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 Have
you read The Lord of the Rings?
What is your take on the Tolkien trilogy?
Commentary
by Greg Wright |
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The
Return of the King, Book V
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In
April, 2004, this web page was annotated to address errors in the
text. Click on highlighted text to review errata.
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Gandalf
and Denethor
After the long flight from Rohan on Shadowfax, Gandalf arrives at
Minas Tirith prior to the gathering of the final storm. As he anticipates,
he is not warmly received by the Steward of Gondor, Denethor, son
of Ecthelion and father of Boromir. Gandalf and Denethor hotly debate
plans for the defense of Gondor and, indeed, the free world. There
is a mighty difference between Gandalf's motivations and Denthor's.
As Gandalf says, he pities even Sauron's slaves, while Denethor thinks
"of Gondor only." In essence, Gandalf echoes the Christ-like standard
of selflessness; does Denethor, perhaps, represent the "poor steward"
of Jesus' parables, who is not prepared for his Master's return?
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Éowyn
Théoden's niece, Éowyn, longs to be a warrior; but during the waning
years of her father, the King of Rohan, she is reduced to being the
attendant of a seeming dotard. When Théoden is rejuvenated for battle,
though, she is left behind as guardian of the people of Rohan. She
expresses her frustration to Aragorn as he is about to depart on the
Paths of the Dead, saying, "May I not now spend my life as I will?"
Aragorn responds, "Few may do that with honor." Even Jesus struggled
with pursuit of his own personal desires, praying in Gethsemane that
the fate of the cross might be avoided; but Aragorn expresses the
truth of Jesus' decision: that doing the right thing is preferable
to doing the selfish thing.
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Aragorn's
Fate
Indeed, this has been the story of Aragorn's life, to forego personal
desires in favor of a grander, more noble, and prophesied calling:
to reclaim the Crown of Gondor. Not only has he spent his already
long life as one of the Dúnedain guarding the borders of the Shire,
he has previously served in the armies of Gondor and Rohan as well;
and he has accepted that Elrond's daughter, Arwen, will only wed him
if he sits on the throne of Gondor. Aragorn's fate is never about
the present, but always about the future: a future never more in doubt
than when he crosses the threshold of the Paths of the Dead. Is Aragorn,
then, also a Christ-figure, one who emerges victorious from the Paths
of the Dead to take his rightful place as King?
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The
Siege of Gondor
It is a terrible battle that is waged at the gates of Minas Tirith.
More is at stake than just the loss of life: it seems as if the very
fate of Middle Earth hangs in the balance. In such times, it is only
human to place confidence in military strength and wise planning.
Gandalf's counsel, however, is that such confidence is misplaced.
"Victory cannot be achieved by arms," he says. And he's not just talking
about current events.
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Gandalf's
View of the Big Picture
So what's the solution for Gandalf, if it isn't armies and military
strategy? "It is not our part," he says, "to master all the tides
of the world, but to do what is in us for the succor of those years
wherein we are set." In other words, success is only found if we are
all true to the purpose and work which has been "prepared in advance"
for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Notably, the fate of Gondor hangs in
the balance until the very moment of Aragorn's return from the Paths
of the Dead, an act very much "prepared in advance" and specifically
ordained for the returning King.
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The
Little People, and the Outcast
Tolkien's world, though, like ours, is not one in which only the grand
and those of noble birth have a part to play in working out the world's
fate. Not only do the hunted Wild Men like Ghân-buri-Ghân have meaningful
aid and critical roles to play in the War of the Ring, but so, very
soon, do the women and the Little People.
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The
Witch King
Gandalf confronts the Witch King at the very gates of Gondor. Even
though the wizard and the wraith both know of the prophesied fate
of the Witch King—that he would not die at the hands of men—
Gandalf commands the Nazgûl to depart to "the abyss prepared for you
and your master." This is apocalyptic language lifted straight from
the book of Revelation. Nonetheless, the confrontation is interrupted
by the arrival of Théoden's army from Rohan, with whom rides a young
warrior—who is not a man!
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Éowyn
and the Witch King
Before the Witch King departs, Gandalf tells him, "Authority is not
given you... to order the hour of your death." As with all things
in Middle-earth, there is a guiding Providence to which even the forces
of evil must submit. Nonetheless, the Witch King retorts, "My hour
is not yet come." No, but it will come very shortly: for he mounts
his winged steed and slays the valiant Théoden upon the field only
to face his most deadly enemies: not a man at all, but a warrior princess
and a Hobbit!
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Aragorn
the Healer
Éowyn and others fall upon the battle field and find themselves
in the Houses of Healing. Aragorn comes to help and finds Éowyn
and Merry smitten particularly hard by the Black Breath. He has
not yet come to Minas Tirith openly declaring himself as King, but
his command to find kingsfoil to aid the patients gives him away.
The nurse Ioreth remembers that the prophecies have always said
that "the hands of the King are the hands of a healer."
"'He
has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of
sight to the blind...' Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in
your hearing." (Luke 4:18-21, NASB)
It's
often very difficult to do the right thing, rather that what's best
for our own comfort or benefit. We can be grateful that we have
inspiring tales such as this, and those found in the Bible, about
men and women who have transcended self and the pursuit of selfish
pleasures in favor of being true to themselves and their calling,
considering the needs of others over their own. Aspire to be heroic,
even in very small ways!
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So
what gives?
Did this spiritual imagery find its way into The Lord
of the Rings by design? Or was it simply part of Tolkien's cultural
fabric, accidentally creeping into the text? And what about the magic
and wizardry? Is this really healthy spirituality that Tolkien presents? |
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