Reviews (14)

H.G. · 14 August 2015 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

That's so cute, I didn't know those Sean and Elijah quotes, that's so sweet. I love this essay.

Eef · 22 February 2013 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

I have never doubted the affection between Frodo and Sam: I have only read the books (all 6 of them) excluding the appendices and the earlier works of Tolkien, except of The Hobbit of course. I bought it in an anticipation of Wisdom (especially from Gandalf), but I learned so much more. I have never have felt the way they did (or Sam notably for Frodo) for each other, but even so, it never struck me as odd. As a matter of fact, it actually questioned my relationships with my bestfriends. I only have 6 friends all my life, and all of them are very very dear to me; the trouble is, I do not know just how deep that affection may be. After reading the passages of Sam and Frodo's (mostly Sam's of course), I began to reach a deeper understanding of such intimacy and outlook of 'pure', 'native', 'true' Love but in my perspective I call, a 'Godly' love. It did not throw me off like it had affected most people (who had knowledge of both book and film), but it definitely left me curious and even now I still marvel at the spiritual sense. I leave it to others when they think it otherwise; they think it is homophobic and nothing else can justify what we think. It is just sad that they could not see its meaning, its foundation and essence. I feel pity gor them; they are missing a worthy feeling: the worthiest feeling known to men. I see that this is how love should be: Innocent and Unconditional intensified to its highest degree. I believe in God, His teachings, and am a Christian: this may seem irrelevant but how to distinguish what perversion is from True Love - being True Love based in The Bible, I have neither prejudice or disgusting views about it. I wonder and respect the devotion; I envy that I cannot love that much yet! Well, clearly in the books, it all started out as some Master-Servant relationship, but there was also a love there too equal to that of God's love for his servants, followers, and children. I believe in that Kind of Love, that is why it is not hard for me to understand its nature and of sam and Frodo's. I hope my love will develop: I have always viewed the love for fellowmen is the highest form of love here. But of course, if you love God, you will love humankind and what His teachings intend. Great essay! I only stumble upon this on the net when searching for Sam Gamgee's birthday; ha ha. But I am glad. Sorry if some of my sentences confuse you. English is not my first language and I'm no better!

Periantari · 22 July 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

::LOUD APPLAUSE:: Oh wow..you mentioned a topic and argued quite eloquently how Frodo and Sam's relationship is a pure brotherly type friendship and shan't be thought of as anything more than that. I so agree with you 110%. It is a great crime and sin that some ‘fans’ have written or drawn a total perversion of that completely pure and wonderful love and violate the innocence of these beautiful people, not to mention betraying the master storyteller himself and how he meant that love to be. I COMPLETELY agree. I do not understand why there are so many writers who like to think more than friendship for Frodo and Sam and i definitely agree that with Tolkien being a such a devout Catholic, he wouldn't have approved of a homophobic relationship. I think our society today has just become too dirty-minded. Everywhere you see, the media affects our thinking and makes it seem that anytime someone says "love" or have affections that are thought to be for lovers, it gets overly exaggerated to mean something more when it shouldn't be. Frodo and Sam's love is a brotherly pure sort of love. It is a master/servant relationship but exceeds it to make them really BROTHERS at heart. Sam went to the ends of the earth for Frodo and i think it is plainly because of his unadultered love and respect he has for Frodo that he did that. Does that mean he loves Frodo the way he loves Rosie? i really think not as well. Your essay said it all for me and all my thanks to you for writing this so darn well. I couldn't have said it better. Thank you so so so so very much for this. I agree with you so very much. Thank you !!!!!

The Highlander's Girl · 15 July 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Antane- Thank you so much! My birthday is August 18th. I really don't have a preference as to what kind of story... just give me a thoroughly "Antane-ish" hobbit-centric anything! Thanks again.

The Highlander's Girl · 13 July 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Antane - I'm sorry to spam with a review, but I don't have any means of emailing you. : ( Anyways, my birthday is coming up, and I thought that I would take the liberty of asking for a birthday present.... a.k.a. giving a challenge. I hope you don't mind terribly that I did so, seeing as I know you almost not at all, other than knowing that we are 'kindred spirits' as you mentioned in your last reply. : ) Would you pretty please write me a drabble/vignette or such featuring our favorite hobbits and their hobbity love for my birthday??? ~Felicia

The Highlander's Girl · 3 July 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Antane... to say what I feel on the subject would be to quote your own words. : )

Samwisegirl12 · 7 June 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

In response to your response (lol), you can certainly put my story up on your site! I'm glad you liked it and am very flattered :) ~ swg ~

