Religious Themes in Film

Lesson 2: Lord of the Rings II

For Thought

• What other biblical parallels can you think of in LOTR?
• The concept of physical disintegration and its parallel with spiritual disintegration does not always work: Consider Sarumen who looks very much like the “transfigured” Gandolf with his glowing white hair. Are there other places where this does not work? Are there other places where the Hero’s archetype does not really work?
• In addition, the idea of physical disintegration reflecting spiritual disintegration is an old idea that has been used by society to oppress and separate out those that may be impaired or even less attractive than others. What examples of this can you think of? The same can be said of the idea that white = good and black = bad. How has that “archetype” been used unjustly?
• How aware do you think Jesus was of his ultimate destiny at different parts of his ministry? This is a tricky question. As fully divine, he can theoretically know the future. As fully human, however, he would only come to realize his ultimate destiny like a human (or a Hobbit) would: gradually.
• Ultimately, the story of the Hero is the story of all of us. Do you know your “destiny?” How do you go about discovering that destiny? Did you realize it in a sudden epiphany, or has it manifested itself to you gradually throughout your life?
• Do you sometimes go “into the wilderness,” into an isolated spot, to wrestle with your inner demons? Do you “return” from these period with a renewed sense of mission?
• Does the story of Jesus – or the story of Frodo or Aragorn – inspire you to take or continue this journey?

Alighieri, Dante. The Divine Comedy. New York: Grolier, Inc., 1968.

Beck, Peggy V., Anna Lee Walters, and Nia Francisco. The Sacred: Ways of Knowledge, Sources of Life. Tsaile, Arizona: Dine College Bookstore/Press, 2002.

Brown, Raymond E., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, ed. The Jerome Biblical Commentary. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc., 1968.

Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1949.

Eliade, Mircea. Myth and Reality. New York: Harper & Row, 1963.

Herzberg, Max J. Classical Myths. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1954.

Hesse, Hermann. Siddhartha. Boston: Shambhala Press, 2000.

Kacirk, Jeffrey. Forgotten English. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1997.

Meeks, Wayne A., ed. The HarperCollins Study Bible. New York: HarperCollins, 1989.

Milton, John.Paradise Lost. New York: Rinehart & Co. Inc., 1951.

Rosenberg, Donna, ed. World Mythology. Chicago: NTC Publishing Group, 1994.

Vergil. The Aeneid. New York: Bantam Books, 1961.

Watts, Alan W. Myth and Ritual Christianity.Boston: Beacon Press. 1968.

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