The Love Story of Sam and Rosie

“‘So that was the job I felt I had to do when I started,’ thought Sam [just steps away from Mount Doom]: to help Mr. Frodo to the last step and die with him? Well, if that is the job then I must do it. But I would dearly like to see Bywater again, and Rosie Cotton and her brothers, and the Gaffer and Marigold and all. I can’t think somehow that Gandalf would have sent Mr. Frodo on this errand, if there hadn’t a’ been any hope of his ever coming back at all.” (ROTK, “Mount Doom”)

Sam Gamgee’s wife, Rose Cotton (Rosie) of Bywater was the daughter of Tolman Cotton and Lily Brown, and it is assumed that they have always been close to the Gamgees. She had four siblings, Tom, Jolly, Nick and Nibs. They would swim and paddle in the Bywater Pool with Sam and his siblings. 

When Rosie found out that Sam would leave the Shire for Crickhollow, it was said she was not pleased, but she would wait patiently.

“It seems she didn’t like my going abroad at all, poor lass; but as I hadn’t spoken, she couldn’t say so. And I didn’t speak, because I had a job to do at first. But now I have spoken, and she says: ‘well, you’ve wasted a year, so why wait longer?’ “Wasted?’ I says. ‘I wouldn’t call it that.’ Sill I see what she means.” (ROTK, “The Grey Havens”)

To which he would cite feeling “torn in two,” wanting to stay loyal with Frodo, but also wanting to be with Rosie and their new family.

After the Fall of Sauron, Sam would arrive home with the Hobbits, only to find that Bagshot Row was indeed dug up though that was something that Sam saw in Lóthlórien through the Mirror of Galadriel. That almost caused him to run home, then and there. However, even his vision in the Mirror didn’t prepare him for this event, as Farmer Cotton would show a battered Bag End and Bagshot Row. 

Meanwhile, the Battle of Bywater occurred in the Scouring of the Shire with the Hobbits at war with the Ruffians. He and Frodo would stay at the Cottons in Bywater before Bag End and Bagshot Row were restored.

Sam and Rosie would wed on 1 May 3020 TA (1420 SR) and move to Bag End with Frodo before last ship. They had their first child and daughter, Elanor the Fair, on 25 March 3021 TA (1421 SR). 

6 years later, Will Whitfoot would resign, and Sam would be the Mayor of the Shire. 

They went on to have 12 more children, 4 whom were named after old friends. Sam would later become the Mayor six more times, before resigning for good on FoA 55, at the Free Fair on the White Downs. 

Sam and Rosie would ride with their daughter Elanor to Gondor for a year after the third time.

Rosie passed on FoA 61, on Mid-year’s Day (Summer Solstice) – at the age of 98 – after which Sam would go to the Undying Lands (on September 22, FoA 61).

Commentary

While Rosie made her first – and more appearances in the beginning of the films, we do not see much of her in the books until Sam starts to think of her and her memories steps away from Mount Doom.

Furthermore, there are many different types of love stories Tolkien had in his legendarium – in which he explores the different types of love he includes, with Sam and Rosie’s simple, ‘rustic love’ as hobbits being compared to Aragorn and Arwen’s ‘noble love,’ since the latter involved Aragorn becoming the king of Gondor and Arnor.

“Since we now try to deal with ‘ordinary life’, springing up ever unquenched under the trample of world policies and events, there are love-stories touched in, or love in different modes, wholly absent from The Hobbit. But the highest love-story, that of Aragorn and Arwen Elrond’s daughter is only alluded to as a known thing. It is told elsewhere in a short tale. Of Aragorn and Arwen Undómiel. I think the simple ‘rustic’ love of Sam and his Rosie (nowhere elaborated) is absolutely essential to the study of his (the chief hero’s) character, and to the theme of the relation of ordinary life (breathing, eating, working, begetting) and quests, sacrifice, causes, and the ‘longing for Elves’, and sheer beauty. But I will say no more, nor defend the theme of mistaken love seen in Eowyn and her first love for Aragorn. I do not feel much can now be done to heal the faults of this large and much-embracing tale – or to make it ‘publishable’, if it is not so now.” (Letter # 131)

Sam’s love for Rosie was also being integrated into his character and persona throughout the trilogy while the love story of Aragorn and Arwen was told elsewhere in a short tale – mostly relegated to the appendices in the books. But also that a possibility of a love between Aragorn and Éowyn was initially considered, which is now seen as a theme of ‘mistaken love’ now in Lord of the Rings.