As we have all discussed, the ending of The Lord of the Rings is pretty long. The scouring of the shire seems like such an odd thing to tack on after the climax of the overall story. However, we get to see the changes brought to our characters shine through, and appreciate the brave hobbits that they have become. Even after the Grey Havens, Pippin, Merry, and Sam all return to a seemingly normal life in The Shire. If one reads the appendices, they can learn about their families and lives and how eventually all members of the Fellowship either die or pass on through the Grey Havens.
Tolkien seems to bring everything back to the theme of home and the simple pleasures in life in this way. We see all the remaining members of the Fellowship pursuing ordinary lives compared to their grand deeds in their younger days. The hobbits remind me of a verse from Ecclesiastes in the Bible that says, "Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage" (Ecclesiastes 5:18). This might be part of what inspired Tolkien, since he tries to send the message that simple pleasures are worthier pursuits than gold and power, as Thorin says before his death at the end of The Hobbit. Perhaps this is why the hobbits succeeded on their quest: they wanted to protect each other and their homes, not seek power and gain for themselves.
I definitely think this was the best way to display that the overall values of home/kinship the characters did manage to stay in tact despite al they had gone through. If they had continued to go on different conquests, or expect grand treatment for what they had one, it would feel like a very backwards character development. Because they still value home and quiet life, the feel like the characters we met at the beginning of the story, albeit much stronger.
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ReplyDeleteI really am glad that Tolkien went to the lengths that he did to make the ending with such detail. This book deserved the ending that it did, so people can kind of look back at the whole book and really think about why all of this happened, and what is coming out of this piece of literature. At the end of the day, everyone just wants to be home, whether after a long journey, work, or even just a long day. I think Tolkien really wanted us to feel the same way these characters felt after a long journey.
I really like this Bible verse and how it applies here. It really does make me think of how the hobbits behave. They enjoy the fruits of their labor by relaxing with a nice meal and a drink. They are humble people and enjoy the simple pleasures in life to their hearts content.
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