Who loves movies?
(Credit to Mike Jones-Inspiring philosophy. He did most of the research. I simplified it by writing and sprinkling my own commentary, for lovers of reading.)
Recently, i was encouraged to watch the Lord Of The Rings (LOTR) from the Fellowship of the Rings book by Tolkien R R. I know i’m late to the party, i always i’m. I was intrigued when i heard that it was like GOT (from the song of Ice and Fire by Martin R R) turned on its head. I had to watch it. I f you haven’t, shauri yako …i come bearing the story and the story behind the story.
Background of the Fellowship of the Rings written
Tolkien in his letters said he wrote for the encouragement of good morals in the real world
(letter 153). Fundamentally, LOTR is a religious and a catholic work; with catholic themes and messages consciously and unconsciously (letter 142). It is not basically about freedom, though naturally involved. it’s about God and His sole right to divine honor (letter 183).
Note Tolkien was a traditionalist and believed in order and chivalry. That men and women are equal but have different roles. In Middle Earth: Hobbits, dwarfs, men, and elves all live in their organized shire, mines, cities etc. This way, they flourish and find true happiness. Tolkien’s Happiness is not about choosing your own path or bending the world to your will, rather, it’s about fulfilling your designed role in the world.
In the beginning; A love story
In the book; in the SILMARILLION, the creator Eru together with einar..begins creation of the Arda world with a song. (the song subtly teaches how we shouldn’t strive for power but be happy with where God has placed us in life and find harmony with the role we were created for). Mel Corse, later Morgoth is introduced, the original dark lord. During the singing of the ainar Mel Corse introduces discord. Eru then rises and overtakes the singing of Mel Corse and brings it into harmony so that what was meant for chaos, Eru uses it for good. (some chaos is allowed. A truly good story has some evil in it because triumph over evil is what takes the story to another level) Evil is not inherently necessary but its presence allows for character growth that couldn’t have occurred in a world without it. This is very much a christian idea. (St.Paul in 2 Cor 4:17 and St.Augustine of Hippo)
*It is important to note that Tolkien doesn’t place order as the highest good. It is okay to break tradition or order for love. In his world love is the greatest force and no power can overcome it. Love enables characters to do things they normally couldn’t because of love e’g., in the Story of Beren (man) and Luthien princess (elf) and how they got the silmaril , which was an impossible task. It’s only when greed enters the story that their downfall and death comes.
What some of you may not know, is that Tolkien wrote this story as he was inspired by the love he and his wife shared. When Tolkien first saw his wife, she was dancing and so it was only fit for Beren to first lay eyes on Luthien as she danced. His wife was his Luthien- he said, and the names Beren and Luthien appear on their gravestones.
In the Lord Of The Rings (LOTR);
The ring is designed to tempt you in (the false hope of power) how you can shape the world in your own image, Boromir succumbs to the ring’s temptation and saw himself as the hero of Gondor and to be given the glory he deserves, Sam sees himself as the leader of a beautiful-gardened-shire. What saves Sam is his love for Frodo and his humility: unlike Boromir who places no love above the temptation.
Think about it, what does the ring symbolize in your life? What is the thing that causes you to exalt yourself above all else?
- Real strength is not from seizing power to conquer evil but in humility and in realizing that might doesn’t make it right.
Douglas Blunt “strength according to Tolkien manifests most clearly, not in the exercise of power but in the willingness to give it up.”
Sam eventually goes back to the shire and becomes truly what he was meant to be. Not because he rose up in glory and defeated the dark lord but because he rejected glory and cared more for his friends.
There’s more to the story, please return to the page for further exploration of The Philosophy of Tolkien.
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Have you watched the Lord Of The Rings? What did you think about it generally?
Woow, Not because he rose up in glory and defeated the dark lord but because he rejected glory and cared more for his friends……
You know who else left the throne and considered being God nothing to come die for us,Jesus.
Philippians 2:6-11
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
This has been by far the most fascinating thing in Christianity for me,a God who would leave everything because of the love He has for me,,,that’s the greatest pursuit of all time.
Havent watched either Lord of the rings or GOT but this was a great read
OH! Thank you for sharing that. A great pursuit in deed. Have you ever read about the Jewish marriage ceremony? If you haven’t, please do so and relate that to the coming of Christ and see the beautiful complete picture. You’ll see the amount of detail that was considered for everything to fall into place the way it is.