In another topic, I was wondering about the romance of the works. A discussion about heroism and sacrifice was sparked.
So here's my question ...who gave up the most for the greater good.
I'll start the ball rolling by choosing Elros. Although there isn't much to go on, he by all acounts gave up his immortality, his place in bliss to be accounted as one of the second born.
Through Elros the line of man was enriched...just as in time Arwen would do likewise. He gave up his life willingly and trusted in Eru......that death was a gift.
Nah, on reflection its got to be Hurin. He sacrificed twenty eight years of torment, almost sacrificed his very sanity and soul, not just his life, in order to protect the location of Gondolin.
All, I have really tried to put a little skull sweat on this one. And I think you may find this one strange as being someone's favorite heroic sacrifice. But it comes down to the whole hero thing in Tolkien's works. If you look at it Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is filled with heroes. But most have some flaw that is exploited by the powers of darkness and their redemption is often "the last full measure of devotion" as their sacrifice. The greatest of these flawed heroes to me is Boromir, eldest son of The Steward of Gondor. Already a mighty captain of the city's warriors, we first encounter him at the Council of Elrond. He is there after an arduous quest to find Rivendell in order to find information about the Ring. But, rebuked by Elrond and instructed by Gandalf and Aragorn, he retreats and shields his zeal to take the Ring to Minas Tirith. This is but one more of the twists about the heroes journey that fills so much of Tolkien's works and fantasy. "Tolkien's approach to the heroic and heroism is not as straightforward as one might assume. The literary influences on Tolkien and his use in particular of Germanic models might suggest that his heroes might be similar in many ways. This is true and false at the same time. In essence, Tolkien had the same problem and displays the same kind of problem that writers of Old English and Old Norse literature had once they became Christianized: how to reconcile Christian ethos with the warrior ethos." (Swain, L.J. author "Heroes and Heroism." J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia. , Michael Drout editor, Scholarship & Critical Assessment ed. 2007.) What Tolkien was facing as he was engaged in the creative process was attempting to bring an Anglo-Saxon medieval literary form, that often was alliterative narrative poetry, to a format that would entertain both children and modern adults from many diverse cultures. It was and is a problem faced by authors and translators historically and currently. "Tolkien's clearest critique of the heroic ethos is exemplified by Boromir in The Lord of the Rings. His brother (Faramir) describes Boromir as one excellent in arms, desirous of glory (perturbed that the Stewards of Gondor were not kings; "ever anxious for the victory of Minas Tirith and his own glory therein."), heroic in every aspect. It is in fact Boromir's desire for the victory of Minas Tirith and his own glory therein that motivates his own grasp for the ring: the heroic motivations of fame, reward, and revenge (in this case on Sauron). In the context of the story, however, this attempt by Boromir is seen as a great evil, the result of the ring's temptation and its twisting of motivations."(ibid) His defense of Pippin and Merry from the orcs is a failure. Boromir has killed many orcs but he is undone by their sheer numbers and falls. The hobbits are captured, bound, and bourn away by the orcs. In his falling Boromir tries to summon aid by blowing on his battle horn like some Viking of Norse mythology. Aragorn arrives too late. Kneeling beside Boromir he hears the fatally wounded Stewards son's last confession about trying to take the ring from Frodo. "Boromir is redeemed in death, a death selflessly protecting the weak, and perhaps most importantly, recognizing his error. In these final acts, Boromir achieves heroism that evaded him before, and he earns both a heroic burial at the hands of his companions and a hagiographical scene later as his brother comes upon his body shining with an otherworldly light as it floats out to sea..." (ibid) Tolkien is a student of the myths and legends of many medieval cultures. His scholastic achievements in translation and commentary of ancient English, Germanic, Norse, Celtic, and medieval warrior societies influence his fiction. And that influence is never more clearly seen than in the heroes of his creative literary works. "The great problem for Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic peoples was how to accept their Germanic past while maintaining their new faith...The merger, then, of the Germanic hero exemplified in Beowulf or the Icelandic sagas and eddas with the Christian hero exemplified in the gospels produces a hero who, while still heroic and recognizable in these contexts, in key places and emphasis is transformed into a Christian hero as well. In medieval literature this is exemplified by Arthur, as one instance, and in modern literature by Tolkien's heroes in The Lord of the Rings."(ibid) So my hero and choice of heroic sacrifice is Boromir of Gondor, flawed but noble, at the end captain of his own soul and valiant figure redeemed by and in the powers of Good.
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Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit Called or uncalled, God is present
Another choice could be Theoden. My impression from the book is that Theoden had an incling that the Battle of the Pellenor Fields was his time to go, so he really pushed the boat out, so to speak:
Suddenly the king cried to Snowmane and the horse sprang away. Behind him his banner blew in the wind, white horse upon a field of green, but he outpaced it. After him thundered the knights of his house, but he was ever before them. Éomer rode there, the white horsetail on his helm floating in his speed, and the front of the first éored roared like a breaker foaming to the shore, but Théoden could not be overtaken. Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the Sun, and the grass flamed into green about the white feet of his steed.
Then he was filled with a red wrath and shouted aloud, and displaying his standard, black serpent upon scarlet, he came against the white horse and the green with great press of men; and the drawing of the scimitars of the Southrons was like a glitter of stars. Then Théoden was aware of him, and would not wait for his onset, but crying to Snowmane he charged headlong to greet him. Great was the clash of their meeting. But the white fury of the Northmen burned the hotter, and more skilled was their knighthood with long spears and bitter. Fewer were they but they clove through the Southrons like a fire-bolt in a forest. Right through the press drove Théoden Thengels son, and his spear was shivered as he threw down their chieftain. Out swept his sword, and he spurred to the standard, hewed staff and bearer; and the black serpent foundered. Then all that was left unslain of their cavalry turned and fled far away.
Thought that was worthy of mention, as you were talking about 'a mans final act'.
Though as for sacrifice, I would agree with Hurin. Can't get much more than his sacrifice.
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Utúlie'n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie'n aurë! Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva!
Glorfindel 1235, I think that is a great example. There is an interesting 6 paragraph article by Hilary Wynne in the Tolkien Encyclopedia.(edited by Michael Drout) about Theoden. Here is the last paragraph; "Theoden may be contrasted with Denethor in his reaction to the overwhelming odds of Sauron's likely victory. Although he had despaired, he was renewed by Gandalf, and though he rode into battle without great hope of victory, he was victorious, and his attack saved the city of Minas Tirith from sack and destruction. The scene in which Theoden is healed by Gandalf (Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Three, Chapter VI - "The King of the Golden Hall")has often been taken as representative of an archetype of the winter king renewed. (my reference - an ancient tale of redemption and renewal)Certainly it is one of the great moments in The Lord of the Rings when Theoden brandishes his sword outside of Edoras and when he rallies the Rohirrim before their great charge into battle."(Wynne, H. author "Theoden" J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia. , Michael Drout editor, Scholarship & Critical Assessment ed. 2007.)
But I agree with you on Hurin, he paid and paid with his sacrifice. Still Theoden is definitely worth mention.
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Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit Called or uncalled, God is present
The speach before the Rohirim ride forth always gives me chills!! To be part of something so determining, so grand and sacrifical!! The romance, the adventure, the nobility. Wow.
