Class Differences in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings
Word Count: 3,692
Copyright Elizabeth Delano December 10, 2008
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote some of the greatest pieces of literature in history when he came up with the stories that made The Lord of the Rings series. Tolkien was born in the South African city of Bloemfontein where he lived for only a couple of years. While living in South Africa, Tolkien was privileged enough to have servants wait upon him and his family. “Thus, Tolkien was introduced into a world of privilege (if only middle-class privilege) in which racial distinctions and levels in class were assumed” (Rearick III 866).Tolkien was exposed to class differences at an early age in life because of the fact that his family was able to have people wait on them. It was obvious to him that his family was better off than the people that worked for his family as servants. Some people do not see the aspect of differences of class as being a part of The Lord of the Rings. “Modern politics appear to apply to The Lord of the Rings only when it is convenient for the critic.” (Kim 882) However, the exposure to differences of class between people had an impact on Tolkien to the point where it influenced him enough to make it apparent within his work of literature between his characters.
At the beginning of the storyline while Gandalf is explaining to Frodo that he must leave the Shire and take the ring away from his home, Samwise Gamgee is eaves dropping outside of the window. Gandalf discovers him listening and rips him up by his collar and hollers at him, immediately coming to the conclusion that Sam was up to no good. “Gandalf’s reaction to Sam mirrors the general medieval (aristocratic) view of the commons as thieving, lying, and dishonest” (Chance 158). Gandalf knows that Sam is a gardener and not one of the privileged class as is his friend Frodo. He automatically thinks that Sam is doing wrong when he finds him outside of the window listening to an important conversation being held between himself and Frodo just because of the place that he holds within society. This shows the fear, belittling, and stereotypical ideas of the ones of the upper class on the beings that are a part of the lower class level. Just because Sam is not one of the privileged class he gets characterized along with all of the other lower class people as being a bad seed.
A military batman was assigned to a person who was higher in the ranks compared to themselves, usually an officer, as a personal servant. According to John Garth, author of the book titled “Tolkien and the Great War”, the batmen of the military were responsible for the domestic duties that the officer might need done. The batmen were not only maids and chefs, but they were also personal soldiers who served as “runners” for the officers. The batmen had to fight in combat along with doing all of these tasks for the officers. Tolkien, who fought in great wars, had respect for the batmen that he knew (171–172). Military batmen were basically assigned to people as personal servants to carry out any tasks that they needed done. Tolkien came into contact with batmen when he served in the British forces during the First World War. This explains how the relationship between Sam and Frodo began and evolved throughout the tale of The Lord of the Rings. Sam, being of the lower class was the military batman for Frodo along the journey to Mount Doom.
Two authors at the time of world war one named William Noel Hodgson and Graham Seton Hutchinson wrote stories about their own batmen by the names of Pearson and Peter McLinktock. In the short stories that these authors wrote are traits that a good batman should have. According to Mark T. Hooker, author of the article titled “Frodo’s Batman”, the relationship between Sam and Frodo could be seen as a solider and his batman (4). “An officer and his batman were from different social classes. While Frodo represents the English officer and gentleman, born to greatness, as it were, Sam-like Pearson and McLintock-was not born to greatness, but had greatness thrust upon him” (Hooker 7). The class difference that exists between Frodo and Sam is made apparent with this statement. Sam is below Frodo in the social hierarchy and unlike his master Frodo, was not born into a life of luxury. Frodo has more of a comfortable lifestyle at Bag End and is never said to even need a job of any sort to make money to live off of because he was born into the wealth of Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo is well-known throughout the Hobbit society and is very wealthy. Sam on the other hand is a gardener and works hard for a living and is even employed by Frodo. Sam does chores and the gardening around Bag End which is the place where Frodo and Bilbo live within the Shire. Frodo is the employer and Sam is the employee. Throughout the story one can see the way in which Sam refers to Frodo as showing the differences within the class and the fact that Frodo is obviously above Sam in society. “Tolkien clearly establishes the relationship between Sam and Frodo’s ‘master’ and ‘servant’ by spreading those two descriptions throughout the text” (Hooker 4). There are many examples within the text of The Lord of the Rings where Samwise and Frodo are put in their ranks in society. Sam is obviously lower in society because he is told that he is going along on the journey to keep along with Frodo and keep an eye on him to make sure he is comfortable and has the strength to continue on in the journey to Mount Doom. When referring to Frodo, Sam uses the proper form of address for someone who is below someone else in the ranks when he calls him Mr. Frodo. He also, in many places within the text refers to Frodo as Master Frodo. By using the term master to refer to Frodo, Sam is showing that there is a class difference within the Hobbit society. He is showing respect and acknowledging the fact that in the Hobbit social structure, he is indeed below Frodo. Even though Sam is along on the journey and they are far away from the Shire, Sam still feels that the differences between what social classes they came from as being relevant. The reason why Sam went on the journey, which was to be a servant for Frodo who sits above him in the Hobbit society, show that the differences between them still exist miles away from the Shire.
