Halfwise and Ordinary? Thoughts about Samwise Gamgee

[caraloup]

... Frodo looked at Sam rather startled, half expecting to see some outward sign of the odd change that seemed to have come over him. It did not sound like the voice of the old Sam Gamgee that he thought he knew. But it looked like the old Sam Gamgee sitting there, except that his face was unusually thoughtful.That's exactly how I feel when I

Comments

The Mind of Master Samwise

[sizequeen]

After three years of LOtR films and fanfiction, I finally decided to try and read the books again about a month ago. (I'm only about 120 pages in.) I found that the books that had been impossible for me to get through in 2001 were suddenly fascinating and brilliant. I started reading the trilogy partly because I didn't want the LOTR experience to end, and also because, I wanted to separate canon from an increasingly unconvincing fanon. So, as you can imagine, I find this kind of commentary extremely illuminating

Re: The Mind of Master Samwise

[caraloup]

Wow, thank you for sharing all these thoughts and impressions! I'd love to hear more as you read the books.

That whole "samwise" thing always threw me, as well as the fact that he and Rose had 13 children. Somehow, I had always interpreted that as some kind of unintentional insult on the part of the Tolkien--looking down on the lower classes. But what I realize now, is that Tolkien is presenting Sam as the progenitor of a great dynasty, much as Isengrim was for the Tooks or Oldbuck for the Brandybucks.Yes, that's a very good point. As little as we know about the lives of Sam's children, at least three of them played important (though very different) parts in the Shire's history. Elanor by becoming the keeper of the Red Book; Frodo by continuing the line of gardeners and Masters of Bag End; and Goldilocks' marriage to Faramir Took sets a whole new standard for intermarrying between the different classes in hobbit society. So, no, I don't think Tolkien was looking down his nose at the lower-class hobbits, he definitely saw Sam's

Re: The Mind of Master Samwise (part 2)

[caraloup]

But I was shocked to learn that Frodo isn't the effete, pale bookworm one finds in fanon, but a strong, active hobbit, itching to travel and a friend of the elves!

Yes, thank goodness!! How could he have carried the Ring so far, if not for the incredible strength in him? It baffles me why anyone would write Frodo as helpless, incompetent or anti-social.

At one point, he thinks (dreams?) of the sea and decides that as long as the Shire is safe and his work is done there, he would be content to leave home forever. Frodo's parents are dead and seems all alone, while Sam is seen being very social with a father, and siblings and connections to home. Nice bit of foreshadowing on Tolkien's part.Frodo does have an active social life though and forms strong friendships before he leaves on the quest. Sam, on the other hand, is *very* ready himself to leave the Shire, and there are hints throughout the books that he'll eventually cross the Sea himself (less obvious than in Frodo's case, admittedly), so perhaps they're not quite as different

[elderberrywine]

Oh, this is wonderful. I am so looking forward to your thoughts on this subject, especially since LOTR has always been all about the Samness for me. Not that I don't love Frodo as well, but in some ways, I always have felt that Frodo is presented to us as a given, and the emphasis is on what he does. Whereas, Sam is at first glance the normal rustic sidekick until we realize that he is actually more than that: the emphasis on Sam is more who he is, and what he represents to both Frodo and Tolkien, than what he does.

And thank you so much, because I could swear that there is one reference to Sam as being brown and lean (which would make a lot more sense) but I haven't found it in just skimming. Gosh. Guess I'll have to read it again.

Physical Description of Sam

[nikkitook]

The only physical description I could find of Sam (besides those which briefly mention his brown eyes) is this one:

In his lap lay Frodo's head, drowned deep in sleep; upon his white forehead lay one of Sam's brown hands, and the other lay softly upon his master's breast.

Nikki

Re: Physical Description of Sam

[caraloup]

Ahhh... thank you for the quote, Nikki! That's one of my absolute favorites. (Is there anyone else here who's reminded of the Song of Songs, or is it just me? "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.") <3

Re: (was Physical Description of Sam) now Frodo

[nikkitook]

Last year I started hunting for physical descriptions of the Hobbits (as written by Tolkien in LOTR). I *thought* I had found all of them! Last night I stumbled upon another brief one pertaining to Frodo.

First, the one that everyone knows from the Prologue:

>>They are quick of hearing and sharp-eyed, and though they are inclined to be fat and do not hurry unnecessarily, they are nonetheless nimble and deft in their movements.

