8 Life Lessons I Learned From Lord of The Rings

The setting of The Lord of the Rings is out of this world, filled with fantastical creatures, magic and mystery. A casual reader may feel that it has no connection with the “real” world, but if you look deep enough, there are quite a few life lessons buried in all those improbable grand adventures.

This is one of less known secrets for Lord of the rings popularity. You may appreciate when you can relate those with real life.

Here are eight powerful life lessons I learned from the Lord of the Rings.

Reputation Counts

Why did Frodo get the responsibility of carrying the One Ring to its destruction on Mount Doom? The only reason is reputation. He is not a warrior, and he is not all that smart. If Sam had not been around to save his behind on numerous occasions, the story would have been much shorter. However, the hobbits have a reputation for being easygoing, unambitious, and loyal; traits that were important in resisting the corruption of the One Ring. Frodo was not just chosen because he seemed to be able to resist the power of the Ring. There are a lot of factors going for him as well - he was a hobbit, and the nephew of Bilbo, who had already proven his strength of character. In the end, your reputation truly counts, and you should guard it jealously.

A Simple Life is a Happy Life

As mentioned above, the hobbits were unambitious. As a race, they are the only ones unaffected by the urge to expand their borders or conquer other races, and do not even quarrel among themselves. They generally led a simple life, and seemed content. Bilbo, and then Frodo, were ideal candidates for the mission of the Ring’s destruction. Even then, they nearly succumbed to the Ring’s corruption. We humans tend to be easily corrupted by ambition and the desire to attain power. If we aspire for a simple life rather than a powerful one, perhaps we too can attain contentment and happiness.

Life is an Adventure

Aspiring for a simple life does not have to mean having a boring life. Bilbo Baggins was always curious and eager to go on adventures. He became the linchpin of the whole LOTR story, even though he was not the “hero.” He was able to enjoy what life had to offer and served as inspiration to other people. The lesson I got from this is that life is short, and full of interesting things. Live it.

Diversity Makes You Stronger

One key element in the LOTR sagas is the mix of beings that worked together towards a common goal: the destruction of the Ring. Under ordinary circumstances, members of the fellowship of the Ring would kill each other given the slightest provocation. However, because the group was so diverse, it made them a formidable force. Members were able to contribute their unique abilities to the cause. Their very diversity was their strength. It is the same case in any organization; a group of diverse people can bring out the best in each other.

Professionalism

How did the fellowship manage to get the job done? They were professional. They all left behind their personal prejudices and worked together as professionals. They realized that each is an expert in specific skill sets, and so they capitalized on this to achieve their goal. In life, you may not always like the people you work with on a personal basis, but a professional attitude can get you through the day.

Respect Mother Nature

This might be something of a cliché, but Tolkien literally warns us if we do not respect Mother Nature, it will kill us. He used Treebeard and the Ents to illustrate this, giving the trees the ability to talk to tell us how they feel and suffer, and how they can actually fight back if their existence is threatened. Trees do not talk, but we have been given many opportunities to feel the power of nature. Maybe it is time we actually listened.

Avoid Judging Others

Gollum is portrayed as a hideous and despicable creature, but Gandalf told Frodo Gollum’s story. It made Gollum a figure of pity rather than scorn. We are quick to judge people without knowing anything about them. This can lead to misunderstandings and problems that could be avoided so easily if you just take the time to find out the facts, and not rely on first impressions and speculations.

Power Corrupts

The most obvious life lesson in LOTR, of course, is that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The One Ring represents power, and the effect on anyone that possesses it represents the corruption that is unfortunately all too true anywhere in the world. The great lengths some characters go through in order to grasp the power of the Ring may seem exaggerated but the truth is, it happens in real life. Power is never something that you should seek. Those who seek cannot control it, and do not deserve it.

Page Donahue is a blogger from Pennsylvania and editor at Best Essays. She is an introvert who spends her free time reading books and watching movies. A true blue millennial, she loves making friends online. You can connect with her on Twitter.