Samwise Gamgee: Book vs Movie

[@fuferito]

Oh, man! Imagine being the owner of _The Lord of the Rings_ trilogy, all signed by J. R. R. Tolkien, and your actual name is Sam Gamgee.

[@dursty3226]

Samwise Gamgee walked all the way to Mordor and back, braving many dangers, fighting orcs and giant spiders, all to gain the courage to ask out the girl who already liked him.

[@ShuGuai]

Ha...this is the funniest thing I've read in months.

[@yvindwestersund9720]

And it's all the more true They were both shy and Sam did not have the courage until he had fought his way through all the troubles of the world Then he braved the biggest thing in his world Talking to Rosie Cotton God for you Sam

[@TheAlanRaptor]

"I can't carry it for you. But I can carry you!" This one line shatters everyone and shows Sam's loyalty, steadfastness, loyalty and simple nature that carries him forward as Frodo's brave, stouthearted nature.

[@AllenLSwain]

I tear up at that moment every time.

[@danielriley7380]

That and “I know you are, and I’m coming with you!” when Frodo says he’s going alone.

[@MILOPETIT]

It's too bad that he absolutely could carry it on his own but oh well, it does go hard

[@kylestevens6544]

There may come a day when Samwise dosn't have the strength to carry Frodo, but it is not this day!

[@jonhowarth9911]

I cannot watch Sam speak those final words “Well, I’m back.” Without tears streaming down my face.

[@CrankyGrandma]

I can’t read them without tears. Glad the book and movie ended with that line.

[@charlessperling7031]

@@CrankyGrandma Echoing Bilbo's original adventure, which is *There and Back Again.*

[@ronlyons7455]

Me too! When I first read the book, decades before the movie, I cried a 'Loss' that I had not yet acquired. ✨

[@virginiajudd5043]

Sean Astin owns my hobbit-y heart. He conveys so much with his facial expressions. That being said, I love reading all of Sam's internal monologue in the books. I guess I'll just be pleased to have both--aren't we lucky?!

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

That’s one of the best things about the books and movies. They’re both so well done that the differences only enhance their respective medium. Per your example, the text of the book shows so much emotion, but the film’s actors were so good that the movie doesn’t really lose much of that emotional impact.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Sean Astin kills the role, truly

[@Nuvizzle]

The trilogy honestly has a once-in-a-lifetime cast. Everyone is pitch perfect.

[@markusrobinson3858]

The majority of other serious Tolkien channels focus on nerdy details gleaned from Tolkien's other works. I cannot think of another channel that rises to your level of analysis of technique, character transformation, story arc and so forth. ALWAYS fascinating to listen to your analysis. Thanks!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

That's so kind! Thanks for watching!

[@BigBackInk]

I had a dog for nearly 8 years, sadly he passed away last year in mid April. My brother named him Sam and there were times when I called him Samwise, he was my best friend and I miss him dearly. He was loyal and did whatever he could to make my day better. I know he would have followed me to Mount Doom and back again.

[@MikeHudspeth]

Sounds like you had a beautiful friendship with your dog. My dog died 2 years ago after I had her for 14 years. She’s still the photo on my phone lock screen.

[@micklumsden3956]

I had a similar dog!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I'm so sorry for your loss! It sounds like you guys had a beautiful friendship

[@virginiajudd5043]

What a good friend you had. My heart goes out to you in your loss.

[@fepatton]

My heart goes out to you. ❤ Our maltipoo, who had “Samwise” on his ID tag, and went by “Sam”, passed away last month. 😢 We miss our brave little Sam too!

[@davidblair1968]

Jess: There's a hundred thousand of you! Theoden: More will come.

[@Heismanmonitor]

I like this series because it isn’t about which version of the character is better, and is more about how the character changes through adaptation which I think is a more interesting topic. Great vid Jess.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Thanks so much! I try to angle for analysis rather than criticism

[@rksnj6797]

I agree. This is a very interesting video. I loved her analysis of the differences and similarities between book Sam and movie Sam.

[@allisongliot]

I love Sam’s line you pulled out where he talks about not knowing exactly what he wants anymore but still moving forward because he feels like there’s something he’s meant to do. Sometimes moving forward is all we’re called to do in a given moment.

[@mobes8876]

I’m a simple man. I watch scenes or videos of Sam, and I cry uncontrollably. It works every time

[@Oakleaf012]

We can cry together

[@fr.andygutierrez5356]

I named my dog Samwise

[@patron8597]

That sounds more like an allergy then 😅

[@Marcos_Serpa]

We are simple, dude. We have allergies... XD

[@pendragon2012]

I love Sam in both the books and the movies. I get a little annoyed by how a lot of fans latched onto that one line from Tolkien and try to put down Frodo by contrast. Like, yeah, I get Sam's love and support was vital to Frodo, but Frodo's character was also shaped by his willingness to sacrifice himself to save the world. And yes, Sam gave up the Ring and Frodo didn't, but Frodo carried the Ring for miles and years, Sam had it for like five minutes. I like to think that the point of the story is that it was the sacrifices of friends that accomplished all this and not elevating the heroism of Sam while putting down Frodo. To me, they are both heroes and both necessary.

[@micklumsden3956]

On two occasions Frodo was willing to give up the ring - first to Gandalf and then to Galadriel. Neither of these two giants felt strong enough to take it - in their wisdom they allowed Frodo to bear it. Unlike Sam Frodo was sacrificed to the cause.

[@pendragon2012]

@@micklumsden3956 100%! But he agreed to it as well. He was willing.

[@JCej]

@@pendragon2012He was willing, but he was also the safest choice. I also don't think Gandalf, Galadriel and Elrond quite knew what Frodo had taken on and the effect the Ring would have on him.

[@pendragon2012]

@@JCej True but they knew what effect it would have on elves, men, dwarves and wizards, lol.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Absolutely. I don't think that Sam's any more of a hero than Frodo, he's definitely more relatable though. To quote Frodo in RotK "It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them." Frodo needed to be the sacrificial lamb, to make the ultimate sacrifice to allow Sam the heroism he has, just as Frodo wouldn't have succeeded without his help. It's their relationship that allows them both true heroism

[@DwreckJ]

“I knew it! I knew I didn’t eat the lembas!”

[@6666Imperator]

rather than that I'd take it as "What am I doing here, Frodo is still in danger!"

[@paulbrickler]

"Nitpicky . . . well what did you expect?" I LOL'ed.

[@Gnamut]

That last departure scene between Frodo and Sam at the end of Return of the King never fails to break me down. Nowadays, however, it's gained an entirely new meaning to me. My father passed away three years ago, and a dear friend of mine also perished on a car crash only one year ago. They both loved Lord of the Rings, and I even dedicated the 'Into the West' song to my friend during a farewell picture I made for him. Now, everytime I see this scene, I'll remember them, and I'll know exactly how Sam felt. Except, he actually had a chance to give Frodo one last farewell. Gosh, Sam, why do you always make me cry so hard...

[@racpa5]

So sorry for your loss.

[@12classics39]

I never saw Sam as a self-confident person in the book at all. He’s constantly self-deprecating, repeating the Gaffer’s insults toward him like “ninnyhammer.” His confidence is in Frodo, in Gandalf and Aragorn’s abilities to protect them, and mainly just in his natural optimism…why would Gandalf send Frodo on a mission with no hope of survival? Plus he remembers that Bilbo went there and back again, which must mean that they can too. It’s his loyalty to Frodo that makes him forget his lack of self-confidence and stand up to people like Aragorn and Faramir. And when it comes to Shelob, he is described as not even thinking about being brave when he charges her. He only feels rage that Frodo has been hurt. But all throughout FOTR and most of TTT, he is subservient to Frodo, thinking himself as undeserving of anything more than he already has, and accepting that he will live the same kind of life as his father: working for a wealthy hobbit as a servant with a wife and family. It is when he believes Frodo is dead that he is forced to start making his own decisions for the first time, and by the end, he realizes that while he will always be a gardener, he can be so much more. And he becomes so much more, replacing the Shire’s fallen trees, enhancing the land with Galadriel’s dust, becoming Master of Bag End, and serving as Mayor of the Shire for 49 consecutive years. None of which he would’ve felt he was capable of, if it hadn’t been for the journey. So he learns the same lesson in the book and in the movies.

[@rikk319]

As far as Sam rushing in to battle Shelob with rage not bravery--an old Welsh proverb says, "In a fight, anger is as good as courage."

[@chrismcdonald7086]

Think of that confidence in the intellectual sense. He is pretty sure of the things he ignorantly believes.

[@mattnarvaez9231]

Sean Astin did an amazing job. Even with the differences from the books, it's hard to picture a different Sam now.

[@beatleblev]

Excellent video! I do think Sam is the least altered character from page to screen. Frodo is much younger in the movie than in the book, Merry is basically an apprentice ranger in the book, but is reduced to being the straight man to Pippin's fool of a Took in the films.

[@thedarkdane7]

Congratulations on your army, Jess! You have worked hard and you deserve it.

[@voodoochild1975az]

Random Tolkien thought of the day that just hit me... Lord of the Rings is very good and very powerful fiction. Those of that have read it and really got into it, have been changed by the experience. Sam teaches us loyalty and friendship to aspire to. We hear Gandalf's wisdom whispering in our ears in trying times... It's a shared transformative experience. I think that is why channels and communties like this exist. Weve all been touched by Sam's heroism, Gandalf's wisdom etc. And we love sharing this with others that understand it. The world is very much better off because of Tokien's work, and countless lives have been made better by it. If that isn't a clear indication of what elevates something to high literature, I don't know what is. I genuinely think this is some of the best fiction ever written. The fact that we can do a deep dive on Sam, deeply ponder what he means, who he is, which of his qualities we might aspire too.... Proves this.

[@nostalji93]

"beenade" isn't a neologism, is it? Did you mean to write 'been made'?

