Who's for your opinion the most 5 important characters?

[Curufin]

All characters on your list are important. All characters on any list are important. Your characters are chosen (other than by being elves, which is a first degree of importance to you) as being critical to the plot. That's very coordinate with a political leaning, btw. Strategic. Someone else might feel each species needed a representative. Someone might compose a list of the characters whose perspective changes most over the course of the book (a classic issue in defining protagonists). Someone's list might be of characters that they personally identify with. Someone's list might be only of royalty, of one kind or another.

I must say that this is a fascinating way to look at this!

I suppose that everything is relative, and that people judge 'importance' in different ways. You're right - to me, a character is less important if they don't directly influence the plot, hence the fact that Gildor - who is one of my favorite characters, aesthetically speaking, doesn't make the list. And you may be right - being trained as a political scientist makes me look at things strategically, and judge 'importance' in such a way.

Fascinating thoughts you bring up there, Sis.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Curufin

I must say that this is a fascinating way to look at this!

I suppose that everything is relative, and that people judge 'importance' in different ways. You're right - to me, a character is less important if they don't directly influence the plot, hence the fact that Gildor - who is one of my favorite characters, aesthetically speaking, doesn't make the list. And you may be right - being trained as a political scientist makes me look at things strategically, and judge 'importance' in such a way.

Fascinating thoughts you bring up there, Sis.

One of the things that was interesting to me was that you revised your original list. And that WAS clear to me from the list you posted. The list you posted wasn't your 'visceral' list. That, in itself, was an interesting choice.

[Curufin]

Well, I did that because I think it's important to step back and examine why you like your favorite characters. Is it because they're truly important, or is it for other reasons? And may characters I don't particularly like be important? With the list I have now - the plot could never have been completed without them. The destruction of the Ring would have failed, and/or Gondor would have fallen. If that is the ultimate plot of Lord of the Rings, then shouldn't the 'important' characters be the ones who are essential to the completion of that plot? That was how I chose mine, anyway.

I'd be interested in how other people made their decisions.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

I've never been much interested in plot. I read a lot of books with very little plot, even in genres where plot is considered essential.

Sure, things happen. But what matters is how people deal with what happens.

[Mari]

The people I find essential to the plot are obviously a bit different from yours


I put Sam on one, because he motivated Frodo, protected him, helped him, fed him and was the only warm and light thing around Frodo for quite a while. And he could sure use some warmth and lightness. Sam went along, though he had his doubts and pushed through where others might have given up. Without Sam, I think Frodo would have died many times over, in both physical as mental sense.

Gandalf was the one who saw the bigger picture. He wasn't always right, but he too motivated people to get on a move. Though he wasn't all that sympathetic, he managed to get many people to trust in him blindly.

Aragorn too motivated people. He kept the Fellowship together and solved the problems that arose. But he also understood that Frodo would have to go on alone. Aragorn got people to unite and rise against Sauron and his forces. He might not have liked his heritage and his fate, but he accepted it nonetheless.

Treebeard (again) motivated his people to finally do something about the destruction of their forest by Saruman. Not only that: he accepted two complete strangers (Merry and Pippin) and listened to their story. He was kind while he could have been upset. The victory of the ents, and just the fact that they had moved at all, was a great motivation to the people of Rohan and others who had started to gather to rise against Sauron. They gave hope in a dark hour.

The Eagles, though they maintained an air of neutrality, not wanting to get involved, did get involved at crucial points. They saved Sam and Frodo and took care of them. The eagles in doing this gave hope and a sense of possible victory as well.
No one likes to fight alone.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by BeardofPants

Ri? There wasn't a helluva lot of reasoning there, just that all those characters[listed] felt .... not quite finding the words here... well, irreplaceable. It just seems that when it really comes down to it, those are the 5 that played the most important role during that particular time-period. There are definitely "close" fits though (ie Bilbo, Gollum, etc).

6 years ago ... yes, a lot has changed, and I, like you it seems, value "reasoning" less (at least for some things) and that kind of undefined, undefinable feeling thing more ... [/end random philosophickly thought]

Anyway, I don't remember if or what I answered, but now, off the top of my head and without reasons, I'd say:

Frodo
Sam
Gandalf
Aragorn
and very surprisingly, Arwen ...

Originally Posted by the lovely Mari

He [Aragorn] might not have liked his heritage and his faith, but he accepted it nonetheless

I haven't read the books for a few years, but isn't that only true of mAragorn, as we used to say? (movieAragorn). I don't recall it being true of the "real" (so to speak ) Aragorn.

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

He might not have liked his heritage and his faith, but he accepted it nonetheless.

I'm not really sure what this means. Aragorn was proud of his heritage and worked hard to become worthy of it, of his kingship, and of his Elven betrothed.

Faith? Or fate? He had estel in abundance, IMO.

[Mari]

Originally Posted by The Dread Pirate Roberts

I'm not really sure what this means. Aragorn was proud of his heritage and worked hard to become worthy of it, of his kingship, and of his Elven betrothed.

Faith? Or fate? He had estel in abundance, IMO.

Whoops, meant to say fate. I just got the impression that he was experiencing it as a burden somewhere. That doesn't exclude being proud of his heritage and working hard.

[Mari]

Hmm, I retract my previous statement on the heritage thing. I've been rereading LotR and I think I based that observation too much on the film. My apologies

[Zilbanne]

The absolute order for who is most important is difficult to determine. The principal characters are:

Gandalf : His continued efforts all over Middle Earth kept everything going for goodness to eventually triumph.

Aragorn: His destiny and will are of supreme importance, both as leader and healer

Frodo: He was best in his less corruptable hobbit earnestness to carry the ring for the long haul to MT. Doom

Smeagol: He unintentionally kept the ring hidden from Sauron for years and helped Frodo at the bitter end of the quest

Sauron: He made all the resistance necessary through his perpetual attempts to dominate Middle Earth with evil.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

See, I think Sam is essential. I'm seriously not convinced Aragorn is as important.

[Zilbanne]

The problem is to pick 5 and I can't let go of Aragorn.

Sam is very important! Nearly as important as Frodo or maybe just important as Frodo. Truly Frodo wouldn't have made it to Mordor without Sam and Sauron would have got the ring without Sam.

However Aragorn helped save the ring from the hands of the enemy long before Sam helped Frodo survive, escape from the tower of Cirith Ungol in Mordor and take the ring to Mount Doom.

Aragorn's actions and reactions are very important. Think of what he did on the Weathertop in fighting the nazgul and in caring for the wounded Frodo afterward. The ring wouldn't ever have made it to Rivendale without Aragorn.

Recently In the thread ' who really killed the witch king in RTOTK ' , entmoot member Alcuin, recalled the very important actions of Aragorn. So it got me thinking of the many accomplishments of he who was to be the King.

Aragorn was able to use the palantari and reveal himself and so cause doubt in Sauron's mind. He healed many people of the black breath, assembled the army of the dead to aid Gondor and kept the city from falling etc... Aragorn really caused or supported lots of distraction so that Sauron would'nt easily find Frodo and Sam as they moved into Mordor.

Sorry! As much as I credit Sam, I think ol' Strider the ranger, Isildur's aire, bumps the steadfast gardener off of the list of five. This is true even if you only take into account the earlier struggles of Strider against the nazgul but then even more weight is added by his many valiant deeds later.