Biggest Heroes in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion

About every character shows courage and selflessness in LotR; few, however, such loyalty as Samwise. Shunned as only secondary, barely mentioned as much as he should be, but he was the strongest character of all. What a hero.

[Lotrelf]

When, for the first time, I saw the LotR movies, I felt EVERY ONE was important. I couldn't bring myself to decide who was the greatest among them. The character I was most impressed with was Sam. After reading the books, I came to realize that the biggest hero is Frodo in the books. Why? Well, here's the answer:
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love¡ªto save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could; and also in complete humility, acknowledging that he was wholly inadequate to the task."- J.R.R. Tolkien
In this letter, we are told that Frodo knew he is completely inadequate to task of bearing the Ring and destroying it, but he does it anyway. Other heroes, like Frodo, were aware of their inadequacy as well, but among them only Frodo decided to go on the "Mission Impossible."

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by StarCupcake

About every character shows courage and selflessness in LotR; few, however, such loyalty as Samwise. Shunned as only secondary, barely mentioned as much as he should be, but he was the strongest character of all. What a hero.

He wasn't treated as "secondary" at all. After returning from the quest, he and Frodo are treated as "equals" and not primary or secondary.

[Faramir Jones]

Originally Posted by Lotrelf

He wasn't treated as "secondary" at all. After returning from the quest, he and Frodo are treated as "equals" and not primary or secondary.

I agree with you here about Samwise, Lotrelf. He was certainly intended by Tolkien to be the biggest hero of LotR. He was treated as an equal by Frodo to the extent that the latter made him his heir, everything he had being given to him. Sam and his wife Rosie are pushed upstairs by this into the ranks of the gentry.

This is only one of the many rewards received by Sam during his life, the greatest his being allowed to go over Sea. Unlike others, he is a hero who is justly rewarded.

The most heroic thing he did was to, thinking Frodo dead, decide to take the Ring and continue the quest on his own, not matter how much it hurt him to do so.

In terms of the Silmarillion, the one I regard as the biggest hero is Húrin. Despite being captured and tortured by Morgoth, and totally at his mercy, he still defied him to his face. When Morgoth told him that his family was at the former's mercy, Húrin pointed out, 'You have none'. What particularly impressed me, however, was his calling Morgoth 'an escaped thrall [slave] of the Valar', something that stands along with Fëanor's description of him as a 'jail crow of Mandos'!

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

I agree with you here about Samwise, Lotrelf. He was certainly intended by Tolkien to be the biggest hero of LotR. He was treated as an equal by Frodo to the extent that the latter made him his heir, everything he had being given to him. Sam and his wife Rosie are pushed upstairs by this into the ranks of the gentry.

This is only one of the many rewards received by Sam during his life, the greatest his being allowed to go over Sea. Unlike others, he is a hero who is justly rewarded.

The most heroic thing he did was to, thinking Frodo dead, decide to take the Ring and continue the quest on his own, not matter how much it hurt him to do so.

I'd disagree with you here. Tolkien NEVER meant Sam to be the "biggest" hero of the books. If you read the books, you'd see Sam does everything out of his love for Frodo. While Frodo does everything out of love for his home. Which love is more valuable? I'd say both. But, which one deserves more "praise"? I'd go with Frodo's. Because Sam was doing for the person he truely loves, and knows he is loved by that person equally. While Frodo did for a community. "To save the world he knew from disaster." In a world there ARE people who you love, hate or dislike or sometimes you don't give them a crap. But, when the time comes you are ready to sacrifice yourself for them. You know from the books what kind of reputation Frodo had in the Shire. He could have said "no" to the quest and lived there as Mr. Baggins, but he went to save them anyway.

When it comes to Sam's reward, I agree with you. But was it only Sam's? Don't you think it was something He got because of Frodo? Frodo left his home. Why? To get better? Is it something what he'd do? No. Though, there're many reasons tied to Frodo's departure, and I'm not going deeper. But Frodo would have stayed in the Shire and died there. And then? Merry, Pip and especially Sam would blame themselves for not being able to save him. Can you imagine how devastated Sam would have been? To save them all from this he left his home. The life you see rest of the fellowship living in the appendices is because Frodo sacrificed himself.
Sam's deeds are moving, heart melting, poignant instead of being heroic.

[Lotrelf]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

I agree with you here about Samwise, Lotrelf. He was certainly intended by Tolkien to be the biggest hero of LotR. He was treated as an equal by Frodo to the extent that the latter made him his heir, everything he had being given to him. Sam and his wife Rosie are pushed upstairs by this into the ranks of the gentry.

This is only one of the many rewards received by Sam during his life, the greatest his being allowed to go over Sea. Unlike others, he is a hero who is justly rewarded.

The most heroic thing he did was to, thinking Frodo dead, decide to take the Ring and continue the quest on his own, not matter how much it hurt him to do so.

I'd disagree with you here. Tolkien NEVER meant Sam to be the "biggest" hero of the books. If you read the books, you'd see Sam does everything out of his love for Frodo. While Frodo does everything out of love for his home. Which love is more valuable? I'd say both. But, which one deserves more "praise"? I'd go with Frodo's. Because Sam was doing for the person he truely loves, and knows he is loved by that person equally. While Frodo did for a community. "To save the world he knew from disaster." In a world there ARE people who you love, hate or dislike or sometimes you don't give them a crap. But, when the time comes you are ready to sacrifice yourself for them. You know from the books what kind of reputation Frodo had in the Shire. He could have said "no" to the quest and lived there as Mr. Baggins, but he went to save them anyway.

When it comes to Sam's reward, I agree with you. But was it only Sam's? Don't you think it was something He got because of Frodo? Frodo left his home. Why? To get better? Is it something what he'd do? No. Though, there're many reasons tied to Frodo's departure, and I'm not going deeper. But Frodo would have stayed in the Shire and died there. And then? Merry, Pip and especially Sam would blame themselves for not being able to save him. Can you imagine how devastated Sam would have been? To save them all from this he left his home. The life you see rest of the fellowship living in the appendices is because Frodo sacrificed himself.
Sam's deeds are moving, heart melting, poignant instead of being heroic.