[@voodoochild1975az]

@@nostalji93 it's called a typo ;)

[@nostalji93]

@@voodoochild1975az ik, but I wasn't sure. It sounds like a real word.^^ Maybe a good name for a lemonade with honey? :P

[@animistchannel]

Great character review. One other thing I liked about book-Sam that didn't get into the movie was his craftiness and calculation. Book-Sam was always planning ahead, counting resources, calculating travel times, measuring weights and rations. He also sometimes manipulated situations to boost other characters' morale or keep goals in priority. It was all done subtly, of course, in the name of looking after someone else in proper butlerian fashion. His "magic rope" trick was perhaps my favorite, when he used some kind of sheep shank or highway hitch to get them down the cliff from the Emyn Muil. He played that comedic misdirection so well, boosting Frodo's spirits after days of struggling in the hills. It was nearly a vaudeville-level cheesy act, but it worked. One thing that I consider in the books is that from the time Sam & Frodo split off from the fellowship, Sam is basically the narrator for the rest of their part of the tale. Presumably, Frodo's memories are too foggy from the burden, and so Sam provides the PoV from his own perspective. We get things like Sam's 1st person experience of the Ring's temptations, not Frodo's, for example; and he describes himself more comically in general than the earlier writer had; and we don't see anything Sam didn't see. Tolkien kept in mind that he was writing the book that would be the book from which the book would be written, so to speak, that the book itself thought it had a contemporary author in the 3rd age. There is a bit of a "found footage" effect overall in the narrative.

[@amer6706]

I agree! It is amusing how Sam writes himself. Imagine him telling the story to his children. (Lovingly): Sam-dad, you’re so cringe!

[@RangerofRivendell]

This is an absolutely beautiful essay on Sam's character!! I love that you pointed out the good qualities of both the book and the movie versions of Sam, and dove deep into his core personality and purpose. Your channel is one of my favorites, and CONGRATULATIONS on 100,000 (now 125k) subscribers!! You absolutely deserve it, and thank you for putting so much time and effort and love into these videos. You bring a cozy, comfortable Hobbit atmosphere to my life, as well as providing new perspectives and knowledge on the books and movies that I love so much!

[@amer6706]

A lot of people will say Sam is so wholesome, and while that may true and Sam is indeed my favorite character and the most relatable, he was by no means perfect. He was suspicious of Gollum (as you should be, and as many of us are) but he assumed Frodo was soft. Indeed he was aware of the threat (even though he did depend on Sam’s hyperviligance because he was too often not mentally present due to the ring.) But Frodo did what few of us would, kindness and mercy. When Sam wanted to scream “Yes! (Shoot Gollum!)” Frodo yelled “No!” And Sam bullied Gollum, imitating his speech patterns and oddities. He also pushed Gollum over the edge by misinterpreting a tender act, which caused Gollum to be resolved to betray them to Shelob. That said, all of these things are comedic and enjoyable and don’t take away from the fact that Sam is a good guy. It just makes him more human. And can you imagine having Gollum as a guide? I wouldn’t be patient with him either.

[@InfernalPasquale]

I think it would have been worth mentioning Sam's voluntary membership, indeed as 'chief investigator', of the Conspirators in the book - brilliant storytelling and character building

[@pencilpauli9442]

Slight correction on the derivation of "Gamgee" AFAIK, gamgee was an old Brummie* term for cottonwool, named after a local doctor who combined cottonwool with gauze to make a medical dressing. If you google gamgee you will get links to buy gamgee rolls, especially for use in veterinary practice So Sam's name could be seen as indicate protective and healing qualities. *Brummie: colloquial term for someone from Birmingham, England, where Tolkien spent his youth.

[@samiam.402]

I have finally finished my first readthrough of LOTR and read the Grey Havens chapter today. It was a special experience and this video sums up everything oh so well.

[@howstrangehowsmall]

Samwise Gamgee is my favorite literary character of all time and Sean Astin is brilliant! His monologue gets me everytime. But the way they left out his inner rejection of the ring's false promises of grandeur from the movie was frustrating!! The ring was like "here's a vision of you having everything and having power and wealth and comfort" and he's like "nah, I'm good". Ugh, so good!

[@markp6062]

LOVED this one! Thanks for taking the time to go through the different perspectives of reading VS a movie. I learned this lesson through Cujo by Stephen King. In the Book, He gets inside the poor, sick dogs head and explains what is happening with him. In the movie, all they could do is show the dog's face in a screen shot. Same thing goes for Sam. There is so much that you learn going on in his head that can't be transcribed with pictures. Again, a great exposition. Thanks for taking the time to share it with us!

[@stevemiller6923]

Another half hour of my life that reminds me what it is all about. Your commentary is always the worthwhile part of the internet.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I'm so glad you enjoyed the video!

[@KunimunduR]

You have a grace about you, Jessica, that is rarely seen. Thank you for your spledid insights about a world that means so much to us!

[@Gary-vn8mn]

So true. She sets a gracious tone, and is the reason why the comment section stays positive and respectful. even when different opinions are presented.

[@marjoe32]

The extended edition of the movies has a scene that gives sam a emotional conection with nature and the world. "I dont know why, but it makes me sad". Sam allows his emotions to carry him forward.

[@cynthiapost147]

I am one minute in and the new set update is AWESOME!! The colors of the quilt, your lovely clothes and jewelry, art, books, unique objects; so nice!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I'm glad you like it!

[@Bryaninthebelfry]

"Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee..and I don't mean to" oh man gets me every time 🥹

[@Omegaroth666]

15:00 The only redeeming factor regarding that scene in the movie, for me, is that it shows how much Frodo is being effected by the ring. It makes completely irrational, removing his ability to think logically, and it shows it in fairly straight-forward way.

