Comparison of J.R.R. Tokiens´ Lord of the Rings and Ramayana

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J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous novel series, The Lord of the Rings, tells the story of a young hobbit who must reluctantly journey a great distance with the fellowship of companions to defeat an evil force that has been growing stronger and threatens to conquer all of middle-earth. As first believed by Joseph Campbell and argued in “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”, the same story is essentially being told in a variety of ways. The pattern that is found in almost every epic, past and present, is what Joseph called a “monomyth” (CAMPBELL). Though the steps may be customized to each individual story, the values of the myth are perhaps the most important aspects. From a religious perspective, the myths tell the stories of good and evil. ()Through the departure, initiation, and return, Frodo Baggins demonstrates the elements of the monomyth just as Rama did in the infamous Indian epic, “Ramayana”, written in the year 1000 BCE. With great companions and courage, both Frodo and Rama show readers all over the world what it means to be a hero.
As we have seen many times before in books and movies, the stories of both Frodo and Rama begin with the initial call to adventure. For Frodo, this was the inheritance of the ring that was once found by his uncle; the ring that possessed the power to control all of middle-earth and was being sought out by a great and evil force. Frodo Baggins is just, in many ways, your everyday hobbit from the Shire. He possesses no extraordinary abilities, but is noticeably pure and strong in character. Likewise, the character of Rama is one of moral strength and consciousness. He is noted, however, for his heroic ability to withstand temptation and human weakness and is portrayed heroically from the very beginning. His...

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...at the Council of Elrond to decide who will carry the ring. Almost unexplainably, Frodo steps up and says, "I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way." This is what it means to be a leader; understanding that though your life may be threatened, there is something more important at stake and sacrifices must be made. I feel that heroes are both born and made. Certain character traits such as courage, integrity, and passion are traits that an individual must possess before the call. The call to greatness, however, is the initial test of the hero. Often, the call is refused first, before it is embraced. Somehow, heroes always seem to know how to treat those who they come into contact with and how to react to challenges. They inspire us to be better versions of ourselves. They encourage us to take risks. But above all, they make the necessary sacrifices to

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