Pity: How the Real Battle of Middle Earth is Won Faith Neece College

Though it is a book of children’s literature, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit still deals with issues of great moral complexity. In the novel, Bilbo Baggins debates whether or not he should kill the creature Gollum, who stands in his way of escaping the caves filled with goblins. While Bilbo could easily kill Gollum for his own self-preservation, he decides instead to have pity on him and spare his life. This scene in The Hobbit both foreshadows and allows for Frodo and Sam’s pity on Gollum in the rest of The Lord of the Rings. If Gollum had not been alive, he would not have served as Frodo and Sam’s guide to Mordor. And had Frodo not showed pity to Gollum, and the ring would not have been destroyed. Bilbo’s pity for Gollum thus makes the salvation of Middle Earth possible. This reinforces the theme that mercy wins the battle for Middle Earth and in our world.

Long before Frodo and Sam encounter Gollum, Bilbo meets Gollum on the way to the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit.. After playing a riddle game for Bilbo’s life where if he loses Gollum will lead Bilbo out of the mountain, Gollum betrays Bilbo and tries to attack him instead of doing what he promised. In trying to escape from Gollum, Bilbo discovers a ring that makes him...