Lotr fans...ready on...help? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 02-09-2002, 08:29 AM

I think, Herenistarion, you may not quite have a handle on what an archetype is. I agree with everything you said about Gollum as a struggling personality. Nevertheless, from a Jungian point of view, Gollum's character functions as THE DARK ALTER-EGO TO THE HERO. As such, that makes him the primary Shadow figure for Frodo, especially in TTT and ROTK. It might be argued that Sauron is himself THE Shadow under the archtypal definition, but it would be more accurate to say that he is alter ego to the Kings of Numenor, which would therefore be Aragorn. This makes it especially interesting that Tolkien shows Aragorn using the Palantir to announce himself as THE challenger of Sauron.

[ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: littlemanpoet ]

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

02-09-2002, 08:29 AM	#5
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I think, Herenistarion, you may not quite have a handle on what an archetype is. I agree with everything you said about Gollum as a struggling personality. Nevertheless, from a Jungian point of view, Gollum's character functions as THE DARK ALTER-EGO TO THE HERO. As such, that makes him the primary Shadow figure for Frodo, especially in TTT and ROTK. It might be argued that Sauron is himself THE Shadow under the archtypal definition, but it would be more accurate to say that he is alter ego to the Kings of Numenor, which would therefore be Aragorn. This makes it especially interesting that Tolkien shows Aragorn using the Palantir to announce himself as THE challenger of Sauron. [ February 09, 2002: Message edited by: littlemanpoet ]