Impact of Christian Theology on JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
...e his place to the status of a god. The Ring, however, contains all the power of a god, or at very least, a fallen angel. The effects of the Ring of Power are clearly described and iterated throughout the story. Using the Ring frequently inevitably taints the soul and turns the bearer into a mere husk of what they once were, no matter how great or small they once were. Here Galadriel discusses the power and effects of the ring: I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired to ask what you offer [The Ring]. For many long years I had pondered what I might do, should the Great Ring come into my hands, and behold! It was brought within my grasp. The evil that was devised long ago works on in many ways, whether Sauron himself stands or falls…. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the morning and the night! …. All shall love me and despair!(410) The notion, introduced by Lord Acton in the 1880’s, that Absolute power corrupts absolutely [Bellalouna, 286] is evident here. The belief that a mortal man wielding a god’s power ultimately destroys him is clear in Christianity, and the same lesson is delivered soundly in The Lord of the Rings, by means of the One Ring. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. This quote is another great example of Christian influence on Tolkien’s work. Throughout The Lord of the Rings, a number of characters express willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of the fellowship, or one of the other members. Nowhere is this more evident, however, than at the Bridge of Khazad-Dum, where the mighty wizard Gandalf falls. The group encounters a Balrog, a Demon of sorts, in the Mines of Moria whose power is near equal to Gandalf. As can be seen here, Gandalf recognizes the need, not only of the group, but also of the world itself being greater than his own need to live: ‘You cannot pass,’ he said. The orcs stood still and a dead silence fell. ‘I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.’…. With a terrible cry, the Balrog fell forward, and its shadow plunged down and vanished. But even as it fell it swung its whip, and the thongs lashed and curled about the wizard’s knees, dragging him to the brink. He staggered and fell, grasped vainly at the stone, and slid into the abyss. ‘Fly , you fools!’ he cried, and was gone.(370-1) We can see here that Gandalf recognizes the situation’s peril, and the sacrifice he must make. This happens to have some relations to the land of Moriah, the name being one of the clearer connections, in the book of Genesis [Obertino]. In that story, Jahweh commands Abraham to take Issac to Moriah to be burned as a sacrifice on one of the mountains. [Obertino] The same thing can be seen in the sacrifice of Christ as well. He is sacrificed for the greater good. Gandalf is not the only character to follow this example, of course. Other characters take lesser stands in the same direction, or make vows to do so as is necessary. Sam is highly notable among these, for when his master Frodo seemingly dies at the hands of Shelob in The Two Towers, he took up the burden of the Ring. He had every intention of completing the quest that was meant for Frodo, knowing full well that it would cost him his life. But he no longer thinks of himself, rather he devotes himself to the memory of Frodo, and to the lives of his not yet forgotten fellowship members. It is here where it is evident that Sam is just as noble as the powerful and mighty Gandalf the Grey. And when the Uruk-hai captures Pippin and Merry, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas follow the same pattern. They chase them for days with little thought to their own health, prepared to...