Unluckiest Characters In Lord Of The Rings

Key Takeaways

Characters in Middle-earth endure endless misfortune, facing death, torture, and psychological turmoil.
Beren, Maedhros, Frodo, Hurin, & others face grim fates despite their noble efforts.
Gandalf, Eowyn, & Gollum also experience deep loneliness, imprisonment, heartbreak, and tragic endings.

As I delve into these heart-wrenching tales of Middle Earth, it’s hard not to be moved by the sheer weight of sorrow and despair that hangs over each character like a dark cloud. Each one of them has faced an unimaginable ordeal, a life sentence of suffering that would break most mortals.

In the land of Middle-earth, there reside various beings such as Men, Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, and numerous other creatures. They all encounter struggles since forces of darkness aim to consume their realm. Adversity is an inherent aspect of existence, and some endure more hardships than others.

In the enchanting world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” it feels as if certain characters are constantly grappling with unending hardships. They bear the heartache of losing their cherished ones, struggle through years filled with emotional torment, and often face brutal torture before meeting an untimely end – a tragic fate indeed that adds to their already sorrowful legacies. Drawing inspiration from the ancient Greek epics and Biblical narratives of suffering and transformation, Tolkien has crafted Middle-earth into a realm that appears strikingly reminiscent of the torments of the underworld.

7 Beren

An Early Incarnation Of Aragorn

Unluckiest Characters In Lord Of The Rings

Appears In: The Silmarillion

Despite being a key character in a legendary love tale, Beren encounters numerous obstacles throughout his journey. Born into a distinguished lineage of Men, his noble status is short-lived. During the pivotal Battle of Dagor Bragollach, Morgoth’s armies wipe out Beren’s family, leaving him an outlaw, surviving by scavenging in the wilderness and launching surprise attacks on his enemies. A ray of hope emerges when he crosses paths with and falls for the Elf maiden, Luthien, yet this romance brings more hardship.

King Thingol of Doriath, her father, initially declines allowing his daughter to marry Beren until he retrieves the Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown. This task proves difficult and fraught with peril, as failure and death seem to follow Beren at every turn. Sauron, one of Morgoth’s lieutenants, captures Beren and his companions for information and later executes them for entertainment. Eventually, Beren ends up enslaved under Morgoth. Twice, Luthien comes to Beren’s rescue in these harrowing events.

With her aid, Beren manages to acquire a Silmaril, yet this triumph is quickly overshadowed. Carcharoth, Morgoth’s wolf, devours both the jewel and Beren’s hand in the process. His valiant effort to destroy the beast ends fatally for him. It appears that Beren’s luck is perpetually poor. Fortunately, this story does have a joyful finale. Luthien selflessly sacrifices her life to persuade the deities to grant her and Beren another opportunity. The two amorous souls then coexist peacefully, but instead of partaking in the immortal lives of elves, they ultimately pass away as mortals.

6 Maedhros

A Heroic Effort, But All In Vain

Appears In: The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Children of Húrin

Although Maedhros, being the eldest son from a distinguished Elven lineage, is widely recognized, he is essentially characterized by a series of failures. He initially resists participating in his father’s mission to reclaim the Silmarils, yet a sacred family vow obligates him to this endeavor. This commitment ultimately results in his capture by Morgoth. The Dark Lord subsequently imprisons Maedhros on a mountain, using him as evidence of his victory.

In a turn of events, Fingon, a close companion of Maedhros, rushes to aid him. However, the inescapable chains force Maedhros into an agonizing decision, leading to the amputation of Fingon’s hand. Following this harrowing experience, Maedhros becomes deeply committed to making decisions that benefit his people and resolving the discord among them. He also achieves multiple military triumphs in the process.

Unfortunately, the Silmarils and his oath once again cast shadows over his existence. Upon hearing tales of Beren and Luthien’s deeds, he perceives a weakness in Morgoth, rallying the Elven realms for an uprising. However, this rebellion falters and leads to their fragmentation. Later on, Maedhros discovers that the Silmaril taken by Beren and Luthien is now hidden within Doriath. His comrades persuade him to launch two assaults in a bid to reclaim it – one against the kingdom itself and another against the refugee camp. These endeavors only result in further carnage.

Following the devastating loss of almost everything they had, Maedhros and his surviving brother attempt to seize valuable gems under the cover of darkness. Eventually, they accomplish their goal, but as soon as they touch the jewels, their hands feel a scorching burn. This discovery leaves them unworthy of holding the divine radiance they once possessed. All of Maedhros’s selfless acts seem pointless now. In his deep sorrow, he leaps into a blazing chasm and carries the Silmaril with him into the flames.

5 Gandalf

Olórin Feared The Dangers Of Middle-earth

Appeared In: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Unfinished Tales

As I stepped into the realm of Aman, I became known as Olórin, a Maier hailing from Valinor. Under the guidance of Manwë, one of the mighty Valar, I served faithfully. Unlike my fellow Maia who yearned for the battlefields of Middle-earth against Sauron, I harbored doubts about my ability to make a tangible impact in the ongoing struggle.

