The Tolkien scholar Verlyn Flieger writes that heroes like Sigurd in the Volsungasaga have named, magic swords, and that acquiring such a weapon is a key moment in becoming a hero. Norse heroic culture įurther information: Naming of weapons in Middle-earth The warhorns of the Riders of Rohan exemplify, in Shippey's view, the 'heroic Northern world', as in what he calls the nearest Beowulf has to a moment of Tolkien-like eucatastrophe, when Ongentheow's Geats, trapped all night, hear the horns of Hygelac's men coming to rescue them the Riders blow their horns wildly as they finally arrive, turning the tide of the Battle of the Pelennor Fields at a climactic moment in The Lord of the Rings. Théoden's hall, Meduseld (the word means ' mead hall' in Beowulf), is modelled on Beowulf's Heorot, as is the way it is guarded, visitors being repeatedly but courteously challenged. He derived many aspects of The Lord of the Rings from the poem, including the heroic culture of the Riders of Rohan, who resemble the Anglo-Saxons in everything including their Old English language, except for Rohan's widespread use of horses. Tolkien was a philologist and an expert in heroic Anglo-Saxon culture and literature, especially Beowulf. Origins Beowulf's heroic culture įurther information: Beowulf in Middle-earth The heroic aspects of The Lord of the Rings derive from sources including Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon culture, seen especially in the society of the Riders of Rohan and its leaders Théoden, Éomer, and Éowyn and from Germanic, especially Old Norse, myth and legend, seen for example in the culture of the Dwarves. Scholars have seen the quest of the dissimilar heroes Aragorn and Frodo as a psychological journey of individuation, and from a mythic point of view of marking the end of the old-in Frodo's quest with its bitter ending, and the start of the new, in Aragorn's. His servant Sam sets out to take care of his beloved master, and rises through the privations of the quest to destroy the Ring to become heroic. Frodo is an unheroic, home-loving Hobbit who has heroism thrust upon him when he learns that the ring he has inherited from his cousin Bilbo is the One Ring that would enable the Dark Lord Sauron to dominate the whole of Middle-earth.

Aragorn is the man born to be a hero, of a line of kings he emerges from the wilds and is uniformly bold and restrained. Tolkien's presentation of heroism in The Lord of the Rings is based on medieval tradition, but modifies it, as there is no single hero but a combination of heroes with contrasting attributes. Tolkien certainly imbued the elves with a certain form of practical and applicable magic.Theme of heroism in J. Still, lembas bread sustains many members of the fellowship throughout their long trek.ĭespite Frodo's very difficult journey in LOTR, he had a great deal of help along the way from Sam and the elven magic inherent in many of the gifts he was given. Sadly, lembas bread is also part of the plot Gollum uses to turn Frodo against Sam when he takes the final bit of their supply and scatters the crumbs all over Sam while the hobbit sleeps to make Frodo think he ate the rest of it.

Legolas remarks to Merry and Pippin, 'One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man!' Nearing the end of their journey to Mordor, Frodo and Sam are practically living off of lembas bread as their food stores run short and wild game is sparse. It's kept in mallorn leaves and perfect for sustenance on long journeys. They are stocked up with lembas bread, also referred to as elven bread or waybread in the books. As they depart Lothlórien, the fellowship receives a final gift.

Frodo sting