Tolkien Teaches Us to Take Courage

The Daily Telegraph via The National Post ^ | 1/6/03 | Tom Shippey

[ksen]

I found this linked over at TORN and thought everyone would like to see it.

Enjoy, rip apart, whatever......

[ksen]

Ping-a-ling

[Elenya]

All the time, their friends are risking everything to distract the Eye of Sauron from them, but they don't know that. They go on anyway.

This was one of the most moving aspects of the story for me. And in the books, Sam ended up being my favorite character (after Gollum and for different reasons) because he is in my mind the real hero of the quest. I remember being so moved by his purity of soul and his extraordinary courage. I have a feeling Astin will be up to the task.

[Sam Cree]

ksen, that is a really nice article, it does a good job of articulating what is so great about LOTR.

I am pretty sure that Tom Shippey is the professor who now occupies Tolkien's old job at Oxford. He is a huge admirer of Tolkien and has written a couple books on him, including one titled "J.R.R. Tolkien, Author of the Century."

[carton253]

Ah, a fellow Smeagol lover! And I thought I was alone.

[ksen]

I have a feeling Astin will be up to the task.

I think you're right.

Sam was my favorite too, except for the part where he yells at Smeagol just as he is about to win out over Gollum, thus giving Gollum the victory.

[Elenya]

So did I! Thanks for the company.

[carton253]

From the moment, Gollum appeared in The Hobbit, and especially his romp through The Two Towers, I thought he was the best written, most fascinating character in literature (with the exception of Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities).

If you want to know if Dickens is a genius... look at Carton. If you want to know if Tolkien was a genius... then look at Smeagol. Truly, great writing.

[Elenya]

Yes, but do you really think Smeagol would've managed to dominate Gollum at the very end when he would see the ring about to be thrown into the fire? I personally don't think so and Sam was able to see through it all, through the ups and downs of the Smeagol-Gollum struggle for domination. He knew that in the end Gollum would always be stronger than Smeagol. He knew that Smeagol was doomed. At least, that's the way I understood it.

[carton253]

The genius of Tolkien is that his characters remain true to the nature and circumstances...

Sam did not have the foresight to realize that Gollum would overtake Smeagol at Mt. Doom. I don't think he understood that true nature of the battle within Smeagol. I think he saw the manifestation of it... hence, the Slinker/Stinker names. But, to Sam, it wasn't a matter of Smeagol/Gollum redemption (possible or not). He didn't trust Gollum from the first and nothing Gollum/Smeagol ever said and did or didn't do made Sam change his mind.

[Elenya]

If you want to know if Tolkien was a genius... then look at Smeagol.

Truly great character development with Gollum-Smeagol. It makes you think that Tolkien had a special fondness for him. He makes you cry and laugh, hate him and love him but always root for him. A real gem!

[carton253]

I think Tolkien really like Gollum also. I write plays (not very good ones), but every character starts out neutral. But, characters grow on you as you flesh them out. Suddenly, before you know it... you like one character above them all and you pour all your creative juices into them.

Scarlett O'Hara was not the original main character of Gone With the Wind. Melanie was. But, as Margaret Mitchell wrote, she found herself intriqued then overcome by Scarlett.

Dickens had a special fondness for Sydney Carton as well.

[Sam Cree]

Did you read the letter where JRRT said that if "Smeagol" had won out over Gollum, that Smeagol would then have had to become the main protagonist in LOTR? Not sure if he's right about that, but maybe it does follow that if Smeagol had won such a struggle, focus would have inevitably shifted to him.

I think my favorite Smeagol scene in the movie is in the forbidden pool.

[Elenya]

I don't think he understood that true nature of the battle within Smeagol. I think he saw the manifestation of it

No, he didn't understand it consciously but I think he was able to understand it intuitively. He ignored Smeagol because the real enemy was Gollum, the strongest one, and he was dealing with Gollum, not Smeagol, all the time. Maybe because Smeagol hated Sam, as they were both competing for Frodo's affection. So Gollum would take over whenever he had to deal with Sam.

[Elenya]

Thanks for reminding me what a great character Sydney Carton is. I'll have to find my old copy of Tale of Two Cities and read it again!

[carton253]

Well... I can see that and understand you point. For me, I'm not willing to give Sam that much insight... whether conscious or unconsciously because it distorts the character of Sam for me.

But I totally understand your point.

[Elenya]

I can't wait to find out how Peter Jackson will define Sam in ROTK: your straightforward down to earth Sam or my pure of heart but intuitive Sam. I understand most people see Sam your way and certainly nothing in the book goes against this interpretation. But I do like my Sam a lot.

I'll have to reread TTT and ROTK (again!) to find out precisely why I see Sam the way I do. But he wouldn't be my favorite hero in LOTR if I didn't see him that way: the straightforward down to earth Sam is endearing, but not as admirable as my Sam. ;o)

[carton253]

Totally understandable...

Sydney Carton wouldn't be enduring if he wasn't so tragic (not calling Sam tragic or anything)... it's the way I perceive him that makes him noble and tragic... and because I see his nobility even in the wreckage of his life, that he is my favorite character.

Some would read his character and call him a loser and cynically dismiss him out of hand. I would protest heartily and say... No! (Isn't it interesting that Dickens never lets us know what was the cause of Carton's ruin... we just see him in the aftermath)

I think PJ will show Sam as intuitive... I don't mind that, I just don't see him like that.

[carton253]

Sydney Carton wouldn't be enduring if he wasn't so tragic

Should read Sydney Carton wouldn't be endearing if he wasn't so tragic...

[carton253]

My favorite "Smeagol" moment is the cooking of the conies, followed by the forbidden pool.

But the most powerful moments are in front of the Black Gates when Smeagol begs and pleads for Frodo not to take the ring back to "him". And when Gollum comforts Smeagol in the cave. Wow!