[@dargron7614]

The way I see it, film Frodo is thinking logically. Up to this point, Sam has kept a sliver of Frodo's hope alive with talk of a return journey, but deep down Frodo fears his mission is a one way trip and the loss of the food makes it a certainty in his mind. He fears the Ring will inevitably take Sam and sees his path as doomed. By this point Frodo doesn't care who's lying, he's willing to jump on any excuse to spare Sam from sharing his fate. Frodo effectively thinks he is doing the same for Sam as they did for Bill the Pony.

[@Omegaroth666]

@@dargron7614 I can that angle as well.

[@BlueIce-Tea]

@@dargron7614 I like that interpretation of Frodo, but I don't think it actually works. As Jess points out, Sam *can't* just go home; by sending him away, Frodo is essentially condemning him do death. So Frodo must either be a) so corrupted that he doesn't care if Sam lives or dies, or b) so corrupted he's forgotten that wandering around for weeks in the wilderness without any food will get you killed. Either way, that doesn't sound like Frodo in his right mind. Still, I suppose he could be making what *seems* to him like a rational decision while working within an irrational framework.

[@Kim-jp4qc]

Frodo is also being corrupted by the ring in his decision to not believe Sam and send him away. He had been wearing that thing way too long and it was growing heavy. If I were Sam, I would have been crushed by Frodo's demeaner, especially since Sam hated Gollum and knew he was up to no good. I like movie Sam more than book Sam because he's more real instead of stoic. Awesome presentation! Thank you for bringing this to us. 🤩

[@brooksanderson1791]

Forty years ago, I determined Sam was the hero of this tale, and I'm delighted to finally discover that others have also agreed to this. So glad I stumbled upon your video.😊

[@christopherrichardbass-bar5727]

Great reflection, Jess! You should wait til we reach 10K and have us march on Helm's Deep. A thought-would you consider treating of the differences in Sam and Gollum's relationship in the books and the films? I know that this relationship was near and dear to Tolkien's heart. Thanks again for the excellent content on this channel.

[@tomklock568]

Thanks again Jess. Another great job. And I agree while I don’t like some ways the movie dealt with him, Sean did a phenomenal job of acting him out!

[@SLB4523]

Sam got shortchanged badly in the movies. He was turned into a bumbling yokel, and his deep love and bond with Frodo was terribly understated. Frodo always treated him as a friend, not a servant, and it was this devotion that drove Sam to be as stoic as he needed to be. His actions when Frodo was captured and imprisoned by the orcs were staunch and heroic by anybody’s standards but his own in a bleak and terrifying section of the story which was almost overlooked by Jackson. If there’s one word to describe the worst omissions in the movies, it would be poignancy.

[@TheAlterspark]

Great video, one point I think was missed that shows Jackson didn't necessarily REMOVE something so much as shifted it. Aragorn in the Fellowship movie when confronted by Sam who thinks he's rescuing Frodo - Aragorn remarks "You have a stout heart little hobbit," but remarks it will not be enough.

[@Spa4rtan]

As a Sam (sparts is not my name, lol ) getting to see this video just on my birthday gets to be one of the most astonishing gifts I have got in a while.Thank you for the amazing work you do in your channel

[@jamespfp]

14:45 -- RE: What did Frodo think Sam was going to do? [ie. After he commands that he leave, Film Version]; Funny, but yeah, I'm 100% with you on Sam being Stouthearted being more nuanced and therefore Awesome than simply Brave. So Then! I think the best way to interpret Frodo's decision and his "Logic" is to admit that Frodo isn't purely himself but being actively influenced by the Ring *as well as* being passive-aggressively pushed by that *other* slave of the Ring, Gollum. I suspect PJ wanted Frodo to show the damage the Ring was doing and that meant it was fair game for him to re-write this for dramatic purposes. And as I'm sure you've noticed, the Ring-as-Entity generally gets an Exaggerated treatment by PJ with all the characters it interacts with. All that to say, what did Frodo think? He wasn't even the one Thinking. The "Logic" he's following is Twisted by the Ring, brutally logical in its pathways but utterly wrong in its prepositions.

[@charleywhaley]

Didn’t realise this was a recent upload. Absolutely love this series and hope you do more. Would be great to see Golem and Sauron covered in the future.

[@StoriesThatSuck-pw1vi]

I'm so happy to see you cover this subject. Samwise is one of my favorite characters -- describing his character is pretty simple and straightforward, but in practice he's quite a bit more complex and deep, in both the books and the movies.

[@forrestfire101]

I really enjoy your analysis, though I would say you may want to bump your exposure down on the camera just a hair, the whites are clipping, but other than that, perfect video :)

[@fallenhero3130]

I honestly would guess the reason they changed the line from "stouthearted" to "brave" is a very simple one: not many modern audiences know the word stouthearted, plus it's clunky to say.

[@NerdilyDone]

Bah, that's silly. People should learn new words through story.

[@NoobTamer]

@@NerdilyDone It'd be a learning opportunity if nothing else.

[@tomsmith01SF]

Courageous of you to say.

[@adamstevens5518]

I feel like stouthearted is a word that originates so much from 'within' a character that it's hard to pull off without all the internal dialogue that a book provides.

[@zacharyclark3693]

Yeah. Book dialogue is a lot more wordy (and very poetic at times). On the screen, dialogue tends to be quick, catchy, and to the point. I’ve seen some television shows where the dialogue is closer to books dialogue, and unless done well comes across as wordy and awkward.

