āFaithless is he that says farewell when the road darkensā
There is something in every book, every story, that makes captives of our hearts and conquers our minds. It gives life to most boring descriptions and plot twists. It makes us feel part of the world we are reading about. Characters!
Isnāt it all about them? Could we have a book full of marvelous descriptions and not a single person? Well, yes we could ā theyāre called encyclopedias. Now tell me, how many of you read encyclopedias for funā¦? I thought so.
Tolkienās characters are vibrant personalities with rich backstories. They are full of life, passion, courage, greed, power, envy, lust. I would like to introduce you to some of the characters of the āThe Lord of the Ringsā.
Oh, and if you care ā SPOILERS!!! There, you have been thoroughly warned.
The first part of Tolkienās trilogy is named āThe Fellowship of the Ringā. There is a reason why. One of the most important events of this book is the gathering of the Council of Elrond to appoint nine people, representing the free races of Middle-Earth, to destroy the One Ring. They will come to be known as ā The Fellowship of the Ring. Coincidence? I think not!
Here they are:
Aragorn ā son of Arathorn, also known as Elessar, was the 16th Chieftain of the Dunedain of the North; he was later crowned King of Arnor and Gondor, the First High King of the Reunited Kingdom. He was a great warrior, possessed great knowledge of the lands of Middle-Earth, and helped the cause of the Fellowship greatly.
Gandalf ā the Grey, later known as Gandalf the White, and by many other names, was a wizard sent to Middle-Earth with a single task ā to combat the threat of Sauron. By his initiative the Fellowship was formed and the final campaign of the War of the Ring began.
Legolas ā was an elf, son of the Elf-king Thranduil of Mirkwood. He was his fathers most trusted messenger and a master bowman. With his keen eyesight, sensitive hearing and excellent bowmanship Legolas was a valuable resource to the Fellowship.
Boromir ā was a valiant warrior known in Gondor for his greatness, having already achieved great merit in Gondor prior to the Council of Elrond.
Samwise Gamgee ā also known as Sam, was a hobbit of the Shire. He was Frodoās gardener and best friend. Sam proved himself to be a most dependable and loyal companion of the entire Fellowship, and played a necessary role in protecting Frodo and destroying the One Ring.
Frodo Baggins ā son of Drogo Baggins, was, also, hobbit of the Shire. He was and is most renowned for his leading role in the Quest of the Ring in which he bore the One Ring to Mount Doom where it was ultimately destroyed.
Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry) ā was, guess what – a hobbit! Also, one of Frodoās cousins and closest friends. He loved boats and ponies and had a great interest in the maps of Middle-Earth.
Peregrin Took (Pippin) ā as you can guess, was a hobbit of the Shire. In addition to that, he was one of the Frodoās youngest but closest friends.
Gimli ā son of Gloin, was a well-respected dwarf warrior in Middle-Earth. He was the only one of the dwarves to readily fight alongside elves in the War of the Ring.
So now you know what kind of people live in Middle-Earth. You may now form an idea of your own about what kind of place it is. Before you go remember this – big or small, rich or not so much, all members of the Fellowship had their part to play in Tolkienās story. Not all of them survived, not all showed courage in the face of danger. In my opinion, that is exactly what makes their story so alive. Not all can keep their faith when the road darkens.
Tomas AleknaviÄius