"Cliff Notes - the hobbit & the lord of rings" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

But there are important differences between the two hobbits. Frodo is not the comic character that Bilbo was. He has benefited from Bilbo's knowledge, learning the lore and language of the elves and thereby earning their respect. His quest is more selfless than Bilbo's. He doesn't seek to win a treasure, but hopes to destroy one (the Ring of Sauron) for the good of all Middle-earth. Unlike Bilbo, Frodo can't use the Ring to help him with his task. And, finally, his story is in the end tragic--while he saves Middle-earth from destruction, he can no longer enjoy its beauties. He suffers too greatly from his wounds and from the loss of the Ring. His departure for the Blessed Realm at the end of the book is interpreted by some readers to be a symbolic death and also bears some similarity to the departure of the legendary King Arthur to Avalon, a magical island.

Frodo is sometimes considered a Christ-figure, because he undergoes great suffering for the sake of others (Tolkien himself would not say if this is what he intended. He wanted readers to make their own interpretation.) While he becomes weaker physically through the course of his trials, he also becomes stronger spiritually. A certain light seems to shine within Frodo, reminiscent of the description of saints. When Frodo leaves Middle-earth in the company of Gandalf, Galadriel, and other beings of great power, this increases the sense that Frodo has become something more than human.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: ARAGORN (STRIDER, THE DUNADAN, ELESSAR THE ELF-STONE)

As Strider, chief of the Rangers who secretly guard the Shire, Aragorn guides Frodo and his friends to the safety of Rivendell. There Aragorn reveals that he's the descendant of kings. Through the rest of the book, Aragorn must prove himself worthy of the throne of Gondor.

Some readers feel that Aragorn should be considered as a second hero of The Lord of the Rings who is equally as important as Frodo. As you read, note the contrasts and parallels between the two characters. Aragorn's quest is to regain his inheritance, the throne of Gondor, whereas Frodo's quest is to destroy his inheritance (the Ring given him by Bilbo). Aragorn is a man of heroic stature and his tasks are those of war and leadership, whereas Frodo's are more spiritual: he must resist the temptation of the Ring.

Like Frodo, Aragorn continues to grow in character through the course of the book. In the beginning, he's shown as a loner, unaccustomed to friendship. At first glance he even seems disreputable, and the hobbits are suspicious of him. In Rivendell, he reveals that as rightful heir to the throne of Gondor, he plans to go there to present his claim. But when the loss of Gandalf forces him to take over leadership of the group of hobbits, he can no longer think only of his personal interests.

Aragorn is a very private man, yet Tolkien reveals glimpses of strong emotions: resentment at the simple folk who scorn him, not knowing that he protects them from great danger; loneliness at living the life of an outcast; and deep love for Arwen, Elrond's daughter.

The romance between Arwen and Aragorn is only hinted at in the book, and their marriage at the end of the story may come as a surprise to you. In an appendix of The Lord of the Rings, you will find the full story of their romance.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: SAM GAMGEE (SAMWISE)

Sam Gamgee, the son of Frodo's gardener, sets out with Frodo on the quest to destroy the Ring. He proves himself a faithful servant.

Tolkien once said that Sam was modeled on the noncommissioned soldiers he served with in World War I. Tolkien had found the common soldiers much more likable than his fellow commissioned officers. Years later he said, "My 'Sam Gamgee' is indeed a reflection of the English soldier, of the privates and batmen [soldiers who perform various services for superior officers] I knew in the 1914 war, and recognized as so far superior to myself."

Because he's just a gardener's son, Sam serves as the best example of Tolkien's theme about the greatness in common people. Sam at times seems simpleminded and shows a lack of understanding of the true seriousness of a situation. But his name, Samwise, hints that he's not so foolish as he seems. Sometimes he can be very perceptive in determining the motives of others. His greatest virtue is loyalty. Because of his devotion to Frodo, he too becomes a hero. It is Sam who rescues Frodo from the orcs and helps Frodo in his painful journey through Mordor, even carrying him when Frodo is too weak to crawl.

Some readers view Sam as a negative stereotype of a member of the working class. They object to what they see as his simplemindedness and his doglike devotion to Frodo. They feel that Sam should be an equal to Frodo. What do you think of the relationship between Sam and Frodo? Is it possible or desirable in the world today?

