The Lord of the Rings

Yesterday and today I’ve been watching the extended version of The Return of the King on DvD and I was reminded of what wonderful movies the trilogy contains. Tolkein’s books were good, but the movies are excellent, the extended version is, if anything, better than the theater version.

Whenever I’ve seen the movies or books discussed the people involved always focus on the plot, characters, style, or supposed symbolism, but I’ve never seen anyone articulate the theme of the story, so I decided to take a stab at it: the theme of The Lord of the Rings is “Fortune favors the Brave”.

All right, so it’s a bromide, but it is the theme. Although the characters are purposeful and driven, most of the events in the story are largely the result of chance encounters, almost coincidences. In fact, the story is only possible because of the enormous coincidence of Bilbo Baggins finding the One Ring.

Tolkein’s genius, however, lies in the fact that the coincidences are themselves a product of his characters convictions. While they may not have ultimate control over the situation, had they not followed their convictions and stood for their beliefs unto the very last they would not have been in a position to take advantage of any good fortune. His novels are the benevolent universe premise in action.

It seems likely that Tolkein himself believed in some sort of consciousness or benevolent force at work undermining the evil, but this does not, in my mind, detract from the value of his books or the movies that are based on them. Reality is always undermining and working against the evil, but because they have set themselves against its requirements. It is simply a matter of the automatic workings of the universe, it is not directed by any consciousness.

All things that are definitely worth remembering.