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Binary Issues and Feminist Issues in LOTR

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Binary Issues and Feminist Issues in LOTR Binary issues and feminist issues in LOTR David Pretorius ven the most perfunctory glance through existing criticism further points out that “[t]he great golden hall of Theoden is called on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien can highlight the fierceness Meduseld, and Meduseld, “mead-house, a house where feasting Eof the debate that still rages, especially over his perhaps takes place,” appears in Beowulf (167). Tinkler shows that most widely read book, The Lord of the Rings. On one side are the Tolkien not only uses Old English to name his Rohan characters, critics who, like the masses of adoring fans, consider Tolkien a but even uses Old English when depicting speech in their native genius and feel that The Lord o f the Rings can (and should) be language. When Theoden, the king of Rohan, recovers from his studied as a serious work of literature. They feel that the text has languor brought about by the malevolent advisor Wormtongue, an enormous amount to offer any reader or critic. On the other his nephew Eomer cries out, “Westu Theoden hal\” (1995: 506). side are those who consider Tolkien’s work to be laughable, and Tinkler says, “This part of Eomer’s speech is italicized in the text, completely devoid of any real literary value. The splitting of indicating that he is speaking the language of Rohan, which here, Tolkien criticism into two such opposed camps is fitting in the is simply Old English. Eomer has said, ‘Be thou healthy, light of the subject matter of The Lord o f the Rings, which is Theoden’” (1968: 169). So here, one can see a very strong link essentially concerned with the war fought between the opposed between Rohan, Old English, and the most famous tale written in forces of Good and Evil. Old English, Beowulf. Among the issues under debate is the question of the form of Derek S. Brewer unhesitatingly classifies The Lord o f the the work; whether it is a novel or a romance. The first part of this Rings as a romance (1979: 249), and says that the archetypal essay will thus examine this question, arguing that it should be romance theme is that of the Quest (255). Using as a point of read as a romance, much the same as those written in the early reference the romance written after the Dark Ages (especially the Grail tradition. From here, the focus will fall on binary opposition work of Chretien de Troyes), he considers the theme of romance as it appears in The Lord o f the Rings. Finally, I will examine to be that of transition, “the literary equivalent of what the certain feminist issues as they appear in the text. anthropologists call rites de passage”. This idea of transition will be returned to later. He further states that “the natural subject Novel or romance? matter of romance, especially at this period, is adventure and Roger Sale has made an interesting remark on the range of love” (251). Love is a recurring theme in The Lord of the Rings, influences at work in the text. He says: such as Aragorn’s love for the Lady Arwen, Sam’s love for Rose Cotton, and perhaps most important of all (because it is central to [I]n Tolkien’s Middle-earth lie the riders of Rohan, the plot) Sam’s love for Frodo. Brewer has likened this Beowulf-like in their love of lore, their simple and great relationship to that between the biblical David and Jonathan, and strength, and their belief that brave men die well in defense of adds that “those who have not lived in warrior societies ... may their lord and their honour; Aragorn, half-elven figure of easily underestimate the deep attachment that may exist between romance, the wandering ranger who becomes King Elessar of comrades in arms” (251-2). Upon Boromir’s death, Aragom Gondor; gigantic Wordsworthian tree-like Ents who swoop kneels beside the body and weeps openly. Legolas the Elf and down in revenge on the man who treated them wantonly; Sam even the usually stern Dwarf Gimli are said to bow their heads in Gamgee, the namesake of Pickwick’s servant, staunch in his grief (1995: 404). Before casting his body adrift on the river servility and love of domesticity; Sam’s master, Frodo Anduin, Aragorn and Legolas compose a song of farewell (407- Baggins, the real hero in this book where all must be heroic, 8). The three companions then pursue Merry and Pippin, who who acts like any modern alienated man but who also is have been captured by the evil ores, with Aragorn saying, “The Tolkien’s affirmation of possibility