2005, Form B. One of the strongest human drives seems to be a desire for power. Write an essay in which you discuss how a character in a novel or a drama struggles to free himself or herself from the power of others or seeks to gain power over others. Be sure to demonstrate in your essay how the author uses this power struggle to enhance the meaning of the work.
One ring that has power over others. One ring to rule all. These words make people think about the Lord of the Rings series immediately. The theme of power is clearly outlined by J. R. R. Tolkien portrays this power struggle through the one Ring that can rule and manipulate others. Tolkien uses motifs and symbols regarding the ring in his self-created world of Middle Earth to show the struggle of Frodo to free not only himself, but the entire Middle Earth from Sauron's domination.
Motifs are recurring literary devices that help develop the important themes of a novel. An important motif for The Lord of the Rings is the temptation for the One Ring. The temptation of the ring is the motivating force behind every action in The Lord of the Rings. Sauron seeks it constantly to restore his domination. Gollum attacks Frodo several times to try to take it from him. Even pure-hearted Sam ponders the possesion of the ring. No one is immune to its temptation, and Frodo is no exception. Frodo constantly fights his desire for it within. When he finally arrives at Mount Doom, even he cannot resist its temptation at it's fullest. At no other moment in the series is Frodo more tempted by the ring’s power than ever before. Frodo gives up the ring only because Gollum appears and fights him for it, a fight that leads to its ultimate destruction.
The One Ring, also an important symbol, gains multiple meanings as Frodo’s journey proceeds. Created by Sauron, it is at first synonymous with its maker’s evil power. Those who encounter the ring are overcome with longing for power over others, and the ring could give more power to Sauron. For all, the ring suggests the dangerous tempatation for evil that is present in any being in Middle-earth. It also suggests slavery and weakness, since whoever gives in to the temptation of the ring becomes a slave to it. Gollum is an example of what happens physically when one succumbs to the ring. The fact that weakness affects every race of Middle-earth shows the extent of the ring’s power.
Lastly, the details Tolkien puts into the series creates a sense of reality in the power struggle for the ring. Tolkien goes into a awful lot of details on the One Ring's history so as to give the readers a sense of reality in the story. Frodo wouldn't have had to go on the epic journey if the ring was not presented to himself. Thus, the ring is center of plot and it enhances the meaning of The Lord of the Rings through the power struggle for the ring.
Very well written. I've never read The Lord of the Rings series but I felt that this essay gave me an idea and a sense of familiarity. The only criticism I have is that you don't need to define what a motif is.
ReplyDeleteI love Lord of the Rings. Definitely going to write my next essay on it.
ReplyDeleteYou touch on the spiritual aspect of the ring but I think you can take it to another level. The idea of man's greed and human's fault is deep. Also you could connect Mount Doom to Moses on the Mount and the symbolism of him being at higher state mentally, spiritually and physically. Great Essay. That's why I love Lord of the rigs. "more that meets the eyes"(Transformers).
This is a perfect work to analyze for the prompt, and you get at a lot of interesting stuff. The trouble is, there was a lot of plot summary, told in such a way as to hint at deeper meaning but you never really dug in and picked things apart. Maybe talk about exactly what these motifs and themes are that you get at, and talk more about how they contribute to the greater meaning of the work. The prompt also asks HOW the characters attempt to gain power, and I think that poses a much more interesting question than if and who, which, again, you touched upon but could have gone deeper. Overall, though, a lot of good stuff - I know it's just a blog post, so you don't spend a ton of time on it, but what you got at in the time you had suggests that you could crank out some sweet stuff if you really took the time, so I hope to read some of your bigger papers later in the year.
ReplyDeleteYour thesis is a bit unclear, and that seems to throw the later analysis off. You haven't really clearly given a theme; a statement the book is making. Sure, the ring emphasizes Frodo's struggle against temptation but so what? I'm not Frodo. Get at its broader meaning and you can tie these observations you're making to the world. You're still a little heavy on plot summary; turn the great eye of (Not Sauron) literature outward, out of Middle Earth and into the Earth we live in.
ReplyDeleteI like your use of the Lord of the Rings for this prompt, I think it fits rather well. However I don't understand what you mean when you say that Frodo was trying to free himself. He was only trying to get the ring back. When he was not wearing the ring, he was fully aware that all he wanted to do was destroy it. I like the bit about the motifs, though.
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