Tolkien Had a Deeper Meaning Behind These 3 Classic Lord of the Rings Characters

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Unlike how his longtime friend C. S. Lewis intended Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia to literally be Christ manifested in another world, Tolkien actively avoided such direct religious ties. Instead of inserting direct parallels between his mythology and the Bible, Tolkien crafted Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn to embody different parts of Christ’s role as the Messiah. Philosopher Peter J. Kreeft, author of The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind The Lord of the Rings, points out this very idea when writing for Ignatius Insight. Kreeft notes that all three characters experience a “death and resurrection” arc and are portrayed as saviors who sacrificially “save all of Middle-earth from the demonic sway of Sauron.” As he concludes, “They exemplify the Old Testament threefold Messianic symbolism of prophet (Gandalf), priest (Frodo), and king (Aragorn).”

While the New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ fills each of these roles, Tolkien splits the offices individually. Beginning with the prophet, Gandalf plays the part quite well. The wandering wizard (who is technically akin to an angel) is famously a “servant of the Secret Fire.” He calls Frodo out of his comfortable life in the Shire, convinces him to have mercy on Gollum, and performs miraculous feats reminiscent of the biblical prophets of old. Indeed, his wisdom and counsel often border on prophecy, offering comfort or conviction when needed. Gandalf also most perfectly embodies the Christian concept of resurrection. Though he dies to save his allies, he is reborn in white robes, evoking the image of Christ’s return in the Book of Revelation.

On the other hand, Frodo represents Jesus’ priestly nature. He takes away the evil from Middle-earth by delivering the One Ring to its doom, willing to suffer the burden as he intercedes for all creation. Along the way, he is betrayed, beaten, and even stabbed in the side (as Christ was on the cross), and yet he proceeds with his providential task. In the end, Frodo leaves the world for heavenly places upon the completion of his earthly work.

Finally, Aragorn clearly embodies Christ’s messianic role as king. Just as Jesus comes from the line of King David, making him the rightful heir to the throne of Israel, Aragorn rightly takes his place as ruler of Gondor in the aptly named The Return of the King, centuries after the prophecies had foretold it. Of course, he comes only after he first conceals his true identity, unveiling his lineage when the time is right. His willingness to pick up this task, partnered with his ability to command the respect and loyalty of those around him, further embraces this idea. It’s no coincidence that Aragorn leads an army of the dead against Sauron’s vile forces (another nod to Revelation), and even heals the wounded by the laying on of hands.

Tolkien Cited Another “Author” As the Architect Behind ‘The Lord of the Rings’

Although The Lord of the Rings is not meant to be read as religious allegory, there’s no denying that Tolkien’s Christian faith was of chief inspiration (and importance) when crafting it. There’s something to be said as well that there had to be three Christ figures in this story, not just to echo the three messianic roles, but also because of the Christian belief in a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Indeed, Tolkien’s writings did not entirely ignore the existence of a God in Middle-earth either. When unraveling the history of Arda (the name for “Earth” in Tolkien’s work) in The Silmarillion, the author reveals that Eru Ilúvatar is the “One” behind the Sacred Fire that created all things. Many during the Second Age, dubbed “The Faithful,” worshiped Ilúvatar.

Even behind the scenes, Tolkien could not entirely divorce the events of The Lord of the Rings from the hand of providence. In a 1956 letter likewise collected in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, the author reveals that the climactic destruction of the One Ring was, itself, something of a miracle. After Samwise Gamgee defeats Gollum’s repentance (an act that Tolkien once described as the book’s most tragic), the creature returns after Frodo succumbs to the power of the ring.

Unlike Christ, Frodo is unable to resist the temptation, and thus, Tolkien writes, “The Other Power then took over: the Writer of the Story (by which I do not mean myself), ‘that one ever-present Person who is never absent and never named’ (as one critic has said).” The author implies that, while no one would have made it as far as Frodo did, it was Ilúvatar that caused Gollum to slip and the One Ring to meet its doom.

Time would fail us to make note of all the Christian illustrations Tolkien wove into The Lord of the Rings. Be it Galadriel’s connection to the Catholic interpretation of the “Virgin Mary” or the Luciferian downfall of the villainous Morgoth, there are too many to make note of here. Yet, there is no denying that portions of Christ can be found in Middle-earth, largely in the form of a wandering wizard, an unlikely hobbit, and a warrior born to be king.