The differences in class while in the Shire between Sam and Frodo can be seen throughout the story even though the two characters are far away from the comforts of home. This is shown through Sam’s actions when he cooks and keeps after Frodo while on the journey and adds a touch of moral support and friendship to keep Frodo strong. These duties are things that Sam took care of while back home in the Shire. “Tolkien also drops a number of hints as to Sam’s duties at Bag End as the story progresses. As Frodo awakens in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, for example, Sam tries ‘to sound as cheerful as he had when he drew back the curtains at Bag End on a summer’s morning’(LOTR, VI)” (Hooker 4). This shows that before the journey even began, Sam was some sort of servant to Frodo because of the differences in their social status. Frodo is higher up in the class structure and so he is waited on by Samwise who is lower in the class structure. Sam is grateful and more enthusiastic about his duties even when they are beyond the borders of the Shire because of the bond and friendship that is shared between himself and Frodo. While on their journey, Sam tries to make Frodo feel as comfortable as possible because he knows what his duties are and that is to serve Frodo. The tasks that Sam has to do while on the journey are to him just another part of the jobs that he would do if they were safe in the Shire.
The way Sam takes on the task of going along with Frodo on the journey to Mount Doom can be seen in the same way as him on the job around Bag End working for Frodo. “Job is a key word in the story, and Tolkien repeats it again and again to help define Sam’s character and explain his motivation” (Hooker 8). Sam is very loyal and dedicated to the cause of helping Frodo along on his journey. By having Sam refer to his task as a job, Tolkien is showing that Sam considers it work just as if they were back in the Shire. Sam knows his place and way of life in the Shire as being below Frodo on the class structure. When Gandalf tells Sam that he must go on the journey and do things for Frodo he took it as that he was going on the journey with Frodo as “hired help” because that is how he lived his life in the Shire. Tolkien makes Sam’s character and intentions clear at the foot of Mount Doom at the end of the journey. The story reads: “So that was the job I felt I had to do when I started.’ Thought Sam. ‘to help Mr. Frodo to the last step and then die with him? Well, if that is the job then I must do it” (LOTR, VI. Sam shows at this stage of the journey that he thought of the journey as a job indeed. He was told by Gandalf to watch over Frodo and he did that to the very end even though there were times when giving up seemed an easy way out. Sam continued on through the horrible days and nights of being away from the Shire because it was his job to help Frodo along. This shows that Sam is a servant to the people above him. What his true job entails is to be and do whatever Frodo and the other upper-class elite ask of him, even if that means going to die. Back in the Shire, Sam unlike Frodo has to work for a living. He has certain jobs and duties that he has to get done as a part of his work and he knows that whatever to task may be he has to complete it because it’s his job to.
Sam shows the undying self-sacrifice to his master Frodo like the batman of the military, and participates in the journey because he sees it as another part of his being a worker for Frodo. Sam leaves a comfortable life behind with Rosie Cotton behind and she “viewed the year that he was gone with Frodo as ‘wasted’ (LOTR, VI). Sam sacrifices a lot to go on the journey with Frodo, but he views it as his job and because of this follows through with his promise to protect Frodo along the way. While they are along on their journey, Sam gives up what little food and water he has to make sure Frodo is taken care of and as well fed as he is going to be. This shows that Sam is dedicated and is willing to struggle through the thirst and hunger to see that Frodo has the energy to go on. The actions that Sam makes early within the plot of the story show that he is just living in his ranks of society and doing what he knows how to do which is to serve Frodo.
This shows that even in the very earliest parts of their long and hard journey, Sam is used to serving others. He is used to being below Frodo and therefore having the duties of working for him and doing tasks around Bag End. While away from Bag End, Sam doesn’t know how to act other than to serve Frodo like he did when they were comfortably at home because his place in the class structure went on the journey with him. Sam’s place in the Hobbit social hierarchy is a part of him and it embodies everything that his life is and so even though they are away from Bag End Sam’s characteristics of serving others carries along with him. The class difference between Sam and other hobbits is also shown by the words and actions of Pippin. Pippin makes comments to Sam commanding him to cook breakfast and have a hot bath ready for him when he wakes up in the morning. Sam complies with this order even though he is on the journey to look after Frodo. This shows Sam’s desire to please everyone that is above him in the social ladder. The separation on class lines could be something hard to get across to a reader. One way that an author can show differences in wealth and class is to use language as a barrier between a more privilege class and the lower class. Because one class has more opportunities than the other it is obvious that where they belong in the social hierarchy can be shown through the way that the talk. Tolkien uses the language and dialects of certain classes as a way of showing their differences.
