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| Frodo Baggins Photo credit: fromlandptoenglishtea.blogspot.com |
The Hobbit, Frodo Baggins of The Lord of the Rings franchise and the bespectacled wizard, Harry Potter the eponymous character of the fantasy series by J. K. Rowling have striking similarities and peculiarities that all but beg to be recognized.
As far as speculations go, J. K. Rowling's series take after Tolkien's work but my topic is a mile wide of such theories. I'm not even about how the Harry Potter character is a spin-off of Frodo Baggins. What you have here people, is a fan's obsessive streak; a highly opinionated view of two of my favorite fictional characters.
Note: The bold and italicized fonts mark out the similarities.
In Tolkien's LOTR, Bilbo Baggins, who is his Uncle adopts his cousin, Frodo Baggins. The latter's Parents are almost non-existent in the plot. Harry Potter shares a similar fate difference is his parents are indeed dead. He lives with his aunt and uncle-in-law. While Frodo's task is destroying the immortal Dark Lord Sauron and Saving Middle Earth, Harry Potter has his hands full fighting off psycho wizard Lord Voldemort whose mind is bent on taking over the world.
The process by which Frodo becomes the Ring-Bearer and thereby the chosen one is a little complicated but somewhere down the line is An Act of Love that put the show on the road. Frodo's uncle Bilbo whose love for his favorite cousin made him adopt Frodo as heir gave him charge of The Ring before embarking on his journey. In the HP universe, the love of his mother who gave her life for his, saved baby Harry Potter's life and somehow, picked him out as the special one.
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| Harry Potter Photo credit: harrypotter.wikia.com |
As the fate of their worlds come to rest on the shoulders of these two characters, they are accorded Chaperons. Frodo goes to the Dark Tower with Samwise Gamgee and Gollum (a most unlikely of escorts); Harry leaves on his quest with friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. I have my doubts though, but I perceive the creature Gollum as Frodo's Dark Side. The despicable creature the easygoing and cheerful hobbit could become if The Ring takes over the control of his mind. And who is Harry's dark side but the Lord Voldemort in whose bloodstream flows Harry Potter's blood cells? One of them (Harry or Voldemort) must die if the other is to function maximally.
The Wizards add a twist to the entire storyline. In both characters' lives, two wizards play a major role; one good, the other not-so-good. Frodo has Gandalf the Grey (the good wizard) and Saruman (the evil wizard); Harry has Dumbledore (the good wizard) and on the other hand is Lord Voldemort (the evil wizard).
Another similarity that stares you in the face is the Persuasive ability both Frodo and Harry exhibit in their separate but unique macrocosms. When Frodo and his faithful companion and friend, Samwise catch Gollum riding their backtrail, Frodo talks the creature into guiding them to the Dark Tower where he would destroy the One Ring. And Harry is called upon by Professor Dumbledore to assist in retrieving information from a fellow Hogwarts professor. After much ceremony, Harry successfully drags out the secret about Voldemort's seeming immortality from the villain's former teacher.
Just in case it crossed your mind to ask, who of the two characters is my favorite? That's an easy enough question. I should get you an answer say... in my next lifetime; when I reanimate as a crossbreed of Frodo Baggins and Harry Potter.
Keep your pen bleeding.
Akpan
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