The Lord of The Rings - Essay Example

There can be no doubt that Fellowship of the Ring is a drama, and at its essence a very serious film. The subject of the film, the consumption of the entire world by a dark and evil master, is hardly a comedic event, and much of the pacing, music and acting focuses on reinforcing the serious and sober nature of the film. This does not mean, however, that the film is a constant march of seriousness. This would grate on audiences, and they would get emotionally worn out by the end of the movie.

IN order to reduce this, the movie makes certain to include many characters, especially Marry, Pippin, and Gimli, who can all serve as comedic foils, drawing humor into the moment through their cheerfulness and antics. A great example of this comes in the opening when Marry and Pippin steal one of Gandalf’s fireworks, both nearly roasting themselves and horribly disturbing the party. But comedic effect is not the only area this film uses characters to great effect. One of the most important aspects of any movie is its protagonist, a character who has to be incredibly well acted as well as giving some reason for the audience to identify with them and respect them.

In the Fellowship of the Ring the main protagonist (though it is in ensemble cast) is Frodo. He is the Hobbit tasked with saving the world through bringing the evil ring to Mount Doom and destroying it. Frodo is an ideal protagonist for a film for a wide variety of reasons. The first is that Frodo is incredibly approachable and when watching the film it is very easy to identify with him. One of the main reasons it is easy to identify with him is that Frodo serves as something of an everyman.

Unlike Gandalf, who is a wizard, Gimli, who is a dwarf, Aragon, who is a king of men, or any of the myriad elves who are, quite obviously, elves, Frodo is merely a Hobbit. He is simple (in most respects) unassuming, and without any special powers. Indeed, he lacks the physical prowess of even the most ordinary human. His responses to situations, likewise, are what the audience would probably imagine their responses to be. When he first learns of his burden, he does everything he can to get rid of it, offering it to Gandalf or wishing to throw it into the fire.

When fighting, he can often do little (especially in the early movie) and must rely on luck and wit to hide or others to defend him. Frodo is incredibly identifiable because he is just like the audience, relatively weak (in the face of supernatural opponents) and perpetually afraid. Yet a protagonist being identifiable is not enough. He or she also has to give the audience a reason to root for them, some admirable qualities which make them a hero and an everyman simultaneously. Frodo accomplishes this goal as well.

Though he has no especial powers, he does have one thing he can constantly rely on: fellowship. He has friends who are willing to throw themselves into a dragons mouth to save him, something that speaks highly of him and makes the audience want to respect him. Furthermore, he has many other heroic qualities. One of the primary of these is courage. Despite the fact that he is, as mentioned earlier, incredibly normal in most respects, he chooses to take the ring at great danger to himself and his companions.

He also uses his daring to save him from a series of deadly situations. The most important of these probably arrives at the conflict at Weathertop, where Frodo, rather than cowering in fear,