Outline of the Presentation
Title Slide
• The lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• Gumapac, Lezie Ann N. and Panao, Jenelyn T.
• Dr. Maria Perpetua Crisostomo – Mercado
• EEd 323 Contemporary, Popular, and Emergent Literature
Objectives of the Presentation
• Identify and describe the key characters, settings, major events, and themes of the story
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien.
• Demonstrate their understanding of the story by participating in the “Mysterious Ring”
activity, where they will share and explain what action they would take if they had the
Ring.
• Reflect and express the values learned from the story, such as friendship, loyalty, and
sacrifice, and relate them to real-life situations.
Pre-Activity
• Mysterious ring.
• Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to reflect on moral choices
and the use of power. It promotes critical thinking and values clarification in a creative
context.
• Instructions: Students will answer the question, “ Imagine you found a mysterious ring
with great power—would you keep it or destroy it? Share your choice and explain why.”
Introduction of the Literary Piece
• Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Author: John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
• Directed By: Peter Jackson
• Genre: Adventure and Action
• Brief background/context: The Lord of the Rings refers to Sauron, who created the One
Ring to rule over Middle-earth. The "Return of the King" part signifies the return of
Aragorn, the true heir to the throne of Gondor.
• Thesis statement: The Return of the King shows the final victory of good over evil and
the importance of courage, friendship, and sacrifice in the face of great danger.
Summary of the Literary Piece
• Settings: Minas Tirith, Mordor, Mount Doom, The Paths of the Dead, The Black Gate,
The Shire
• Main Characters:
-Frodo Baggins
-Samwise Gamgee
-Aragorn
-Gandalf
-Legolas
-Pippin
• Summary
The Return of the King is the final part of The Lord of the Rings. The story follows
Frodo and Sam as they travel deep into Mordor to destroy the One Ring in Mount Doom.
At the same time, Aragorn, Gandalf, and the others prepare for a final battle against
Sauron’s army to protect Gondor and distract Sauron from Frodo’s mission. The story
ends with the defeat of Sauron, the destruction of the Ring, and the return of peace to
Middle-earth. The Hobbits return to the Shire, and Aragorn is crowned king.
• Major Events
• Frodo, Sam, and Gollum enter Mordor to reach Mount Doom.
• Gollum betrays Frodo and Sam, leading them into danger.
• Sauron’s army attacks Minas Tirith in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
• Aragorn travels the Paths of the Dead and gains an army of ghosts.
• Aragorn leads the final battle at the Black Gate to distract Sauron.
• Frodo destroys the Ring in Mount Doom (with Gollum’s help, unintentionally).
• Sauron is defeated, and Middle-earth is saved.
• Aragorn is crowned king of Gondor.
• The Hobbits return to the Shire.
• Frodo leaves for the Undying Lands, ending his journey.
Literary Analysis
• Themes:
- Good vs. Evil
- Friendship and Loyalty
- Sacrifice
Approach: Psychological Approach
Characters: Development and roles
• Frodo Baggins – Known as The Ring-bearer
• Samwise Gamgee - Known as The True Hero
• Aragorn – The true king of Gondor
• Gandalf – A wise wizard guiding the heroes.
• Legolas – An elf skilled in archery.
• Pippin – A Hobbit, Known as The Unexpected Hero
• Gollum- Corrupted Hobbit, The Tragic Villain
Symbols/ Motifs:
• The Ring- Symbol of power and corruption “The Ring is mine!” – Frodo
• Light and Darkness- Symbol of hope vs. evil “The dawn is ever the hope of
men,” – Théoden
• Mount Doom- Symbol of final challenge and sacrifice
Literary Devices: Metaphor, Imagery, Irony
• Metaphor - The One Ring is a metaphor for power and corruption. It shows how power
can control and destroy people. “The Ring is mine!” – Frodo
• Imagery - Tolkien uses vivid words to create strong pictures in the reader’s mind, like
describing the darkness over the city: “A great shadow passed over the city, and then the
sun went out.”
• Irony - Gollum, who wants the Ring for himself, destroys it. This is the opposite of what
he intended, which makes it ironic. “Gollum dancing like a mad thing... and with a
shriek, he fell into the fire ”
Personal Response:
• The reader felt both happy and sad at the ending.
• They admired Sam’s loyalty and bravery.
• They appreciated the theme that small people can make a big difference.
Critical Evaluation
• Strengths and weaknesses of the literary work
Strengths:
• Brings many stories together well
• Strong themes of sacrifice and war
• Amazing world-building
Weaknesses:
• Some parts are slow
• Few strong female characters
Effectiveness of the author’s message or style
• Clear message about good vs evil
• Emotional and powerful storytelling
• Rich descriptions and deep world-building
Contribution to Literature or Cultural Relevance
• Helped shape modern fantasy stories
• Still important in today’s world
Conclusion:
• The Return of the King is a powerful ending to Tolkien’s epic trilogy. It shows the value
of friendship, the cost of power, and the importance of courage. The book teaches that
even small actions can have big impacts, and that the fight against evil is not always a
clear victory. Tolkien’s work is more than just a fantasy novel—it’s a reflection on real-
life struggles, sacrifice, and growth.
Evaluation/Assessment
• Activity Type: Quiz
Directions: Answer the following questions below.
1. Who is the main protagonist tasked with destroying the One Ring?
2. What is the name of the powerful wizard who guides the Fellowship?
3. Which creature once possessed the One Ring and called it "my precious"?
4. What is the name of the fiery mountain where the Ring must be destroyed?
5. Who is the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor?
References:
PDF] The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien | 9780007322596. (2009, April 20).
https://www.perlego.com/book/684253/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring-the-two-
towers-the-return-of-the-king-pdf
The Return of the King: Full book Summary | SparkNotes. (n.d.-b). SparkNotes.
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/returnking/summary/
