With an entire new Lord of the Rings TV series coming from Amazon Studios, we thought it is high time to conjure a list of all the best Lord of the Rings Quotes. J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is probably the most popular work in the history of the fantasy genre and one of the best books ever written.
The world Tolkien created has astonishing depth, a fantastic setting, and wonderful battle scenes. But more than anything, it has great characters! From the ill-mannered Gimli to the righteous Aragorn, from the vulnerable and a bit neurotic Frodo to the loyal Sam, these are very relatable yet unique characters.
Moreover, Tolkien’s characters are fleshed out in great detail and you can understand the emotions they go through in each situation. To celebrate these beloved characters just before their arrival on the small screen, we collected a list of all the best Lord of the Rings quotes.
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Gandalf
Gandalf always acted to protect the people of the Middle-Earth. As you can learn from his quotes, Gandalf is assertive, sacrificing, helpful, inspirational, and wise. He can also be blunt at times and is never afraid to speak his mind. His temper certainly seems like a dangerous thing to be on the other side of, while at other times he shows a deep level of regard for his friends.
Here are Gandalf’s best quotes:
1. “Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.”
2. “For behold! the storm comes, and now all friends should gather together, lest each singly be destroyed.”.
3. “The wise speak only of what they know.”
4. “He that breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom.”
5. “Evil will be drawn to you from outside the fellowship. And, I fear, from within you must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths.”
6. “Who knows? Have patience. Go where you must go, and hope!”
7. “The Ring has awoken, it’s heard its master’s call.”
8. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
9. “The board is set, the pieces are moving. We come to it at last, the great battle of our time.”
10. “You shall not pass!”
11. “When in doubt, follow your nose.”
12. “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early; he arrives precisely when he means to.”
13. “Fly, you fools!”
14. “Do not be so quick to deal out death and judgment. Even the very wise do not see all ends.”
15. “Death is just another path, one that we all must take.”
16. “One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them!”
17. “Do not take me for some conjuror of cheap tricks! I am not trying to rob you. I’m trying to help you.”
18. “All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door.”
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Aragorn
Aragorn is the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor. However, at the beginning of the trilogy, he is not king because he is not yet ready. The story of Lord of the Rings is at some level the story of Aragorn’s transformation from ranger to king. He is a warrior-king who needed to perform great deeds before he could claim his birthright. As a character, Aragorn is a strategist, honorable, loyal, merciful, just, and noble. His love for Arwen is unquestionable, marrow-deep, and beautiful.
Here are Aragorn’s best quotes:
19. “Deeds will not be less valiant because they are unpraised.”
20. “A hunted man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship.”
21. “This day does not belong to one man but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace.”
22. “Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man’s heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned.”
23. “I can avoid being seen, if I wish, but to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift.”
24. “Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall.”
25. “I would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor.”
26. “A day may come when the courage of men fails… but it is not THIS day.”
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Frodo Baggins
At the beginning of the trilogy, Frodo is a mousy character who hasn’t seen anything but the Shire. He has very much romanticized the idea of traveling beyond the borders of the shire and longs for adventure. He evolves gradually as he beholds his task as the Ring-bearer, initially with some degree of naivety, but with more and more gravity and knowledge, and clarity. Frodo is brave, surprisingly insightful, selfless, and thoughtful.
Here are Frodo’s best quotes:
27. “It is useless to meet revenge with revenge: it will heal nothing.”
28. “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” — Frodo (quoting Bilbo Baggins)
29. “I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way.”
30. “I don’t know, and I would rather not guess.”.
31. “I’m glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee… here at the end of all things.”
32. “Go back, Sam! I’m going to Mordor alone!”
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Arwen
Arwen (literally, “noble maiden”) is the last brilliant embodiment of Elvish beauty and grace in the fading years of the elves’ relevance in the Third Age of Middle Earth. Her relationship with Aragorn is the core romantic storyline in the trilogy. She is persuasive, confident, and headstrong.
Here are Arwen’s best quotes:
33. “Your time will come. You will face the same Evil, and you will defeat it.”
34. “I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.”
35. “Why do you fear the past? You are Isildur’s heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate.”
36. “What grace has given me, let it pass to him. Let him be spared. Save him.”
37. “The shadow does not hold sway yet”.
38. “I’m the faster rider, I’ll take him”.
39. “What’s this, a ranger? Caught off his guard?”.
40. “It is mine to give to whom I will, like my hearty”.
41. “If you want him, come and claim him!”.
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Legolas
One of the most popular elven characters of all time, Legolas starts suspicious of Dwarves but eventually becomes good friends with Gimli. He is polite, though patronizing and pretentious at times.
42. “Oft hope is born when all is forlorn”.
43. “Lembas! Elvish waybread. One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man”.
44. “And you have my Bow”.
45. “They’re taking the Hobbits to Isengard”.
46. “A red sun rises, Blood has been spilled this night”.
47. “The forest is old, Very old. Full of memories… and anger”.
48. “You’re friends are with you, Aragorn”.
49. “A plague upon the stiff necks of Dwarves”.
50. “What about (dying) side by side with a friend?
51. “This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, You owe him your allegiance”.
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Gimli
Gimli, son of Glóin, was tasked with aiding Frodo in his quest to destroy the One Ring. His importance to the fellowship proved critical, both in his ability to find his way through the Mines of Moria and his contribution to the defense of Helm’s Deep. He also played an important diplomatic role as well, healing the rift between Elves and Dwarves through his admiration for Lady Galadriel. He is a very loyal companion, but his pride as a dwarf sometimes gets in the way of being a peaceful member of a group. As you will see, when it comes to iconic quotes, Gimli gets some of the best quotes.
Here are Gimli’s Best Quotes:
52. “Memory is not what the heart desires. That is only a mirror.”
