Oxonmoot 2024

One only need look at the first volume of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings to understand that his epic-fantasy novel does not shy away from the tenderness of friendship. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Strider says to the Hobbits upon meeting them, “A hunted man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship.” The sentiment of this statement remains true throughout all three volumes as the growing presence of evil in Middle Earth leads to acts of solidarity between the characters. However, it is most apparent in the final installment, The Return of the King, as the members of the fellowship and others seek solace in one another’s friendship. This paper examines the vitality of numerous moments of brotherhood throughout the work’s final volume as a solution to defeating the increasing power of evil.