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Legate of Amon Lanc · 06-05-2013, 02:37 PM

Certainly it's partially easier for the heroes not to have a spouse. It can also represent different things. It is very strongly emphasised, I think either in the Appendices or in the Quest for Erebor, that one of the reasons why Gandalf thought Bilbo might be the right person to send on adventure was because he wasn't married. Obviously Gandalf wouldn't have sent somebody away from their family, that much is clear. The companions needed to be "free of obligations" elsewhere, and not just to be chosen by Gandalf, but obviously also to be chosen by "higher powers at work" - that much is beyond doubt (I think it is very evident from Frodo's story, the description of him aging towards 50 at the beginning of FotR). Slightly different angle comes with Aragorn, who decided to "put the matter aside" until he had finished his journeys and "re-discovered himself".

I am not sure whether there might be, with Tolkien being a Catholic, some sort of "pilgrim value of celibacy" there, too - as in, the value of one feeling his vocation to do something else, be it spiritual life in a retreat in a monastery or, like in this case, a long journey with uncertain goal. I think that's what Aragorn felt, at least: vocation, at least until his task was done. With Frodo and Bilbo, it was probably more unintentional, though there is this remark in the sense of "maybe some foreboding that stopped them from marrying" somewhere. With Sam... I would say, personally, that his place was still to stand by Frodo and help him, too, so first the task needed to be done, AND on top of that, I would personally say he needed to "grow up" a bit. With Pippin and Merry, they DEFINITELY needed to "grow up" a bit first (but they were also very young, so for them it was only a teenagers' adventure, so to say). Gimli... maybe still slightly too young to be married, besides, we know how problematic it is with the Dwarves? And Legolas... well, he's an Elf, that's also a bit different issue. And of course, no need to ask about Gandalf at this moment. Who did I forget? Ah, Boromir. But he seems to me to be a guy "married to his sword" in a way. Besides, I am sure if he had been married, then Faramir would have been sent instead of him for sure.

06-05-2013, 02:37 PM	#2
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Certainly it's partially easier for the heroes not to have a spouse. It can also represent different things. It is very strongly emphasised, I think either in the Appendices or in the Quest for Erebor, that one of the reasons why Gandalf thought Bilbo might be the right person to send on adventure was because he wasn't married. Obviously Gandalf wouldn't have sent somebody away from their family, that much is clear. The companions needed to be "free of obligations" elsewhere, and not just to be chosen by Gandalf, but obviously also to be chosen by "higher powers at work" - that much is beyond doubt (I think it is very evident from Frodo's story, the description of him aging towards 50 at the beginning of FotR). Slightly different angle comes with Aragorn, who decided to "put the matter aside" until he had finished his journeys and "re-discovered himself". I am not sure whether there might be, with Tolkien being a Catholic, some sort of "pilgrim value of celibacy" there, too - as in, the value of one feeling his vocation to do something else, be it spiritual life in a retreat in a monastery or, like in this case, a long journey with uncertain goal. I think that's what Aragorn felt, at least: vocation, at least until his task was done. With Frodo and Bilbo, it was probably more unintentional, though there is this remark in the sense of "maybe some foreboding that stopped them from marrying" somewhere. With Sam... I would say, personally, that his place was still to stand by Frodo and help him, too, so first the task needed to be done, AND on top of that, I would personally say he needed to "grow up" a bit. With Pippin and Merry, they DEFINITELY needed to "grow up" a bit first (but they were also very young, so for them it was only a teenagers' adventure, so to say). Gimli... maybe still slightly too young to be married, besides, we know how problematic it is with the Dwarves? And Legolas... well, he's an Elf, that's also a bit different issue. And of course, no need to ask about Gandalf at this moment. Who did I forget? Ah, Boromir. But he seems to me to be a guy "married to his sword" in a way. Besides, I am sure if he had been married, then Faramir would have been sent instead of him for sure. __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories