Friendship as a central theme in The Fellowship of the Ring

Friendship in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings embodies friendship and its importance through the many relations among its stimulating characters. Tolkien truly lives vicariously through his creations by emphasizing on companionship throughout the course of the epic fantasy. Relations such as those between Sam and Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli, prove time and time again how friendship indeed was the central theme of the tale.

It is believed that aficionados of English literature all over the world feel that it is their obligation to have read The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. The epic saga is a tumultuous ride of absorbing mystery and immense entertainment. It is a journey of all things chimerical and fictional, propagating all messages as real as human life itself. There are many central themes that prevail in the contexts of this story. For instance there is the unquenchable thirst for power and the unexpected burden of responsibility but perhaps the most important theme is that of the supremacy of friendship.

There are various friendships throughout the tale, which embody undying loyalty, unshakable honesty and deep-rooted mutual respect. The friendships among these characters surpass confines of social class, creed or in this particular case species. The Hobbits, for instance are shown as a group of simple people, inhabiting the Shire which is a place as lush as their mutual bonds. Their lives are dominated by togetherness and consultation at every turn, and relations are formed and maintained throughout their vastly long lives. The story starts by defining some significant friendships such as those between Frodo and his uncle Bilbo Baggins, and Frodo's consequential alliance with Bilbo's long-time associate Gandalf the Grey.

As the story begins we are introduced to the history of the protagonist Frodo Baggins. Frodo entrusted in his uncle's care since childhood grows up to treat the latter more like a friend than a guardian. He always regarded the times spent with the older Hobbit as those of happiness and ease and his recurrent nostalgia towards his uncle shows his closeness to him. Similarly, Bilbo Baggin's relation with Gandalf the Grey is based on trust and wisdom and is eventually passed along to the younger Hobbit. In fact Gandalf's friendship is more like an unofficial guardianship that transcends to Frodo, just as much as Bilbo. And as the tale progresses it is Gandalf who brings forth the news of Frodo's dangerous mission, and leads the way for him.

Perhaps, the most important relation throughout the installment is that of the protagonist Frodo Baggins and his servant Sam Gamgee. Sam's loyalty to his master is amazing as he never once leaves Frodo's side and disregards all possible dangers of the journey at hand from the moment he discovers the duty laid upon his master. Frodo too, regards Sam with a veneration that he allots no one else. Frodo's extended friendship to Merry Brandybuck and Pippin Took is the epitome of joy and mischief. Merry and Pippin are a constant source of glee throughout the tale, and their mere presence lights up any scene with their automatically resonating responses and actions. Nevertheless, despite their childlike behavior, they take Frodo's mission seriously and are not once blinded to the importance of helping their dear friend accomplish his dangerous end.

The significance of friendship reverberates as we emigrate from the Shire with Frodo and his clique. The mystery of the ring of power reveals a story pertinent to the cause of friendship. Tolkien surreptitiously displays what he believed to be the ultimate end for a person who disregards friendship in Smeagol, who is tempted by the power of the ring. Smeagol gradually corrupts into a vile creature by the name of Gollum, and thereby portrays the grotesque picture of deceit and lust.

As we move along, we are introduced to another fine character, Aragorn. The man is shown as a vagabond, belonging to a royal pedigree as Isildur's heir, but still searching for his identity. His devotion to Frodo's cause is exceptional for it is not only brought on by the pertinence it bears to his ascendants, but also the overwhelming desires within him to eradicate such a corrupting object entirely, and free Frodo of his responsibility. He leads the odd alliance, saves Frodo's life and continuously acts as Frodo's guide, guard and advisor. Their closeness grows as Frodo begins to trust him more and more after every encounter.