Here's where this rant started.
http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=13723
I hold that the original topic of the Movies thread called "Charisma" was probably acting ability. But I'm redirecting a rant along MatthewM's topic of the characters themselves because I find it interesting.
Charisma in the Books
To start us off, why would Tolkien even bother with the stories of Boromir, Legolas, or Aragorn if they
were ordinary? Heck, if they were even just slightly para-ordinary, Tolkien probably wouldn't have bothered with them.
I mean, let's look at the situation: Beregond is a fairly ordinary Gondorian who suddenly is forced into extraordinary circumstances by (a) his failing Steward, (b) a massive war, and (c) his love for Faramir. But though we might like his story, and he comes as a welcome addition to the story/plotline/Pippin narrative, Tolkien certainly doesn't choose to deal with Beregond's story exclusively. Why? Because he wasn't anywhere near as un-ordinary as Boromir, or Faramir.
Same with Glorfindel. He's a great character: brave, wise, and good with rescuing Ringbearers
, but he hasn't got the cheerful disposition and independent nature of Legolas, that seems to set him apart from the rest of the Elves. Perhaps that doesn't make Legolas extraordinary, but it certainly gives him a certain amount of charisma that, at least for me, makes him more interesting than Glorfindel.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by "The Fellowship of the Ring, The Ring Goes South"
'Farewell!' he said to Gandalf. 'I go to find the Sun!'
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I mean, in a dire circumstance like that, the Fellowship sure could've used a little bit of hope and cheer: and Tolkien put Legolas there for it.
To conclude my rant, I think that Tolkien wouldn't have even bothered with using more commonplace characters as his leaders in the Fellowship and other places. They're extraordinary because they're the main characters... and they're the main characters because they're extraordinary.
