The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy

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The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy Page 26

by Gregory Bassham


  Boethius, 133, 209

  Bolger, Fatty, 95

  Bombadil, Tom, 7, 19, 43, 83, 88, 95, 155–58, 160, 180

  and “green time,” 155–58

  identity of, 156

  and nature, 156–57

  and the Ring, 13–15, 42, 58, 105, 157, 158

  Bonaventure, St., 132

  Bond, James, 29

  Boromir, 6–7, 13, 22, 36, 95, 105, 115–17

  death of, 171, 198

  and the Ring, 10–11

  Brandybuck, Meriadoc. See Merry

  Bree, 15–16, 95, 125

  Brokk, 40

  Buddhism, 131, 181–86, 198n. 6

  Butterbur, Barliman, 15, 95

  Bywater, 51

  Camelot, 211

  Camus, Albert, 77, 129, 132–33

  Capital (Marx), 36–37

  capitalism, 36–37

  Caradhras, 74, 187

  Celeborn, 40, 75, 153

  Celembrimbor, 23

  Cerin Amroth, 59

  chance, and providence, 168, 169, 176

  chemical weapons, 30

  Christ, 131

  Chronicles of Narnia, The (Lewis), 204

  Cinderella (fairy tale), 208

  Cirith Ungol, 12, 144

  Clark, Kenneth, 77

  Coghill, Neville, 2

  cogito (Decartes), 197

  commodities, 36–37

  community. See friendship

  Concept of Dread, The (Kierkegaard), 77

  Confessions (Augustine), 194

  consolation, in fairy tales, 209–210

  Consolation of Philosophy, The (Boethius), 209

  Cotton, Rosie. See Rosie

  Council of Elrond, 10, 22, 33, 53, 116, 144, 157, 172, 196–97

  courage, 112

  Crack(s) of Doom, 17, 35, 69, 167, 170, 175, 196, 200, 202, 215

  creation, 37, 74, 206

  creativity, 57

  Crickhollow, 95

  Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly, 57

  Curry, Patrick, 150

  Dante Alighieri, 128, 179, 201

  Dark Lord, the. See Sauron

  Davis, Geena, 192

  De Bortadano, Joanna, 140

  Déagol, 10, 68, 115

  death, 123ff.

  as “gift,” 125–27, 134–35

  decay, Rings’ prevention of, 25, 34

  Denethor, 55, 83, 145, 148, 171–72, 174

  and modernity, 142–43

  as Steward of Gondor, 106, 108, 142–43, 206

  dependent origination, Buddhist doctrine of, 183

  Descartes, Réne, 197–98

  Die Another Day (film), 28

  Dig, The (video game), 133

  Diotima, 203

  disenchantment of the natural world, 172

  Divine Comedy, The (Dante), 128, 179

  Dogen, 181, 188

  Draupnir, 40

  Drexler, Eric, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

  Dúnedain, 57

  Dungeons and Dragons (game), 209

  Dunland, 156

  Dunne, John, 200

  duty, 170–74

  dwarves, 32, 73, 78n. 4, 89, 95, 107, 152, 154

  Dyson, Hugo, 2

  Eä, 206

  eagles, the, 216

  Eärendil, 43

  Eddas, The, 205

  ego, in Buddhist thought, 182, 187

  Eichmann, Adolf, 79

  Eitri, 40

  Elanor, 43, 67

  Elbereth, 144

  Elessar. See Aragorn

  Elrond, 17, 41, 74, 75–76, 124, 172

  as healer, 95

  on Old Forest, 156

  and Ring, 11, 14, 112, 137, 195

  and Rings of Power, 23, 41, 105

  and Sauron, 24

  elves, 12, 34, 117, 182

  Delaying, 24

  and ents, 154

  and forests, 152–54

  and “green time,” 155n. 2

  and happiness, 49, 50, 58, 73–74

  High, 117

  and immortality, 23–24, 82, 124–27, 129–130, 134–36

  and Morgoth, 24

  Noldor, the, 34, 75

  and reincarnation, 124, 129–130

  and Rings of Power, 23

  and Sauron, 24–25, 155n. 2

  Enron, 193

  ents, 44, 59, 105, 107, 141, 142, 153, 158–160, 182

  and elves, 154

  entwives, 159–160, 182–83, 205

  environmentalism, 141, 142, 150ff., 183, 193

  Éowyn, 217

  epic, 214, 219

  Epicurus, 50

  Eregion, 24, 25, 104

  Eressëa, 24, 56

  Eru. See Ilúvatar

  escape, in fairy tales, 209

  escapism, 33, 145–46, 148–49, 209, 210

  eschatology, 206, 211

  E. T. (film), 79

  eucatastrophe, 210–11, 214, 215–18

  Europe, 72–73, 138–39

  evangelium, 216

  evil, 36, 99ff., 174

  Augustinian vs. Manichean views of, 102, 174

  dependent on goodness, 102, 174, 176

  as lack of goodness, 102–03

  natural, 104n. 6

  origin of, 103–07

  Taoist view of, 189–190

  existentialism, 76ff., 83

  Fafnir, 40

  fairy tales, 179, 207ff.

  and Gospels, 210–11

  Fangorn, 153, 158, 160

  fantasy, 207ff.

