Merry and Pippin are central points of view and are clearly main characters in the story, and yet they are an archetype apart from the epic hero Aragorn or the fairy hero Sam. In fact, it is difficult to say exactly what archetype they fit into. I would argue that they are not meant to fit into either hero archetype Flieger discusses, but something different altogether.
Considering the various myths describing heroes, we can get a pretty accurate sense of how to identify a typical one. Heroes go on quests. They seek to rule a kingdom, or win the heart of a princess, or rescue a damsel, or find a holy grail. They travel to far-off lands, often into Faerie, and come back changed. Many of them are born into obscurity and rise to a challenge. And, as we have discussed in class, heroes slay monsters and fight evil.
Tolkien’s main characters fit these attributes in varying degrees. Flieger draws a distinction between two kinds of heroes that can somewhat classify the Men and Hobbits we know. The epic or romantic hero is a noble doer of great deeds, a person of almost superhuman ability and renown, who influences great events. Aragorn, for example, as the heir of Elendil and leader of Men, sways the political landscape of Middle-Earth as he wanders back into the world. “We admire him, but we do not identify with him.” The fairy-tale hero is more a commoner, thrust into events beyond their control but with their own goal to accomplish. Many are also elf-friends with access to Faerie. Frodo is quite literally a small person in a big world. Tasked with destroying a magical object of power, he ventures through Faerie and returns with more than a few scars. (Flieger, “Frodo and Aragorn”, 124)
But Merry and Pippin have no grand task on the scale of Aragorn or Frodo. Their background isn’t mysterious or particularly obscure; in fact, it’s pretty average for two hobbits. Neither of them possesses superhuman ability or commands political sway outside the Shire. They would seem closest to a fairy-tale hero, but they aren’t elf-friends either; even though they are allowed into Lórien and Rivendell, they have no knowledge or much curiosity for the elves.
Flieger speaks about the epic-romantic hero compared with the fairy-tale hero as a medieval-versus-modern relationship, which characterizes Tolkien’s story as well. The epic-romantic hero is someone we as readers can’t identify with very well, and derives inspiration from mostly ancient stories like Homer’s epics and Norse myths. The fairy-tale hero is much more identifiable and common in contemporary work, particularly the works of Brothers Grimm, but tales of the sort have existed as long as the epic has. (Flieger, 124-125)
Still, the typical fairy-tale hero leaves something to be desired in terms of modernity. They are common people, but still have ties to the ancient Faerie. In the case of Frodo and Scyld Scefing, their mysterious qualities and knowledge of Faerie somewhat remove them from the reader. This is not to say that we cannot identify with Frodo; Flieger describes accurately how Frodo’s emotions strike home much more than Aragorn’s. (Flieger, 125)
Rather, Merry and Pippin exemplify an altogether different, more modern hero in The Lord of the Rings than either archetype discussed by Flieger. Their story begins in the humble beginnings of the Shire, much like Frodo and Sam. They both follow Frodo to Rivendell out of friendship, to protect him as well as to face his troubles beside him. (Book I, Chapter V) This is markedly different from Frodo’s motives, which are more out of a sense of duty as well as a desire to protect the Shire. In fact, these motives are quite similar to Sam’s, given that his goal throughout the narrative is to do his best to serve Frodo, as was discussed in class. At the same time, the story lines of Merry and Pippin diverge away from their friends, at the sundering of the fellowship, such that this goal is no longer their focus. Instead, these hobbits do their best to protect the Shire, however they can.
But Merry and Pippin are also very different characters. Merry is possibly the most reliable of all the fellowship, and certainly one of the most level-headed and practical characters despite his moments of hastiness. Pippin, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He is brash, foolish (particularly according to Gandalf), and immensely curious, with a surprising sense of duty and guilt. Their relationship is often one of an older and a younger brother, particularly if Merry has some measure of jealousy for the (albeit negative) attention Pippin receives, as was suggested in class.
When they are separated, both take on similar roles under a lord with markedly different intentions. Merry gives his loyalty to Théoden, who he sees as a father figure. (Book V, Chapter II) Pippin swears his sword to Denethor, out of a sense of obligation to Boromir. (Book V, Chapter I) But neither of them is able to carry out this pledge per se, as Merry’s service is ultimately rejected and Pippin defies Denethor in an effort to save Faramir.
Perhaps it’s this rejection in both cases which causes their character development. Merry is forced to ride without hope of recognition or friendship into battle and ends up finding both in Dernhelm. Pippin is required both to make his own decision – between duty to Denethor and the life of Faramir –and to be relied upon by someone rather than the reverse.
To return to the main inquiry, it’s clear that Merry and Pippin – and perhaps Sam under the right light – are an altogether different type of hero than Frodo and Aragorn, perhaps in the loosest sense. Their goals are less clear-cut, and their paths more controlled by the forces around them rather than vice versa. Their development as characters could be described as growing up, and it seems as if they follow the archetype of a modern fiction protagonist in a coming-of-age story. The effect of this archetype seems almost to draw connection to the zeitgeist of war-bound youth in Tolkien’s time, though this is a discussion for another day.