The progression of friendship between Legolas and Gimli in The Fellowship of the Ring
All friendships tend to weaken or strengthen over time. One such example of a strengthening friendship exists in The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. The friendship occurs between two of the main characters, Legolas and Gimli. Legolas is an elf and Gimli is a dwarf. In Middle Earth, elves and dwarves generally dislike each other, most likely because the dwarves are accused of killing Thingol, who is an ancient Elfish lord. It may also be because of nature: dogs and cats generally don’t get along. The two are together though, and one event at the edge of Lóthlorien forces them to come to an agreement that challenges and changes their relationship.
Both of the characters meet in the story at the Council of Elrond because there must be a man, an elf, and a dwarf in the company to start the journey to the Cracks of Doom that contains the hottest fires to melt the one and only commanding ring that Sauron desires so much. The company tries to circumvent Caladhras Mountain, but a snowstorm waylays them and they are forced to enter the Mines of Moria. Before going in, Gandalf explains that those mines were made when there were friends between all kinds of creatures, including elves and dwarves.
“Well here we are at last!” said Gandalf. “Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark the end of their domain; for the West-door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship between Dwarves and Elves.”
“It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship was waned,” said Gimli.
“I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves,” said Legolas.
“I have heard both,” said Gandalf; “and I will not give judgment now.”
Their mutual dislike leads them to not talk to each other for quite a while after entering the Mines.
The Company behind him [Frodo] spoke seldom, and then only in hurried whispers. There was no sound but the sound of their own feet: the dull stump of Gimli’s dwarf-boots; the heavy tread of Borimir; the light step of Legolas; the soft, scarce-heard patter of hobbit feet; and in the rear, the slow, firm footfalls of Aragorn with his long stride. When they halted for a moment they heard nothing at all, unless it were the occasional faint trickle and drip of unseen water.
The company finally passes through the mines, although at a cost of a member of the Fellowship. Their journey continues to the secret Elvin land of Lóthlorien, or Lorien. During their attempt to enter Lóthlorien, they are stopped because the way through is known only to elves and must be kept a secret and unknown to outsiders. The Fellowship is told that they may pass, which is highly unusual, but only if the dwarf is blindfolded. Gimli is outraged that he alone should have to walk in the dark, and refuses to wear a cover over his eyes. Gimli says that there is no need for unfairness and just because he is a dwarf, it doesn’t mean he has to be blindfolded. Then Aragorn gets tired of the protesting and butts in to tell them that everyone is going to wear blindfolds and they will just have to deal with it. Legolas, outraged, adds to Gimli’s argument and says that he shouldn’t get blindfolded because he is one of their kind, an Elf, not an outsider. But the argument still remains in Gimli and Legolas’s mind because at that moment when the elf and dwarf both agree on something, a friendship is forged that will benefit the Fellowship in battles to come.
“As was agreed, I shall here blindfold the eyes of Gimli the dwarf. The others may walk free for a while, until we come nearer to our dwellings, down in Egladil, in the Angle between the waters.”
Gimli was obstinate. He planted his feet firmly apart, and laid his hand upon the haft of his ax. “I will forward free,” he said, “or I will go back and seek my own land, where I am known to be true of word, though I perish alone in the wilderness.”
“I am an Elf and a kinsman here,” said Legolas, becoming angry in his turn.
One of the battles where the friendship is helpful is during the fight between Orcs of the White Hand against the soldiers of King Theoden. Before the battle, Gimli and Legolas have a playful competition to see who will kill the most Orcs. Gimli turns out killing forty-two, one more than Legolas, and you can tell that their friendship is strong when the Elf says that he is glad to see Gimli healthy on his legs. Also, after the battle, you can tell that the tension between the dwarf and the elf are gone because the two creatures ride out of the battle scene sharing a horse. This would have never happened before they arrived at Lóthlorien.
The progression of friendship between Gimli and Legolas is about how two characters move from just tolerating each other to making amends; from this they seem to form an important agreement. They had to choose between friendship and acrimony, and friendship prevailed. Such rivalry exists in our world: for instance, during Apartheid, there was racial segregation. In South Africa, black political representation was taken away and blacks in general were not considered citizens. This breach of human dignity finally ended in 1990. President Frederik Willem de Klerk made negotiations to end the segregation. Gimli’s and Legolas’s relationship is similar because they were both rivals. Help comes from Gandalf and Aragorn, but it is the two of them who finally solve their own problem. This teaches us a greater life lesson, which says, no matter how different you are with another person or group, it doesn’t mean both of you can’t share a lasting relationship. By making amends or negotiating with another person, or by acknowledging that the challenges each party faces are in some ways equal and complimentary, we can solve our problems in a peaceful way.