Character Study: Samwise Gamgee
AKA: Reasons Why I Love This Character
Ahh, The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's most well-known, well-loved work(s) of fiction. Adapted into three mega-long movies that people are still talking about over a decade later.
If you've read the books, seen the movies, or both, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, I suggest reading the books before watching the movies (mainly due to the presence of abnormally large arachnids.) For this, I'll be drawing some on the books but mostly on the movies.
Anyway. As much as I'd love to launch into a post full of filmmaking trivia, today's subject is a bit more focused than that. Sometimes referred to as the 'true hero' of The Lord of the Rings, my favorite character therein: Samwise Gamgee (pron. GAM-jee).
SPOILERS AHEAD!
Backstory
Sam is a hobbit, living in the Shire where he works as a gardener at Bag End (Frodo Baggins' home). He knows Frodo well, but where young Baggins is curious and exuberant, Sam is reserved and sometimes painfully shy. He observes, he listens, but he rarely says a word to any but his close friends and family.
Right away, we see Sam's priorities: Home, simplicity, and loved ones. Which apparently, along with his honesty, strike Gandalf as the perfect traits for Frodo's traveling companion.
Loyalty
The Fellowship of the Ring
Sharing many scenes with 8+ other characters, Sam sometimes fades into the background during the first part of the journey - but resurfaces with surprising vigor the instant Frodo is in danger. Time and time again, we see him use what little strength he has (comparatively) to protect his friend from ghostly Nazgul, beastly goblins, and trolls.
Sam is perhaps the only member of the Fellowship who could be forgiven for wishing he were back home, yet he barely says a word in complaint. Rather, he attaches himself even more deeply to Frodo and is content to hold the Shire in his memory - because as long as Sam has a purpose, he will stop at nothing to carry it out. And while he could do some good by going back to protect the Shire, he will have a far greater impact if he stays with Frodo. Even after the breaking of the Fellowship, even heading to Mordor alone.
This is probably my favorite scene in both the book and the film: As Frodo heads across the river in a boat, set on taking the Ring to Mordor on his own, Sam appears on the bank behind him. Undeterred by Frodo's pleas for him to turn back, Sam wades into the water as far as he can - and promptly sinks.
There's an air of sadness over this scene anyway; the Fellowship is shattered, with its members either dead, captured, or scattered. But Sam isn't concerned with the drama. All his effort is focused on one thing: Staying with Frodo.
Sam's character is defined by his love for the Shire. While he fears leaving home, he's more afraid of leaving Frodo to complete the quest on his own, because failure will mean the destruction of everything they both love. All of Sam's selfless loyalty and determination belong to Frodo. And as he begins to drown in the river, that is what makes this scene both tragic and beautiful.
Of course, Frodo pulls him out of the water and they finish crossing the river together.
Wisdom
The Two Towers
Sam gets a good deal more screen time in The Two Towers. As Frodo begins to falter under the weight of the Ring, Sam is quick to see it and offer comfort and encouragement. He doesn't fully understand the burden Frodo carries, but he doesn't need to; Frodo is his friend, and so Sam does everything he can to make the burden more bearable.
It is during this leg of the journey, in the wastelands before Mordor, that Sam and Frodo encounter Gollum.
Sam is immediately suspicious of the emaciated, foul creature. Perhaps some part of him knows that Gollum's twisted form came from an addiction to the Ring - in any case, he pegs Gollum as deceitful and downright evil, and he's right. But Frodo, whose judgement is somewhat clouded already, has pity on Gollum and eventually puts his faith in him to lead them the back way into Mordor.
There's a lot going on in this book/film, but one of my favorite Sam moments is when he literally pulls Frodo from the grasping claws of a Nazgul. They tumble down a set of stairs, and Frodo draws his sword on Sam. He's so blinded by the allure of the Ring (and some unpleasant past confrontations), he thinks Sam is after it for himself.
Sam doesn't even put up his hands to defend himself. He only looks up at Frodo with a mix of sadness and compassion, and wheezes: "It's me. It's your Sam. Don't you know your Sam?"
That quiet plea snaps Frodo back to reality. As he collapses, admitting "I can't do this!" Sam concurs - but does not join him in complete despair. Instead, he simply accepts that it's all wrong - that they shouldn't even be here - and yet here they are. They can only go forward, and hope that the pain they're living now becomes part of a larger story, one that really matters.
In his simple way, Sam compares this massive undertaking to the stories he heard as a child. He acknowledges the darkness and danger, and the fear of an unhappy ending, but also the hope that when all is said and done things will be brighter and better than before. "Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why."
By associating the unknown with what he knows, Sam helps Frodo understand that they have to continue on, whether they reach the end or not.
Sam is Frodo's one reminder of home, of what once was and what he's fighting to save. While he has plenty of tender moments, Sam is no pushover, and his observant tendencies mean that he sees things no one else does: Namely, Gollum's true nature. He is the grounding voice of wisdom and honesty that keeps Frodo sane.
