Psychological depth in Tolkien's characters

[Orofaniel]

No, there are a multitude of reasons why we might find characters interesting and care about them. Psychological depth is only one such reason.

Yes, but it's a darn important reason, at least it is to me. I wouldn’t think a book was interesting or fascinating if it was full of characters with no psychological depth. I do think that it's different from person to person and what we emphasize. So, maybe we have totally different views on this one; you think that it isn’t that important, I however think it is. But I agree, there are many different reasons that we may find a character is interesting, the question is how important each of the factors are emphasized by us.

Heck, characters don't even need to have particularly great characterisation for us to care about them if they are important enough to the story or sufficiently well integrated into it. I think that it would be difficult to argue that Legolas and Gimli are particularly well-developed characters, whether psychologically or otherwise. And yet you would presumably say that you cared about what happened to them. Why?

Yeah, I agree with you that the story has much to do with it. But I doubt that the story would be that good with characters that have none psychological depth at all.

I think Legolas and Gimli are that much developed that they make a good story. The story is good because of the people in it, and the relationship between the two of them. You ask why we would care about them afterwards; I think that could be different from person to person. You may not feel that you have anything in common with the two of them, others may though. So to discuss character's psychological depth will of course be understood differently from person to person. I, myself, think that the story about Gimli and Legolas has its own charm. They are two completely different people, but yet, they are on the same quest together; to destroy the ring, and protect Frodo. They become friends even though dwarves and elves don’t go well together. I think that says a lot about their psychological depth……

Cheers (again)
Orofaniel [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ November 24, 2003: Message edited by: Orofaniel ]

[ November 24, 2003: Message edited by: Orofaniel ]