Split Personality?

[littlemanpoet]

Alatar, an interesting reading. Almost persuasive. However, it reveals a PJ Sméagol of modernist, overly psychologized sensibilities. I find the Tolkien version more subtle and true to life.

SaurontheWhite, my problem with what you say is that PJ claims to have tried to stay true to the theme and spirit of Tolkien's books, and utterly failed to do so. I don't think PJ was trying to undermine Tolkien's LotR; rather, he just didn't really "get it", and under the rationale of trying to "make a good movie" and "tell a better story" (yes, he actually said that), he ruined Faramir, psychologized Gollum, Gollumized Frodo, demeaned Sam with a supposed "Gollum rivalry", and demeaned Aragorn's nobility. PJ just doesn't get it. I'm glad he won't be doing The Hobbit, although I don't hold great hopes for that "interpretation" either.

Originally Posted by Boromir

Boromir was 'predisposed' to the temptation of the Ring, just as Gollum was, because of his personality.

Whereas I agree with most things you have said on this thread, I must disagree with this because the logical implication is that some personalities are not disposed to the temptation of the Ring. This cannot be true because Tolkien makes it quite clear that no-one is safe, certainly not even Gandalf. "Do not tempt me, Frodo!"

Every character in LotR had desires. The Ring's modus operandus is to work on them. Sam dreams of becoming "The Great Gardener". Boromir imagines himself as the revered savior of Gondor. Saruman wants to be the new and better Sauron. Denethor wants to secure the Ring to overthrow the old supposedly extinct line of the ancient kings and set up his own line as the new kings of Gondor. Frodo wants to be home safe. Gollum unabashedly wants the Ring to slake his lust for riches.

So the success of some characters in rejecting the Ring is not based in personality, but in will. Frodo, though repeatedly tempted by the Ring, fell to the temptation only a few times because his will was strong enough to hold firm, though weakening as the Ring approached Mordor and strengthened. Gollum was predisposed to murder for the sake of the Ring because he had already committed evil and had a will to do more evil.

No personality is immune. Every character in Middle Earth, having desires, would have had choices to make when/if confronted by the Ring. The test of their character would be whether they had the will to withstand the temptation or not. This is one thing PJ just didn't portray with any consistency.