Christian Themes in The Lord of the Rings—1

Back in 1978 I published this article in the now-defunct Mission magazine of Irving, Texas.  I hope this piece didn’t hasten the magazine’s demise! At any rate I find that I still mostly agree with the ideas in it. 

When one finishes reading for the first time J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic saga of Middle Earth, The Lord of the Rings (New York: Ballantine Books) he feels, if he feels anything positive toward such a formidable work, as though he has had a religious experience.  Why a complex tale of wizards, elves, magic rings, goblins, ghosts and other creatures of the “good,” “evil” and in-between sort seemingly without number should engender such a response is difficult to say.  There are, however, certain themes woven through the story which not only lend cohesiveness to the lengthy narrative, but which also make some very significant statements about the world in which we live and, I believe, the relevance of the Christian faith. 

Whether Tolkien deliberately chose to set these themes, or whether they simply sprang spontaneously from the man’s Christian faith, I cannot say.  Nonetheless, they are there. 

The most significant theme in this writer’s opinion is the theme of Good and Evil.  The eleven other elements traced in this article all relate back to this overarching motive, significantly emphasizing absolutes in a century when absolutes have been stretched, questioned, and finally abandoned. 

Good and Evil were usually symbolized by light and darkness respectively, for example in Gandalf the White or in Sauron the Dark Lord.  Even the weather in Middle Earth reflected the predominating forces of Sauron – the “Great Darkness” of soot-colored clouds which originated from the Dark Lord’s volcano, Mount Doom – or, alternately, of the good folks – such as the dawn which comes at the Battle of the Hornburg just as the forces of Evil are about to be routed. 

The attitudes of Faith and Fear characterized the Good and Evil creatures of Tolkien’s world.  Faith, which in this usage is an obedient response to duty regardless of the cost, can be seen most clearly in Frodo’s decision to bear the Ring to the Cracks of Doom, not because it seemed practical or easy or even possible, but simply because it was the “right” thing to do.  On the other hand, Fear was the prime motivation for those despicable creatures the orcs, Fear as the response to threats.  “You must go,” shrieked the wounded Shagrat, orc of Cirith Ungol to Snaga, one of his subordinates, “or I’ll eat you.”  (The Return of the King, p. 222)

Threats and fear were a form of coercion, which the Dark Lord employed to accomplish his evil purposes.  He assumed correctly that there was no willingness on the part of his servants to voluntarily do his will.  On the other hand, free will and individual responsibility characterized the Good beings.  One great statement of this theme was Frodo’s struggle on Amon He with Sauron’s overpowering will and with Gandalf’s thought.  Should he keep the magic ring on his finger and reveal himself to the Dark Lord?  Or should he remove it as another thought (Gandalf’s) insisted?  Torn between these two powers, “suddenly he was aware of himself again.  Frodo … free to choose.”  (The Fellowship of the Ring, p. 519)  The Nazguls (evil beings) drove their armies ahead of them with fear; the Kings of the West led their men to battle with words and deeds of courage. 

This insistence upon freedom of choice expressed the Good beings’ respect for all living creatures.  Strider and Gandalf were great people but were unashamed to associate with lowly creates such as hobbits.  Saruman, on the other hand, had nothing but contempt for such “rag-tag.”

It was precisely this trust in and respect for others that granted Hope to the Good beings in an otherwise hopeless situation.  In fact, Aragorn the king was named “Estel,” “Hope” by Elrond.  Perhaps at the heart of this Hope may have been an awareness of the sovereignty, goodness and strength of the One, Eru, the Middle Earth name for God.  In place of Hope, the evil creatures (Sauron, Saruman, the Mouth of Sauron) had only Greed, desperate, clutching, short-lived and futile. 

From this Greed sprang a selfish pursuit of ease and only grudging acceptance of more difficult tasks, and only after threats and pain.  The Good beings contrasted dramatically in their voluntary commitment to difficult work. 

This sense of Mission can be seen clearly in both Frodo and in Aragorn, but also more subtly in Gimly the dwarf and in Legolas the elf.  At this time in Middle Earth there was great racial hatred between dwarves and elves; but these two set aside their differences for the purpose of Mission, for the purpose of allying against the Dark Lord.  They soon came to respect their differences and became fast friends.  Sauron’s forces were also comprised of diverse elements: orcs, trolls, Men of the South; but there was no true alliance between any of them save an alliance of mutual fear of Sauron and of each other. 

This article is continued next week in part 2.