the man she loves to

become worthy of it. To justify hersacrifice, which she is determined tomake with or without his approval,

Aragorn must become the King ofGondor. Her faith in him brings outthe best in him. In the films, Arwenis given much screen time devoted toexploring her sacrifice and carryingFrodo safely to the protection of the

Elves in Rivendell. But mostly, hersis a love story, thelove story of thestorys main hero.

An important differentiationbetween Arwen and other femaleromantic protagonists is she doesntpine after the one she loves in anobsessive and manic sense, as somany modern fictional heroines dotoday. Instead, her love is one ofchoice and it costs her dearly. Whileshe waits for the one she loves toreturn from battle, her life is not puton hold, but she spends it wisely inaiding her friends. She also seeks tosupport Aragorn, by encouraging hisclaim of becoming king. Later, shelives alongside him as queen, herconfidence ultimately well-placedthat he would fulfill her expectationsand successfully claim his rightfulthrone.

In the books, Arwens side of thestory is hinted at but never flesheout, even in the love story Tolkien

wrote for them in the AppendicesThe Lord of the Rings. Even therethe story is much more about hereventual husband, and her Elf Lofathers concerns over their futuremarriage. What we dont read is tstruggle she experienced to give ua gift as great as immortality forlove, against the desires of her

father and the expectations of herpeople. Yet, it could be said that tsuccess of Gondor rests greater onher shoulders than is recognized.

Arwen shows us that true, selflesslove provides motivation for otheto become worthy. Arwen knows

well the choice and determinationlove requires, and is willing to givup her greatest strength in order make the one she loves strong.Hidden in her story is the messag

that without the support of a quea king is weakened and in turn, thkingdom suffers. Arwen makes uppart of Aragorns strength, even ahe makes up a part of her courageTheyre a pair because their mutulove builds up the other person.

No can explain what encouragesthat kind of selfless love, but it

brings to mind a quote from aneven greater life story, which saysthere is no greater love than to laydown ones life for ones friends.Frequently its the soldier whoteaches us to value another overones own life, but Tolkien showsthrough the gentle and just asstubborn-willed Arwen Undmiethat an Elven noble maiden candisplay an influence and lovestronger than any sword.


32/36


33/36

By Charity Bish

in Middle-earth are the Elves. TheyreTolkiens favorite, and he spent manyyears creating their culture, history,and languages. His love of the Elvesspeaks of his deeper love for Creationand God. By creating myth in Middle-earth, he borrowed from and honoredhis faith.

Tolkiens Elves are compassionatecreatures embodied with fierceallegiances, the protectors of Middle-

earth and the keepers of the Wood.Highly in tune with nature, they havevery acute senses, are able to walk onany surface without leaving a mark,sense danger before it happens, andcan see over great distances.

Theres a lot of symbolism interwoveninto The Lord of the Rings, TheSilmarillion, and The Hobbit if youknow where and how to look for it.But before we delve deeper into what

Tolkien may have intended with hisparallels, its important for the readerto remember that Tolkien wasnt anallegorical writer. He had a distastefor the obvious; allegories in his mindrelated more to the happenings of theworld than real truths, as he calledthe tales of Christ and the Church. Hedid not intend for his story to be aliteral allegorical representation of hisfaith, but it did influence much of hiswork, particularly in the creation ofthe Elves.

Tolkien wrote Middle-earth as ahistory of Earth that includes the Fallof Man, the Two Trees, and othermyths that coincide with the Bible. Asa lover of Truth, I see many cleverparallels between the Elves and Adamand Eve (also Immortals) in Tolkienswork. In the translation to the bigscreen, the director unknowingly

reinforces this through uses of light

and dialogue.

Earth was sinless, so there was nodeath. Adam, like the Elf, wasimmortal and would grow more wiseand beautiful with age. He and Eve

were aware of animals and able tospeak to and command themfor Godsent them to rule over the earth. Elvescan command nature and hear voiceslesser ears cant perceive. Like Adamand Eve, the Elves are the Firstborn of

Middle-earth; the first creaturescreated by a divine hand to protectand guard Middle-earth. They havetrue immortality; they gain by thelength of time and become more realin time. This was also Gods intentionfor Man; he was made in Gods imageand would become more like Him intime.

Tolkien embodies the Elves withsymbolism, and certain of them are

blatant in their religious parallels.

Galadrielis the Mary of Middle-earth. She wears a Ring of Power(Holiness), intercedes for Frodo in his

bleak hour (Intervention), and offershim salvation from death through thePhial (Light, Christ). Her husband,Celeborn,is reminiscent of Joseph.He protects her (as Joseph watchedover Mary) but surrenders to her

wisdom.

Elrondembodies God the Father.Hes not tempted by the Ring (Sin); hetrusts it to Frodo (a Christ figure) tosave others from its evil. Elrond offerschoices; he doesnt force obedience,even though its within his power todo so. Elrond re-forges Andril(Salvation from Death) so Aragorncan enter the Paths of the Dead andredeem the Lost (death and

resurrection). His daughter Arwen

(the Church) is later entrusted toAragorn (Christ).

