Research Draft

Student Name

Interpersonal Communication

Final Paper

12/2/2022

Understanding Interpersonal Relationships in the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The interpersonal relationships in the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring are many and varied, ranging from the relationships held by first cousins and family friends to one held between a magic ring and the one who carries in it. It becomes simple to conclude that the analysis of these relationships could provide a further understanding of interpersonal relationships, just as the aptly named Understanding Interpersonal Relationships chapter of Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (8th ed.) by Steven A. Beebe, Susan J. Beebe, Mark V. Redmond, and Lisa Salem-Wisemen does.

The first relationship we are introduced to is the one between the wizard, Gandalf, and the hobbit, Frodo Baggins, and it becomes clear that this relationship is an intimate friendship. Throughout the course of the movie, Frodo confides and trusts Gandalf explicitly, even going so far as to abandon his home and life up to that point on Gandalf’s urging when the truth of the One Ring, and the danger it poses, becomes apparent. Additionally, Gandalf trusts Frodo in return, trusting him to travel to the village of Bree safely and ultimately trusting him to deliver the One Ring to the volcano where it was made. In this way, Frodo and Gandalf form a parallel relationship, shifting power between each other when choices are required to be made.

Closely related to his relationship with Gandalf, Frodo’s relationship with his adopted uncle (his second cousin twice removed in actuality) Bilbo is undoubtedly very close, as Bilbo took in Frodo after his parent’s death and has acted as a surrogate parent, their relationship is clearly very intimate though Frodo relays to Gandalf that he and Bilbo’s relationship has encountered stagnation. It becomes clear that Bilbo is isolating himself from both family and acquaintances, refusing to answer his front door and even locking himself in his study, and this becomes even

more apparent during Bilbo’s birthday speech where he implies that despite knowing the names of all families in attendance, and despite having had “eleventy-one” years to develop intimate relationships with all of them, he has failed to do so.

Ultimately, Bilbo uses his birthday speech to announce his separation to all those in attendance, disappearing from the stage and abandoning his home and relationships. Frodo and Bilbo do encounter each other once more and are able to bond over how they belong to a very select group of adventurous hobbits, and how they have been forced to bear the burden of the One Ring, though Bilbo was unaware of it. However, more relational de-escalation occurs between Bilbo and Frodo, as the One Ring’s hold over Bilbo drives him to take the ring by force.

Beyond Bilbo, Frodo maintains close relationships with the Hobbits Sam, Merry, and Pippin, with those relationships undergoing various stages of escalation and de-escalation as the movie progresses. Merry and Pippin are distant cousins of Frodo, and his friends as well, but their antics in lighting a fire when hiding in the abandoned tower of Weathertop and the One Ring’s strain upon Frodo causes their relationship to quickly de-escalate to separation, though the One Ring’s strain causes such de-escalation with all of Frodo’s relationships besides one.

That one relationship is Frodo’s relationship with Sam, whose dedication and loyalty has escalated his and Frodo’s relationship from friends to close or best friends as described in the textbook. In this way, Frodo and Sam’s relationship stands out as the only one that has not de-escalated over the course of the movie to separation, though Frodo does attempt to do so, as he believes it is for the entire Fellowships best interest.

Perhaps the most interesting and complex relationships in the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring are those between the humans Aragorn and Boromir, as well as their individual relationships with Frodo. Frodo and Aragorn’s relationship shows the entire spectrum of a relationship’s escalation, beginning as stranger’s when Frodo gains pre-interaction awareness of Aragorn’s presence in the Prancing Pony Inn, before de-escalating to turmoil when Aragorn confronts his open use of the One Ring. However, as Aragorn continually acts to protect and guide Frodo over the course of the movie their relationship intensifies to a point of intimacy, where Aragorn accepts Frodo’s desire to leave the Fellowship despite his willingness to follow Frodo “to the end.”

Frodo’s relationship with Boromir develops in a similar vein, having pre-interaction awareness of one another as strangers before their relationship de-escalates due to turmoil caused by Boromir being tempted by the One Ring. Unlike Frodo’s relationship with Aragorn however, his relationship with Boromir does not escalate but instead continues to de-escalate until Boromir attempts to take the One Ring, causing separation between him and Frodo, and ultimately causing Frodo’s attempt to separate from all the Fellowship.

Aragorn and Boromir’s relationship escalates and then de-escalates similar to their respective relationships with Frodo escalate and de-escalate, becoming acquainted with each other at the shrine dedicated to the shards of the sword Narsil, a symbol of both their ancestry. Their relationship quickly de-escalates due to turmoil however as Boromir becomes embarrassed of his own reverence of his nations long lost line of kings, and the relationship further de-escalates when Boromir’s expectations are wildly violated when he learns that Aragorn is the descendant of said

kings and rightful ruler of a nation Boromir believes Aragorn has never seen. In addition, Boromir’s desire to use the One Ring instead of destroying it immediately sets him and Aragorn at odds. Aragorn and Boromir’s relationship does escalate when Boromir learns that Aragorn has indeed visited the Kingdom of Gondor and escalates further when Boromir sacrifices himself defending Merry and Pippin to redeem himself, with Boromir ultimately declaring his view of Aragorn as a brother and leader on his deathbed.

These are but a few of the various relationships presented in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, but through the analysis of these relationships, using the information presented in the Understanding Interpersonal Relationships chapter of Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (8th ed.), an individual can become adept at recognizing said information in the real world.