Thoughts on reading Tolkien’s “THE RETURN OF THE KING”
I just finished reading THE RETURN OF THE KING. The Hobbits have returned to the Shire at long last. They have dealt with the destruction a vengeful Saruman had wrought following his release by Treebeard at Isengard. The path back from Gondor was a long one as Tolkien has tied up many loose ends. It's as if the author was working from a checklist of events, relationships, and items he created while writing the trilogy that he wanted to address in some final or conclusive fashion before he put down his pen.
Some of these resolutions address human relationships, such as Faramir and Éowyn’s. Some are promised events such as Gimli and Legolas’ tour of the Glittering Caves, a long promised event put off till after the war.
Most significant is the departure of the Ringbearers to the Gray Havens, a conclusive and final event that brought tears to my eyes. In the book this signified transition of an age. For me it was a bittersweet goodby to story, characters, and writing I had grown to love.
I recall when Peter Jackson's RETURN OF THE KING was released there were complaints about that film’s "many endings" following the destruction of the ring and Sauron. Those movie events, while highly condensed compared with the book, were, I now think, fitting to a cinematic experience. But the book’s events are much more drawn out. For that I am thankful. I am in awe of writing that is insightful, poetic, exciting, emotional, creative, and world-building. The reading experience has convinced me that I need to read more classics of world literature. I have my sights set now, for example, on Dante's DIVINE COMEDY and am searching for a good translation.
And, I admit, I’m looking forward to reading the LORD OF THE RINGS books again, sometime in the future!
Copyright 2024 by Dennis D. McDonald
