Tolkien and the Gift of Morality

This was an excellent article by Catholic University graduate student Anna Mathie in the November 2003 journal First Things:

The virtues of mortality are most obvious in the great paradox of the book: that the very mortal Hobbits are the only ones who can resist the Ring’s seduction and destroy it. Seemingly the most insignificant and lowliest race of all, they spend their (relatively) short lives in small pursuits. They have little use for lofty “elvish” ideas. As most characters in The Lord of the Rings remark, they are unlikely saviors of the world. In fact, their lowly mortality may be their greatest asset.

The article goes on to describe how our own mortality – and its role in LOTR – affects our view of life and how it is to be lived. Great article!