Galadriel does not only give them gifts that she knows they will need and use but meaningful ones, ones that have a deeper meaning beyond what they seem to be. In order to understand the meanings of the gifts, fans should first know what the gifts are in the books and how they differ in the movies. One gift that is the same in both the books and the movies is Elven cloaks with a brooch with a green leaf on it. All of the Fellowship members get one of those. Another gift that is the same is Frodo’s phial with the Light of Eärendil. Frodo gets that gift in both the Lord of the Rings books and the movies.
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Next is Sam’s gifts. Yes, gifts, because Sam gets more than one special gift from Galadriel. At least in the Lord of the Rings books. He receives some Earth from Lothlorien and a mallorn tree seed as well as some Elvish rope. In the movies, he only gets the rope. Merry and Pippin receive the same gift from Galadriel in the books, a silver belt with a gold flower-shaped clasp. While in the movies, they recieve daggers. In the books, Aragorn receives two important gifts: a magical Elven scabbard, that will prevent any sword sheathed in it from breaking, and Elessar the Elfstone, a green gem that is set in a silver eagle-shaped brooch. The Elfstone was left for him by Arwen. In the movies, however, Aragorn only gets an Elven knife.
Legolas receives a bow and arrows from Galadriel. This gift is the same in the Lord of the Rings books and movies. Gimli initially is unsure about a gift. In the end, he asks for a strand of Galadriel’s hair. She gives him three. This gift is the same in the books and movies. In the books, he states that he is going to encase it in crystal to symbolize goodwill between the Dwarves and the Elves and to pass down to future generations. In the Lord of the Rings books, Boromir gets a solid gold belt, shaped like linked golden leaves. However, in the movies, Boromir does not receive any special gift. This is definitely an interesting choice.
Though the Lord of the Rings books and movies differ somewhat on what gifts the Fellowship members receive, the meaning of the gifts given in the books remains the same. For now, fans should focus on the gifts that are the same in both such as the Elven cloaks, Frodo’s phial, Sam’s rope, and Gimli’s hair. What is the meaning of these gifts? Most of them are practical and end up being useful for the members of the Fellowship. Yet they also are symbolic and mean something to those reading or watching the story.
For example, Frodo’s phial is useful because it helps him to literally light up a dark place where he ends up during his quest to destroy the Ring. Sam’s rope is useful for getting him and Frodo into difficult places and, in the movies, for tying up Gollum. The Elven cloaks are useful for hiding from enemy eyes, possibly even Sauron himself. Gimli’s hair is not particularly useful and is the only gift that does not seem to have a purpose within the story. Yet it definitely has a meaning outside of it.
What do these gifts mean? Largely, the gifts are symbolic of greater concepts. For example, the Elven cloaks are not only protection, they symbolize the bonds of friendship between all of the members of the Fellowship of the Ring. Frodo’s phial not only helps him escape from dark places but it symbolizes hope, both for Frodo and fans. Sam’s rope not only helps him and Frodo get around, it also symbolizes Sam’s determination to see the good in people and situations, no matter how dark they may seem to others.
It is this determination and willingness to hold onto hope that makes Sam such a crucial character in the Lord of the Rings series. And that is symbolized by Galadriel’s gift to him. Gimli’s hair is the only impractical present, but it does still have meaning. Not only does it represent what Gimli wants it to represent, a bond between the Dwarves and the Elves, it also symbolizes light and hope as well as friendship. So even the gift that seems to be without a purpose has its meaning.
Of course, not every Lord of the Rings fan will agree with this assessment of Galadriel’s gifts. Some might feel that they symbolize other things while others might not see them as symbolic at all. Yet many of these gifts seem symbolic. And they are largely symbolic of greater concepts than they might seem to be. Particularly Frodo and Sam’s gifts, and the Elven cloaks. And it would make sense for the gifts to be symbolic of larger concepts, particularly in the Lord of the Rings books. Symbolism is common in literature and it would fit with the story that Lord of the Rings is telling for these gifts to be symbolic.
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