Character Charisma

[Beanamir of Gondor]

Here's where this rant started.
http://www.forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=13723

I hold that the original topic of the Movies thread called "Charisma" was probably acting ability. But I'm redirecting a rant along MatthewM's topic of the characters themselves because I find it interesting.

Charisma in the Books
To start us off, why would Tolkien even bother with the stories of Boromir, Legolas, or Aragorn if they were ordinary? Heck, if they were even just slightly para-ordinary, Tolkien probably wouldn't have bothered with them.
I mean, let's look at the situation: Beregond is a fairly ordinary Gondorian who suddenly is forced into extraordinary circumstances by (a) his failing Steward, (b) a massive war, and (c) his love for Faramir. But though we might like his story, and he comes as a welcome addition to the story/plotline/Pippin narrative, Tolkien certainly doesn't choose to deal with Beregond's story exclusively. Why? Because he wasn't anywhere near as un-ordinary as Boromir, or Faramir.
Same with Glorfindel. He's a great character: brave, wise, and good with rescuing Ringbearers , but he hasn't got the cheerful disposition and independent nature of Legolas, that seems to set him apart from the rest of the Elves. Perhaps that doesn't make Legolas extraordinary, but it certainly gives him a certain amount of charisma that, at least for me, makes him more interesting than Glorfindel.

Originally Posted by "The Fellowship of the Ring, The Ring Goes South"

'Farewell!' he said to Gandalf. 'I go to find the Sun!'

I mean, in a dire circumstance like that, the Fellowship sure could've used a little bit of hope and cheer: and Tolkien put Legolas there for it.
To conclude my rant, I think that Tolkien wouldn't have even bothered with using more commonplace characters as his leaders in the Fellowship and other places. They're extraordinary because they're the main characters... and they're the main characters because they're extraordinary.

[Boromir88]

It's interesting you bring up Legolas. When you think of Legolas in the books, he seems to be a more behind the scenes character. He seems to be an ordinary elf, that becomes good friends with Gimli and Aragorn, and is just kind of there. However, you mention what he does when Gandalf dies...how about the way he picks up Aragorn after Boromir's death? Aragorn seems to hit this rough patch after Boromir's death, he's lost, doesn't exactly know what to do; but both Legolas and Gimli are there to pick up his spirits:

"But after that we must guess the riddles, if we are to choose our course rights," answered Aragorn.
"Maybe there is no right choice," said Gimli.

I do not know," answered Aragorn wearily. "Before he died Boromir told me that the Orcs had bound them; he did not think that they were dead. I sent him to follow Merry and Pippin; but I did not ask him if Frodo or Same were with him: not until it was too late. All that I have done today has gone amiss. What is to be done now?"
"First we must tend the fallen," said Legolas. "We cannot leave him lying like carrion among these foul Orcs."

'But we do not know whether the Ringer-bearer is with them or not,' said Aragorn. 'Are we to abandon him? Must we not see him first? An evil choice is now before us!'
'Then lus us do first what we must do,' said Legolas. We have not the time or the tools to bury our comrade fitly, or to raise a mound over him. A cairn we might build.'

Aragorn is struggling after Boromir's death as far as what to do, trying to figure out all the 'riddles' that the three are faced with; and it is Legolas and Gimli that are there to give Aragorn support. It is Legolas and Gimli that were there to guide Aragorn through this tough patch. Aragorn appears, I wouldn't say panicked, but a bit distressed...like this 'What are we going to do?' And it is mostly Legolas that is there as this calming presense to help Aragorn out. By the end of the chapter Aragorn is able to make the right choice (follow Merry and Pippin) and he is back to the 'hopeful' Aragorn we are used to seeing.

Another character in the books who I admire is Theoden. Theoden just strikes us as how a King should be...If you check in the dictionary I bet you a synonym of charisma is Theoden. Theoden, as we all knew fell into decline, but after being saved by Gandalf, he comes back restored, with renewed strength and was able to lead his people to victory. First when he is healed we see the impact of Theoden's 'renewal':

Slowly Theoden stretched forth his hand. As his fingers took the hilt, it seemed to the watchers that firmness and strength returned to his thin arm. Suddenly he lifted the blade and swung it shimmering and whistling in the air. Then he gave a great cry. His voice rang clear as he chanted in the tongue of Rohan a call to arms.

Arise now, arise, Riders of Theoden!
Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward.
Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!
Forth Eorlingas!

In the battle of Helm's Deep Theoden mostly stays guarded in the fortress...however as the battle is going ill Theoden remarks that he frets this 'prison.' He feels this need go out in this 'blaze of glory' like all those old medieval tales go:

'The end will not be long,' said the King. 'But I will not end here, taken an old badger in a trap....When dawn comes, I will bid men sound Helm's horn, and I will ride forth. Will you ride with me then, son of Arathorn? Maybe we shall cleave a road, or make such an end as will be worth a song - if any be left to sing of us hereafter.'

There are several other times when Theoden is the King/leader of his people, I think he is the most charismatic person in the story. When he goes to visit Saruman, he is not fooled by Saruman's enchanting voice, through the Battle of Pelennor Fields and to his death Theoden is pretty much the definition of charisma.

Theoden dies in a flame of glory, in contrast to Denethor who quite literally goes down in flames. (sorry I just I had to throw that in)

[Farael]

I think that to say that all characters portrayed in the books are highly exceptional and charismatic is to forget what I percieve to be one of the main themes of LoTR. Even the most ordinary people, finding themselves in the most extraordinary circumstances (and way over their heads, I'd say) can change the world.

While Frodo was an extraordinary Hobbit, neither Sam nor Merry nor Pippin were all that unusual. Perhaps their love for Frodo led them to go out of their "comfort zone" and on to the unknown, where they found those "latent" attributes that helped them rise higher than any hobbit had before, but at the beginning of the tale, none of them were "great" and I wouldn't say they were too charismatic either.

Now, most other important characters are very charismatic... but they are also seasoned military leaders. It goes with the job description that you need some sort of charisma to lead others. Whether it be under the guise of wisdom (Gandalf) military prowess itself (Boromir) or just that "something" that some people have (Aragorn I'd say), they are all great leaders and very charismatic. Same goes to Theoden, and we could guess that even Denethor was like that, before his fall.

Yet I think that one of the underlying themes of the story is that ordinary people can do exceptional deeds. We have Bergerond as an example, the hobbits as mentioned before, perhaps Hama although we don't get much information about him...

Now the stories themselves are all extraordinary... and some of the characters are as well. But there are some important characters that are just very much ordinary, and we should not forget that.