View Single Post
Old 01-13-2011, 07:21 PM   #71
gmw
cacoethes scribendi
gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.gmw ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
gmw's Avatar
 
Posts: 5,809
Karma: 137770742
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Australia
Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650
Quote:
Originally Posted by bill_mchale View Post
Well, in the case of The Lord of the Rings, I am pretty sure that Tolkien had admitted that he included Christians Themes within the story. As for the examples... Obviously simple good and evil is not a clear example since that is an extremely common trope in high fantasy stories. But here are a few that seem clearer to me.

Gandalf, Aragorn and Frodo each can be regarded as a Christ figure. I can't remember where I read it, but it has been suggested that Gandalf represented Christ the prophet, Aragorn Christ the King (who returns to establish his Just Kingdom) and Frodo Christ the Sacrifice. Each undergoes either a symbolic or in Gandalf's case real death and rebirth (Frodo actually undergoes two of them I think...).

There are hints through the books that the Ring did not come to Gollum, Bilbo or Frodo by chance. In other words, in some sense providence plays a role in the destruction of evil.

I could dig more out but you said you just wanted one or two .

--
Bill
Well, I did ask I don't remember ever reading Tolkien admitting deliberate Christian themes, but can't say categorically. Themes of prophecy, sacrifice, rebirth, providence, and higher forces are as old as ... well, let's just say older than Christianity. (I did have more written here, but such discussion really belongs in the Politics and Religion forum.)
gmw is offline   Reply With Quote