The Lord of the Rings: Why it’s a tale that matters

By Jason Kelly

With many books, more than six films and countless other appearances in film and literature Middle Earth, the land imagined by esteemed author J.R.R Tolkien famously in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series, has been a fantasy world that people all across the globe have flocked to for more than half a century. Tolkien’s world is full of creatures and ideas that have been seen in other books but something about his world has inspired and awed people in a way that no other creation has. It helps that Peter Jackson created arguably the most powerful and epic film trilogy in the history of cinema in the early 2000s, a representation of the books that helped expose many people to the land of Middle Earth. Tolkien’s imaginary world is depicted so well that it often feels real. This sense of realness has captivated the minds of millions.

One may logically question why many people are so captivated by the tale of a hobbit and his journey to destroy a ring. Why to this day do people marathon the films (a feat which takes well over ten hours) and read the books for the thirtieth time. What is it about The Lord of the Rings that captures the hearts of so many who read and watch it. The answer is simple, yet beautiful, The Lord of the Rings exemplifies the human intuition that sooner or later in our lives, pain will cease, love will prevail and evil will be defeated. It tells us that even though the odds may seem insurmountable, even the smallest and most inconsequential of us can rise up and make a difference.

I don’t think that anyone that has ever lived on this earth for any reasonable period of time has passed through their life without feeling some sort of injustice. Rape, murder, war and countless other crimes ravage our humanity and turn us into bleak creatures. Much like in Middle Earth people commit acts of evil that have painful consequences, consequences that lead to innocent beings suffering through insurmountable pain. At the center of all the darkness is Sauron, who represents pure hatred, bigotry, greed and all other forms of evil that can possibly exist. He seduces people to lust after power and seems to inspire all people in their acts of malice. His armies are vast and seemingly undefeatable. Sauron is the worst of the world and yet there are those who oppose him.

At the center of the story lies the only thing that can destroy evil, friendship, conviction and most of all hope. Like Frodo we are all on a journey but we cannot complete this journey by ourselves. This life without family and friends around us is a life without purpose. A life without fulfillment of the promises we make to those we love is a life devoid of meaning. Life is hard, and it is hard for everyone that lives on this earth. Like Sam we look around and think it’s all wrong, that there can’t possibly exist the struggles that people are forced to experience every day. We may come to a point where we cannot possibly go on, where we feel like there’s no reason left in healing a world that seems so intent in tearing itself apart and yet every day mothers and fathers give everything to make a good life for their children, members of the armed forces risk their lives, teachers get paid little to do so much and hundreds of thousands volunteer their time in the service of others. Though all these people have many opportunities to give up, they don’t. That is the beauty found in The Lord of the Rings, that there is a reason to keep going, and to quote Samwise Gamgee, “that there is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for”.

The Lord of the Rings is so beloved because it appeals to the belief in all human beings that one day murder, famine, starvation and all other pain will cease to exist. The Lord of the Rings is a tale, an imaginary one, but it represents the best of humanity and that makes it a tale worth telling.