Application of Anthropomorphism in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Essay Example

 Introduction That there are many literary devices that literary artistes choose from is not in doubt. Being the assigning of human attributes to non-human entities, anthropomorphism is one of the widest used literary devices. The case remains the same in the epic film The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers which had been written by J. R. Tolkien and directed by Peter Jackson. Given that this movie was released in 2002, it is the sequel of the Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and a prequel of the 2003, The Return of the King. Thesis Statement So pervasive is anthropomorphism in the movie, that it is tenable to argue that the author does not merely use it as a literary device, but to actually develop his plotline. That the author uses anthropomorphism to develop his plotline is well seen in the author using it at the beginning of the movie, right through its denouement and finally into its conclusive point of consummation. Particularly, right at the beginning of the movie, the Balrog is given human qualities as it is depicted fighting Gandalf. To show that the Balrog is anthropomorphized, it is depicted as having fearful wrath and is also able to growl. At one instance, the Balrog fights viciously to the point of hurtling itself down with Gandalf, in a free fall, to show for its vicious wrath. The Balrog also has an exceedingly impeccable prowess in yielding the sword, on one hand. On the other hand, the Balrog is too ethereal a being to be assumed as human because of these qualities that have been assigned to it. Though made up of flames, he roars and thereby presenting himself also a living being. It is through the introduction of an anthropomorphized Balrog that the link between this movie and the Fellowship of the Ring is disclosed. This is especially the case when the fight between Gandalf and Balrog is taken in slow motion, and thereby letting viewers see for themselves that far from the misconceptions they developed in The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf did not actually die as Balrog took Gandalf with him into the fiery abyss, but that he kept fighting. Initially, the war between the two had been played in fast motion, leaving the audience with very little insight, if at all, about Gandalf’s fate. That the movie uses anthropomorphism to develop the plotline is also underscored by the assigning of these human qualities to nonhuman entities, immediately they are introduced or reintroduced. For instance, as soon as the battle scene between Gandalf and Balrog is lifted away, immediately Gollum, a humanoid appears. He makes a spirited attack against Sam and Frodo. Like humans, Gollum is cunning to the point of being untrustworthy, shows the signs of being mentally demented by an unpleasant catastrophic past and shows the marks of alter personality. He is even subtle enough to trick Sam and Frodo into following a supposed safer path, after passing the Black Gate proves intractable. By assigning these qualities to Gollum, an episodic type of plot is set in motion. Specifically, immediately the power of mental recollection is assigned to the humanoid Gollum, viewers are given a hint on the plotline and the history of the ring. Like a human being, Gollum recalls that he was human like any other person but that the clash between his desire for the ring and the will of the ring leads to his downfall. This brings into play an episodic form of plot since it can be seen to fragmented, incomplete and therefore compels viewers to grasp the plotline by themselves. It is therefore by anthropomorphizing Gollum that the audience is able to understand the importance of Gollum in the movie, and his place in the plotline as he leads Frodo and Sam through the Dead Marshes (Barker and Mathijs, 75). In like manner, the Orcs and the Wild Men are also assigned human qualities. They have the ability to be given commands, have will power and cognitive skills. For instance, they have the capacity to serve Saruman’s orders to freely roam the entire land and to kill people, especially the king’s only son and heir. By anthropomorphizing the Orcs and the Wild Men, the author gradually builds up the movie towards its climax. One gets the gist of Saruman’s evil intent and power and imperceptibly begins to prepare the psyche of the audience to anticipate Saruman’s fate or nemesis. In another instance, as the battle that has the Orcs and Uruk-hai rages, another twist of anthropomorphism emerges. The author gives trees cognitive skills, the character of endurance, instant mobility, the gift of speech, free will and the power of memory recollection. This is the case since these trees, also known as the Ents are traveling over a distance to take part in this aforementioned epic battle and in a forest. Likewise, the trees are able to talk and marshal others to their side. The presence of their free will is also exemplified by them hiding and carrying Merry and Pippin in their camouflaged leafy branches. Shore divulges that the Ents make it plain that they are taking part in the war, due to the injustices that were meted against them and the need to stand by humans in the war, as a way of returning mankind favor. This underscores the presence of mental or memory recollection. That the Ents have organizational or hierarchical knowledge is matter that is exemplified by them having a pillar, Treebeard. Treebeard is the eldest character among the Ents. Assigning the Ents human qualities orchestrates the ground for a climax, since it allows them to participate in this decisive battle. The participation of the Ents leaves the side of the antagonist weakened, since there are no survivors of this war, of this Orc/Uruk-hai battle (27). The Ringwraith is also given human attributes. It is presented by the author as following after the ring that is under Frodo’s care. So sensitive is the ringwraith that it can detect the slightest movement. Despite these human attributes that are assigned to the ringwraith, it is given costumes that are very dark. This immediately gives viewers the power to categorize the ringwraith as being malevolent (Tolkien, 84). If and how the movie hyperbolizes the relationship between humans and the earth It is a fact that through the use of anthropomorphism, the movie greatly hyperbolizes the relationship between mankind and the earth. The elements of the earth are seen to be represented by the spiritual or a spiritual being, meaning that the movie to an extent advances animistic ideas. Trees (the Ents) are exaggerated to have lived long enough to have cognitive and organizational skills, as is presented in the movie. Likewise, there are geographical locations in the movie that are shown as having the power to gravitate the holder of the ring towards themselves. This is an insinuation that there is a mystical relationship that exists between mankind and his environment. Thus, the portrayals of these geographical phenomena remain as hyperboles since they never materialize after their presentation in the movie. For instance, whereas Frodo has confrontations with elements of nature because of the ring, all human beings are in real life subjected to the laws of nature. Whether this contributes to the Western idea of the Cartesian mind-body split or whether it combats that idea According to Mathijs, It is true that the movie uses anthropomorphism to advance the Western idea of the split Cartesians of the mind and body. This is especially seen in the person of Gollum, an enigmatic yet a contradictory character who hates and loves himself and also loves and hates the ring. JRR Tolkien seems to insinuate that such split relationships between the mind and the body are brought about by catastrophes. Sméagol was a very normal person according to the author until his encounter with the ring tragically turned him into a humanoid, upon wearing his ring. It seems that Tolkien beliefs in hope for this split since at an instance, Gollum confronts his split personality in order to gain the trust of Frodo (66). Conclusion From the foregoing, it emerges clearly that anthropomorphism is the device that the author has used to characterize his players, but above all, to set the plot in motion. It is through anthropomorphism that the author develops the traits of the characters involved and thereby also setting the motion for philosophical debate on the position of man in the environment and the relationship between the two; and the veracity of mind-body split claims. Works Cited Barker, Martin and Mathijs, Ernest. Watching the lord of the rings: Tolkien’s world Audiences. New York: SAGE, 2008. Mathijs, Ernest. The lord of the rings: Popular culture in global context. Buttersworth, 2006. Shore, Howard. The lord of the Rings: The two towers. Wiley and Sons, 2003. Tolkien, JRR. The Two Towers: Being the Second part of the lord of the Rings. New York: Prentice Hall, 2012. Read More