In the article “Tolkien’s Six Keys to Happiness”, Gregory Bassham describes six different means of becoming happy and how the book expresses these “keys to happiness.”

The first “key to happiness” that Bassham mentions is “Delight in Simple Things”. The hobbits in Lord of the Rings are “merry, good-natured folk who delight in simple pleasures.” These simple hobbits are also some of the happiest, most likeable characters in the books and Bassham argues that this is because of their simplicity. The article then goes on to discuss the many different philosophers, including the Greek philosopher Epicurus and modern philosopher David G. Myers, who believe that one of the most important aspects of happiness comes from willingness to enjoy the simple things in life. Epicurus says that the reason for this is because the simple delights are a lot more frequent.

Next, Bassham says that “Making Light of Your Troubles” is a key idea from the Lord of the Rings and also a very good means of gaining happiness. Merry and Pippin are good examples of characters that make light of their troubles, and therefore seem happier and more likeable. Both of these hobbits are captured by Orc’s and tortured yet as soon as they are released they seem almost cheerful and joke with one another. Likewise Sam, another hobbit who follows Frodo into Mordor, retains his good cheer throughout the entire journey. For these reasons the hobbits are admired by inhabitants of Middle Earth and readers alike. Theologians like St. Augustine and Philosophers like Marcus Aurelius both speak about how human suffering is a minuscule thing in reference of eternity, and therefore focusing on happiness and letting go of your pain is essential to true happiness.

The third means of gaining happiness Bassham talks about he calls “getting personal” but which I interpreted as building good relationships. Like the first two “keys of happiness” hobbits can be used as a good example. Hobbits, being a “merry, good-natured folk”, are much liked by others. Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Frodo all swear their lives to the fellowship of the ring, an extremely dangerous mission, simply because they want to protect their friends and families. Hobbits skills at making strong friendships allow them to be happier. Aristotle, like Tolkien, believed in the strength of friendship and described it in his book Nicomachean Ethics as the most important external good.

“Cultivating Good Character” is the next “key to happiness” mentioned in the article. Tolkien believed strongly in the ideal that good values and character should bring about happiness, in this world or the next. Therefore, the books depict the good characters that have good values as being happy. Likewise evil characters are depicted as unhappy, gloomy people. Although in the modern world some good people end up unhappy and similarly bad people end up happy, Tolkien and many other philosophers/theologians have stressed the idea that good character leads to happiness.

Bassham’s fifth “key to happiness” is “cherishing and creating beauty.” In the Lord of the Rings many of the “good places” like the Shire, Gondor, and Lothlorien are depicted as beautiful places and “evil places” like Mordor and Minas Morgul are seen as barren, gloomy wastelands. Bassham and Tolkien both believe that beauty allows for a growth in happiness and “ugliness” depresses.

The final “key to happiness” is “rediscovering wonder.” Many of the Lord of the Rings characters and races, like Tom Bombadil and the elves, are characterized as people who never bore with the simple or large wonders in life. The elves in the trilogy are always seen as people who enjoy nature, sunsets, and other simple things yet they never get bored with them. Elves always see renewed beauty in the differences between sunrises, trees and other simple things. Because they look at these small differences and never get bored of them. They are immensely happier then the men on Middle Earth who get bored at repetitive things like sun rises.