One metaphor to rule them all? ‘Objects’ as tests of character in The Lord of the Rings

Abstract

This quantitative and qualitative study argues that the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings (LotR) is based on a metaphoric blend, which is echoed in related metaphors for power throughout the trilogy. Particular metaphors may be repeated in a literary work to achieve a stylistic effect (Ben-Porat, 1992; Crisp et al., 2002; Sullivan, 2007; Werth, 1994). This article suggests that the One Ring, and other powers conceptualized as objects, repeatedly test the mettle and morality of characters throughout the LotR trilogy. The current study examines the One Ring as a metaphoric blend (in the sense of Fauconnier, 1997) based on the Object Event-Structure (OES) metaphor, in which abstract goals are conceptualized as physical objects (Lakoff and Johnson, 1999), and compares the structure of this blend with all other OES metaphors for power throughout LotR. The study finds that just as good characters are ‘weighed down’ by the Ring, they feel ‘burdened’ by other forms of power and authority, whereas evil characters do not feel that power is a ‘burden’. Similarly, the manner in which the Ring is acquired is indicative of character quality, a trend shared by other metaphors for power and authority. Finally, the Ring is a non-living object; and throughout the trilogy, other metaphoric ‘objects’ are found to be more likely to be evil, whereas plants and growing things are more likely to map metaphorically onto the forces of good.