Lord of the Rings Trilogy Book Report

A Book Report of

“The Lord of the Rings Trilogy”

By J.R.R. Tolkien

I.            About the Author

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien,  (/ˈtɒlkiːn/;^[a] 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.He served as the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College, Oxford, from 1925 to 1945 and Merton Professor of English Language and Literature at Merton College, Oxford from 1945 to 1959.^[1] He was at one time a close friend of C. S. Lewis—they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.After his father's death, Tolkien's son Christopher published a series of works based on his father's extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts, including The Silmarillion. These, together with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings form a connected body of tales, poems, fictional histories, invented languages, and literary essays about a fantasy world called Arda, and Middle-earth within it. Between 1951 and 1955, Tolkien applied the term legendarium to the larger part of these writings. While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre. This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature or, more precisely, of high fantasy.

II.         Characters of the Novel

         Bilbo Baggins - A hobbit of the Shire. He is recruited by Gandalf the Grey to participate in an adventure.

         Gandalf the Grey - Gandalf was sent to Middle-Earth in mortal guise by the Valar to oppose Sauron. When he arrived in Middle-Earth, Círdan the Shipwright gave him Narya the Great, one of the three Elf Rings.

         Frodo Baggins - Bilbo's nephew and heir. After throwing himself an 111th birthday party, Bilbo gives Frodo the Ring. At the Council of Elrond, Frodo volunteers to be the Ring-Bearer and convey the Ring to its destruction in Mt. Doom.

         Sam Gamgee 
The son of Ham Gamgee and Frodo’s inquisitive gardener. Sam turns out to be one of the crucial characters in the success of the quest. Not only does he accompany Frodo, he also risks his own life for Frodo. Sam is good-natured and content.

         Merry 
One of four Hobbits who accompany Frodo on his quest. He plays an important part in the quest, helping Eowyn to kill the lord of the Nazguls. He pledges life-long service to Theoden, King of the Mark, and helps restore order to the world.

         Pippin
Another hobbit who is indispensable to the quest. His impulsive and inquisitive nature makes him look into one of the seeing stones. By doing this he unknowingly saves Gandalf from being revealed to Sauron. He offers his services to Denethor, steward of Gondor, and his valiant fighting in the war earns him a knighthood.

         Legolas 
A representative of the elves who goes on the quest.

         Gimli 
A valiant dwarf and close friend of Legolas.

         Boromir 
The elder and more loved son of Denethor. The power of the Ring corrupts him but he is redeemed in his death.

         Aragorn
Known as Strider as well as Elessar, he is the rightful king and heir of Isildur of Gondor. He is a close friend to Gandalf and to Frodo, and is instrumental in destroying the ring and defeating Sarumon and Sauron.

         Sauron 
The Dark Lord of Mordor. He is the principal source of evil in the novel and covets the Ring, by which he longs to conquer the world.

         Gollum 
Also known as Smeagol. Gollum was once an ordinary hobbit, but he became obsessed with the Ring. He killed his best friend to get the Ring, then became evilly obsessed with getting the Ring back at all cost.

         Saruman 
One of the wizards of the white council, he is corrupted by his own power and becomes a force of evil in the novel.

III.      Settings

-      This story is set in the world of Tolkien's invention, known as Middle Earth.

IV.        Summary of the Story

-  This story is set in the world of Tolkien's invention, known as Middle Earth. A specter of evil is looming over Middle Earth as the Dark Lord, Sauron, seeks to consolidate his already immense power, by reclaiming the One Ring that he has lost. Most of his power is held in this ring. With this power, he can enslave Middle Earth and unleash an incredible evil with little opposition. In the story of The Hobbit, a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins has stolen the ring from a hideous creature called Gollum. Somehow, this ring ends up with Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's nephew and all of a sudden, Frodo is at the center of this epic drama involving the ring that he knows very little about.The wizard, Gandalf, warns Frodo that he should leave the shire and keep the ring out of Sauron's hands. They meet a fellow named Tom Bombadil who helps them get out of trouble when they are faced with the Nine Black Riders. Later, they meet Strider/Aragorn and they continue safely to the country of the elves. Frodo recuperates from a wound and he is healed by Elrond. At the Council of Elrond it is decided that the ring must be destroyed at the Cracks of Doom. This is many miles away, deep inside the evil lands of Mordor. The Fellowship of the ring is established, including nine individuals in all.Gandalf meets his end on the Bridge of Khazad-dum, attempting to defend the company from the evil Balrog. The group must continue without him, heading south, into Lorien, a forest of elves. Here, the Lady Galadriel offers comfort and security for a time. Frodo grows in knowledge and maturity and he becomes more resolved to fulfill his mission. His resolve is further tested when Boromir tries to steal the ring from him. In the end, Frodo knows that he must fulfill his duty but he does not want to endanger his friends any further, nor does he want to solicit their opinions for he knows that they will change his mind. In the end, Frodo continues alone - though Sam soon finds him and refuses to do anything other than accompany him, heading towards the evil land of Mordor.

V.          Review of the Novel

 The Lord of the Rings is timeless because it's the product of a truly top-shelf catergory Tolkien was a distinguished linguist and dead languages with strong ideas about the importance of myth and story and a deep appreciation of nature. His epic, 10 years in the making, recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age, a time when magic begins to fade from the world and men rise to dominance. Tolkien carefully details this transition with tremendous skill and love, creating in The Lord of the Rings a universal and all-embracing tale, a justly celebrated classic.