One of the great things about The Lord of the Rings is Tolkien’s use of minor characters inasmuch as they have important, sometimes critical, parts to play.
For example:
Gaffer Gamgee – (unwittingly) sends a Black Rider off to Buckleberry because he thought Sam and Frodo had already left Hobbiton. No Gaffer, no Lord of the Rings (well from page 82 onwards anyway!)
Fatty Bolger – stalls a number of Black Riders at Crickhowell, aiding Frodo’s escape from the Shire
Radagast the Brown – unwittingly helps to defeat Saruman’s plans by passing on Gandalf’s request to animals that he requires information at Isengard. Without this, Gandalf would have remained imprisoned in Orthanc, with dire consequences.
Tom Bombadil – hardly minor, but without him perhaps no Merry and Pippin, or at least no Numenorean Sword for Merry to help defeat the Witch King with.
Glorfindel and Asfaloth. What would have happened without the Elf to assist driving the black riders into the river, and Asfaloth to rush Frodo to Rivendell?
Erkenbrand. No Erkenbrand and his men, no victory at Helm’s Deep.
Ghan buri Ghan – No Ride of the Rohirrim, they would have been waylaid or stalled until it was too late to assist Gondor.
Beregond – Halts some of the guards’ attempts in bringing Faramir to a grissly end at Rath Dinen. Without him, the line of the Stewards may have come to a halt.
Gwaihir and Landroval: who would have saved Gandalf in Isengard? Who would have saved Frodo and Sam from the fires of the erupting Orordruin? i suppose this applies to eagles in general.
I've probably missed loads, but I put it to you that the forces of 'good' would not have suceeded if perhaps one or two of the minor characters above had not intervened?
Nob - Barliman Butterbur's lackey at The Prancing Pony, if he had not gone outside looking for Merry and found two Ringwraiths stooping over his semi-conscious body, Merry would have been taken prisoner and who knows what effect this would have had on the quest to send the Ring to Mt Doom? He certainly would not have been there to help kill the Witch King. Also, if Nob had not given Sam that bag of apples, what else would Sam have used for target practice on Bill Ferny's head?
What I'm trying to say is...what an amazing, intricate, well thought out plot LOTR has (which I'm sure we all know already...but still) The Quest was so desperate that its success depended on the actions of lots of different characters. I think that these wellknown words of Galadriel, not only apply to the Fellowship, but to all the characters (major and minor) involved in the story.
I think Tolkien understood the idea that everybody has some part in everything, no matter how little that part is. I think that's where they nabbed that line for Galadriel in the Fellowship movie, "even the smallest person can change the course of the future" and so forth.
That's what makes the story a little more realistic (and coincidentally was a common practice in the writings of the early 20th century), including lots of characters that show up, and are practically never seen again. It certainly makes things more realistic, seeing as how you meet and see people once, and then never see them again.
I know I forgot loads more. These are just a few of those important minor characters. I'm expecting to hear more from you wonderful people. Any additions?
Prince Imharil - and his men, no Lothiriel, no marriage to Eomer, blah blah blah!
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Thank you so much Eezy!!
I'm starting over, do not mistake me for my brother - he has left. Eezy has convinced me to come back, give him some credit.
The names of the two orcs in Cirith Ungol. They led to a fight that spread throught the tower. Without this fight, Sam couldn't of saved Frodo. That's somewhat important.
how about Deagol?...such a very minor charachter in the books, but one with a great deal of importance...Finding the ring in the river....Although if he had not found it i'm sure the ring would be found by another.
Farmer Cotton: well maybee he didn't do much but i always loved the scene from the book where he'siting by the fire warming his hands and the rufians come up to take him away and then ALL the hobbits roar and screem and surround the ruffians...
i can't think of the name now but its the orc that merry and pip tricked when they were held captive...they told him they had the ring and they escaped that way.
What makes a character a 'minor' character?...is it their deeds?...the length of their tale in the MAIN story?....what makes them minor is that they only appear for a short time in 'THE Lord of THE Rings'...but that dosn't mean they're minor in character or importance...it simply meens that what they did to affect the story of the ring was recorded by the author....then their tale ends and the rest goes on...but they continue to do deeds... they are just not recorded. ITs the story of the Ring...not about...farmer cotton or deagol...if it was then frodo would be a minor character...its all relative to your point of view the story is told...
ok i kinda went on a tangit and i'm not even sure if it fits in this thread now or not...but i'm not bashing anybodys opp i'm just contemplating what makes somone minor...cause they are all important to me..even if some appear less than others.
I meant "minor" characters as in they're not that important as far as their character is concerned..not their deeds. What I consider major characters are the principal characters...the characters that make the story go round, have plenty of things to do, have character development and all that. Eowyn, Frodo, Sam, Denethor, Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf, etc. for me are major characters. Deagol, Beregond, Fatty Bolger, Radagast, Goldberry, Grishnakh, Orc# 2451 for me are minor characters. They're minor in characterization..but not necessarily their deeds.
Some more..
Halbarad was minor-yet-important. He brought with him some of Aragorn's credentials for the Kingship (Arwen's banner), without those he'd not have been able to claim the throne.
Arwen's role in the books (not her inflated role in the movies) is relatively minor, though she also sends Aragorn some needed "king equiptment" by way of Galadriel, namely the brooch which gave him his name Elessar.
The Wood-Elf guards who took pity on Gollum and ended up letting him escape play a major role in the story, in that without them, no final drop over the edge at Mount Doom. Same goes for Haldir, Rumil, and Orophin at Lothlorien when they hesitate to kill an unidentified shadow in the trees.
Snowmane is another one. Without Theoden's Bane would Eowyn have stood up to the Witch King? Doubtful.
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Thank you so much Eezy!!
I'm starting over, do not mistake me for my brother - he has left. Eezy has convinced me to come back, give him some credit.
well...how about aragorn's ring?...i know its not a character...but its an important piece in the books...who was the guy who held it alof while running and it protected him...?it was in the sil..
anyway it was a cool ring...so was gandy's ring...FIRE
cheers shadowy, my have u got some great thoughts in that head,
but its true minor characters do infact make a difference, also thorondor please try and make some decent posts and not justwaste space...
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"In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom."
The supporting characters always make a story better, in someways. I can't think of anyone right now, except Beleg. He was one cool elf that feel victem to Turin's curse. He was important in other ways, I haven't read the Tales of the Children of Hurin yet, so I don't know much about Beleg.
KMC Community Forums
Apr 5th, 2004 01:59 AM
even if some appear less than others.
