Collaboration, Redemption, and Race: Who are the True Heroes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth Mythology?

J. R. R. Tolkien’s book, The Lord of the Rings, is one of the best-selling books of all time, and his works have immeasurably influenced popular culture and fantasy fiction. One of the major topics of Tolkien’s mythology is that of heroism; specifically, the issue of what character or race is the ultimate hero of Middle Earth. The purpose of this paper is to explore the connections between race, family history, and heroic action in Tolkien’s mythology. Through reference to Tolkien’s essays and traditions of Christian vs. pagan ideas of heroism, I hope to demonstrate that the relationship between race and heroism in Middle Earth is thematically complex and significant. Some of Tolkien’s heroes play a redemptive role in relation to familial curses. Others are heroic in supportive roles, while still others are limited in their potential for heroism because of an innate fallen nature that cannot be overcome. The paper ultimately concludes that each race in Middle Earth has its own representative heroes with each of these characters’ heroic potential and requirements determined not only by their race, but by their individual family history. This perspective is vital to understanding these texts and Tolkien’s intended message correctly.