Beowulf and J.R.R. Tolkiens Lord of the Rings - Essay Example

?Beowulf and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Discuss Tolkien’s use of Beowulf in Lord of the Rings. Where does he borrow, where does he outright steal, and where is he only “inspired by” the original poem? Are there moments in Lord of the Rings in which Tolkien or his characters seem to be judging the people and culture of Beowulf? That is, does he praise the culture Beowulf depicts, or does he condemn it, or some combination of the two? J.R.R. Tolkien may have admitted that the single biggest influence that he had when he wrote the Lord of the Rings was Beowulf. This admission naturally made it easier for readers to understand the context of Tolkien’s trilogy masterpiece if they have also read Beowulf. However, a deeper study on the two texts also exposes further the similarities in the characters and central themes of the stories. For one, the stories do not just depict collective struggles between good and evil but also the more complicated battle within the self, the internal contradictions within an individual. This may even be the pattern that is the most common of both Beowulf and Lord of the Rings. Tolkien’s first book, evil is presented as an external force and it takes solid determination from the side of the hero to battle this through physical means. Frodo is presented as just an innocent Hobbit who does not have any innate tendency to do evil and who treats evil instead as an external enemy just like other characters in Middle Earth. For the reader, identifying good and evil has been made simple through such a presentation, one that formulates the concept that battling evil is easy because it is an enemy that can be seen and detached from the self. It became convenient for one mark Gandalf as good and Sauron as evil in Lord of the Rings just Beowulf is and Grendel respectively in Beowulf. However, in the succeeding books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Tolkien began to describe more the internal struggles within. The typical good hero is presented as not really safe from temptations or from the urge to do evil too. The same thing happened in Beowulf when the lead character also experienced the contradictions between good and evil from within. In Tolkien’s book, even the innocent Frodo undergoes the difficulties of dealing the evil side of him that emerged when a ring was in his hand. At this point, the effect of both literary works on the readers is essentially the same. The reader realizes that battling evil and standing up for good is not that simple because evil can also arise from within, from one person’s mind and heart. Apparently, there seems to be a common theme between Tolkien’s story and Beowulf. However, it could not be discerned if the latter’s author really had this in mind, considering that Lord of the Rings is a reflection of Tolkien’s interpretation of Beowulf. It could be said that Tolkien stole the central theme of Beowulf in order to enhance his own literary creation. However, one may question how he actually wrote about Gollum’s character quite close to that of Grendel in Beowulf. Grendel is Cain’s descendant and, therefore, originated from humans despite his powers and great evil. Even Beowulf, whose strength is also remarkable, comes from the human race and therefore shares a common lineage with Grendel. This is not much different from the case of Lord of the Rings antagonist, Gollum. Gollum actually comes from the Middle Earth, with a Hobbit bloodline, particularly those of the Stoors. Frodo Baggins share a similarity with Gollum in this respect because he is the typical Hobbit himself. These specific depictions of common bloodlines and origins of characters representing opposite sides in the battle between good and evil emphasize further the theme that the struggle is not always external but internal too; that no one is absolutely free from evil tendencies. In Tolkien’s story, Sauron may be the epitome of evil but it is Gollum who represents best the tendency of Frodo to commit evil. In order to win against the evil represented by Sauron, it is necessary to overcome Gollum and Frodo’s own evil tendency. There is, however, an instance in which Tolkien may be considered as having copied the not just the essence of a scene in Beowulf but the very form also. In part titled The Hobbit in Lord of the Rings, Bilbo went inside the Smaug the Dragon’s lair and managed to get a cup with two handles. This prompted Smaug to burn the Esgaroth. This is exactly what happened to the Beowulf dragon; it went out burning human habitats after its golden cup was stolen by a man. Since Tolkien’s Middle Earth is basically a symbolism of Beowulf’s kingdom, it is only right to consider that whatever his depiction of the former is his impression of the latter. It is therefore clear that Tolkien is somehow critical of the vulnerabilities of man in general as represented not just by the inhabitants of Middle Earth but by the people and culture in Beowulf. This means that when he depicts the characters that come from Middle Earth who may appear strong at first only to waiver in the end and succumbing to the appeal of evil, he is also judging the people in Beowulf as weak in the face to temptations. However, Tolkien also manages to describe Rohan and the rest of Middle Earth as full of promise if only the forces of evil are overcome especially those that lie from within. In this end, Tolkien does not go to the extent of absolutely declaring the Rohan and the entire Middle Earth and West-lands are hopelessly weak and inherently evil. This means that Tolkien also considers that the people and the culture of Beowulf can still be subjected to transformation, one that is for the better. However, Tolkien does not only refer to individual men in this regard but also to England. He may have likened England to the Middle Earth as well. Apparently, Tolkien’s reference of Beowulf, therefore, is not just about his impression of men in general but also of England itself. 