Humility & Heroes

[davem]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I think that the second category is particularly important as this is where Tolkien forces his good guys into humility as a requirement of their being 'good'. And that's where, I think, the notion of humility as a desirable character trait in a 'hero' is most important.

So Hobbits, in the main, are not 'humble' - they are as they are. Only when they transcend their nature (as with Frodo, Bilbo, & later with Sam too) are they able to humble themselves - one cannot lower oneself until one has scaled the heights - & as Chesterton said, one sees great things from the valley, only small things from the peak - hence only those Hobbits can pass beyond the Sea. The other Hobbits remain where they were put: "before Saruman, chop wood & carry water; after Saruman, chop wood & carry water" (but by-pass 'Enlightenment' because that's too much like having an adventure.) There is no 'sin' in the world of Fairy story. Sin is of the bigger world - as is Salvation (& Damnation, btw). The great choices are of the greater world - as are the greater consequences (& the greater rewards).

Tolkien's heroes must be humble or they won't win - yet all are humbled in Tolkien's world - some are born humble, like the Hobbits, some attain humility, like Aragorn, Gandalf, et al, & some have humility thrust upon them - like Saruman, Sauron & Wormtongue they are broken & humiliated. But the ones who are so humiliated, brought low, never seem to appreciate the 'gift'. Repentance is never an option. The good guys humble themselves & win. The bad guys are humbled & lose - permanently.