This shows that Frodo and Sam belong to different class levels and education and exposure to proper language is one of the barriers between them when their journey just begins. Frodo is privileged enough to be in the upper-class of Hobbits and have to opportunity to become well educated. There are other examples in which one can see the differences between someone in the upper class versus someone in a lower class based on the way they use language. According to Jane Chance, author of the article titled “Subversive Fantasist; Tolkien on Class Difference”, some of the Hobbits speak as if they were illiterate and even childlike. Frodo shows an elitist attitude which only lasts for a short time when he comments on the speaking of people that he calls “too dumb for words (LOTR, I)”. This hint at snobbery shows that Frodo understands that the language and levels of education that one might have had available to them between one class compared to the next is one boundary that is separating the different groups of Hobbits. Tolkien also uses Sam’s language to illustrate exactly where he belongs in the social hierarchy in the same way. Sam uses a lot of sirs and misters and speaks in a rustic way which allows others to characterize him and place him in the proper class based on the way he speaks (Chance 157). Chance goes on to give other examples of how some Hobbits use their language in a rustic, lower class way. One example she gives is the Gollum side of Sméagol. Gollum has a way of speaking that would lead people to assume that if he were a Hobbit he was of the lower class. The hissing and the odd use of pronouns and other parts of speech show this idea. According to Chance, the Sméagol side of Gollum however, speaks in full sentences and uses words to show an “upwardly mobile and socially aspiring Hobbit self who wishes to bond feudally with his ‘lord’ Frodo” (Chance 157). Sméagol falls into place underneath the one who has the power and complete reason for his living which further divides Frodo and Sméagol within a structure of one person being master and the other being servant. Sméagol swears to protect and guide the master of the precious and this puts Frodo above him and in total control over what he does. Sméagol will do anything to please his master because, according to Sméagol, Frodo has the ultimate power and Sméagol feels inferior to that.
After the journey is over and everyone is safe in their homes, the class differences between Sam and Frodo seem to disappear in some aspects of their lives. Sam climbs up the ranks of Hobbit society to a place of greater respect. He proved himself as the only gardening Hobbit on the journey and gets rewarded by stepping up in the Hobbit society. His character traits of bravery and loyalty helped the fellowship succeed in their quest to destroy the ring and when he gets back to the Shire Sam is welcomed and respected. “Sam becomes Frodo’s heir, and goes on the become Mayor of the Shire, the most famous gardener in history, and keeper of the knowledge of Red Book” (Hooker 7). Sam goes from being a low in the social structure gardener like when the journey started to becoming the mayor of the Shire and sitting on a higher pedestal. This switch in Sam’s place in the class ranking in the Shire can be credited to his taking place in the destruction of the evil forces. Only a handful of Hobbits were involved in the plan to destroy the ring, Sam being the only gardener and person from his social class came back from the journey with greater respect then what he had when he left the Shire. Tolkien uses this advance in society that Sam makes to get his own message across. “It is through rustics who behave heroically that Tolkien also subverts class difference. One purpose for the latter, especially is to alert us to the dangers of stereotyping in class prejudice, which usually stems from a xenophobia based on fear and ignorance (Chance 159).” Tolkien uses the advances that Sam makes in the Hobbit society as a way of showing that stereotyping and different prejudices that one can have for another living being just because of their place in society are wrong. Because Sam goes along with the fellowship and returns and becomes mayor means that Sam always had to potential of being something more in society and if the Hobbits would have looked passed all of the structures of their class system they would have realized the great qualities that Sam had. Tolkien shows this idea of looking passed the social places of people in society in a couple places throughout the series. According to Chance, Frodo befriends farmer Maggot and his wife even though they are an uneducated family. It makes no difference to Frodo that Maggot and his wife are part of the under class because they are feeding and comforting him in a hard time in his life (159). Frodo looked passed the differences that existed between himself and farmer Maggot and his wife and as a result found a friend in the most less likely of places. Frodo might not have been able to get through the journey without the little help and hospitality from the farmer and his wife. He recognizes their friendliness and how willing they were to help him and this changed his mind about what kind of people are in the social class below him. Frodo comes to terms with the fact that just because farmer Maggot and his wife aren’t as well-to-do as he is, isn’t as well educated and high up in the Hobbit society doesn’t mean that he is a bad Hobbit. This shows that Tolkien wanted the barriers of class and other differences between the beings of Middle Earth, whether it be race, gender or class difference, to be eliminated. “Douglas Stewart notes that in the novels, evil’s only narrative purpose is “to be destroyed!” reflecting the problematic logic of Vietnam War-era US command…We can read allegorically and complexly; for example, what if we defined “evil” as sexism, racism, exploitation, brutality, homophobia, discrimination, abuse, hatred, and suffering? (Kim 883).” In the case of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien destroys the fear, stereotypes and other such feelings dealing with class differences in the Shire when he makes Sam the mayor of the Hobbits and when Frodo befriends farmer Maggot. Sam was once low in the social class structure as a gardener and after his journey to Mount Doom Sam returns to the Shire with more respect and a new confidence from his fellow Hobbits seeing the good and brave things he has accomplished along side someone of a higher class. Sam being on the journey is what saved Frodo and the rest of Middle Earth and this shows the importance of even the over looked workers and lower class dwellers. Frodo befriending someone who, according to the social class structure, is inferior to him solidifies this idea as well.
Even though some people like to think that certain aspects of everyday life such as differences in class are absent from The Lord of the Rings it is apparent that these ideas come through the pages of the story. Tolkien was influenced by the underclass servants that worked for his family while he was growing up. He showed differences in class between characters of his story by the way they used language, how they viewed themselves and acted away from the point in their lives where the class differences were most obvious. The relationship between Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins illustrates that there are indeed differences in class within The Lord of the Rings.
Works Cited
