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Pathos
Definition of Personification
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... read full definition
Book 6, Chapter 3
Explanation and Analysis—The Mountain Slept:
As Frodo and Sam finally reach the base of Mount Doom, Tolkien uses personification to make the landscape itself a character in the drama. The volcano is described not as a passive setting but as a restless, living presence that mirrors the hobbits’ struggle:
At that moment Sam felt a tremor in the ground beneath him, and he heard or sensed a deep remote rumble as of thunder imprisoned under the earth. There was a brief red flame that flickered under the clouds and died away. The Mountain too slept uneasily.
Related Themes:
Book 6, Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis—Sun Was Gone:
Fusing personification and imagery, Tolkien creates an atmosphere of peace and renewal in Ithilien after the War of the Ring. Nature itself is animated and richly described, so that the setting becomes both companion and witness to the fellowship’s reunion.
Unlock with LitCharts A+At last the glad day ended; and when the Sun was gone and the round Moon rode slowly above the mists of Anduin and flickered through the fluttering leaves, Frodo and Sam sat under the whispering trees amid the fragrance of fair Ithilien; and they talked deep into the night with Merry and Pippin and Gandalf, and after a while Legolas and Gimli joined them.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—The Earth Groaned:
At the climax of the War of the Ring, when the Ring is destroyed and Sauron’s power collapses, Tolkien describes the upheaval at Mordor’s gate. This passage exemplifies personification in its description of the earth:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Then rising swiftly up, far above the Towers of the Black Gate, high above the mountains, a vast soaring darkness sprang into the sky, flickering with fire. The earth groaned and quaked.
Related Themes:
