He is Frodo’s ever-present servant, bodyguard, champion, and inspiration. The homoerotic aspects of this motif of male partnership are strikingly evident in Tolkien’s novel, in which Sam is portrayed as much more than just a close friend to Frodo. What’s more, this primary transformative relationship occurs in the context of many other abiding same-sex attachments-whether between hobbit and wizard, elf and dwarf, man and elf, or hobbit and man-that contribute to the hero’s accomplishment of this mission. Tolkien and its recent cinematic adaptation, a hobbit named Frodo Baggins is able to realize his potential as a hero and save the world from ruination only by relying on the loving bond he develops with his steadfast companion, Samwise Gamgee. In both the original three-part novel by J. THE LORD OF THE RINGS gives a significant purpose and meaning to enduring male-male partnerships that many more overtly gay narratives do not.