in a world where all old thought of those merry young folk driven like cattle bums my and other heroic types arc by themselves inadequate. It is, thus, heart” (414). This is just one episode which serves to highlight epic and romance and novel by turns, held together by a central Brewer’s point of the love which exists between comrades in myth that manages to partake of all the myths of all the heroes arms. of the past without ever ceasing to be a myth of Tolkien’s own Hugh T. Keenan comments on Tolkien’s use of ‘the Wasted- devising (1968: 248). Land-and-the-Wounded-King theme’ when Gandalf “comes to Theoden’s court, rouses the old king from illness, drives out This certainly is quite a list of influences. To say that Tolkien Wormtongue, and thus restores the leader to his people and the has managed to squeeze into his text “all the myths of all the land to its former vigor” (1968: 72-3). The central quest, that of heroes of the past” while remaining essentially original in his Frodo to the Cracks of Doom to destroy the Ruling Ring, can also writing, certainly seems to be over-zealous adulation. Sale does, be seen to have elements of the Grail Quest. Traditional Grail however, make some important points. The text has epic and quests involve a decaying of the land, corresponding with an novelistic elements, but remains mostly influenced by the illness of the king. The only answer is to find the Holy Grail, romantic tradition. He correctly sees the main characters as being, return with it, use it to heal the king and subsequently heal the for the most part, character types. Fie also mentions the text’s land. The Lord o f the Rings has an interesting variation to the similarities with Beowulf, in particular the connection to the traditional theme. The Grail object is an evil artefact that has to be riders of Rohan. John Tinkler has taken an extensive look at the destroyed before the land can be healed. Aragom, the king who use of Old English in Rohan. He mentions the use of, among other needs to be returned to his rightful throne, is also a questor. He things, Old English in the naming of people. He points out that in journeys with Frodo and the rest of the fellowship for the first part the text, many people in Rohan have names beginning with Eo-, of the quest. He does not immediately enter Gondor as the king, and explains that “(a]n Old English word for horse is eoh\ and eo- but first undergoes many battles and tasks. Perhaps the most appears as a combining form in eored, ‘cavalry’. Hence, Eo- in interesting inversion is that, instead of assuming the role of Fisher the names of men of Rohan alludes to their fondness for, King who needs to be healed, Aragorn is shown to be a natural association with, and dependence upon horses” (1968: 165). He healer. After Frodo is wounded by one of the wraiths, the Nazgul, 32 Binary and feminist issues in LOTR Aragom acts almost as a shaman. He sings over the remains of the But this victory has not been easy to accomplish. From the knife that was used to stab Frodo and uses the plant ‘athelas’ to beginning of the quest, it has been made known to Frodo that this heal him (1995:193). Aragom shows even greater natural healing is to be a terrible ordeal and a great risk. At the council of Elrond, abilities by being able to heal Faramir, the Lady Eowyn and where the decision is made to destroy the Ring by casting it into Merry from a supernatural ailment brought about by close the fires of the Cracks of Doom, the journey is described as “a encounters with the Nazgul (B48-850). By doing so, he fulfils a hard road, a road unforeseen. There lies our hope, if hope it be. To prophecy of which Ioreth, an old woman who works in the walk into peril - to Mordor” (260). Later, Elrond says of the quest Houses of Healing, reminds everyone in attendance: “The hands and the Ring, “...it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could of the king are the hands of a healer” (945). lay it on another” (264). At the last stages of their quest, Thomas J. Gasque quotes Tolkien, who was giving a lecture especially, Sam and Frodo manage to pull themselves along defending the use of monsters in traditional northern mythology. solely with “naked will and courage”. At one point in the text, Gasque comments on Tolkien’s “own use of the northern Sam seems to undergo a transformation, as he faces the prospect imagination” in The Lord o f the Rings, and considers the lecture of not surviving after completion of the quest: to be “slanted toward a defense of his own work as well as of the genre” (1968: 151).
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