Editing Samwise Gamgee (section)

=== Heroism ===

{{further|Heroism in The Lord of the Rings}}

Tolkien called Sam the "chief hero" of the saga, adding: "I think the simple 'rustic' love of Sam and his Rosie (nowhere elaborated) is absolutely essential to the study of his (the chief hero's) character, and to the theme of the relation of ordinary life (breathing, eating, working, begetting) and quests, sacrifice, causes, and the 'longing for Elves', and sheer beauty."<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2023|loc=letter 131 to [[Milton Waldman]], 1951 }}</ref> Tolkien admired heroism out of loyalty and love, but despised arrogance, pride and wilfulness. The courage and loyalty displayed by Samwise Gamgee on his journey with Frodo is the kind of spirit that Tolkien praised in his essays on the [[Old English]] poem "[[The Battle of Maldon]]".{{sfn|Solopova|2009|pp=40–42}} Likewise, Sam's rejection of the Ring is a rejection of power, but also a "desire for renown which the defeat over [[Sauron]] will bring".{{sfn|Solopova|2009|p=42}}

[[Tom Shippey]] notes Sam's courage, which among other things takes the form of "be[ing] 'cheerful' without any hope at all". Shippey comments that this may hardly appear sensible, but it "rings true", appearing in old soldiers' recollections of the [[World War I|First World War]]. He notes the etymology of "cheer", from [[Old French]] ''chair'', meaning "face", commenting that "a stout pretence" is better than "sincere despair". Further, in the grimness of the Stairs of [[Cirith Ungol]], he and Frodo imagine people "laughing at grief", something that Shippey calls Tolkien's "[[Northern courage in Middle-earth|new model of courage]]".{{sfn|Shippey|2005|pp=180–181}}