[@IsraelBenitez-ev7mj]

Samwise Gamgee is one of only 3 beings in the history of Middle Earth to give up possession of the one ring(Bilbo under protest and Bombadil are the others), he defeats and mortally wounds Shelob an ancient evil present before Sauron...he is a friend of undying loyalty and becomes the Mayor of Hobbiton, the last words in the novels were his... Tolkien said himself "Sam is the hero of the story" Samwise was the coolest character in the entire story

[@nostalji93]

What about Faramir? Technically having Frodo captive with the ring and just needing to take it, kinda qualifies as "posession" doesn't it?

[@nick_trains_dogs]

Bilbo was under protest and had help from gandalf yes but unique among the other two. Sam and Tom hadn't taken ownership of the ring. They were holding it for a moment for the one who did own it, which doesn't compare to the decades that Bilbo and frodo held it for

[@nick_trains_dogs]

​@@nostalji93no because it isn't about "possession" strictly

[@nick_trains_dogs]

Faramir has no desire for power over others so the ring has no desire for him

[@mobes8876]

That’s a fair point, but Sam wasn’t merely “holding” the Ring. He was actually using it. He put on the Ring for hours while searching for and rescuing Frodo. All this while in the lands of Mordor, where the Ring would be incredibly powerful. Also, Bilbo freely giving up the Ring is incredibly impressive. He had Gandalf’s help, yes, but he wasn’t forced and he gave it up without threat of violence. Bilbo was an incredibly strong individual

[@ghostlightning]

I love both equally, and agree that Sean Astin's portrayal only made me love Sam more. It's 8 am here in the Philippines and it's too early to be crying. For me, the most heroic moment for Frodo was during Elrond's council. "I will take the Ring to Mordor, even if I do not know the way." At that point he had already been stabbed with a Morgul blade so he has an idea of the horror that can befall him (though nothing really can prepare him). Saying that in that moment, alone among all these leaders of the free peoples remains to me, the most daring, un-hobbit like, bigger balls than Boromir (who to me has the biggest -- apart from Sam himself, fight me) thing a young hobbit can do. Sam's heroism is literal and against real monsters and in the deepest trenches and in the darkest moments. It is the easiest heroism to believe in, whose love for it is easiest to give to, and when it won our hearts made us so much happy for it. There, I'm crying again. Fuck this shit. I'm going back to sleep god damn it.

[@Kwijiboz]

While I know that Frodo couldn´t have completed the quest without Sam, the opposite is also true, that´s why I don´t like making this a competition and I dislike when people put down frodo to praise Sam. Frodo gave his life almost literally for the cause. He carried the ring longer than anyone, he showed mercy to gollum who ended up destroying the ring. He was stabbed by a morgul blade and he still chose to carry the ring when no one would have had the endurance to even touch it. He even lost a finger. He endured more punishment, physical and mental than anyone on the fellowship, and he saved the world and the Shire, not for him, but for others because completing the quest took all from him.

[@BlueIce-Tea]

Yes, Frodo does as much as Sam, if not more. I think the difference is that, in the book at least, we gradually get less of Frodo's perspective and inner struggle and more of Sam's. We actually get to see Sam wrestling with feelings of hopelessness on his way to Mount Doom, compared to Frodo who turns into a bit of a dead weight. That makes Sam compelling to people. But you're right: Frodo was very brave, he sacrificed a lot, and he made some very important choices.

[@PainfullySubjective]

really appreciate this kind of conversation. hope you spread your wings into other book series so we can have these conversations on a broader spectrum

[@markschannon8797]

Another superb analysis. As many times as I've read the books and watched the movies, I always seem to come away from your talks with a deeper, more profound understanding. Where you got so much wisdom at such a young age is one of life's great mysteries, LOL.

[@Eudaimonist]

Beautiful presentation of your views. I love your sincerity and insight.

[@Countess1476]

Oh boy new Jess of the Shire video!!!

[@jaradams]

This is very well done. I think I could probably go on as long as you did tell you what a great job you did, but let me just accent one point: a book is not a movie a movie is not a book. I think you do an excellent job of expressing the need to change how characters are handled because of the innate characteristics of the medium in which they are being used. I tend to resist the idea that's the changes are simply a matter of contemporary taste or expectation. If that were so, then the books wouldn't be read. I can't disagree with there is a change in contemporary taste, but I do think the essential point is what you had to say about the ability of the printed word to let us into the inner thoughts of a character which -- without generating a whole lot of clumsiness -- movies just can't. And you do a wonderful job of explaining how that changes everything else in the storytelling process. I always enjoy your videos, but this one was exceptional.

[@kaptcha]

In my typical style of over sharing, I must say that when you got to the part about Sam "being enough" I felt the misty mountains clouding my eyes. As someone that often struggles with self doubt and self loathing, that's an affirmation I need to constantly bestow upon myself, and the way you tied that mantra in so eloquently to Samwise the stout of heart truly meant something to me. I'm so glad your channel has taken off, you deserve it!

[@blackmichael75]

Sam Gamgee is somewhat like another literary Sam, Sam Weller in the Pickwick Papers. Probably the archetype goes back to Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and is essentially feudal.

