Religion in The Lord of the Rings - Essay Example

?Religion in The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings has always been a highly regarded book among fans and critics alike, but when it was made into a movie trilogy it became a cultural phenomenon. The themes in The Lord of the Rings are powerful and universal in their nature and although religion is not explicitly mentioned, religious undertones can be observed throughout both the book and the movie. Urang agrees when he states, “The Lord of the Rings, although it contains no ‘God’, no ‘Christ’, and no ‘Christians’, embodies much of Tolkien’s ‘real religion’ and is a profoundly a Christian work” (180). Perhaps the success of The Lord of the Rings as a religious medium is due to the fact that it is subtle in its Christian themes and isn’t what one might call a “preachy” Christian book. One theme that we find throughout The Lord of the Rings is the longing that many of the characters have to return to a former age where the world was a better and happier place. For instance, Gimli longs to see the former glory of the home of his ancestors. The elves also long for a return to the Elder Days before evil and darkness came into the world. Basically, there is an overall tone that the world is in a “fallen state.” The concept that the world is in a “fallen state” is a familiar one to Christians. The time of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is viewed as a paradise full of light and splendor. When evil was introduced and Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden, the glory that they experienced there faded from them and hardships and despair were introduced. Although they accepted their fate, they longed for a return to their former glory. When observing all the suffering and death in the world, it is not hard to understand why people feel the world has fallen from grace. As a consequence, many people hope for a better or more just world. As Bruner and Ware state, “Tolkien saw the world as neither completely right nor completely wrong, but rather as a good that has been violated, a beauty marred” (4). This is a major theme of Christianity; that we are trying to get back to the state before we were tainted. In other words, we are looking for redemption to make us whole again. The Christian concept of a Savior is also prevalent in The Lord of the Rings. Because Christians believe the world is in a broken and evil state, there is a need for someone to rise up and save the world from permanent darkness and despair. Three characters in the Lord of the Rings who fit this “Savior” role are Gandalf, Aragorn, and Frodo. Gandalf is very God-like and is similar to Jesus. When he falls in Moria, he descends to the lowest parts of the earth. He then has a great struggle with an evil foe. When he defeats the Balrog, he is at the peak of a mountain. Later, he is transformed and becomes Gandalf the White. Similarly, as the Bible says, Jesus Christ descended below all things so that he could rise above all things. After he ascended to heaven he returned to earth as a resurrected and exalted being. Gandalf is also Christ-like in that he guides and counsels Frodo and other members of the fellowship along their journey. Similarly, Christians believe that Christ is always with us, guiding and counseling with us in our own lives. As Frodo says in the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, “I will take the ring to Mordor, though I do not know the way.” To which Gandalf responds, “I will help you bear this burden” (2001). Christians believe that Christ does something similar when we choose to embark on a worthy task; he bears our burdens for us so the journey is not so difficult. Another instance where Gandalf shows Christ-like attributes is when he casts out the presence of Saruman from the King, Theoden. This is similar to the Bible when Christ displays his ability to cast out devils. After Gandalf casts off Saruman’s influence, Theoden is healed and his mind is cleared. Christ is also a great healer and restores people to their proper selves. Aragorn possesses Christ-like attributes as well. Just like Christ, he is a King who has come to reclaim his Kingdom and set things right. He is a true King who has royalty and divinity in his blood lines. Like Frodo, he also does not desire power or rule over others. Most of the outside world also doesn’t know of Aragorn’s heritage or destiny. They view him as a “mere Ranger” and some even mock and scorn him. Like Christians, Jews also look forward to the return of the King. Bruner and Ware state that many of us are looking for “the Annointed One, the King who will not disappoint our hopes and dreams like all others, but fulfill them” (96). Aragorn fits this description because he is truly worthy of kingship. Frodo possesses traits that are similar to Jesus Christ as well. He is of humble origin and does not desire power or dominion over others. He is very pure and innocent. Also, only a few people know that he is the ring bearer. The outside world sees him as someone who is very small and insignificant, yet he is actually responsible for saving the world and preserving their lives. Frodo’s destiny is to destroy the ring at all costs, just as Jesus Christ’s destiny was suffer and die for humanity’s sins. The task to destroy the Ring of Power is not a task that Frodo readily accepts. He is reluctant at first and offers the ring to Gandalf because he feels it is too great a responsibility. Soon after he realizes that it is his fate to destroy the ring and he accepts it because no one else can do it; as Galadriel tells him, “If you do not find a way, no one will” (2001). To be the ring bearer was his destiny; just as Christ’s divine providence was to redeem mankind. Similarly, if Christ did not accomplish his task here on earth then no one would have, and earth would be doomed. One of the deepest Christian truths is that only in losing your life in service to God will you will truly find it. Frodo forgot about his own personal desires and accepted his calling with courage. As Wood states, through his sacrifice “Frodo learns -- and thus teaches -- what for Tolkien is the deepest of all Christian truths: how to surrender one's life, how to lose one's treasure, how to die, and thus how truly to live” (208). Unlike the Christ-like Frodo, Gandalf, and Aragorn; Saruman does become lured by the power of the ring. After he has succumbed to the temptation of possessing the ring, he then sets all of his noble virtues aside in order to obtain power and dominion over the inhabitants of Middle-earth. Saruman’s story is like the story of Satan in that they were both virtuous and enlightened people before they succumbed to the temptation of power and dominion over their fellow man. In a Christian sense, both Saruman and Sauron take the selfish path to perceived glory and refuse to be humble and serve God and others. They also don’t believe that anyone is capable of resisting the power of the ring. They are both blind because they think everyone is as selfish as they are and would do the same thing were they in a similar position. The downfall of Saruman and Sauron is that they have no pity or sympathy for others. They also have no patience and want quick results. In contrast, the fellowship of the ring shows patience in their long quest. They also show faith, sympathy, and trust in each other. A central message of The Lord of the Rings is that the patience and long suffering of the meek and humble will eventually win out against the tyranny of the corrupt and powerful. This is a prominent theme in Christianity as well. To conclude, it is humorous that many people view The Lord of the Rings as a non-religious or “pagan” myth when Tolkien himself stated that The Lord of the Rings is “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work” with it’s essential conflict being God’s “sole right to divine honour” (Letters 172, 243). Perhaps the reason that the Lord of the Rings resonates with so many people is because it is Christian without appearing to be Christian. After all, it is much more exciting to read or watch a fantasy story about people doing virtuous and courageous things than going to a religious sermon and being told explicitly what being a Christian means. So, in a way, stories like The Lord of the Rings keep the religious viewer entertained while showing the beauty and wonder of religious themes without preaching from a pulpit. Works Cited Bruner, Kurt, and Jim Ware. Finding God in The Lord of the Rings. Wheaton, IL. Tyndale House Publishers, 2001. Print The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Dir. Peter Jackson. New Line, 2001. Film. Tolkien, J.R.R. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. New York. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000. Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. New York. Houghton Mifflin, 1987. Print Urang, Gunnar. Shadows of Heaven, Religion and Fantasy in the Writing of C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and J. R. R. Tolkien. Philadelphia, PA. United Church Press, 1971. Print. Wood, Ralph C. "Traveling the one road: The Lord of the Rings as a `pre-Christian' classic." Christian Century 110.6 (1993): 208. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. Read More