2. Some readers have argued that Frodo is not the real hero of Lord of the Rings. Other traditional candidates are Aragorn and Sam. Who is the hero of Lord of the Rings, and what evidence supports this view? Remember to make it clear what you mean by “hero.” You will probably need to spend some time refuting the “hero” status of the other candidates. It is clear that Tolkien makes Frodo as the character on which much of the story in Lord of the Rings evolved. However, despite this presentation, it is also evident that he is not really the only hero in the entire epic tale. Frodo may be considered as the story’s more important element but it is wrong to set aside the importance of other characters. The tactical victories gained in every part of the three books until the attainment of ultimate victory against the forces of Sauron and evil are the results of hard work and sacrifices coming from the rest of the members of the Fellowship of the Ring, ranging from those who are not really skilled in fighting as well as those who are definitely warriors. In the strictest terms, a story’s hero does not always have to be an individual. It can be group that seeks to correct injustices and overcome evil just as the Fellowship of the Ring is. Collective heroism is certainly best found out in the common aspirations of the group and the manner that they play their respective individual roles in order to achieve these. For example, in The Lord of Rings, the Fellowship came from diverse backgrounds and each of them has different skills in fighting as well as other capabilities necessary in completing the task that are granted to them. However, Tolkien also presented them as individuals with their own distinct weaknesses. Such depiction naturally gives the impression that individually, these heroes may not really the ultimate hero material that is so often idealized in classical stories. In fact, even Frodo himself, turns out to be weak and vulnerable when it is he himself that is confronted by the prospect of taking the One Ring for himself and emulate the example set by Gollum. Such weaknesses and susceptibilities, however, are fought with the unity within the ranks of the Fellowahip It is also important to note that the heroes in Lord of the Rings are not only those who actually faced the physical enemies and fought to achieve their goal of destroying the forces of evil and the ring itself. Although Eowyn did fight in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, what may be considered as her most heroic act is to turn her back on immortality just to be married to Aragorn, the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor. Eowyn is an elf and daughter or Elrond, the king of Rivendell. She was meant to become immortal, which is naturally a very attractive prospect considering that one no longer has to experience or even dread the thought of death. However, because she loves Aragorn so much she sacrificed her own immortality just to be married to him. At first glance, this may seem to be just another exemplification of choosing love for another instead of the self. However, by appreciating further Eowyn’s action, it is found out that her decision did not just lead to sacrificing her chance of immortality for the good of her beloved Aragorn but also for the people of Rohan, the kingdom of his uncle, Theoden. This act of heroism therefore is not just prompted just by another selfish love for the greater good. Among the members of the Fellowship of the Ring, much attention was given to Boromir not just because of his fierceness in fighting and in his determination to defeat Sauron and his forces but also because of his tendency to seek power for himself. However, among those who decided to fight to protect the Ringbearer, Frodo, from Sauron, he was also the most adamant in his position that the One Ring should not be destroyed and should instead be used to fight the enemy. He ignores the point that having the ring for a longer time may just drive anyone, including him to desire it for himself and is therefore a greater danger when around. At a certain point, Boromir did become an antagonist when he tries to get the ring for himself. He is however restrained from doing so. Boromir only managed to regain his status as one of the heroes although at a lower degree when he fought and died while protecting Pippin and Merry from the Orcs. Aragorn is considered by many readers to be one of the principal heroes of the story. However, unlike the hero that is idealized often in epic tales, Aragorn is somewhat tentative in his role. He is presented as one who has the abilities to lead and fight but he is also depicted as someone who seems to have many reservations about his role. It is only in the end that he is able to accept the fact that he is the king of Gondor. It may be said though that part of the reservations that tend to restrain him from further asserting himself as a leader is his love for Eowyn. Apparently, this may be considered as a proof that Aragorn tends to uphold his own personal interest than that of Gondor and the Middle Earth which are besieged by the forces of Sauron. It was only when Aragorn knows that Eowyn has turned her back on immortality to be with him that he was inspired to live up to the expectations of other members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Again, this just shows that Aragorn may indeed be a hero he is not supposed to be treated as an ideal one. As can be easily observed, Tolkien’s heroes are just as human as the ordinary characters in the story. While the story is indeed of epic proportions, Tolkien never goes to the extent of making his protagonists perfect. In fact, even his antagonists are presented as not really born evil. Sauron, who is the personification of evil, was even once a victim, someone that the ordinary readers may be able to identify with. This only shows that Tolkien’s battle between good and evil is not really black and white but a complicated one. The reason why this is so is that evil is not always external; it is also internal. The heroes themselves have evil and selfish tendencies themselves and this is what makes the conflict more complicated. The complication though definitely added intensity in the story and at the same time more interesting to the readers since relating to the individual characters has become more possible. Read More