53. “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”
54. “You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew. Bless you, laddie”.
55. “You’ll find more cheer in a graveyard.”
56. “Not the beard!”
57. “Nobody tosses a Dwarf!”
58. “Toss me!… I cannot jump the distance. You’ll have to toss me… don’t tell the elf!”
59. Well, here’s one Dwarf she won’t ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox.”
60. There’s plenty for both of us. May the best dwarf win.”
61. “Bring your pretty face to my axe.”
62. “Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different races, even between Dwarves and Elves.’ It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned.’”
63. “Well, this is a thing unheard of. An Elf would go underground, whereas a Dwarf dare not. Oh, I’d never hear the end of it.”
64. “Deep is the abyss that is spanned by Durin’s Bridge, and none has measured it”.
65. “Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell!”
66. “Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!”
67. “We dwarves are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances”.
68. “Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?”
69. “I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf! Never trust an Elf!
70. “Never thought I’d die fighting side by side with an Elf”.
71. “What! Ain’t no pointy-eared elf outscoring me!! Raaaahrr.”
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Boromir
Boromir is one of a few characters in LOTR who moves between good and evil. Ultimately Boromir demonstrates that resisting the power of the Ring is futile. Once someone desires the Ring, it is all over for them. He was never afraid of hard work and was a determined member of the Quest. As a character, Boromir is headstrong and self-sufficient. He appears to have a soft spot for the Hobbits and fights wrathfully to keep them safe.
Here are Boromir’s’ best quotes:
72. “One does not simply walk into Mordor…”
73. “It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing … such a little thing.”
74. “And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?”
75. “Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king”.
76. “It is a gift. A gift to the foes of Mordor. Why not use this ring?”.
77. “Never again will the land of my people fall into enemy hands!”.
78. “I would have followed you, my brother…. my captain… my king”.
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Galadriel
Galadriel is an elven queen. She is by far the strongest remaining Elf in Middle-earth. With well over 7.500 years of experience, she has both great power and foresight. Galadriel also possesses the powerful elven ring of power, Nenya. She is a great leader to the Elves and one of the wisest, most cool-headed characters in the trilogy.
Here are Galadriel’s’ best quotes:
79. “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”
80. “The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true.”
81. “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”
82. “Do not trouble your hearts overmuch with the thought of the road tonight. Maybe the paths that you each shall tread are already laid before your feet, though you do not see them.”
83. “For the time will soon come when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all.”
84. You may learn something, and whether what you see be fair or evil, that may be profitable, and yet it may not. Seeing is both good and perilous.”
85. “In place of a dark lord you would have a queen…All shall love me and despair!”
86. “Do not be afraid, Mithrandir. You are not alone”.
87. “The world is changed”.
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Samwise Gamgee
Although Sam won’t ever be viewed in the same manner as Frodo, Sam is a hero. Sam proved equally important to Frodo in getting the task done and most certainly Frodo would never have made it without him. In his personality, Sam is jolly and simple, a helpful adventurer, and devoutly loyal to Frodo.
Here are Sam’s best quotes:
88. “It’s the job that’s never started as takes the longest to finish.”
89. “But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.”
90. “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.”
91. “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”
92. “Potatoes! Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew.”
93. “Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why.”
94. “I wonder if we’ll ever be put into songs or tales.”
95. “I’m coming, Mr. Frodo.”
96. “Do you remember the taste of strawberries?”
97. “Books ought to have good endings. How would this do? ‘And they all settled down and lived together happily ever after.’”
98. “I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise. ‘Don’t you leave him, Samwise Gamgee?’ And I don’t mean to. I don’t mean to.”
99. “Snow’s all right on a fine morning, but I like to be in bed when it’s falling.”
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Gollum
Gollum is mostly described as a “wretched” and “vile” creature. However, he is more complex than “evil”. He is a tragic figure that represents the potential outcome of Bilbo and Frodo, a form of foreshadowing, should they keep the Ring.
Here are Gollum’s best quotes:
102. “It came to me. It’s mine, my own, my love, my precious.”
101. “She’s always hungry. She always needs to feed. She must eat. All she gets is nasty Orcses.”
103. “Oh! We knows! We knows safe paths for hobbitses! Safe paths in the dark!… SHUT UP!”
104. “Wraiths! Wraiths on wings! They are calling for it. They are calling for the precious.”
105. “We swears to serve the master of the precious. We will swear on the…on the precious.”
106. “Where is it? They stole it from us. My precious. Curse them, we hates them! It’s ours, it is, and we wants it!”
107. “You can not hide, I see you! There is no life after me. Only death!”
Lord of the Rings Quotes: Sauron
In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Sauron is portrayed as a terrible tyrant and nothing more. However, in The Silmarillion, which is a sort of prequel to both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, one can find more information about him. For instance, Sauron was loyal to a fault to Morgoth, his master, and the first Dark Lord. Even if he was loyal because he was afraid of Morgoth it still says that he was willing to serve another for a long time. In his character, Sauron is highly intelligent, a master of deception, charming and ruthless, He greatly desires power and dominion over all of Middle-earth.
What is The Lord Of The Ring Most Famous Line?
There are so many famous LOTR quotes that it is difficult to choose one. Fans of the epic fantasy are still arguing about which is the best or most famous Lord Of The Rings line. The most popular quotes are:
108. “You shall not pass!” – Gandalf
109. ‘Fool of a Took!’ – Gandalf
110. “Not all those who wander are lost.” — Bilbo Baggins
111. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – Gandalf
112. “My precious!” – Gollum
113. “Go where you must go, and hope!”- Gandalf
What does Gandalf say to Frodo?
Frodo tells Gandalf In The Fellowship of the Ring movie,
114. “I wish it need not have happened in my time.”
115. Gandalf answers, “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
