Lesson 2: Lord of the Rings II
This is the second lesson on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. In this lesson, we’ll continue analyzing with the myth structure, this time looking at the characters of Frodo and Aragorn. Then we’ll look at our own cultures and the cultures of others where the hero myth might be applied. We then ask ourselves: How does the hero myth apply to our own lives? Finally, we’ll hit on some other, rather fun, parallels between scripture and LOTR.
Aragon and Frodo: The Reluctant Saviors
Let’s think of Aragorn’s journey in terms of Campbell’s hero archetype. One might say that the entire trilogy is a Hero’s Journey for Aragorn, but we can also take smaller elements of the plot:
Separation
Aragorn leaves the Rohan army and goes into the Dwimorberg, the Haunted Mountain, to meet with the dead – ghosts of soldiers who once betrayed his ancestors. He undertakes this journey at the urging of Lord Elrond, who gives him the sword of his forefathers, Narsil. He is told by Elrond to reclaim that which is rightfully his – the kingship – by using the sword to convince the dead.
Initiation
Aragorn then goes into the Haunted Mountain to face the King of the Dead and his hordes. He is not only testing his courage and strength, however, he is also coming to the realization that he must become that which he is destined to be. Aragorn must come to grips with this idea as well as conquer the dead.
Return
Aragorn passes the test in Haunted Mountain, and he returns with new vigor in his role. He knows his destiny. He will become king and usher in a new era for humanity.
The parallel to Jesus’ own journey into hell (after he was crucified) should now be obvious. Like Aragorn, Jesus frees the dead from their curse. Like Aragorn, he returns having embraced his destiny fully. Both will become King, and both will usher in a new era of humanity.
The whole movie is one great hero’s journey for Frodo. He, like Aragorn, must come to grips with his destiny and embrace it. His separation is when he leaves the Shire. He is given one test of courage and physical strength after another (initiation). During these physical tests, Frodo is also developing spiritually, coming to understand his place in the universe.
The final element of this great test is Frodo trudging through the fiery land of Mordor with Sam. Once again, we are reminded of other heroes making their way through the underworlds.
Finally, Frodo does free Middle Earth from the grips of Sauron (just as Aragorn frees the Dead after his journey to the underworld and Jesus frees all of humanity.)
Throughout his journey, Frodo is tempted by ultimate power, but he alone withstands the temptations of the ring. Jesus, too, is tempted by ultimate power by Satan in the desert.
In the end, however, Frodo falls to temptation. He cannot bring himself to throw the ring into the fires of Mount Doom. He ends up wrestling with Gollum over the ring, and the impression is that he wants the ring for its power, not merely to wrest it away from Gollum. In fact, one might say that Frodo's and Gollum's mutual greed are responsible for the ring finally being destroyed. And Frodo would have been destroyed with it were it not for his friend Sam who saves him. Sam seems to save him both physically (by not letting him fall and rescuing him) and spiritually (by telling Frodo not to submit to the ring and to come back to him.)
What might Frodo's giving into temptation mean in terms of the hero myth? Is there another message in this final plot twist about what it means to be a hero?
One might wonder about Frodo’s return as well, in terms of a hero archetype. He returns to the Shire, but is not comfortable there. Destiny has changed his identity so much that he is unsure what his purpose in the Shire is (except to write down his adventures.)
Much like Jesus, he returns for a short time to tell the tale, and then leaves. In a sense, he dies. Read Campbell 218-228, and 356ff for a sense of what may be the return of Frodo
A common element of both Aragorn’s and Frodo’s journey is their reluctance, at least at first, to embrace their mutual destinies. Frodo says,” “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had never happened.” And Aragorn seems to have spent most of his life, as a Ranger, avoiding his destiny.
These sentiments ring true in the case of Jesus as well:
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Mt 26:39, see also MT 26:42, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42.
One can imagine the fear that Jesus (as fully human, as well as fully divine) must have wrestled with, knowing the sacrifice that he must ultimately make. One can imagine God replying to Jesus’ concerns in the same way that Galadriel replied to Frodo’s: “
“This task was appointed to you. And if you do not find a way, no one will.”