Manwë often highlighted his wisdom and humility as assets rather than liabilities, and he moved through Middle-earth bearing the appearance of an elderly sage who additionally possessed immense magical power. His journey was marked by tribulations and adversity, commencing during the Third Age when he was among the latest of the divine beings to arrive, and was swiftly bestowed with Narya, a potent ring, a responsibility that was undeniably burdensome.

Among all the destinations he visited and individuals he encountered, it was the enigmatic and thrilling Shire, along with its Hobbit inhabitants, that stood out the most to him.

4 Frodo

The Loneliness Of A Ringbearer

Appears In: The Lord of The Rings trilogy

Frodo Baggins, known as one of history’s most renowned Hobbits, doesn’t yearn for fame. Instead, this unassuming hero finds himself in possession of the One Ring following his Uncle Bilbo’s discovery of it during their adventure depicted in The Hobbit. This seemingly ordinary ring is actually Sauron’s powerful artifact, making it the world’s most perilous object. The burden of ownership brings unimaginable suffering.

Consequently, Frodo’s mission to eliminate it is fraught with difficulty. The expectation that he will rescue Middle-earth weighs heavily upon him. However, the strain is amplified by the Ring itself. The Ring’s corrupting influence erodes at him, luring him towards greed and making the burden heavier day by day. This dark power makes it hard for many to assist him, leaving him in a debilitating solitude. Moreover, this leaves him vulnerable to almost every peril in Middle-earth, from Orcs to Trolls to wraiths to enormous spiders.

3 Hurin

A Tragic Story From The Distant Past

Appears In:The Silmarillion, The Children of Húrin, The War of the Jewels, Unfinished Tales

In the First Age, Hurin initially appears as a valiant man. To rescue his comrade, Turgon, he leads his troops in a heroic stand against Morgoth’s mighty horde. The fierce battle continues until he is the sole survivor, only to be apprehended thereafter. The malevolent Dark Lord then subjects Hurin to grueling torment by his balrogs for vital information, eventually imprisoning him atop a towering mountain peak.

The villain likewise bestows upon him a wide-ranging perspective, enabling him to observe from a distance as Orcs and other fearsome creatures wreak havoc across the land. More precisely, he is forced to bear witness to the demise of his equally brave son, Turin. Subsequently, Morgoth sets free Hurin. However, one might assume that his circumstances are brightening, but it’s merely a component of his tormentor’s sinister plot.

In another phrasing: The malevolent Overlord granted Hurin freedom solely to increase his own wickedness and that of his accomplices. The initial calamity unfolds as the hero encounters his spouse at their offspring’s graves. Heartbroken by her passing, he is plunged into a profound melancholy. He endeavors to connect with Turgon in Gondolin, but suspecting deception, Turgon rejects him. Regrettably, Hurin’s effort unwittingly exposes Gondolin’s position to Morgoth’s spies.

From here, Hurin’s path only gets darker. He soon abandons all ideas of fellowship and goodwill. Forming an unscrupulous band of outlaws, he assaults Doriath to claim the treasure inside. Only after the bloodshed does he realize his folly. In penance, he presents a sacred necklace to Thingol, but this only feeds into the king’s growing greed and leads others to attack the city. In weakening the Free People, Hurin unintentionally does Morgoth’s work for him.

2 Éowyn

Life In A Cage

Appears In:The Two Towers, The Return Of The King

In retrospect, Eowyn’s situation could have been more dire, given that her brother Eomer was merely exiled. Now, she finds herself living in a gloomy, isolated environment, with her nearest kin either deceased, absent, or incapacitated, leaving her virtually alone. Her only companions are her senile old uncle and his shady advisor, appropriately named Wormtongue.

It’s not surprising that she developed such deep feelings for Aragorn upon their initial encounter, given his active nature which seemed to offer an escape from her peaceful life at Meduseld. However, heartbreak followed as he too caused her pain, leading her to make the courageous decision to join the fight in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, with no intention of retreating. She saw death as preferable to returning to the life in the noble hall. In the end, she came close to realizing this wish when a Nazgul inflicted a mortal wound upon her.

1 Gollum

His Entire Life Was A Sad Story

Appears In: The Hobbit, The LotR Trilogy

Compared to Gollum, Frodo’s struggles with the Ring are like a walk in the park for a child. The cursed ring has been dormant for over two thousand years before it takes hold of him, ensnaring him in its seductive power. This allure causes him to commit murder out of jealousy towards his cousin. Eventually, his village exiles him. Left alone in the wilderness with nothing but the Ring, he gradually deteriorates both physically and mentally. To deal with the chaos within him, he develops an additional, oppressive personality.

Over time, Gollum’s condition worsens as he conceals himself within the Misty Mountains, living out the subsequent five centuries in a grim, damp cavern. When Bilbo discovers and takes the malevolent jewelry, it was hoped that his torment would lessen, but instead, Gollum’s agony escalates further. His insatiable craving for the Ring mirrors the most devastating form of withdrawal, offering no relief or respite. Consequently, his degraded state elicits disgust and suspicion from all who cross his path.

2024-11-19 11:55