  Far Side, The (cartoon), 128

  Faramir, 36, 55, 57, 96, 97, 138, 143, 144, 217

  Faustus, 195

  Fëanor, 75

  Fellowship of the Ring, the, 38, 41, 52, 73, 74, 81–82, 95, 96, 97, 118, 144, 152, 161, 176, 188, 189, 196

  Fellowship of the Ring, The (Tolkien), 72, 73, 95, 155, 180

  Ferny, Bill, 95

  fetishism, 33ff.

  Fifth Battle, the, 214

  Fingon, 214

  First Age, 24, 144

  Forbidden Pool, 96

  Ford of Bruinen, 125, 217

  foreknowledge, in The Lord of the Rings, 116n. 4, 118

  forests, 153–54, 158–160, 162, 184

  forgetfulness, and happiness, 78–80, 82–83

  Fourth Age, 145, 147–48, 153, 163

  freedom. See free will

  Free Peoples, 10, 54, 153, 158

  free will, 104, 170–74, 196, 199

  Freud, Sigmund, 34, 35, 139

  friendship, 53–54, 65–66, 70, 95–96, 115, 132

  Frodo, 13, 18, 34, 41, 53, 54, 57, 61, 64, 65, 74–76, 83–84, 96–97, 100, 102, 135–36, 137, 144, 146, 157, 167–178 passim, 182, 192, 199, 211

  attacked near Weathertop, 15, 95, 125

  and Bombadil, 14, 105

  and Boromir, 11

  at Crack of Doom, 17, 167, 170, 175, 215

  decision to become Ring-bearer, 172, 196

  departure from Middle-earth, 42, 126

  “failure” of, 175

  flight to the Ford of Bruinen, 95, 217

  and Galadriel, 12–13, 83–84, 102

  and Gollum, 9–10, 66, 68–69, 96–97, 169, 175, 186–87, 215–16

  in Lothlórien, 25, 59, 75

  mentors of, 185–88

  as pilgrim, 200–03

  and Red Book of Westmarch, 145, 178

  and the Ring, 7, 14, 15–17, 107, 115, 125, 168–69, 196, 212

  spiritual journey of, 195–96

  Gadamer, Hans-Georg, 201

  Galadriel, 14, 16, 18, 19, 23, 35, 57, 153

  and Fëanor, 75

  as gift–giver, 40

  mirror of, 102

  and Nenya, 23, 41, 75

  and nostalgic regret, 76, 81–82

  phial of, 43, 84, 113, 144, 202

  and the Ring, 7, 11–13, 83, 137, 209

  and Sam, 65

  Galadrim, 95

  Gamgee, Elanor. See Elanor

  Gamgee, Hamfast (“The Gaffer”), 39, 144, 192

  Gamgee, Samwise. See Sam

  Gamlin
g, 198

  Gandalf, 2, 10, 14, 28, 52, 55, 61, 71, 75, 83, 97, 100, 108, 112, 137, 146, 157, 158, 175–77, 200, 205, 209