[@BKandtheUnderstanding]

Your videos have been refreshing for me lately. It’s been too many years since I’ve re-read The Lord of the Rings. I’ve been so caught up in creating my own art over the last several years.

[@__Stitchy]

I just found your channel and watched a few videos - this is a fantastic series and you deserve blowing up in sub numbers.

[@edamamame4U]

Samwise Gamgee has to be one of my all-time favorite characters. At the start of the journey, we see a stubborn, self-deprecating, humble hobbit who knows nothing of the world outside the safety of the shire. It is Sam's constant undying loyalty, humility, and unwavering hope that makes him a hero. Sam never fails to lose hope despite insurmountable odds that would make anyone want to give up. I still cry at Sam's speech to Frodo during the Two Towers (both in the book and the movies)- Sam tells Frodo that the normal folks in tales of old had many chances of turning back, but they pushed on. It's such a beautiful speech and it shows you so much about Sam's psyche.

[@diannerenn4726]

Thank you for acknowledging Sean Astin's amazing performance.

[@xXxArcher13xXx]

In german in the movie Froo calls him "Samweis der Beherzte" which literally means stoutheartet :)

[@nilsmuninsheim4279]

Might be of some interest to you, that in the German dubbing of the films Frodo does not refer to Sam as 'the brave' ( what would translate to 'der Mutige') but instead as 'der Beherzte' - what indeed is a somehow antiquated, nowadays seldomly used word that in meaning translates almost exactly to 'stouthearted'. Seems like someone in charge had the original books on their knees when pinning down the dialogue for the bulky teutonic tongue.

[@TumzFestivalYT]

Another amazing video. Samwise Gamgee did make me feel good, as a fellow Sam, especially when the name seems to pop up for the sake of convenience in most other stories it seems. It was picked for me primarily for being a family name, but one of my grandmothers read Tolkiens books once a year- I hope she appreciated it. Love your videos!

[@InfernalPasquale]

I liked your nitpickiness over stoutheartedness vs. brave. I believe that this neatly describes Boyen's plan to socialise LOTR and bring it more in line with 21st century thinking - that, although Frodo and Sam are of different class, both are capable of brave heroism, and Sam is not simply of the servant class supporting those above them to achieving greatness, which was a common thought in the pre-1945 Western social-democratic zeitgeist.

[@lisakinney7043]

The Lord of the Rings has been a favorite since HS, and Sam has always owned my heart. As the first movie was in development, I was excited and hopeful, but knew that, for me to enjoy the movies, everything depended upon the Sam character. Sean Astin was exactly what I hoped he would be. ❤❤❤

[@marksimpson1768]

Viewed several of your videos in the last year... You are delightful and insightful. Best wishes, from one Tolkien fan to another!

[@lunasophia9002]

If I am to be in your army, I shall be quartermaster and chief provisioner of tea. Loving what you've done with your studio, even having seen the patreon video. I think you made a good choice in particular with having all four seasons up at the same time. Sting looks great, and I almost get the sense it belongs to the stately rat :)

[@dman9987]

Another great video. I love the distinguished rodent gentleman in the back. I’ve got a painting of a chipmunk lumberjack.

[@Raz.C]

re - 20:50 Thank you so much for including this snippet. It's one of my favourite-est parts of the whole narrative; that bittersweet realisation that every victory comes at a cost and that sometimes the cost is everything! It's a bit like Cewitel Ejiofor's character in Serenity- The Operative- saying to Mal "I'm not going to live there [an idealised utopia]. I'm a monster! There's no place for me there!" Except that the LOTR version was written by a master of linguistic wizardry and so it's much more evocative, at least to me. edit - That wasn't the proper quote from Serenity. I checked and here's the proper one: "I'm not going to live there. There's no place for me there... any more than there is for you. Malcolm... I'm a monster. What I do is evil. I have no illusions about it, but it must be done."

[@djparn007]

Love your revised set, Jess. Looks very cozy. ❤❤

[@pquilty79]

Since you referred to it as your studio I will make sure I refer to one book as your copy of the Scottish Play on your bookshelf 😂 Congrats on 100k+ subscribers! It wasn’t long ago you were celebrating breaking the 50k mark! And happy Gondorian new year a few days early Jess!😊

[@lehilehi8636]

"Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth," he cried gleefully as he danced across the stage.

[@sebastianevangelista4921]

