In an earlier post, the friendship between Sam and Frodo was discussed, but Tolkien also chooses to allow a specific bond of friendship to develop between Legolas and Gimli. Why between these two characters? Why not Legolas and Merry? Or Gimli and Sam? Or Aragorn and Legolas? Or Merry and Aragorn? What moral, ethical or even simply thematic point is Tolkien trying to make with this friendship?
Friendship itself as well as the loyalty between friends is also a key theme throughout LOTR. Apart from the bond between Legolas and Gimli, what other ways does Tolkien emphasize the importance of friendship in his works?
I think that Tolkien specifically wants us to recognize the importance of bonds within our life. Not only did Tolkien probably lose friends in the war, but he probably got through some very challenging times in his career and life through his friendships (including his wife). Morally, friendships can show we're invested in the world and that we want to remain connected within the world. Ethically, I think friends can help you grow and even help you make a... better decision when you're faced with seemingly two terrible ones. Overall, without friendship I don't think anyone could make it through the events in LOTR much less life.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of emphasizing friendship could even be through Pippin and Merry! Even when separated from everyone else they still have each other, and the cousins help each other grow. While they're family, I feel they're still a good example of friendship within the series.