The Structure of The Lord of the Rings

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by ivo

I just meant that plotwise it's terrible, because it's an anticlimax, it's a 'new' part of the story after the main story is told (that of the Ring). No wonder PJ left it out of the movie.

Although it is not, perhaps, consistent with traditional plot structure, an "anticlimax" (or perhaps "sub-climax" is a better word) like the Scouring is not necessarily at odds with the structure of a story such as LotR. As you have suggested, there is more going on here than simply the Quest to destroy the Ring (although that is, of course, the central plot around which everything else revolves). The individual journies of the main characters need resolution, and the Scouring provides this for Sam, Merry and Pippin by showing how they have grown and developed by their experiences. It also provides a valuable insight into the development of Frodo's character and, of course, brings Saruman and Wormtongue's parts in the tale to an end.

Also, it is unlikely to bother the reader who become engrossed in the book. Having possibly devoted some weeks or even longer to reading it, he or she will generally be left with that feeling of wanting more (of Hobbits especially), and the Scouring provides this to a degree.

I agree, however, that it would not have worked at all in the film. One of the main criticisms by traditional (non-Tolkien devotee) critics is that the ending was too long. While a book can be picked up and put down at leisure, a film is an "all in one sitting" experience, and cinema audiences generally tend to get pretty restless after about 3 hours. To give the Scouring the justice it deserved would have taken too long (or required the main climax to occur far too early).