What was the benefit of the belts given by Galadriel to three Fellowship members?

Question

Lady Galadriel (and her husband) gave the Fellowship members gifts.

• Frodo got the Phial with the light of Eärendil's star (which was the recycled light of the Two Trees - basically, Liquid Schwarts). Pretty fancy as gifts go, and quite useful against Ringwraiths or odd Shelobs.
• Aragorn got both the magical scabbard (+10 durability) and a priceless brooch which basically symbolized his transformation from Strider to King, and was a dynastic token of Kings of Gondor.
• Legolas got a new, upgraded bow (_{^{but seriously? Giving a totally different, with a different draw strength, bow to an expert bowman seems... kind of off to me.}}).
• Gimli got nothing specific, but was offered pretty much anything he wished, and in the end was granted Galadriel's 3 hairs (which doesn't sound like much unless you read this excellent answer - apparently it was a Big Deal, if kinda useless in a fight).
• Samwise got fancy fertilizer. Not exactly the gift I'd take to fight off Shelob, orcs and Sauron, but it was kind of special, in Samwise the Gardener way - and contained Elven magic too.

On the other hand, the others got *drumroll* fashion accessories. Belts.

She nibbled his ear in an affectionate sort of way, which was a far better present than the one which she had brought him, which turned out to be from the Dursleys. They had sent Harry a toothpick and a note telling him to find out whether he'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer holidays, too. ... sorry, wrong book

Harry's presents included a sweater with a large Golden Snitch worked onto the front, hand-knitted by Mrs. Weasley, a large box of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes products from the twins, and a slightly damp, mouldy-smelling package that came with a label reading 'To Master, From Kreacher'. ... A moment later, Harry had given a loud yell and leapt out of his camp bed; the package contained a large number of maggots. Oups... wrong book again.

The Lady bowed her head, and she turned then to Boromir, and to him she gave a belt of gold; and to Merry and Pippin she gave small silver belts, each with a clasp wrought like a golden flower. ("LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring", Chapter VII, "Farewell to Lórien")

What exactly was the significance or special benefit of those belts given to Boromir, Merry and Pippin? Were they magical or meaningful or special in some way? If not, why such a discrepancy from the unique/special gifts everyone else got?

Answer 1

I can find nothing in "The History of the Lord of the Rings" - so, here be conjecture: -

Since there appears to be no inherent purpose, one may presume they hold just basic literary symbolism of strength and unity. This is important to Boromir since she perceives the internal conflict at work in him and is encouraging to the hobbits Merry and Pippin since they doubt their usefulness and ability. It's basically a 'be strong and stay together' - and, that is indeed what happens. Those three do share a special bond at the end of FoTR.

Answer 2

From a literary perspective, I would suggest that the non-magical belts were an intentional contrast to highlight the power and specific significance of the magical devices.

The entire Fellowship received cloaks, which were useful in helping them hide. Beyond that, each of those who was doing the most difficult work in the quest received a gift that aided that work.

Frodo received the phial, which was a light in the darkness to help in the fight against Shelob.

Aragorn received the sheath, and the unsheathing of Anduril is a powerful act - Aragorn is one who is fated, and cannot be beaten in battle. He also received (not as a gift, but as a return of something rightly his) the green stone of his Kingship.

Sam received the dust and the seed of a mallorn tree to help with his lifework, the restoration of the Shire.

Both Frodo's and Sam's gifts were related to what they saw in Galadriel's mirror, and Galadriel said she saw their visions with them. Aragorn's fate she already foresaw, since she was fated to be his grandmother-in-law. The others did not receive such visions in Galadriel's presence, and so she could not have a particular gift for them.

In literary terms, the highest members of the Fellowship received gifts from the Elven queen: Gandalf (rescue & rebirth); Aragorn (tools of kingship); Frodo (a light in the darkness); Sam (a gift that would help restore the Shire, where he would rule for his whole life).

Legolas, as an elf, received a gift from Elf to Elf.

Merry and Pippin received their gifts from the Ents (greater height) and from the Kings of Men (stewardship), and this translated into their "lordly" roles in their lives in the Shire after their return.

Answer 3

Boromir: so that he could be recognised.

Boromir was killed and set in a cairn-boat by Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. This boat was drifted down Rauros.

But in Gondor in after-days it long was said that the elven-boat rode the falls and the foaming pool, and bore him down through Osgiliath, and past the many mouths of Anduin, out into the Great Sea at night under the stars.

^{_{The Two Towers - "The Departure of Boromir"}}

Later on, this belt identified Boromir when Faramir talks to Frodo about his death...

'Alas!' said Frodo. 'That was indeed Boromir as I knew him. For the golden belt was given to him in Lothlórien by the Lady Galadriel.

^{_{The Two Towers - "The Window of the West"}}

...which saves Frodo a heck ton of an explanation of how he knew Boromir.

Merry and Pippin: no physical significance.

For Merry and Pippin, these 2 belts were not of much physical significance. They were merely souvenirs and were the smaller (and silver) version of Boromir's belt. NKCampbell's answer suggests a psychological significance, which is plausible as well.

---

In the movies

In the film The Two Towers however, Merry and Pippin's belts do show some significance. There's a scene where The Three Hunters find their belts in the smouldering pile of Orc bodies.

Upon seeing and recognising the belts, Aragorn begins to wail in despair. Coincidentally, while he kneels down in defeat, he spots a trail on the ground. To whom does this trail belong? Merry and Pippin!

[Gimli starts to go through the pile and pulls out a charred belt.]
Gimli: "It's one of their little belts."

^{_{Script for LOTR: The Two Towers}}

We later find out that Pippin loosened his belt so that he could escape Grishnákh. Thus the belt served its purpose in the film.

Merry: "The belt! Run!" [Pippin undoes his belt and the hobbits run off into the trees.]

^{_{Script for LOTR: The Two Towers}}