Reading “The Lord of the Rings”: "The Mirror of Galadriel”
In which Frodo and Sam have to confront some of the most vexing moral questions they've encountered so far.
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Welcome to Tolkien Tuesdays, where I talk about various things that I love about the lore and writings of Tolkien, whether in a chapter reading or a character study or an essay. I hope you enjoy reading these ruminations as much as I enjoy writing them and, if you have a moment, I’d love it if you’d subscribe to this newsletter. It’s free, but there are paid options, as well, if you’re of a mind to support a struggling writer. Either way, thank you for joining me!
Having passed beneath the boughs of Lothlórien, the Fellowship at last comes face-to-face with Galadriel and Celeborn, the Lord and Lady of the Wood. This proves to be a particularly fateful meeting for all of them, but particularly for Frodo, who is asked to look into her Mirror. Though he offers her the ring she declines it, and he has to accept, once again, that he is the only one who can bear the burden of it to the darkest reaches of Mordor.
If there’s one character from The Lord of the Rings who has always enchanted me, it would be Galadriel. From the moment that she appears, she exudes power, grace, and majesty, one of only two female characters in the entire novel who gets any sort of real development (the other, of course, being Éowyn). In Tolkien’s capable hands she becomes somehow both ethereal and yet very earth-bound; it’s hard to imagine her anywhere else except in the Golden Wood. As one of the oldest and most powerful beings still dwelling in Middle-earth, she is an invaluable ally, and it is clear the respect in which she is held by Aragorn and by her husband.
However, while Galadriel is clearly an ally to the Fellowship, there is also something more than a little enigmatic about her, and this is something that Boromir clearly recognizes. In his case, however, it stems at least in part from guilt, for it’s clear that she has offered him the chance to take the Ring and use it in the defense of Minas Tirith. One can’t help but wonder if his actions later in the novel would have been different had he not been forced in that moment to confront the reality of what he wanted and desired above all else, or whether the Ring would have infected him with its madness sooner or later. Unlike the others, however, poor Boromir fails that test, though this won’t be clear for a few chapters yet.
Indeed, this whole chapter is about tests of various sorts, and even Galadriel herself faces the great temptation of the One Ring when Frodo willingly offers to entrust it to her care. Even at this late stage in the game, after all he has endured, he still yearns for it to pass from his hands into someone else’s, someone who will surely have the power and wisdom to see it safe to its destruction. Unlike so many others–Saruman and Boromir chief among them–Galadriel passes this test of temptation, ultimately accepting her fate that she shall diminish, and go into the West. At least, however, she can take comfort in the fact that she will remain Galadriel, that she hasn’t sacrificed who she is for the false promise that the Ring offers.
Even so, there is something profoundly sad about her fate. Though she has in her possession one of the Three, she knows very well that the fulfillment of Frodo’s quest will result in the Elves fading once and for all, and even her beloved Lothlórien will once again find itself enmeshed in the relentless forward movement of time. We as readers know by this point that no one can safely take the Ring and remain unsullied, yet we also can’t help but feel the sharp pang of regret that someone so beautiful and regal and, yes, even terrible, as Galadriel should become nothing more than a memory in the minds of those who met her. What’s more, it’s hard not to be captivated by the image of herself as she imagines she would be if she had possession of the Ring, a queen such as Middle-earth has never seen.
There’s no question, though, that it’s Sam who really has the greatest test, in my opinion at least. When he gazes into Galadriel’s Mirror, he sees a vision of the Shire being torn apart by those who wish to extract its wealth and, although we don’t know it at the time, he is seeing events that are either already in process or have already passed. Had he turned aside at that moment and gone back to fight against the minions of Saruman, he could perhaps have saved many people the suffering they endured. However, doing so would have meant, no doubt, that Frodo would never have been able to make it to Mount Doom alive, as he would almost certainly have been felled either by Gollum or by Shelob or one of the Orcs. Yet in Tolkien’s view of the world even the best and wisest choice is not without negative consequences.
It’s become quite common to accuse Tolkien of being a moral absolutist, and there are far too many who like to argue that The Lord of the Rings is quite reductive and simple-minded in its view of ethics and the world. In this chapter, however, we see that this is not at all the case. There is no easy way out of the dilemma posed by the Ring: not for Frodo, not for Galadriel, and not for Sam. All of them have to weigh the pros and cons of their choices, and not even the wisest can see where it will all end. They must each be steadfast in their own way, even though doing so may have consequences they can’t imagine. In this instance, even Sam’s homely wisdom finds its limit, and he, like Frodo, has to acknowledge that the Ring is the latter’s alone to bear.
This chapter crystallizes one of the most important moral precepts of Tolkien’s imaginary. When Galadriel says that she wishes that “what should be shall be” she is articulating a vision of the world that suggests that there can be no certainty. The Mirror, for all of its power, can’t tell Frodo and Sam what to do. Instead, they must be guided by their conscience, just as Galadriel is when she turns away from the power the Ring offers. Steadfastness in The Lord of the Rings is one of the great moral goods, and it is one which will guide both Sam and Frodo as they embark on the next perilous stage of their journey.