Biggest Heroes in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion

[Belegorn]

Originally Posted by Lotrelf

Excuse my arrogance, but I don't think we can say Frodo was not strongest of his race/species. Strength doesn't only come from defeating a monster in the world, but defeating a monster inside of us. That's what Frodo did. The latter one, I guess, is tougher.

I'd leave room for disagreement on this only because there were Bilbo and Gollum who lived with the Ring much longer than Frodo and obviously used it more often, and there were periods when they were to a great degree not downtrodden at its loss. Gollum for a while when under Frodo's wing while Frodo had the Ring was turning it around, after nearly 500 years with it, and Bilbo actually let it go after about 50-60 years with it.

[Ivriniel]

Originally Posted by Belegorn

I'd leave room for disagreement on this only because there were Bilbo and Gollum who lived with the Ring much longer than Frodo and obviously used it more often, and there were periods when they were to a great degree not downtrodden at its loss. Gollum for a while when under Frodo's wing while Frodo had the Ring was turning it around, after nearly 500 years with it, and Bilbo actually let it go after about 50-60 years with it.

Frodo was under the pump, relative to Gollum and Bilbo, because Sauron's power had grown, greatly at the time Frodo had the Ring. He also bore it in Mordor and, as was noted in text, the Ring's power grew as it approached the place of its making.

My heroes:

Beren and Luthien. They pulled it off--Sauron's creepy tower, and then Morgoth's throne. She did it for love.

Meriadoc and Eowyn and slaying the Nazgul - I still tear up about that one....some brave shorty and love-crazed ice maiden stand before this thing of maximum creepy and do it in. One for women, and one for short things.

And an *all time* favourite - Silmarien of Andunie, first female in the Line of Elros and keeper of the line of the Faithful

[Mithalwen]

She did it for her own interests, to satisfy her own lust, and got my Finrod killed...she is a villain, the hideous baggage, we hates her, we hates her forever!

[The Mouth of Sauron]

Cirdan. For enduring the longest boring seaside retirement in history.

[cellurdur]

It's hard to compare such things like this, because we all have different capacities. think all we can be expected to do is to do our best. Frodo did that and this is why he was a hero and the ring was destroyed. He gave every last bit of energy he had to destroying the ring. Luthien and Earendil may have been able to destroy it, because they had greater natural talents, but that does not make them any more of a moral hero than Frodo.

In terms of the greatest deed then Luthien and Beren have to be first, because they accomplished the most difficult task. They alone were able to do what the entire army of the Noldor failed to do; take a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown.

[Mithalwen]

But they did it purely for their own benefit so to me that is not heroism.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Gotta give a nod to Finrod, who gave up his kingdom and undertook a suicide mission just because he had sworn an oath (and to Beren's father, not even Beren himself); and who, alone among all the Eruhini, dared take on Sauron face-to-face in a contest of magic.

[Mithalwen]

Yes, that is heroism. Tackling a werewolf with your nails and teeth deserves a degree of respect too..possibly more...rater more hands on approach.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Beleg also gets full marks in the "self-sacrificing loyalty" department.

[cellurdur]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

But they did it purely for their own benefit so to me that is not heroism.

No they did it to fulfill an oath they made and had many times to turn away. Beren and Luthien had no personal wish to gain a Silmaril. In terms of self sacrifice for the greater good then the obvious stand out examples are Earendil, Frodo and Cirdan.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by cellurdur

No they did it to fulfill an oath they made and had many times to turn away. Beren and Luthien had no personal wish to gain a Silmaril. In terms of self sacrifice for the greater good then the obvious stand out examples are Earendil, Frodo and Cirdan.

That is disingenuous. They needed the Silmaril to get what they wanted for themselves. Noone else benefitted and it caused many deaths. It would have been better for everyone else if they had turned away or failed.

[cellurdur]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

That is disingenuous. They needed the Silmaril to get what they wanted for themselves. Noone else benefitted and it caused many deaths. It would have been better for everyone else if they had turned away or failed.

Not at all. Luthien gives Beren the option of abandoning the quest and leaving with her. It would have been dishonourable on Beren's part, but something he could have done and still left with Luthien. In the end he gives his life to ensure that he fulfills his oath even it meant taking the jewel from the crown of Morgoth.