I thought that Chapter 3 of Author of the Century was the most interesting thus far. The concept of evil in The Lord of the Rings, and in many other books, is what drives me the most in my reading. I have explored this concept of evil from the various levels of evil in Frankenstein, to the character of Satan in Paradise Lost. In all of these books, there is always one thing in common regarding evil: that evil is complex and difficult to distinguish, which makes it that much more dangerous and, in the words of Gollum, “tricksy.”
What I enjoyed reading about in this chapter were the two opposing views of evil which are both represented throughout the book. The first is the Boethian theory of evil, which centers on the idea that evil is internal. There is in fact no such thing as “evil,” because “evil is only the absence of good” (130). I thought this was an intriguing concept, for one because it is certainly true that there would be no good if there was no evil. In The Lord of the Rings, the Ring seems to bring about the worst in people, as Frodo becomes increasingly dependent on it and makes certain “choices” which appear to be his own. Perhaps the Ring is not an animated object, but appears animated because it brings out people’s worst characteristics. Paradise Lost shares much of this sentiment: If Adam and Eve’s goodness had never been challenged by the Tree of Knowledge, then would they have been good to begin with? They would have been mere puppets, not “good,” because they could not be compared to “evil” as they would have no choice against it. In the same way, Frodo is challenged, as well as many other characters in the book by the “temptation” of the Ring, which certainly brings forth the internal element of evil.
The opposing theory to this is also present in the novel. This is the Manichaean theory of evil, which leans on the belief that evil is external. This viewpoint also says that there IS such a thing as evil, and that it needs to be fought. In regards to the Ring, this point seems to drive the plot more and more, as the Ring begins to grab hold of Frodo and others, as if it is personified and has a “mind of its own.” This is a scary thought, although not much so as the Boethian theory. This is because if evil is external, it CAN be fought, and therefore can be defeated. The Boethian theory comes forth with the idea that evil is something inside each person, and that each person has this capacity for evil (even Gandalf, who must resist the ring when presented to him). Therefore, evil is a much more difficult power to be fought, as it is illusive and a constant in the world, as long as humans and other beings exist.
This chapter was very informative and explored many of the contradictions about evil which I noticed in both the text and the movies. It also focused on many key scenes which are no doubt disputable, such as the final scene when the Ring is dropped into Mount Doom, and the various hands which the Ring falls into throughout the book.
Kelsey Till October 26, 2008, at 08:19 PM
