What is the theme of the Lord of the Rings?

[Rivendell_librarian]

Of course, there's more than one answer but it's interesting that this passage appears in both the FOTR (Shadow of the Past) and TTT (The Taming of Smeagol)

Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need.

and in the ROTK we read:

I have lost it, Bilbo dear,’ said Frodo. ‘I got rid of it, you know.’
‘What a pity!’ said Bilbo. ‘I should have liked to see it again.

A slightly different use of the word "pity" but maybe not mere coincidence but something that was thought through. The meaning of the word "pity" has become somewhat lessened of late but not for Tolkien I would think who would know it's close relation to the now more exalted, piety.

mid-13c., pite, "compassion, kindness, generosity of spirit;" c. 1300 "disposition to mercy, quality of being merciful," also "a feeling of sympathy and compassion aroused by the sorrow or suffering of another," from Old French pite, pitet "pity, mercy, compassion, care, tenderness; pitiful state, wretched condition" (11c., Modern French pitié), from Latin pietatem (nominative pietas) "piety, loyalty, duty" (see piety). Replaced Old English mildheortness, literally "mild-heartness," itself a loan-translation of Latin misericordia.

It is some comfort to receive commiseration or condolence ; it gives one strength to receive sympathy from a loving heart ; it is irksome to need compassion ; it galls us to be pitied. [Century Dictionary, 1895]

Middle English pity also could mean "devout obedience to God" (mid-14c.), and pity and piety were not fully distinguished until 17c. Transferred sense of "grounds or cause for pity, matter or source of grief or regret" is from late 14c.

Not the kind of subtlety you would see in a film version

 

[frodolives7601]

Of course, there's more than one answer but it's interesting that this passage appears in both the FOTR (Shadow of the Past) and TTT (The Taming of Smeagol)

Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need.

and in the ROTK we read:

I have lost it, Bilbo dear,’ said Frodo. ‘I got rid of it, you know.’
‘What a pity!’ said Bilbo. ‘I should have liked to see it again.

A slightly different use of the word "pity" but maybe not mere coincidence but something that was thought through. The meaning of the word "pity" has become somewhat lessened of late but not for Tolkien I would think who would know it's close relation to the now more exalted, piety.

mid-13c., pite, "compassion, kindness, generosity of spirit;" c. 1300 "disposition to mercy, quality of being merciful," also "a feeling of sympathy and compassion aroused by the sorrow or suffering of another," from Old French pite, pitet "pity, mercy, compassion, care, tenderness; pitiful state, wretched condition" (11c., Modern French pitié), from Latin pietatem (nominative pietas) "piety, loyalty, duty" (see piety). Replaced Old English mildheortness, literally "mild-heartness," itself a loan-translation of Latin misericordia.


Middle English pity also could mean "devout obedience to God" (mid-14c.), and pity and piety were not fully distinguished until 17c. Transferred sense of "grounds or cause for pity, matter or source of grief or regret" is from late 14c.

Not the kind of subtlety you would see in a film version

Pity is definitely a possible answer to your question.

I think I read somewhere that Tolkien said the theme of LOTR is death. That would make sense to me since it is an inescapable presence throughout the books. For me as a reader, though, I would say that the theme is, no pun intended, fellowship. What strikes me most is how deeply bound the members of the Fellowship are to each other, especially Frodo and Sam. The books remind me that we all need each other, that no one can truly "go it alone."

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

I certainly agree with "fellowship" = friendship. "We are your friends" as Merry said to Frodo. The company are "free companions" according to Elrond. Legolas and Gimli become life long friends despite the historic enmity between elves and dwarves. Gandalf prefers the friendship of the hobbits over "great wisdom" as a reason for Merry and Pippin being included in the FotR. Aragorn will not allow Gimli alone to be blindfolded in Lorien: "all for one and one for all"

On death I can only think that it is a positive Christian view of death not a pessimistic view.