From: jchokey@leland.Stanford.EDU (James Alexander Chokey)
Subject: Male-male love in Tolkien (was Re: C.S. Lewis)
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 92 21:14:26 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.185643.26184@leland.Stanford.EDU> gere@umunhum.stanford.edu (Susan Gere) writes:
>James Alexander Chokey writes:
>>
>  [ X_ian allegory analysis of LotR deleted to spare the innocent ]
>>

	I was not reading it as allegory in any way, shape, or form.  I was
pointing out that there is much more in the work that is Christian (and
to be more specific, Roman Catholic), than you seemed willing to allow.

>  What you say is probably true, and I am going to willfully forget it
>this minute.  I do prefer to take such reflection of authors' beliefs
>in their works as emanating from some deeper part of the human psyche,
>and add or form my own interpretations of the Meaning of Life unencumbered
>by existing dogma whenever possible.  Tolkien thankfully does allow this.

	Yeah pal, whatever.  ;-)

>
>>
>> (Don't forget that Gimli becomes the first Dwarf ever to 
>>journey westward into the Undying lands--  and it's said specifically that
>>it is because of his love of Galadriel that he is able to make that journey.)
>>
>
>  Really-- and I would have said it was for his love of Legolas. But 
>that opens up a whole 'nother realm of interpretation which I would
>not be held responsible for.
>

	Wow!  That's actually quite an exciting way of looking at things!
Women were a very small part of Tolkien's social life (even his wife Edith
occupied a very small portion of his time--  their relationship was not at
comparable to that of C.S. Lewis and either Janie Moore or Joy Greshem).
I've usually just thought that the minor and marginal position which female 
characters occupy in LOTR, could primarly be seen as reflecting his almost 
exclusively male circle of friends and colleagues.  (But what does that mean,
hmm. . . )
	Of course, there are many instances of male-male love in LOTR.  (I
can't really call it homosexual love or even homoerotic love, since sex is
so noticeably absent from Tolkien's world.)  I've often wondered about the
relationship between Sam and Frodo myself--  Sam's devotion to his "Master"
is rather remarkable even for two close friends.  He caresses Frodo's
face when he's sleeping, he lies down next to him and holds him at times,
etc. 
	I can't help but think that there's even a hint of a more erotic love
that Sam has for Frodo during the "mind-reading" episode in Lothlorien.  When
Galadriel looks at and probes the desires of all the members of the Fellowship,
Sam has a markedly embarrassed reaction of all, for he "quickly blushed and
hung his head."  Pippin later comments on Sam's blushing, saying that he
hoped it was nothing more than a plot to steal one of his blankets.  "'I never
thought no such thing,' answered Sam, in no mood for jest. 'If you want to
know, I felt as if I had nothing on, and I didn't like it.  She seemed to
be looking inside of me and asking me what I would do if she gave me the 
chance of flying back home to the Shire to a nice little hole with--  with
a bit of garden of my own." (pp. 372-3, in the Houghton Mifflin edition of
FOTR)
	Why does this thought make Sam so embarrassed?  Why is he in no mood
for jest when  none of the others in this party have such an angry reaction.  
(Boromir is a little suspiscious, but that's because he does have a "darker
secret" that Galadriel has pulled out of him--  that he desires to possess
the Ring).  Personally I think the reason why this possibility of returning
home to a domestic setting is so embarassing to Sam lies hidden behind the
dash in the "a nice little hole with--".  Sam pauses here , and then adds
the "with a bit of garden of my own," but I don't think that's what he was
really thinking.  I've always thought that he was likely to say, "with Rosie
Cotton," whom he eventually does end up marrying, but that still doesn't 
explain the great embarassment, anger, and feeling of violation that Sam seems
to feel here.  I can't help but wonder whether Sam was on the verge of 
blurting out, "a nice little hole with Frodo."  Just as Boromir didn't
realize until this moment that he wanted the Ring, Sam hadn't fully realized
until now that he wanted Frodo.
  	Even once they return to the Shire and start get rid of Saruman, Sam 
admits that he finds himself "torn in two" between Rosie Cotton and Frodo,
and, of course, he ends up marrying Rosie (it's interesting that Frodo tells
him to do so "as soon as you can") and moving into Bag End with his master.

	Not that I'm convinced of this, but it is a line of thought that 
can be substantiated, at least in part, in the text.  I've never really
thought about Gimli and Legolas though . . .  Anyone else have any thoughts
on this.


	--  Jim C. <jchokey@leland.stanford.edu>
		--  Jim C. <jchokey@leland.stanford.edu>
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