Determination
The Return of the King
Sam continues to keep an eye on Gollum, while struggling to keep Frodo on his feet. As they draw near to Mordor, Sam helplessly watches Frodo sink deeper into the grasp of the Ring. Gollum and Sam are openly at odds, but Frodo is too exhausted and confused to notice.
Finally, on the two-day climb up the mountains at Mordor's edge, Gollum strikes.
Manipulating Frodo into thinking Sam is after the Ring himself, he drives a wedge between the two and confirms Sam's suspicions: That he's a conniving little sneak. But Frodo won't listen to Sam, instead sending him away.
Sam's heart is broken. As Frodo and Gollum continue to the tunnel into Mordor, Sam makes his way down the mountain - until he realizes that there's nothing left standing between Gollum and Frodo. Sam scrambles back up after them, rescuing Frodo from an abnormally large arachnid with only a sword, a bottle of starlight, and his cast-iron will.
Frodo, however, appears to be dead. Heartbroken once again, Sam takes the Ring with the intent to finish the quest himself. A band of orcs come along and take Frodo's body, and Sam realizes with horror that Frodo is not, in fact, dead. He follows the orcs to the tower of Cirith Ungol and charges in without hesitation.
Frodo and Sam reconcile without a hint of festering bitterness. Sam returns the Ring willingly, easily - but in the last few moments, he finally understands the burden Frodo bears and the toll it has taken on him.
I think this is the best time to mention that while Sam has the Ring (in his pocket, not around his neck) it doesn't tempt him until the last second. He is so good and pure in heart that it doesn't even occur to him to keep it for himself. If Frodo really had been dead, I fully believe that Sam would have gone straight to Mount Doom and destroyed the Ring on his own without a second thought. However, the process might have very well destroyed him in return.
This is the last leg of the journey. Sam encourages Frodo to take it one bit at a time: "Let's get down the hill, for starters", and is the one to pick him up each time he stumbles. During the climb up Mount Doom, Sam and Frodo both collapse from exhaustion. Frodo manages to crawl a little farther, but is too weak to do much more.
Sam tries to comfort him, reminding him of the Shire that he still remembers clearly. Frodo, however, can't even recall the taste of food or water. His mind is fully occupied by fear of the Ring and its master.
Seeing Frodo like this, what the Ring has done to him, is what gives Sam the will for one last push. He knows they likely won't make it out of Mordor, but that doesn't matter anymore. If he can give Frodo a moment of relief by destroying the Ring, it will be worth it.
The Ring is not Sam's burden to bear. But this is why he was sent with Frodo in the beginning: He possesses the strength to finish the climb for both of them.
Sam and Frodo reach the top of Mount Doom, encounter Gollum again, and get separated. Frodo comes to the very brink of throwing the Ring into the volcano when it overpowers him completely.
Sam knows he can't destroy the Ring for Frodo; all he can do is watch, helpless, as Gollum and Frodo fight over the Ring. Gollum takes it, and Frodo knocks him over the edge into the volcano - then falls after him.
Sam comes to the rescue once again. As the Ring finally melts into the fires from which it came, he pulls Frodo back onto solid ground and they escape the eruption together.
Mordor collapses around them, and while Frodo is relieved to be finally free of the Ring, Sam's thoughts turn back toward the Shire and the life he might have had. Now it is Frodo's turn to comfort his friend, realizing just how much Sam has done - and given up - for him.
Gandalf and the eagles bring Sam and Frodo out of Mordor, back to Rivendell where they can recover from the journey. While the rest of Middle-Earth celebrates, Sam and Frodo are still rather haunted by what they've been through - especially Frodo. Sam is the one to see how restless and tired Frodo is, knowing there are wounds that can never quite heal while he remains in the Shire.
But where Frodo was no longer content to stay in Hobbiton, Sam has returned with the ability to appreciate it even more. He now has the courage to talk to the girl he likes, and eventually marries her. He spends the rest of his days in the Shire with his family, guarding the book with all of the Baggins' adventures written down, leading the simple and honest life he has more than earned.
And so Sam comes full circle: He lives in the Shire, where his heart belongs to home and loved ones. His presence turned the tide of the war and the fate of Middle Earth - not through military might, but the everyday actions and values of a goodhearted hobbit and a stalwart friend. He alone knows Frodo's full story, and I imagine that in the evenings he sits with his children in front of the fire and tells them tales of Frodo and the Ring.
I could go on even more about how much I love this character. That's really what this is, since there's so much that goes on in The Lord of the Rings and I don't have room to break down every part of Sam's character arc. However, if you'd like a more analytical approach in the future, let me know in the comments!
If you liked this post, be sure to share it with all your writer friends and/or on social media. Best of luck to you on your writing journey, mate!
- Lydia
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This was a beautiful description of Sam's character, Lydia!