1. Write a story about a part of the War of the Ring that Tolkien does not describe in his book. For example, readers know the elves and dwarves of Mirkwood and the Lonely Mountain are fighting Sauron’s armies in the north, but you never read much about what happened. […]
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1. What do the characters with the closest ties to nature, such as Old Man Willow, Tom Bombadil, and the Ents, suggest about the significance of nature in Middle-earth? Is nature good or evil, helpful or harmful? 2. Tolkien has often been criticized for creating stereotypical female characters. How does […]
Read more Study Help Essay QuestionsStudy Help Full Glossary for The Lord of the Rings
bandy to exchange back and forth. bane a curse, the cause of destruction. barrow an ancient grave formed of a mound of earth and stones. the Black Land Mordor. the Blessed Realm the land to which all the elves may sail, leaving Middle-earth and its troubles; also called the Undying […]
Read more Study Help Full Glossary for The Lord of the RingsCritical Essays The Temptation of the Ring
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. The words of fire etched on Frodo’s golden ring reveal the Baggins’ family heirloom to be the most powerful and evil object in all of Middle-earth, a […]
Read more Critical Essays The Temptation of the RingCritical Essays This Is Worse Than Mordor!”: The Scouring of the Shire as Conclusion”
The destruction of the Ring and Sauron’s accompanying downfall strike many readers as the obvious endpoint for The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s text, however, continues for some one hundred pages and a half dozen chapters, following Frodo and his companions as they say goodbye to their friends and journey […]
Read more Critical Essays This Is Worse Than Mordor!”: The Scouring of the Shire as Conclusion”J.R.R. Tolkien Biography
Early Years John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s early life was marked by loss. Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on January 3, 1892, Tolkien lost his father at age four. Life in industrial Birmingham, England, contrasted dramatically with his exotic birthplace. When the family converted to Catholicism, a faith that Tolkien followed […]
Read more J.R.R. Tolkien BiographyCharacter Analysis Gollum
Gollum does not receive many compliments in the text. Characters variously describe him as “wretched,” a “vile creature,” a liar, a thief, and a murderer — all of which are quite true. Corrupt and vindictive, he cheats, steals, lies, sneaks, and betrays. Sam finds him a singularly unpleasant travel companion, […]
Read more Character Analysis GollumCharacter Analysis Aragorn
Aragorn is the hero of song and legend. He does not need to grow into or accept his role; he is born to it. He inherits the mantle of power and wisdom from his distinguished ancestors, along with the right to the throne of Gondor. The tests he endures, including […]
Read more Character Analysis AragornCharacter Analysis Gandalf the Grey
The Shire knows Gandalf the Grey as a funny old man who puts on fantastic fireworks displays. Frodo knows him as a friend and a mentor, full of wisdom and humor. Theoden and Denethor both accuse him of meddling, of manipulating the lives of men and affairs of state. They […]
Read more Character Analysis Gandalf the GreyCharacter Analysis Sam Gamgee
Like his beloved master Frodo, Sam develops over the course of the novel. While his defining qualities of loyalty, humility, and down-to-earth hobbit sense remain constant, the events of the quest reveal his own courage and heroism, as well. During The Fellowship of the Ring, Sam exemplifies the virtues of […]
Read more Character Analysis Sam Gamgee