I used to ask myself this question as a child, knowing that JRR Tolkien had filled it with symbolism, but not understanding that it wasn’t allegory. I wanted the stories to be like Narnia, where Aslan was Jesus, and all the metaphors and lessons to be learned were clear and crisp on the page.
Tolkien captures the struggle against darkness so well. His characters wrestle with temptation, bitterness, greed. And then there are the physical manifestations of evil: orcs and goblins and sinister, powerful rings that corrupt even the truest hearts.
But then Tolkien’s world is full of so much goodness. Good triumphs over evil, virtue prevails, heroism is found in even the smallest of Hobbits. But in all this goodness, where could I find God? As a child, I looked at stories and wondered where was truth? Lord of the Rings was a story that seemed so full of good and true things that I was surprised that it wasn’t all an allegory.
When Gandalf returned in robes of white after falling to the depths of a mountain, smiting a fiery demon… was that Jesus?
When Aragorn claimed his rightful place on the throne of Gondor after evil was defeated… was that Jesus?
I could see the parallels of the stories in the bible, but as a child I wasn’t as good at subtler metaphors. Of course now that I am older I see the stories from Lord of the Rings and I see so many ways Tolkien’s world highlights truths about dark vs light, good vs evil. I see how he captures the goodness of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable odds. I see the virtue of men and women fighting to protect the vulnerable, no matter the cost. And I also see the heartbreaking failure of those who would selfishly take power for themselves.
Sméagol murdering his friend for the ring.
Isildur walking away from a chance to destroy the ring once and for all, taking the power for himself.
Boromir’s good-hearted desire to use the ring to help his kingdom, which still led to him struggling against its corruptive nature.
Frodo, weary after a long journey, standing at the very fires of Mount Doom, being overwhelmed by the ring, nearly losing his chance to destroy it.
But Frodo’s (and Sam’s…and Bilbo’s) mercy is the reason Middle Earth is saved. Gollum lived when he might have been killed. And in those final moments when all is lost, his struggle against Frodo for the ring means his death…and the ring’s destruction with it. If not for the goodness of Hobbits, Sauron might have prevailed.
Tolkien’s stories are so good because they reflect the realities of the Kingdom of God. Our struggle is against darkness, but Goodness has already won. Virtue prevails over selfishness. Good people may suffer, but their victory is eternal, like Frodo’s final journey on the White Ship. In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, although the heroes face terrible odds, they prevail because of their bravery. They prevail because they do what is right. In our story as Christians, we prevail because Jesus lived a righteous life, and as His children, we can live a life reflecting that righteousness. We may never have to face an orc army or destroy an evil ring, but we stand victorious over death, inviting others to join us.
It is hard to rival human creativity for the ability to express the truth of God’s goodness. Stories of goodness are a balm for my weary soul. They point me to Jesus, whose virtue and sacrifice in the face of so much suffering are remarkable. I love when a story captures the triumph of light over darkness. The truth of it rings like a bell, crisp and clear in my heart. I thank God that His image-bearers are capable of creating art that reflects the realities of God’s creation.
I hope you’ve enjoyed celebrating Hobbit month with me through these weekly reflections on Tolkien’s work! To read more of my work, consider subscribing to my weekly newsletter—it’s free!
You put words together in a lovely fashion- I enjoy reading your work. ❤️
I strive to do this in my poetry, too. Thanks for sharing Julia!