  death of, 74–75, 96, 130, 143

  and Denethor, 143

  and Gollum, 10, 167, 168–69, 195

  as incarnate angel, 96, 148

  and Lord of the Nazgûl, 102

  as mentor, 186–87, 201

  and Narya, 23, 41

  rescue from Orthanc, 95

  return of, 130, 177, 217

  and sapling of Nimloth, 217–18

  and Saruman, 106, 141–42

  as Steward, 106, 206

  the White, 190, 198

  Gawain, 211–12, 216

  genetics, 22, 26, 28, 32

  gift-giving, in The Lord of the Rings, 39–41, 66

  Gildor, 143

  Gil-galad, 24

  Gilraen, 55

  Gimli, 130, 152, 153, 163, 176

  Glaucon, 7–8, 11

  global warming, 162

  Glóin, 105

  Glorfindel, 95

  God, 88–90, 107, 172–73, 208

  Goldberry, 13, 42, 58, 156

  Golden Wood (Lothlórien), 81

  Gollum (Sméagol), 35, 40, 41, 55, 107, 167, 196, 202

  baby-talk of, 36

  compared with Sam, 62–71

  as instrument of providence, 168–170, 174–75

  lack of fellow–feeling, 68–71

  merciful treatment of, 96–97, 169, 175, 186–87, 215–16

  murder of Déagol, 10, 36, 68, 115

  near–redemption of, 68–70

  and the Ring, 5, 6, 9–10, 19, 35–36, 65, 68, 70, 107, 115–16, 167, 196

  split–personality of, 9–10, 36, 66–67, 175

  ugliness of, 57, 66

  wretchedness of, 9–10, 64–65, 175

  Gondolin, 56, 214

  Gondor, 7, 57, 116, 145, 172, 176, 205, 206, 218

  good and evil, 99ff., 110, 174, 188–89

  Gorgoroth, 18, 45, 70

  Gospels, as true fairy–tale, 210–11

  government, in the Shire, 49

  Green Knight, 211–12

  green time, 155–161

  collective perspective and, 158–160, 161

  Grendel, 40

  grey goo problem, 30

  Grey Havens, 41, 42, 167

  Grond, 37

  guides, 201

  Gwaihir, 95

  Gyges, 6–8, 10

  Haldir, 81, 108, 189

  Hamlet (Shakespeare), 127–28

  Hansel and Gretel (fairy tale), 208

  happiness, 49ff., 61ff., 73ff.

  and forgetfulness, 78–80, 82–83

  Gollum’s conception of, 65

  Myers on, 51–52

  as requiring fellowship and love, 68–71

  Sam’s conception of, 65

  Tolkien’s six keys to, 49 ff.

  as ultimate end, 63–64

  Hastings, Peter, 55

  heaven, 133–35

  Heidegger, Martin, 38, 197, 199, 201

  hell, 128

  Helm’s Deep, 155n. 3, 158, 205, 217

  Hermod, 40

  heroes, 148–49, 201–03

  Hesiod, 116

  “hill,” 44

  Hinduism, 131

  Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Adams), 133

  Hitler, Adolf, 111

  hoarding, 37

  Hobbit, The (Tolkien), 61, 73–74, 95, 106, 153

  Hobbiton, 49

  Hobbits, 107, 117, 124, 127, 145, 155

  characteristics of, 40, 49ff., 139, 182, 196, 202

  cheerfulness of, 52–53

  and simplicity, 49–50

  sociability of, 53–54

  and virtue, 114

  Holocaust, 79, 83

  Homer, 179, 201, 213

  hope, 215–18

  Hrothgar, 40

  hubris, 116, 171

  humans, in Middle-earth, 124, 152–53, 184

  Legolas and Gimli on, 184

  Hume, David, 201

  humility, 96, 97–98, 171, 175, 187

  Húrin, 214

  Husserl, Edmund, 201

  Iarwain, Ben-adar (Bombadil), 14

  idolatry, 37

  Ilúvatar, 23, 59, 74, 88, 91, 94, 130, 135, 206, 207

  immortality, in The Lord of the Rings, 22, 23–24, 82, 123–27

  innate ideas, 197, 198

  Inferno, The (Dante), 128, 201

  Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies, 29

  invisibility technology, 28–29

  Isengard, 103, 176, 209

  Isildur, 34, 35, 73–74

  Jackson, Peter, 1, 62, 82n. 13, 112, 155n. 3, 192

  Jaspers, Karl, 77, 79–80

  Jericho, 39

  Joshua, 39

  journey motif, in The Lord of the Rings, 192ff.

  Journey to the West, The, 200 (Chinese epic)

  joy, 73–76, 176–77

  Joy, Bill, 22, 26, 30, 31, 32

  Judaism, 131

  Juniper Tree, The (fairy tale), 208

  Kalevala, 205

  Kant, Immanuel, 110, 117, 172–73, 201

  Kasulis, T.P., 182n. 3

  Khazad-dûm, Bridge of, 75, 96

  Kierkegaard, Søren, 77, 207, 210

  Knossos, 201

  Kushner, Harold, 56

  Last Battle, 135

  Last Homely House (Rivendell), 73

  Lay of the Nibelung, 205

  “Leaf by Niggle” (Tolkien), 132

  Legolas, 78, 130, 153, 163, 176

  lembas, 40

  Lewis, C.S., 2, 59

  Linden, 24

  literature, and philosophy, 193

  Lord of the Rings, The (Tolkien),

  and abnegation, 98

  anthropocentrism in, 183–85

  allegory and, 20–21, 80–81, 151, 193, 204

  and beauty, 56–57

  and Catholicism, 218

  and community, 53–55, 96

  and creativity, 57

  and environmentalism, 150ff., 183

  as epic fairy tale, 212–15

  escapism and, 148–49, 209, 210

  eucatastrophes in, 215–18

  evil in, 99ff., 189–190

  fetishism in, 33ff.

  and freedom, 88, 104, 170–74

  gift–giving in, 39–40

  and good and evil, 49ff., 55–56, 106–07

  and happiness, 49ff., 63ff.

  and humility, 171

  and love, 71

  master–student relationships in, 185–88

  and modernism, 138ff.

  and mythology, 40–41, 205, 211ff.

  and nature, 180–85

  poignant tone of, 205

  popularity of, 1

  and providence, 167ff., 213

  and religion, 103, 204ff., 218

  and sex, 35

  and simplicity, 49–51

  “things” in, 37–38

  virtue and vice in, 55–56, 110ff.

  Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, The (New Line Cinema film), 13, 33, 123, 125, 187

  Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (New Line Cinema film), 1, 67, 155n. 3

  Lothlórien, 25, 39, 49, 56, 59, 66, 75, 81–82, 95, 153, 171

  Lotho, 55

  love, 70–71

  Lourdes, 210

  Love’s Knowledge (Nussbaum), 193

  loyalty, 114, 117, 187

  luck. See chance

  Lucretius, 129

  Lúthien, 214

  lying, 117

  magic, 25, 43, 180, 208–09, 211

  Maiar, 156

  Maimonides, 132

  mallorn, 59

  Manchester, 151

  Mani, 100

  Manicheanism, 100, 102, 174, 195

  Marx, Karl, 36–37, 139–140

  Maslow, Abraham, 57

  master-student relationships, 185–88

  in Buddhism, 186, 188

  in The Lord of the Rings, 185–88

  Matrix, The (film), 79, 150
/>   Melkor. See Morgoth

  Men in Dark Times (Arendt), 80

  Mercy. See pity

  Merricks, Trenton, 132

  Merry, 130, 143

  captured by orcs, 11

  development of, 196

  escape from orcs, 52, 153

  loyalty of, 53–54, 95, 115

  rescue from Barrow–wight, 95

  rescue from Ringwraiths in Bree, 95

  rescue from Old Man Willow, 95, 156, 180

  and Treebeard, 153–54, 159, 180

  Middle-earth, 23, 24, 25, 32, 34, 36, 44, 45, 73, 74, 76, 88, 89, 90, 96, 97, 98, 107, 123, 124, 126–27, 130, 141, 142, 148, 149, 150, 157, 158, 163, 206, 215

  Mill, John Stuart, 110, 117

  Milton, John, 106

  Minas Anor, 217

  Minas Morgul, 56

  Minas Tirith, 102, 143, 198

  Minotaur, 201

  miracles, 171

  Miriel, 82

  Mirkwood, 153

  Mirror (Galadriel’s), 36, 75, 102

  Misty Mountains, 35, 63, 66, 152

  MIT, 28

  Mithrandir. See Gandalf

  Mithril, 29, 95

  modernism, 138ff., 146–49

  money, love of, 103

  Monkey (Chinese tale), 198n. 6, 200

  morality

  Kant’s ethics and, 117

  and the Ring, 5ff.

  and rules, 111, 117–18

  and utilitarianism, 118

  virtue and, 9, 13, 18–20, 55–56, 110 ff.

  virtue ethics, 110ff.

  Mordor, 9, 16–17, 21, 23, 56, 65, 73, 87, 94, 95, 103, 182, 187, 196, 202, 209

  Morgoth, 24, 38, 65, 126, 206, 210, 214

  Moria, 74, 96, 130, 143, 152, 153, 187, 198

  Mound of Amroth, 25

  Mount Doom, 17, 23, 71, 74, 88, 94, 95, 97, 112, 170, 173, 202, 215, 216

  Mount Mindolluin, 217

  Myers, David G., 50–51, 54–55

  myth, 33, 40–41, 179, 205, 211ff.

  “Myth of Sisyphus” (Camus), 133

  nanotechnology, 22, 26–32

  Nargothrond, 214

  Narya (elf ring), 23

  National Rifle Association, 101

  nature, 141

  and Bombadil, 156

  Buddhism and, 181–85

  consciousness in, 180–82

  human attitudes toward, 152–53

  in The Lord of the Rings, 152–54, 180–85

  stand-ins for, in The Lord of the Rings, 152–54

  stewardship and, 183–84

  Nausea (Sartre), 77

  Nazgûl. See Ringwraiths

  Nenya (elf ring), 23

  New Testament, 74, 204

  Nicomachean Ethics (Aristotle), 54–55, 110

  Nietzsche, Friedrich, 72, 77ff., 81, 87, 89, 91, 92, 140, 142, 196, 199, 216

  on art, 77, 91

  on the “death of God”, 90, 91, 92, 93, 140

  on eternal recurrence, 91–92

  on forgetfulness, 78–79

  on meaninglessness of life, 89–91, 92, 93

  on the overman, 92–94

  on truth, 91

  on the will to power, 87–90, 93–94

  Nimloth, 218

 

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