Essay about The Allure of Power in the Lord of the Rings...

Power is something that can corrupt the noblest person. Tolkien shows readers through his Lord of the Rings trilogy that the temptation of power and succumbing to it can destroy an individual. However, he has also created characters with strong morals and sense of identity who are able to withstand the temptation of power. Galadriel is a kind and generous elf who is the Lady of Là ³rien. During the Company’s stay she is tempted by the Ring but decides to reject it. Galadriel shows great hospitality to the Company when they arrive from the Mines of Moria; she gives them clothes, supplies and gifts. While the Fellowship stays in Là ³rien Frodo offers the Ring to her. Galadriel states that she has wondered what she would do if she had the One†¦show more content†¦Saruman is the head of the Wizard order and the most powerful. Despite being the almighty Wizard, he still craves more power. He starts to reject and resent the limited power that he has and searches for the One Ring. Saruman, despising being â€Å"Saruman the White† as white can be overwritten and stained, changes his title to Saruman of Many Colours. He is also depicted as not having a rigid moral character: â€Å"Saruman is willing to justify the means in terms of the ends, hoping to impose his will on the world and everyone in it† (Davison 106). Saruman is willing to force his beliefs on other people and kill in the name of good. His loose morals make him an easy target for the Ring. Although Saruman is depicted as a villain in the novels, Frodo says, â€Å"He was great once, of a noble kind that we should not dare raise our hands against. He is fallen† (Tolkien 1019). Frodo acknowledges that before the Ring Saruman was great, powerful and noble. Unfortunately the temptation of the Ring destroys him. After his defeat at Isengard he is powerless apart from his words. Like Saruman, Gandalf is a Wizard and a member of the order. However, Gandalf is able to withstand the allure of the Ring. Gandalf the Grey is very powerful Wizard, although he is not as powerful as Saruman, he is the second in the Wizard order. Unlike Saruman, who is portrayed as selfish, Gandalf is depicted as a selfless and moral character. When the Fellowship is in the Mines of Moria, GandalfShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Cost of Redemption in the Lord of the Rings 1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cost of Redemption in the Lord of the Rings The struggle between good and evil is an ever present theme of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The struggle exists in all of Middle-earth, as the followers of Sauron wage war against the realms of free men and their allies, as well as in individual characters. Boromir, a tragic hero of Tolkien’s work has essentially good qualities marred by his corrupt desires for power and the Ring. The character of Gollum has an on-going internal struggle between