A Story Within a Story

I hope that by now the whole Gandalf-Christ similarities are starting to make you wonder whether religion exists in Middle Earth, because there's plenty more to compare. If you have read the bible or know anything about Christianity, you'll have noticed the similarities between biblical figures and the characters of Middle Earth.

Let's start with the bad guy: Saruman. The sad thing is, he was not always bad. Saruman, one of the most powerful wizards of the land, was once a good friend of Gandalf's until he betratyed him. Is he starting to sound a little like Lucifer, one of the most powerful angels who turned to the dark side? 

Perhaps the most lethal power of these two "angels-gone-bad" is their words. The devil represents temptation and is particularly powerful when it comes to convincing others to join him. He even persuades Eve to eat from the only tree that God had instructed her not to touch. But he is not the only one who has a way with words. Saruman is able to convince countless creatures to join the dark side too. As powerful as they are, neither of these evils can overcome the saviors. The devil fails in his attempt to tempt Christ in the desert just as miserably as Saruman fails to convince Gandalf to join him. They are not omnipotent.

Lucifer the Dark Angel

Saruman Gone Bad

On a lighter note, there exists a beautiful Elven queen whose appearance might ring a bell. Lady Galadriel has a gently, motherly demeanor and seems to possess a power of salvation. Both Frodo and Sam look to her as a last resort in their most desperate times of need. You get that motherly savior type feel when the two hobbits call upon Galadriel's phial to save them from a nasty looking, monstrous spider. If this doesn't sound symbolic of the Virgin Mary, I don't know what will.

Lady Galadriel

Virgin Mary

You can't leave out they Elven waybread either. Without it, Frodo and Sam would likely have died from starvation, for it gave them the physical sustenance and renewed spirits that they needed in order to keep moving forward.

Waybread (also known as Lembas)

Eucharist Bread

Both are small, broken pieces of bread used to refresh spirits. It goes without saying that the waybread is meant to be symbolic of the Eucharist. Typical author move again to include little details that imply similarities but never directly say so. But what fun would there be in reading, if there were no surprises and you were never required to think? Tolkien tells us later on in his life that he includes Christianity in Middle Earth, but it is up to the reader to find it.