Blessed are the Merciful
Sam Gamwise is the central hero of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. His love for Frodo and for the Shire is the source of his courage and resolve throughout the story. That loyalty helps him resist the call of the One Ring. His loyalty brings him strength and even causes him to be merciful to Smeagol/Gollum when his wish is to kill the creature. Mercy is key to the entire story. Without mercy, Sauron would have prevailed, and Middle Earth would have been remade in the image of Sauron. But for mercy, the story would have ended very differently.
When Frodo first learns that Gollum has been spared, even though he revealed the ring being in the Shire, he is furious. Frodo mentions it is a pity Bilbo did not kill Gollum. Gandalf answers that condemnation with mercy.
‘Pity? It was Pity that stayed his hand. Pity, and Mercy: not to strike without need. And he has been well rewarded, Frodo. Be sure that he took so little hurt from the evil, and escaped in the end, because he began his ownership of the Ring so. With Pity.’
‘I am sorry,’ said Frodo. ‘But I am frightened; and I do not feel any pity for Gollum.’
‘You have not seen him,’ Gandalf broke in.
‘No, and I don’t want to,’ said Frodo. ‘I can’t understand you. Do you mean to say that you, and the Elves, have let him live on after all those horrible deeds? Now at any rate he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death.’
‘Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends. I have not much hope that Gollum can be cured before he dies, but there is a chance of it. And he is bound up with the fate of the Ring. My heart tells me that he has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before the end; and when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many – yours not least. (Tolkien p59)
The words of Gandalf foreshadow the truth of who saves Middle Earth in the end. Not through force of will or virtue, but through sheer greed and celebration leading to the death of mercy. When Frodo and Sam finally reach Mount Doom and are on the precipice of success, Frodo succumbs to the power of the ring and chooses not to complete his quest.
“‘I have come,’ he said. ‘But I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine!’ And suddenly, as he set it on his finger, he vanished from Sam’s sight. Sam gasped, but he had no chance to cry out, for at that moment many things happened.” (Tolkien pp. 945–946)
Sam watches on in horror as Gollum fights with an unseen Frodo. There is much thrashing about and almost falls. Then Gollum bites down and holds Frodo’s finger aloft with the One Ring. “‘Precious, precious, precious!’ Gollum cried. ‘My Precious! O my Precious!’ And with that, even as his eyes were lifted up to gloat on his prize, he stepped too far, toppled, wavered for a moment on the brink, and then with a shriek he fell. Out of the depths came his last wail Precious, and he was gone.” (Tolkien pp946–947) In that moment of exultation at having regained his “Precious,” Gollum saves Middle-Earth.
As Sam tends to Frodo, the remembrance of all the myriad moments when the Hobbits might have slain Gollum comes to mind. Frodo remembers the words of Gandalf and makes one more choice of mercy towards Gollum. “‘But do you remember Gandalf’s words: Even Gollum may have something yet to do? But for him, Sam, I could not have destroyed the Ring. The Quest would have been in vain, even at the bitter end. So let us forgive him! For the Quest is achieved, and now all is over. I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.’” (Tolkien p947)
Mercy upon mercy is the way Frodo, and others approach Gollum. It is clear from the story that none of them believe Gollum deserves mercy based upon Gollum’s own actions. Yet, mercy is given despite their feelings. If mercy was not extended to Gollum, the story would have ended with the remaking of Middle Earth in Sauron’s twisted image. If not for the mercy of Hobbits, the world would have ended.
For all the pomp and pageantry following the fall of Sauron, it is important to understand what the heroism of the Hobbits truly is. Power, violence, valor, and strength all failed. In the end, it is the capacity for mercy that saves Middle Earth. Tolkien understood the difference between what war brings and what mercy brings. He understood this because of his own experience of war and through his faith and belief in sacrament wrought through mercy. For Christ followers, mercy is also a key component. Mercy is central to the Gospel. Full stop. The Gospel is the revealed width of God’s mercy as never before understood. (See Hebrews 1:1)
Mercy in works of fiction should never be greater than the mercy that Christians reflect. If the Lord of the Rings, Ted Lasso, and Charlie Brown show great mercies toward characters, why are we often unable to show mercy? Our language is often filled with condemnation and derision rather than an extension of mercy. Even Frodo and Sam felt pity for Gollum.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matt 5:7 NRSVue)