The Importance of The Scouring

The Scouring of The Shire is one of the largest and most discussed omissions in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy alongside The House of Tom Bombadil. Knowledge of the event often serves as a litmus test for whether or not someone has read the book or just seen the films. While its absence from the movies can be justified by its effect on the film's pacing, its importance to the overall story in the literature should be undisputed. George R. R. Martin once said, “Every time I read it, I understand the brilliance of that segment more and more.” However, the transition from the ultimate engagements against the forces of evil at the Black Gate and the fires of Mount Doom to a skirmish that seems incredibly domestic or trivial often puzzles or even frustrates many during their initial or repeat read-throughs, feeling like a step down from the climactic ending of the Hobbits' adventures abroad. Why then do so many deem it important and necessary? What multifaceted, layered meaning is Martin referring to?

​Those who have spent any time studying Tolkien will understand the myriad ways myths inform his world-building and character crafting. The "monomythic" formula, as described by Joseph Campbell in his seminal work The Hero with a Thousand Faces, is broadly composed of three parts: separation, initiation, and the return. The final step, as described by Campbell, occurs when the hero comes back home with “the power to bestow boons on his fellow men”, having gone through the trials of the long journey, wholly transformed and capable of returning “the flow of life into the body of the world.” It is here that we can best observe the effect of the adventure on the hero, or, in the case of The Lord of the Rings, heroes. Their nature and abilities during the homecoming stand in contrast to their original selves. In The Return of the King, we see this previously in another character, Aragorn. Upon the apparent King's return to his rightful seat, after his separation and initiation, represented by his quest with The Fellowship and descent into the paths of the dead, he enters Minas Tirith, now willing and able to assume the throne and begin curing the people of Gondor, his healing abilities confirming the completion of his transformation from Ranger to King.  

The Hobbits return completely transformed from how they left, now elevated above their peers, not just in appearance, clad in armor and well-armed, but also in technical ability and heroic quality. The four heroes, seasoned by their perilous journey, now laugh in the face of the guards sent to detain them. This distinguishes them wholly from their fellow hobbits, who have lived in abject fear and obedience to Saruman’s decrees. Merry and Pippin, armed with the experience they have acquired as knights, effectively marshal the long-dormant forces of The Shire to outmaneuver and decisively rout Saruman's sheriffs. Sam, using the enchanted soil granted to him by Galadriel, re-greens The Shire and grows a new party tree. Beyond these acts, the three of them repeatedly take decisive action to swiftly dismantle Saruman's machinations. Following their heroics, Merry, Pippin, and Sam will all become well-respected hobbits and leaders among their people. Their arcs, for the most part, conclude in this chapter.

In fact, it is arguably Frodo, the main character, who plays the least significant role in the restoration of The Shire. Although he has returned physically, his travels have left an indelible wound on his soul, making him incapable of feeling at home in The Shire. While we see a growth in prowess among the other Hobbits, in Frodo, we observe the true nature of the burden he bore and the sacrifice he made. His desire to show mercy to Saruman represents his moral transformation. However, the lack of a Campbell-style return in the mold of his friends and Aragorn highlights that Frodo has not fully returned victorious and is struggling spiritually, and it contextualizes his decision to travel to the Undying Lands to seek final healing.

Through the events of this chapter, we again observe the thematic undertone of Faramir's famous declaration that he does not find intrinsic value in armaments but “love[s] only that which they defend,” making clear the rightwise purpose of taking up arms. Having spent the entire book aiding the free peoples of Middle-earth in the defense of their lands, the occupation and industrialization of their own home is a dark twist of fate, threatening to invalidate all that our heroes have accomplished. Sam's dreaded vision in the mirror of Galadriel is said to have been underwhelming in contrast to what he experienced upon seeing Bagshot Row again, bursting into tears beside the felled party tree. The feelings evoked in this chapter capture an extremely painful sentiment often only felt by the losing side in a war, not the victors, the feeling that it was all for nothing. What was the point in defeating Sauron and even setting off beyond the borders of Hobbiton if it was always destined to end this way? This combination of loss and despair is among the most difficult emotions any character in the book experiences, representing the stinging feeling shared by many who have survived combat and returned home to find it different from what they remembered.

The confirmation of our characters’ completion of their heroic journey and the nuanced portrayal of what it means to return home make The Scouring of The Shire not just a necessary formality but also an exploration of a deeply complicated subject. This makes it critical to the understanding of Tolkien's work as a whole and justifies its position as the penultimate chapter of The Lord of the Rings. In accordance with Martin's quote, I look forward to discovering further meaning in my next reading of this difficult yet brilliant chapter.

​-SDV