Lord of the Ring
The Return of the King
BOOK 5
The Return of the King – Book 5
Plot Summary
Gandalf, Pippin, Denethor, Gondor
Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Paths of the
Dead
Merry, Theoden, Eowyn, Ride of
Rohirrim
Seige of Gondor
The Return of the King – Book 5
New Characters
Durnhelm
Denethor
The Return of the King – Book 5
Aragorn, the King
King
Military leader
Healer
King
Military leader
The Return of the King – Book 5
Eowyn
Icemaiden (hopeful because ice will melt)
Seeksdeath, glory in battle
Needs to reaffirm herself
Immature – sees things in extremes
Wants Aragorn, best man vs. Wormtongue, worst
In decadent Rohen, sees self as nursemaid
The Return of the King – Book 5
Monsters and other Creatures
Lord of the Nazgul
The Return of the King – Book 5
Important Objects
Athelas – hands of a king are the hands of a
healer
Atrocities of Siege of Gondor
The Return of the King – Book 5
Settings
Gondor
Paths of the Dead
Battle Field
The Return of the King – Book 5
Themes
Heroism especially in the face of
Doom/death
Predictions
Despair, Suicide
Healing
Physical
Psychological
The Return of the King – Book 5
Themes
Prophecies fulfilled
Paths of the Dead
Killing Lord of Nazgul
Eomer and Aragorn meet again
Hands of a healer
Battle as way of seeking death
Theoden, Eowyn
The Return of the King – Book 5
Parallels
Stewards
Good: Gandalf, Faramir
Bad: Denethor, Saruman, Grima, Lotho
Death
Good death for Theoden
Suicide for Denethor
Despair: Boromir lost, Faramir thought lost, no Ring
Corrupted by Sauron
Paths of the Dead thought to be suicide for Aragorn
The Return of the King – Book 5
Parallels
Books 4 and 6
Wasteland world
Little action, mostly psychological characterization
Man against nature, landscape
Books 3 and 5
Green world
Action filled, mostly significant actions, like battles
Man against other beings