I absolutely love the seasonal Hobbit-hole artwork behind you! Although you didn't upload last week I thankfully discovered your unlisted sub special when looking through your old community posts, so I wasn't deprived of your content. It's cool to know that Tolkien Reading Day will be on my mom's birthday and I'll make sure to let her know that. Although fans over the years have made fun of the added tension in the movies (most of these critics are snarky millennials) I do see the logic behind why the writers went that route, whereas the Hobbit trilogy and Rings of Power have more noticeably forced conflict. I'm not all that comfortable with laying out my issues with Rings of Power because of just how toxic and conservative its harshest critics are online, but one thing that I do feel needs to be acknowledged is that there is so much conflict that the characters are at each others throats every five seconds. Kindness was an important theme in Tolkien's work and yet the show felt like it was aping GoT style character dynamics. At least the Hobbit movies have the excuse and being desperate for content to justify their run times, but even that is in disputable because all three of those things are above average in duration. The best conflict is built up to and saved for key moments, but a lot of recent media feels like it needs to meet a conflict quota because when audiences these days think "complex" they immediately think of grey morality and characters being assholes despite the fact that what's truly important is a sense of nuance. PS you've undoubtedly come across these before, but I'm curious about your thoughts on the following statements made by Phillip Pullman: “I realized that what [Lewis] was up to was propaganda in the cause of the religion he believed in. It is monumentally disparaging of girls and women. It is blatantly racist. One girl was sent to hell because she was getting interested in clothes and boys. They’re often bracketed together, Tolkien and Lewis, which I suppose is fair because they were great friends - both Oxford writers and scholars, both Christians. Tolkien’s work has very little of interest in it to a reader of literature, in my opinion. When I think of literature - Dickens, George Eliot, Joseph Conrad - the great novelists found their subject matter in human nature, emotion, in the ways we relate to each other. If that’s what Tolkien’s up to, he’s left out half of it. The books are wholly male-oriented. The entire question of sexual relationships is omitted. [C. S. Lewis's] work is not frivolous in the way that Tolkien is frivolous, though it seems odd to call a novel of great intricacy and enormous popularity frivolous. I just don’t like the conclusions Lewis comes to, after all that analysis, the way he shuts children out from heaven, or whatever it is, on the grounds that the one girl is interested in boys. She’s a teenager! Ah, it’s terrible: Sex - can’t have that. And yet I respect Lewis more than I do Tolkien… I dislike his Narnia books because of the solution he offers to the great questions of human life: is there a God, what is the purpose, all that stuff, which he really does engage with pretty deeply, unlike Tolkien who doesn't touch it at all. ‘The Lord of the Rings' is essentially trivial. Narnia is essentially serious, though I don't like the answer Lewis comes up with. If I was doing it at all, I was arguing with Narnia. Tolkien is not worth arguing with… Tolkien, who created this marvelous vehicle, doesn't go anywhere in it. He just sits where he is. What I mean by that is that he always seems to be looking backwards, to a greater and more golden past; and what's more he doesn't allow girls or women any important part in the story at all. Life is bigger and more interesting than The Lord of the Rings thinks it is.” PPS if you're in need of another fantasy series to talk about then I definitely recommend The Dark Tower given how Mike Flanagan's tv adaptation is in development as well as the fact that it's really out there in places. If you haven't read the series then the works of Stephen King that tie into it include Salem's Lot, The Stand (recommend the uncut edition), The Talisman (mainly its sequel), The Eyes of The Dragon, It, Insomnia, Black House (the sequel to The Talisman), Hearts in Atlantis, and Everything's Eventual (primarily The Little Sisters of Eluria, which is a prequel novella in The Dark Tower series). Speaking of which, we've had two miniseries adaptations of The Stand and I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts on them! The 1994 version is vastly superior and the one episode from the 2020 series that people actually like is the final one that King wrote himself and continued beyond where the book originally ended (the wholly new material happens after the title cards appear so about 9 and a half minutes in if I remember correctly).

[@jamespfp]

7:35 -- RE: Squire with respect to Knight; I think the source you've indicated here is mostly on target, as in, the Squire has an interest in advancement and in personal development, too. Ideally, when Sam refers to Frodo as his Master, he's bound to Frodo as an Apprentice of a kind and thus is also working towards his own future as a Master in his own right, AKA a Knight.

[@jamespfp]

^^ Consequently, this dynamic was ripe for the picking after the early modern period began. In other words, comedy and satire were ready and willing to make a Squire like Sancho Panza for the delusion Don Quixote.

[@Pandaemoni]

I also like Sam from the movies more, and in general I very much favor the book-versions of the characters and events (the film does have a few additions that are are good, like funeral of Theodred),

[@TehRedBlur]

Of all the characters in The Lord of the Rings, two stand out as personal role models for me: Théoden of Rohan, and Samwise Gamgee.

[@micklumsden3956]

How about Boromir? Messing up, but returning to the battle ; that’s a fabulous role model ( yup, I mess up!)

[@joannemoore3976]

Great role models but also Faramir for me, he is close to being an ideal man.

[@mikewilcox4438]

Excellent as always, I always enjoy hearing your perspective on the books and movies.

[@dragxy3308]

Thank you so much for this beautiful video! I don't know the movies that good but just finished reading the books for the fourth or fifth time a few days ago. I always felt that I could connect better to Sam than to Frodo, I could better understand him, and Sams character touched my heart more (if you know what I mean). So I can relate very well to that what you say about book Sam. Thank you! (and congrats for the 100.000 subscribers :D)

[@InfernalPasquale]

Excellent video btw, superb research and analysis

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Thanks so much!

[@ghyslainabel]

3:55 you missed an old joke opportunity: Alfred was Batman's batman. One thing I love about the movies is that Sam showed interest in Rosie before the start of the journey. In the book, the first time Sam mentions Rosie was at Mount Doom, completely out of nowhere.

