Nine Companions: Exploring Loyalty Beyond Logic in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolkien fought in the trenches in one of the most horrific battles of WWI: the Battle of the Somme. He lost many close friends in the in the war, which may have affected the way he viewed concepts like loyalty. In addition, scholars agree that Beowulf- an epic in which loyalty is a key theme- influenced Tolkien as well. His focus on loyalty is very different from his more pessimistic modernist contemporaries because he chooses to focus on the ability of good to overcome evil in the end through friendship and loyalty. This thesis examines these dynamics in The Fellowship of the Ring. Some critics claim that Tolkien’s views are simplistic; but Tolkien knows, better than most, what darkness and despair look like and chooses to take a more positive outlook and focus on themes like strength, courage, and friendshi