Rosie Cotton

[Kirinki54]

How much did she know about what was going on?

[Twista]

When? - During the war of the ring?

[Nurvingiel]

Rosie is awesome. But I doubt she knew more about the War of the Ring than the average hobbit. The only hobbits who knew anything were Bilbo, Merry, Frodo, Pippin and Sam.

Then, Sam's Gaffer would have known a small amount about Sam going to Crickhollow with Frodo, and that would have trickled down through the grape-vine to all the other Hobbiton hobbits.

[Snowdog]

I think Rosie did quite well in dealing with Sam's PTDSS.

(Post Trumatic Delayed Stress Syndrome)

[Butterbeer]

How much did she know about what was going on?


i don't know about "going on" but i think she maybe sensed to some degree the hero within SAM
(in terms of what had happened)
both in general terms and to Sam personally


...er. why do you ask? :)

[The Gaffer]

IMO, a lot, but not about dragons or elves or rings or other such trivia.

How important she is depends on how you view the overall story.

Recently, I've come to view LOTR as essentially Sam's story. He is the true hero, and the one who ultimately stays rooted in real life.

If you accept Sam as the central character, then Rosie represents the (off-screen but nevertheless) central feminine aspect of the idealised Shire.

There are some strong hints of this in the last 2 chapters. She states "they all said you were dead, but I've been expecting you since Spring", suggesting that she had an inner knowledge about her and Sam's fate. Then of course she and Sam produce this enormous brood of Fairbairns who take over the world.

It's only when she dies that the last of the ring-bearers finally leaves Middle-Earth.

[Rosie Gamgee]

Rosie's great!! (gee, I wonder why I think that?) Seriously, I love Rosie C. I love her firey spirit and her no-nonsense attitude: "Well be off with you! If you've been looking after Mr. Frodo all this while, what d'you want to leave him for, as soon as things look dangerous?" I like that when she notices that Sam cannot explain things to her and that what she says may have hurt him a little, she amends with, "I think you look fine, Sam. Go on now! But take care of yourself, and come straight back after you settled the ruffians!" Kind of, "Well, you left me to go look after your master; and now when he's in serious danger you change your mind and come to my door? Okay, okay, I'll admit it: I forgive you and I love you. Just you go and 'settle the ruffians', but afterwards, get your butt back here--I'm tired of waiting for you!"

Here's a bit quote I just found, which I love:

"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.

- J.R.R Tolkien in a letter dated 1951

[paulbaggins]

Rosie Cotton could be any women who has stood by and seen her friend, husband go off to fight for what he believes in. She is the constant person back home. Of course it takes Sam the whole story to work out that she is the woman for him , but then is not just the way we men are? :)

[Lenya]

It is really cool that she took him back and she didn't even make his life so hard for leaving her. A kind and forgiving woman, Sam's lucky. And I agree that she gave Sam some strenght to keep him on track during their adventure.

[EarthBound]

Rosie was more the "dream" of what Sam hoped for, far from a reality he'd left behind....Sam really, "found his worth" on the adventure, and was more than ready to claim Rosie when he returned, he made it a point to check in on her and her family for strategic reasons :rolleyes: ;) I love their relationship....very cool... :cool:

[Lenya]

Yes. I'd be happy if some guy who left me to go on an adventure took the effort of checking up on me as soon as Sam did. Clever guy.

[Akallabeth]

Their relationship in the story almost reminds me of Odysseus and Penelope. I love that story, which could be one of the reasons why I love Sam so much.

[Lenya]

Hey, congrats on your first post and welcome!

Odysseus as in Greek Mythology Odysseus? If so, I didn't know his wife's name was Penelope.

[Akallabeth]

Hey, congrats on your first post and welcome!

Odysseus as in Greek Mythology Odysseus? If so, I didn't know his wife's name was Penelope.Thanks for the kind welcome. :)

Yeah, you know the stories of Odysseus's many adventures. Well, before he left, he told his wife, Penelope (which means weaver) to find a new husband once she finished the blanket she was weaving. So she wouldn't have to abandon Odysseus, Penelope unwove her loom every night until he returned.

So I suppose this idea of waiting for a lover (or potential lover, in Rosie's case) is a parallel between these two stories. I wonder if Tolkien had this in mind.

[Lenya]

Could be. I suppose a lot of writers have a secret knowledge of Greek Mythology.

[CrazySquirrel]

Come on, Rosie is not Penelope. Penelope waited for a VERY long time...
And Sam was absent for a year only, after all. If he were away for 3 years, I am sure Rosie would have married another guy. She was just an ordinary country lass, not an epic hero.