Samwisegirl12 · 3 June 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Thank you for this wonderful essay! It made me want to cry in a way because it reminded me exactly how I feel about my best friend! We're both known as Frodo (her) and Sam (me) because of our love for LotR, but our friendship has grown to reflet our nicknames as well. The bit about "knitted souls" is exactly on point to how it feels like. I love my "Mr. Frodo" so so very much. I would do anything in the world for her, there's no "shame" in cuddling or a goodnight kiss or calling her my dearest, because that's what she is! My dearest dearest friend, my Frodo, whom I could never live without. Thank you again for this fabulous essay, I fully intend on printing it out and showing her. Hannon le, ~ swg ~

Linda Hoyland · 30 May 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Very well written,it is good to see someone speak out about what Tolkien truly meant about the relationships between his characters. I think many are drawn to LOTR for its depictions of loving,pure friendship,

Elanor Silmariën · 30 May 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Oh, one more thing, do you mind if I print this out?? God bless, Ellie

Elanor Silmariën · 30 May 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Hobbity love seems to me like the brotherly love the bible talks about. It says that John was the disciple Jesus loves. I think it's the same kind of love. This reminds me of one day in church one of our elders was talking about the verse that says greet each other with a holy kiss. That's how I see Sam and Frodo's relationship. This was a very thoughtful and touching essay, and I loved every word of it! Go Antane! *does little happy hobbit dance* God bless, Ellie

elj · 30 May 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

I'm single, female and attached though not married, so I suppose you could say I've known both "romantic love" and "friendship love". I never actually had any issue with the parts of LotR that show the hobbits' demonstrative love for each other - probably because I read the books when I was too young to imagine them as anything other than very close friends! Now, having read the books many more times and read a lot of fanfiction, both LotR and other fandoms AND both slash and not.....I do see why some people's immediate reaction is "homoeroticism!", but I think they're wrong. Not that that interpretation is in any way evil or bad, just that I think it is incorrect, both for these two characters and for Tolkien and for the book he wrote. Sam and Frodo do not love each other with a romantic love any more than Lancelot and Arthur did - and I use that comparison very deliberately. Tolkien was writing an epic in the old style and, in stories of that sort, men can and do love each other with a passion without any trace of homoeroticism. They are literally blood brothers - or perhaps soul brothers would be a better way to put it. Tolkien himself would have known of friendships of that sort during the First World War, which is of course why he could write Frodo and Sam's bond so movingly and convincingly. I cannot imagine any of my close male friends behaving to each other as Frodo and Sam do, but I do not think that is in any way a commentary on the immorality of our society. We are not living in an epic, nor, thank heaven, in a World War. I also think it is somewhat illconceived to try to compare Sam's love for Frodo with his love for Rosie. It is akin to asking someone to choose which they love more: their sibling or their spouse. I think most of us would find that an impossible decision to make - I certainly couldn't. To conclude (before I write a dissertation on the subject!): I think Sam and Frodo's relationship is a beautiful demonstration of the best and greatest emotion in the world - love. What form you see it as taking is a personal choice and I think to attempt to define it more rigidly is to lessen what it is. To quote another favourite offer of mine through the words of her charcter, "I love you. I put no limits on that love." Phew. Hope that is useful to you! elj

Larner · 29 May 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Well, you know what I feel about the love between Frodo and Sam--again, that of loving brothers of the heart.

Queen Galadriel · 29 May 2006 · Chapter 1: In Love With Their Love

Antane, it's nearly midnight here, and what do I want to do but jump up and shout! *cheers* Oh yeah, oh yeah!!!!! I already told you what I think, but I'll put it here so that it can be seen if anyone wants to read the reviews, as I'm sure they will. Frodo's and Sam's love was the strongest pull for me, as well, to LOTR. I felt the fire of that love as Sam ran to rescue his master and brother from the tower, wept as he bore him up the Mountain, just for the sheer magnitude of it. To me, the most amazing, breathtaking thing about such deep love is that it can be so deep and yet so pure, that it sacrifices so willingly all that it has, and yet never stops giving even when the giver is ravaged as Frodo was by the Ring. In today's corrupt society of immoral "love" that shouldn't even be thought of, much less indulged, I often feel oppressed, as if the world couldn't be any worse without coming to an end altogether. But always the Hobbits are there to remind me of the Biblical passages that teach that true love is not corrupt, true love is the purest thing in creation. I believe the story of David and Jonathan, being true, must be the most beautiful illustration of friendship ever to have been recorded, but the tale of the small valiant ones who ventured into Mordo, and of the other two who fought almost to the death to give their cousin and friend a chance of victory takes second place. Now see, I've gone and written a little essay of my own. :) God bless, Galadriel