[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I find myself in agreement with most of the complaints voiced thus far, but I shall set them aside so that I can concentrate on Gimli. One point about this character appears to have been left out of the preceding discussion (it goes without saying that it was absent from the films), and I should like to address it.

When Gimli is speaking to Galadriel at the giving of gifts and asks only for a single lock of her hair, he is revealed as a courtly hero in the tradition of the medieval romance. He chooses a lady to champion (Galadriel), whose favour he carries (a lock of hair is reasonably typical). Like the courtly knight, he entertains no romantic aspirations towards this lady, whom he keeps in mind as a spur to noble behaviour and a picture of the feminine ideal. To this end he defends her reputation for virtue and beauty even in the face of insurmountable odds (witness his defiance of Éomer before his entire éored), and will challenge the placing of any woman higher in others' estimation.

This attitude towards Galadriel is indicative of a general sensitivity towards beauty that is also shown in his reaction to the Glittering Caves. It sets him closer to the Elves, perhaps, than the rest of his race, but it is also possible that here we have the epitome of Dwarvishness, showing us that there is more to them than axes, beards and a love of smithying, another thing that the films have utterly failed to achieve. It is hardly surprising that this fundamental element of his character was dropped for the film, though, since it precludes his use as a bumbling clown. Also Tolkien plays with the image of the knight in shining armour by setting in his place one of the squat and solid Dwarves, perhaps showing us that it is not necessary to be a dashing Sir Lancelot in order to have the soul of a knight. Film-makers are notoriously afraid of taking risks like this, so a more conventional (and consequently less engaging) image for Gimli must be found.

As for comic relief, I do agree that it is necessary in a story such as The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien thought so too, and included it. The problem is that Tolkien's idea of a good joke and that of the average film-maker are not the same thing. They are looking for obvious humour to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and that means having someone clown about. Since Merry and Pippin can't be everywhere, and Aragorn and Legolas clearly can't be portrayed in this light, poor Gimli must trip over and talk like an idiot so that the real morons (hypothetical members of the audience, whose existence I doubt) may be sufficiently entertained by a story that is in every way above them (it is a fact universally acknowledged that nobody can be entertained by something that challenges them). I can guarantee that Tolkien would not be impressed.