Now Frodo:

>>Frodo was neither very fat nor very timid; indeed, though he did not know it, Bilbo (and Gandalf) had thought him the best hobbit in the Shire.

[isildae]

Wow Cara this is wonderful. I love your essays, and a whole essay dedicated to Sam sounds marvelous indeed.

Just in this first part you have reminded me of two instances that I usually just skim over when reading. The dialog in the green Dragon and the Lay of Gil-galad that Sam tells, and I worship and adore Sam over all literary characters, ever!

Sam is so much more than I think any of us give him credit for, even those of us who love him best. I'm so excited to learn what you're studying of him reveals.

Thanks for writing this in the first place, as I am anxiously awaiting the next part!

[caraloup]

The dialog in the green Dragon and the Lay of Gil-galad that Sam tells, and I worship and adore Sam over all literary characters, ever!

I do too. :) And I *love* that scene where he recites the lay... (Oh, have you heard the sung version in the BBC radio play? That just makes me melt.)

So glad you're enjoying this so far, and I'll try my best to get the next part written within a week. Thank you. :)

[isildae]

*(Oh, have you heard the sung version in the BBC radio play? That just makes me melt.)*

I've heard like 5 seconds of the BBC version online and the first thought I had was like "OMG's they sound like themselves!" and I mean from the book ofcourse.

I wish I could buy it, but its sooooo expensive. *pouts* Maybe someday. . .

Thanks.

[isildae]

I have been referred here by a Tolkien friend, Cara. What a thoughtful and thought-provoking essay you are creating. I am so grateful to be able to read it. Beautifully written, too. (I don't know if this will go through, since I am not a member here. There are little boxes above this reply window but the black letters on the dark blule field are unreadable for me.)

I have no comments not mentioned already except that I too had thought of Sam's huge number of children was more like Israel and his sons--these are to be the major receivers of the Story, handing it on to far flung branches, keeping it as central to their inherited tradition. Also, I just have finished re-reading The Two Towers. Sam has just mentioned Beren and Luthien's story as the context for his "Do you think we'll ever be in the great tales?" musings. Obviously a hugely formative story for Tolkien; in what particular was would Sam have responded to it, I wonder? (Mechtild)

Wonderful essay

[sierralois]

What a wonderful essay and I'm looking forward to more. I don't have much time now since I'm on my way to work. I've always felt Sam's comments in the books are so interesting

Re: Wonderful essay

[caraloup]

Hi Lois! Welcome to LJ! :)

It reminds me of what he says in FOTR-the film to Frodo as he watches the elves leave: "I don't know why but it makes me sad." I felt PJ was illustrating this gift of Sam to have a farsighted, intuitive sense. In this scene, Sam is foreshadowing Frodo's departure; he feels it somehow, the "wide-reaching implications and connections." In the books this is also illustrated by his continued interest in Beren and Luthien while he and Frodo are on the quest.

Yes, absolutely! And by relating to their story, Sam is able to develop a more conscious understanding of historical connections and deeper meanings in the tales that have always touched him. It also changes his understanding of making choices and their ultimate meaning.

Oh, and I love that scene in FOTR, of course. :) I wish it had been part of the theatrical version, too, as it says so much about Sam.

[ajodasso]

This actually ties partially into what we were discussing today in my medieval literature class -- we just finished reading The Hobbit as one of our curriculum selections, and we also read Tolkien's essay, "On Fairy Stories". My professor is tremendously fond of the trilogy, and she's been trying to find an excuse to discuss Tolkien in-depth all semester, and including The Hobbit in our reading list is, I imagine, her way of doing that. It was interesting how the conversation wandered from the changes in Bilbo as a character, as a hobbit, to the changes in Sam during the quest. I'd argue that Bilbo comes off as even more ordinary than Sam when we're first introduced to him; his comfort zone is even slimmer than Sam's! I'm glad you're writing this essay, though; to an extent in my class, I saw the tendency to write Sam off going on, and I ended up keeling conversation back to him (and to Frodo by extension, but what else is new;) as best I could.

[caraloup]

Oh yes, I agree: Bilbo is introduced to us as *the* ordinary hobbit who gets dragged off into adventure entirely against his will. But even so, something sparks inside him quite fast, once Gandalf has prepared the stage. :) It's interesting, too, that Bilbo's curiosity and adventurous spirit are attributed to a Tookish inheritance, whereas in Sam's case, it seems to be more a matter of individual choice and inclination.

Oh, and I like your prof's amplification of the class subject! Very devious. :) Wonder if I could get away with something like that...