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GOLLUM (SMEAGOL)

Gollum, the miserable creature who owned the Ring before Bilbo, reappears in The Lord of the Rings. He reveals the location of the Ring to Sauron, who sends the Black Riders to the Shire after Frodo. Much later in the trilogy, Gollum guides Frodo into Mordor and betrays him by leading him into the lair of Shelob the spider. Even so, neither Frodo nor Sam can bring himself to kill Gollum. Their mercy is rewarded, for Gollum brings about his own destruction as well as the destruction of the Ring.

Many people think of Gollum as Frodo's doppelganger, or alter ego. A doppelganger is a character who is strongly connected to the main character, and who seems to represent a hidden facet, often the darker side, of the main character's personality. While doppelgangers are used as a literary device, they also appear often in folklore. Gollum's connection to Frodo is through the Ring. They have both possessed the Ring, though Gollum uses it selfishly for evil purposes, while Frodo unwillingly accepts it in order to destroy it. Frodo, unlike the other characters, can understand Gollum's obsession with the Ring and the misery it has caused him, for Gollum represents what may happen to Frodo if he succumbs to the Ring's power. In Frodo, Gollum sees what he might have been, had it not been for the Ring. Gollum's grief at the loss of the Ring foreshadows Frodo's own pain and unhappiness after the Ring is gone. In the end, like most doppelgangers, Gollum is finally destroyed, representing the destruction of the evil that Frodo has had to struggle with in himself.

Some people see Gollum as a tragic figure. He has not been completely corrupted by the Ring. A part of him remembers his old life, and by implication, he can then still remember and comprehend good, something that characters such as Sauron, who are totally evil, cannot. Because part of his old self remains, he's tormented. He both hates the Ring and craves it desperately. The conflict between his two sides is revealed as he alternates between his original hobbitlike personality (Smeagol), speaking normally and eager to please, and his Gollum side, nasty and treacherous. But Gollum seems doomed from the beginning, for his destiny, as has been hinted throughout the trilogy, is to be destroyed with the Ring.

Do you sympathize with Gollum? Why or why not? Do you think he deserves his fate?

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: GANDALF (MITHRANDIR, THE GREY PILGRIM, THE WHITE RIDER)

Gandalf the Grey is one of three wizards who appear in The Lord of the Rings. The other two are Saruman the White and Radagast the Brown. Gandalf seems to be a more dignified character in The Lord of the Rings than he was in The Hobbit. In Rivendell he is revealed as an imposing figure of great power that he uses for unselfish purposes. He says that he's a steward over all living things, and he works to protect them from evil.

Whereas Saruman is tempted to use his power to further his own ends, Gandalf is content to help others in their struggles against evil, placing himself in the service of all who need him. This is viewed by some readers as a Christian image and they interpret Gandalf as being saintlike. (It should be pointed out that such selflessness is considered a virtue by many religions, and also by many nonreligious people. It need not be interpreted as a Christian idea.) Like Frodo, Gandalf sacrifices himself for the sake of others, apparently dying in his fight with the Balrog, and later being resurrected. Tolkien once said that Gandalf is an angel. But it is not clear if he meant it literally, or meant only that Gandalf was similar to an angel, someone with great power who is sent as a guardian.

Some people argue that Gandalf is the true hero of the book. He has been opposing Sauron for ages, whereas others such as Frodo and Aragorn appear only near the end of the long battle against evil. Throughout the story, Gandalf works behind the scenes, guiding the others and making it possible for them to fulfill their roles in the struggle. When the ring is destroyed, Gandalf's long guardianship of Middle-earth is at last over. With Frodo, he passes over the sea to the Blessed Realm.

Gandalf can be compared to Merlin the magician, who appears in Arthurian legend. Like Gandalf, Merlin doesn't use his powers to further his own ends, but instead acts for the good of England, which is threatened with internal conflict and with conquest by foreigners. He acts as a councilor, sometimes using his magic to help things along, but never using it in any outright attempt to force events to follow his will. Gandalf's relationship with Aragorn is comparable to Merlin's relationship with Arthur, whom Merlin helps to win the throne of England and establish a lasting peace.

^^^^^^^^^^THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS: SAURON

Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor, is the personification of evil in The Lord of the Rings. He is also referred to as the Necromancer in The Hobbit. Tolkien's only physical description of him is as a lidless red eye. This serves to heighten the sense of dread surrounding him, more than any other description could. Through Sauron, Tolkien offers his own ideas about evil: that nothing started out evil, that evil cannot create but can only pervert, that evil cannot comprehend good and so cannot predict the actions of good, and that evil destroys free will. Through the power of the Ring, Sauron intends to enslave the inhabitants of Middle-earth.