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Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's universe of Middle-earth.
In the book
Gimli, son of Glóin, is a Dwarf of Durin's Folk chosen to accompany Frodo Baggins on his quest to destroy the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings. Initially suspicious of Elves, he became an ardent admirer of Galadriel and a close friend of Legolas. According to the Red Book of Westmarch, some say that he travelled with Legolas into the West (perhaps granted permission at the request of Galadriel), the first Dwarf to visit the Undying Lands.
He is sometimes informally referred by fans as Gimli Gloinson or Gimli Elfriend.
He was born in the Blue Mountains on the west coast of Middle-Earth. Gimli could claim direct descent from Durin the Deathless himself.
At the beginning of the story, Gimli appears as the stereotypical crude, violent, Elf-hating Dwarf. He is indeed hot-tempered and eager to battle Orcs, and his enthusiasm for the mines of Moria is typical. Gimli has a very high sense of honor (and is very stubborn), which explains why he is deeply insulted by the treatment he receives from the Elves in Lothlórien, who expect him to travel blindfolded if he is to enter. Aragorn, however, defuses the potentially violent situation by agreeing that they shall all be blindfolded, even though both Aragorn and Legolas ought by rights to be welcomed as princes.
Furthermore, the fair Galadriel impresses him so much with her beauty, kindness, and understanding, that Gimli, when given the opportunity to ask for whatever he wishes, asks not treasures or magical items, but rather three of Galdariel's silver-gold hairs, which he will treasure forever. An interesting historical note is that, according to "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn" in Unfinished Tales, this same request was made, thousands of years previously, by Fëanor, greatest of the Ñoldorin Elves (whose creation of the Silmarils may be have been inspired by that same silver-gold hair). Galadriel refused Fëanor's request, but she grants Gimli's, perhaps because of his humility.
Gimli's love for Galadriel is demonstrated when they first encounter with Éomer of Rohan. Éomer spoke ill of the name Galadriel, having been told false rumors about her. Gimli responded with harsh words, leading to a hostile situation that again had to be defused by Aragorn.
By the end of the first volume, he is already developing an unlikely friendship with the Elf Legolas. In the second (The Two Towers), Gimli proves his valor in combat (not for the first time). In the Battle of the Hornburg, he and Legolas engage in Orc-slaying contests (Gimli wins by one, but the real result is mutual respect). Later, Gimli's vivid discription of the Glittering Caves of Aglarond moves the Elf to promise to come back and visit when the War is over. (They eventually do fulfill this promise, with Gimli also consenting to visit Fangorn Forest.) Their friendship is a model for overcoming prejudice; they even ride together on the same horse.
Gimli was 139 years old (born in 2879 of the Third Age) when the Fellowship of the Ring set out from Rivendell, making him 52 years older than Aragorn and around 750 years younger than Legolas.
In the film adaptation
In Peter Jackson's movie adaptations Gimli is played by John Rhys-Davies, who was deliberately chosen because he was taller than the actors playing the Hobbits. Thus in scenes where Gimli and the Hobbits appear together their respective sizes remain in proportion, whereas in scenes where they have to interact with human-sized characters tricks of scale had to be employed.
In the movie, Gimli's rougher personality compared to Aragorn and Legolas is somewhat exaggerated, and he sometimes provides the defusing comic relief, which some Tolkien purists find distasteful (the idea being that while Merry and Pippin were the comic relief initially, as the saga unfolds the war forces them to mature, so Gimli became the sole source of comic relief in order to pace dramatic tension).
Quotations
- "Sleep! I feel the need of it. Yet my axe is restless in my hand. Give me a row of orc-necks and room to swing and all weariness will fall from me!"
- "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens."
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