[Guinevere]

This is an interesting topic!

The most closely drawn character in LotR is certainly Sam! (Tolkien himself stated that in letter #93)
Through Sam's "inner dialogues" he reveals his thoughts and feelings to the reader much more than any of the other characters. This is why one can so well feel and identity with him.

Since the whole LotR is written "as seen with the eyes of the hobbits" it is only the hobbits' thoughts and feelings the reader gets to know directly.
The other characters are seen , as it were, from "outside". You get to know them only by what they say and do. That can reveal a lot - but you don't get to know them as closely as the hobbits.
Even Frodo is towards the end largely seen through Sam's eyes - what really goes on in his mind we can only guess.

The case of Eowyn is also interesting - what we know about her, is mostly what Aragorn, Gandalf and Faramir tell about her!
Faramir's character is revealed through the long conversations with Frodo and Sam (all left out by PJ [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] )

The least developed character of the Fellowship is - in my opinion - Legolas. He reveals hardly anything about himself. We have no idea about his life before the quest, his thoughts or feelings. Yet he is the favourite of so many fans! But I think that it is just the fact that so little is defined about this beautiful mysterious elf, makes him so suitable for all sorts of projections... (cf innumerable Legolas- Fanfictions [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] )

It's also notable that many of the characters in LotR are changing and developing in the course of the quest, especially the hobbits. Merry and Pippin "grow up" and Frodo becomes ennobled.

[ July 08, 2003: Message edited by: Guinevere ]