Unsung Heroes of The Lord of the Rings: From the Page to the Screen Porter, Lynnette R.

Most criticism of The Lord of the Rings trilogy emphasizes the most likely heroes in the tales: Aragorn, Frodo, Gandalf, and even Sam. From popular to scholarly literature, the women and "smaller" characters often go overlooked. But our notions of what makes a hero have altered since September 11, and sometimes the most unlikely people can come to embody all that we look up to and admire in a person. Here, Lynnette Porter examines what we mean when we talk about heroes, and for the first time illustrates the heroic qualities that can be found in the women and other beloved, though less-celebrated, characters in the Lord of the Rings books and movies. She takes a critical look at the importance of literary and cinematic heroes in general, emphasizing the roles of Merry, Pippin, Galadriel, Eowyn, Arwen, Legolas, and Gimli, who can all be considered heroes despite their relatively smaller roles. She shows, ultimately, that our attraction to and celebration of heroes does not have to be limited to the "leading man," but rather that women and youth often display essential characteristics of true heroes.

DOI: 10.1336/0275985210 Mouse over the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to learn more about this book or related books published by Greenwood Publishing Group. Visit the Greenwood Publishing Group page for this title: http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C8521.aspx

Unsung Heroes of The Lord of the Rings: From the Page to the Screen Hardback, 240 pages, $41.95 Copyright ©2005, Praeger Publishers ISBN: 0-275-98521-0 DOI: 10.1336/0275985210

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