A tensive look about semi-symbolism in “The Lord of the Rings”

Abstract

This article analyzes a scene from The return of the king, the last movie of The lord of the rings series, adapted to the movies by Peter Jackson – in pictures from 2001, 2002 and 2003 – from the literary work of J. R. R. Tolkien. The series shows the conflict between the forces of good and of evil, controlled by Sauron, who intends to dominate the Middle-earth with the One Ring, the ring of power. With the purpose of emulating, visually and coherently, the folcloric universe created by Tolkien, Jackson relies on canonical aesthetic resources and relates the opposite sides in the battle for Middle-earth with light and darkness. While Gandalf, the wise wizard of the good, is associated with white and has the light as a weapon, the evil specters (the nazgul) are protected by the shadows and are illustrated in black. The analysis of the rescue of the knights of Gondor – and the progressive ascension of clarity as a predominant element in the scene, as Gandalf gets close to his objective – brings back on new basis, taking into account concepts of the tensive model and the concept of forms of life, the discussion about the semi-symbolic relationship between light and darkness as resources of the plan of expression associated to good and evil.