[Akallabeth]

I didn't mean that Rosie was Penelope. I was simply seeing a slight parallel theme. Plus, Tolkien was attempting to create a mythology, so it might make sense if he tweaked themes from other myths.

[Earniel]

Come on, Rosie is not Penelope. Penelope waited for a VERY long time... And Sam was absent for a year only, after all. If he were away for 3 years, I am sure Rosie would have married another guy. She was just an ordinary country lass, not an epic hero.
And why can't an ordinary country lass decide to wait more than a year for her lover to come home before marrying someone else? It's not like country lasses are by definition less faithful than heroes.

[CrazySquirrel]

And why can't an ordinary country lass decide to wait more than a year for her lover to come home before marrying someone else? It's not like country lasses are by definition less faithful than heroes.
I don't say that country lasses can't be faithful. Only waiting for a year does not make Rosie an epic hero. There are plenty of epic heroes in LOTR, Rosie is just not one of them.

[Ribbons]

I'm confused... I just joined and I think I'm typing in the wrong place.

[Ribbons]

Oh good, I wasn't typing in the wrong place. About Rosie, she is my favorite character, but she's not exactly a hero. She was very practical and probubly really cheerful, so I don't think she would have died an old maid simply because Sam didn't return. She would have been sensible enough to move on, because for all she knew, Sam didn't even love her. She was more of a cute hobbit lass wondering shyly if Sam cared for her, not a devoted lover, if you ask me. But it's hard to tell, because their isn't that much information on her. :)

[Lenya]

Welcome Ribbons. It sucks to bet lost on your first day eh? Oh well, I like your theory on Rosie - about her not knowing of Sam really loves her. Maybe after a year she was starting to wonder if it wasn't just her imagination.

[CrazySquirrel]

Oh good, I wasn't typing in the wrong place. About Rosie, she is my favorite character, but she's not exactly a hero. She was very practical and probubly really cheerful, so I don't think she would have died an old maid simply because Sam didn't return. She would have been sensible enough to move on, because for all she knew, Sam didn't even love her. She was more of a cute hobbit lass wondering shyly if Sam cared for her, not a devoted lover, if you ask me. But it's hard to tell, because their isn't that much information on her. :)
Welcome to the Moot, Ribbons!
I agree completely with your POV on Rosie. I can't say I care about her overmuch, but she is a nice lass, honest and faithful, not a Penelope hero.

[Ribbons]

I think that Rosie was really practical and cheerful, so she wouldn't have died an old maid simply because Sam didn't return. She was sensible enough to move on. She was there to give Sam something to live for, and she was really important, but she's not a epic hero. But she's still my favorite. :-)

[ofthewind]

actually, i think she knew nothing... her one interest (as far as i can tell) in the entire matter was sam and that was that....

[Spock]

Yep, I agree. When Sam returns home (at the very end) she's just glad to see him back. No questions, no tears, just happy. That's great.

[Lotesse]

Yep, I agree. When Sam returns home (at the very end) she's just glad to see him back. No questions, no tears, just happy. That's great.

I know, I agree, and this quality of hers as her character in the whole scheme of things in Lord of the Rings i think is what makes her so special, so necessary a component to add to the flavour of Sam's personality as well, and so poignant & refreshing. I really like her simplicity and her pure, casual normalcy.

[Elanor]

I love the scene where they first meet up when Sam gets to the Cotton house. He's distressed because there's the whole Ruffian thing, and nervous about seeing her again, but he's been through Mordor and everything, and she asks him if he's been looking after Frodo all this time, why is he abandoning him just when things get dangerous? Don't have the exact quote, but it just seems the perfect let-down, after everything Sam's been through! But she's sweet, and I'm sure she loves him. How much did she know? Probably just what she heard from other Hobbits, until Sam got back. I'm sure he told her everything after they were married.

Or did he? Some of it might have been too painful for him to discuss, and he wouldn't have wanted to burden her with the scary stuff, like Shelob, or Snaga. But I'm sure he told her about the Oliphaunts, and all his friends in the Fellowship.

[EarthBound]

I think Rosie was the lass all those men hoped to return to from the world wars from which Tolkien himself (Thank goodness) returned.

I'm also betting Sam told most everything to Rosie, wanting to share the experience with a 'believing' and 'loving' ear. I'm sure the fella's at the pub just rolled thier eye's to most of Sam's tales... :D

[paul]

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Rosie is every women who has had to wait for her guy to come back from any war, Start with the Trojan and keep on going, She has to cope with Sam's PTSD a.k.a. (in Tolkiens day shelll shock) and carries on to be the wife opf a succesful hobbit :) :)