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elentari3018
Nargothrond
2:02am
Post #1 of 3
(3727 views)
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The concept of utmost despair for our characters
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Suddenly, despite his escape from the Lord of the Nazgűl, Frodo is overcome by despair.
“Frodo stirred. And suddenly his heart went out to Faramir. ‘The storm has burst at last,’ he thought. ‘This great array of spears and swords is going to Osgiliath. Will Faramir get across in time? He guessed it, but did he know the hour? And who can now hold the fords when the King of the Nine Riders is come? And other armies will come. I am too late. All is lost. I tarried on the way. All is lost. Even if my errand is performed, no one will ever know. There will be no one I can tell. It will be in vain.’ Overcome with weakness he wept. And still the host of Morgul crossed the bridge.” How many times do we see our characters in the utmost despair but still going on? I think i thought of this prompt to help me with the "lost time" prompt but i just want to list so many times of despair there are but our heroes keep going:
1) Aragorn when he felt despair at Boromir's passing
2) Pippin when he thought that Frodo had failed at the Black gate
3) Faramir felt a lot of despair when he had to try to overtake Osgiliath and the Causeway Forts at his father's bidding- what does he draw on to move on?
4) here for Frodo when he sees this vast army come out from MInas Morgul but he is no where close to Orodruin where he has to help with the destruction of the Ring but may be too late. (as mentioned in above quote)
5) When Sam thinks Frodo is dead, how can he move on without his master?
6) Gimli at the paths of the dead?
I love this topic of despair and how our characters pull within themselves, master themselves to move on... what other examples can you find? And how do our characters come out from despair? Where do they each draw their strength from to turn around feeling at their lowest?
I think i saw a thread talk about Aragorn and failure and it's somewhat related but we can also talk about how each character turns the corner and what makes them keep going. LotR is such a tale of resiliency and strength so how they draw their power to keep going is a great topic to talk about.
"By Elbereth and Luthien the fair, you shall have neither the Ring nor me!" ~Frodo
"And then Gandalf arose and bid all men rise, and they rose, and he said: 'Here is a last hail ere the feast endeth. Last but not least. For I name now those who shall not be forgotten and without whose valour nought else that was done would have availed; and I name before you all Frodo of the Shire and Samwise his servant. And the bards and the minstrels should give them new names: Bronwe athan Harthad and Harthad Uluithiad , Endurance beyond Hope and Hope Unquenchable.." ~Gandalf, The End of the Third Age , from The History of Middle Earth series
"He knew now why Beregond spoke his name with love. He was a captain that men would follow, that he would follow, even under the shadow of the black wings."- Siege of Gondor, RotK
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Lissuin
Doriath
12:53pm
Post #3 of 3
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It's such a huge part of this tale, as you say,
[In reply to]
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and was an inspiration to me to persevere with large and small problems more than once in life since I first read LOTR in my late teens.
If it was a quote from Tolkien or someone else contributing here, I don't remember, but because I've never been a soldier myself I'll take this thought from more experienced folk: Soldiers may enlist and join a cause because they are inspired to be a part of something important on a grand scale; they can then keep pressing forward because of their comrades on a personal level.
It goes along with Meneldor's comment, "Fight on, and do not despair. But if you do despair, then, fight on in despair." I imagine that many times a life or death situation in battle would seem overwhelming, but you cannot give up if others you care about are standing next to you and depending on you to do your part. Tolkien gives his characters many opportunities to despair and give up. They keep on with their tasks whether the people who depend on them are within reach or will never know that they kept on with the task. Someone is depending on them, and that is enough.
During his council, Elrond tries to inspire while preparing them for the difficulties ahead. "Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must,..."
Even Aragorn and Faramir must feel that they are too small for their tasks at times, let alone a hobbit.
Another example: Eowyn defending Theoden from the Witch King, and Merry defending her. Hopeless? Not together.
Great topic! Thanks for starting it.
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