The Making of Middle-Earth by Christopher Snyder

Author:Christopher Snyder
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook
Publisher: Sterling
Published: 2013-08-05T04:00:00+00:00

“Political action cannot keep Middle-earth safe for elves” in the Fourth Age, writes Peter Kreeft, “but it can still keep it safe for Hobbits,” that is, for us.155 Is the Scouring of the Shire, then, Tolkien calling us to war? The hobbits are divided on the issue: Merry, Pippin, and Sam take up arms to defend the Shire, but Frodo declares his pacifism. “I do not wish for any sword,” he declares on the field of Cormallen during the celebrations. In pain from wounds that will never heal, Frodo’s response to war is not unlike that of many soldiers returning from combat, and though it was not Tolkien’s personal view he seems at least to have recognized it among his fellow combatants in the Great War and respected it. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien even viewed Tom Bombadil as a “natural pacifist.”160 But Frodo’s pacifism is also tied to his great capacity for pity. Even after Saruman has attempted to stab him, Frodo will not let Sam strike at the fallen wizard: “I would still spare him, in the hope that he may find [his cure].”161

Like the Arthurian knight Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Frodo returns from his successful quest feeling a sense of personal failure and seeking redemption.162 But redemption is not to be found at home, among his own people and friends. The healing of Frodo will require a special grace, one granted by the elves who, as a race, also share Frodo’s sense of doom and need for redemption. The novel comes to a close at the Grey Havens, where Bilbo and Frodo, granted a place on the last ships sailing for the West, say goodbye to their Shire friends:

“But,” said Sam, and tears started in his eyes, “I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done.”

“So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me.”163

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.