[@uncletomalex]

Which is something Tolkien would do IRL ^^ His best friends from TCBS learnt he was in love and was going to marry Edith on the same day, even if they knew him for a long time which means he never spoke about it. They were very surprised. So I guess to him, Sam mentioning Rose at the end was completely ok

[@BlueIce-Tea]

😄 Yeah, I like that change, too. I think it's kinder to modern audiences who might otherwise misunderstand Frodo and Sam's relationship. It would be very easy to go through the book/movies assuming that Sam was in love with Frodo; after all, he clearly loves him deeply, and in fiction most love stories are romantic ones. I can imagine a lot of people getting to the "Mount Doom" chapter and experiencing whiplash (and maybe even disappointment) as they realise it's a *different* kind of love story they're reading. Introducing Rosie early on helps to code Frodo and Sam's relationship as platonic and gives us a better idea what to expect (and not expect) from it.

[@Ned_of_the_Hill]

The new decorations are great! I especially like the portrait of Dapper Rat.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Thanks! He's very handsome

[@Arlecchino_Gatto]

I discovered your channel by accident over a year ago. I subscribed immediately!

[@gregorykollarus8190]

Sean Astin as Samwise makes me cry so much as well, I understand completely. At least 3 to 4 times Sam makes me cry while watching the trilogy

[@farmboy_slim]

I’m a grown man working on a construction site. I can’t be gettin misty eyed listening to this stuff DAMNIT!

[@stevewatt4819]

In a book you read, we imagine, we flesh out the character and it sits to our backgrounds, but when they make a film, it's someone else's imagination. I'm so glad you made this one, I've said for years that Sam was the real hero. And in the words of the late 60's...Frodo lives!

[@Spirit__Man]

Hooray! I've been checking in daily for the newest upload.

[@danielpenney1455]

I could listen to you expound on fantasy (Faërie) all day. I'm looking forward to your next foray into science fiction. :)

[@jjsnedgehammer]

Love this analysis! One of my favorite writer duties is word choice and I wholeheartedly agree with you on the stouthearted description but I do also get that a modern audience is going to appreciate brave much more. In my own writing, I have a strong desire to be a storyteller and pay tribute to my favorite Arthurian and fantasy authors while using language that hopefully makes the reader think about the names of characters or certain items in their possession. I was also a big fan of Joseph Campbell and his writings. I haven’t come across anything he said about Samwise but I’m certain he would have approved as well. Your background looks great! It looks like you’ve added a few more books!

[@grokeffer6226]

Samwise certainly earned his trip across the ocean to reconnect with his beloved comrades. Without him, the quest would surely have failed on several occasions. His bravery and stoutheartedness warranted a long happy life with the family he Loved, as well as something extra. He was a Ringbearer. He helped to save the whole world. 🥔🥔🥔 He understood the importance of taters, too. Just an all-around great guy. 🌅 Your room looks really nice. I like what you've done with it. Is that Stuart Little in that portrait?

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

He really is such a wonderful character. I'm glad you like the room! We've been calling the portrait "Dapper Rat"

[@grokeffer6226]

@@Jess_of_the_Shire He certainly is dapper.

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Yeah, "Sam goes cookie monster" pretty much perfectly encapsulates the silliness of that scene. Great vid though! 🙂👍

[@Dowlphin]

Very recently I personally experienced a betrayal and scolding of utmost efforts like when Frodo actually believed Gollum's lie that Sam had eaten all the food. Life-destroying, uprooting, adding another great wound to the collection. I regret having shown someone the mirror and someone else my best side. - That I even have the means to write this is an achievement.

[@williampalmer8052]

Great insight about the change in Sam's epithet. Brave is not at all the same, and stout-hearted is a much better descriptor, and would have absolutely felt natural in dialogue. I think you made the right choice by putting up all the hobbit-hole pictures. It frames your setting very well, and I like the way you put the left facing doors to the left, and vice-versa. Good eye.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I wish I could say that was intentional haha

[@Elaissami]

i just discovered your channel and its love on frist sight. amazing video format! keep it up. i have much to watch now :D

[@papajohnloki]

thanks to you for your work and those whose comments are also illuminating

[@vortega472]

Great video. I've always felt that Sean Austin should have gotten a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the Academy Awards.

[@chriskane732]

Wonderful analysis, Jess! ❤

[@cjb_writings]

The Frodo Sam conflict is one of my favourite changes. It really shows how much the ring corrupts your perception of thw world. Yes, logically it makes no sense and if Frodo were to analyse logically he'd see if made no sense, but Frodo isnt thinking logically. He's being corrupted, and by the end of the journey, he finally succombs to that corruption. It'd be a little odd to have Frodo not give up the ring without moments before hand of him getting corrupted (which I think should ramp up in scale yhe closer gets to his fall). (I'm also biased as i remeber tearing up in the cinema as 10 year old me felt heartbroken for Sam)

[@sbl195207]

I am fond of Roddy McDowell's version of Sam in the Rankin-Bass animated version.

[@BlueIce-Tea]

That movie has... issues, but it does at least put a lot of emphasis on Sam and show us a lot of his inner life compared to the Peter Jackson films.

[@somedude6161]

I used to be like (probably) most people out there who would dislike a scene (or whole movie) because "that's not like the book". Now I step back and think about why it may be different before passing judgment. Your analysis, as always, are insightful and entertaining!

[@niembar3804]

You're building an army worthy for the art of storytelling. (Deeply sorry, but I had to post this here. ^^) [First time watching a video of yours and would like leave a small note of encouragment: You're really doing a fantastic job!]

[@TheBrothersArda]

Happy Tolkien Reading Day! Samwise is the living definition of Service and Sacrifice so good choice there!