Haldiras the Guardian ofLothlrien is like elders in theChurch. He protects his people froevil and intercedes when needed. Hloyalty is to Galadriel (Mary) but hresponds to the call of Elrond (Godin defending Helms Deep and Men(the Lost).

Arwenrepresents Christ. In spitethe pain it causes her, she chooses forsake her immortal life out of lovfor another. She gives Aragorn theEvenstar (Salvation) so he will liveand the Grace of the Valar to Frodo

who isnt a Firstborn and has noright to experience it (Christinterceding for us, to give us accessto God and Heaven). Out of love foher, Aragorn becomes a better man

which shows the progression of a l

aware of and submissive to theinfluence of Christ.

Legolasreferences the salvation oGentiles and their acceptance intothe Church. Though he is not eagerto accept Gimli, once Gimli isreceptive to the grace of Galadriel(Marysalvation through Christ),the two are as brothers. Eventuallythey sail to Valinor (Heaven). Thisshows salvation through Christ, ouacceptance into the divine Family,and that all believers will share thesame eternal fate.

Tolkiens books are rich, delightfultales made even more so by a

believers grasp of the wonders ofGod. After all, he is the God ofhumans, and of angels, and ofElves.


34/36


35/36

By Gina Dalfonz

Your answer reveals a lot about howyou see J. R. R. Tolkiens seminalwork. Maybe you think of it as a sagaof kings and conquerors, of aprotracted war to overthrow adespot and restore a rightful ruler.In that case, you most likely namedAragorn as the hero. Or maybe, likemany people, you think of The Lordof the Ringsprimarily as a tale offriendship and unbreakable loyalty.If so, you may have picked Sam, the

hobbit who proves to be the mostloyal of friends. Tolkien himselfappears to have taken this view,referring to Sam in a letter as thechief hero.

Its more than a little daunting todisagree with an authorespeciallyan author as beloved and respectedas Tolkienabout the meaning ofhis own work. Nonetheless, Imgoing to. I see The Lord of the Rings

as the story of a long, lonely struggleto accomplish a hopeless task. And ifthis is what the story is truly about,then the hero must be the one whovolunteers for it and overcomesimpossible odds in order to carry itout: namely, Frodo Baggins.

It is Frodo, the small, sheltered,inexperienced hobbit from the Shire,who steps forward at that pivotalmoment when no one else is willingor able to, and speaks unforgettablewords: I will take the Ring thoughI do not know the way. Once hessaid them, he is soon surrounded bya brave and loyal band of volunteers,ready to lay down their lives to helphim. But the burden is hisand aburden, Tolkien reminds us time andagain, is exactly what it is. Once thejourney is underway, only he can

carry this thing with its supernaturalpower and its growing weight; he isthe one whose mind and body areincreasingly tormented by it.

Much has been made (and rightlyso) of Sams declaration when Frodois on the brink of collapse at MountDoom: I cant carry it for you, but Ican carry you and it as well. Its oneof the noblest and most heartrendingportrayals of friendship in literature

or film, and the pinnacle of theselfless affection and care that Samhas lavished on his master.

Yet one thing ought to be noted here:willing as Sam is to bear the weightof both Frodo and the Ring, he findsthat he doesnt have to. Tolkien

writes that Sam doesnt after allshare in the dreadful dragging

weight of the accursed Ring. Thatcurse is Frodos alone. Like Christ on

the road to Calvary (and as a devoutCatholic whose faith deeplyinfluenced his work, Tolkien wouldhave been well aware of theparallels) Frodo must bear the full

weight of his own cross, no matterhow many helpers give him aid andcomfort along the way.

But what of the moment whenFrodo, at the critical moment, findshimself unable to give up the Ring?This isnt the act of a hero, but Ithink Tolkien has made it plain bynow that no hero, however great,could have accomplished it. TheRings power is simply too great.Frodo may be a Christ figure, but heis not actually Christ, and Tolkienseems to be indicating here that noone who is not divine could resist theRings infernal call at this point.

Divine Providence (often hinted ain Tolkiens work) steps in to honFrodos original desire and effortand to keep him from committingunthinkable evil.

And what of the aftermath? ThouFrodo is restored to himself, he h

been tormented for too long to evfully recover. He goes back to his

beloved home and helps restore ifrom the ravages of war, but, as h

foresaw, hes unable to find truerest there. As he tells Sam in anunguarded moment, I am

wounded it will never really hea

It is evident, too, that the vanisheRing still preys on his mind, and especially poignant to see thishappening to the one who foughthard to destroy it. Frodos woundphysical and spiritual, are so deepthat he must leave the place he

loves in order to find true peace inan otherworldly realm.Heartbreakingly, there is no peacleft for him in his own world.

Frodo tells Sam at parting, I trieto save the Shire, and it has beensaved, but not for me. It must oft

be so, Sam, when things are indanger: some one has to give themup, lose them, so that others maykeep them. And those who keepthem, like Sam, are worthy and

wonderful souls; but surely the onwho gives them up for the sake ofothers is the most heroic of all.

And I happen to think that evenSam himself would agree with meon that one.


36/36

Documents

Femnista Nov Dec 2012