In the sixth chapter of the second book of The Fellowship of the Ring, grief and sorrow must be cast aside as the Company presses on. They are surprised by a pleasant discovery in Lothlórien, and it’s the first sign of hope on their journey. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to read The Lord of the Rings.
CHAPTER SIX: LOTHLÓRIEN
You know, Tolkien could have kept his characters in grief for a while, and I’d get that. Gandalf led the entire group, and now he’s gone. Even though Aragorn has now taken control of the Company, there’s a very distinct vacancy created by his loss, the least of which is the fact that no one else in the party can really cast spells. There’s no one person who possesses the sort of knowledge he did. And this is still the first book.
Instead, he chooses to keep the fear of orcs present, and the Company must press on. He allows the briefest moments of sorry before Aragorn orders them all to keep moving. That’s a tough choice to make as a writer because there’s so much one could write about the loss of Gandalf at this point. Obviously, in the work it’s a tough choice for Aragorn, but I really adore that the Company looks upon what is before them, and simply decides where to go next.
There is a momentary stop at the Kheled-zâram, as Gimli insists he take Frodo to see the lake that is so important to the lore of the Dwarves. Again, I’m taken in by the beauty of Middle-earth; it’s one of many things I’m impatient to see in the films. Geography is so important to this story, and I’m eager to be assailed with fanart to represent all of this once I can’t be spoiled by it. Out of everything, though, I think I am most excited by the thought of seeing Lothlórien represented on screen.
We haven’t had a whole lot of Legolas in the story as of yet; he hasn’t said much, and this chapter provides a massive amount of information about the Elves and Legolas himself. Here, he tells the Company how ecstatic he is to return to the legendary forest that holds so much meaning to his people, since it’s where the Elves were said to come from. (Well, the group that now lives where Legolas does, that is.) Before they get there, though, there’s–surprise!–lots more walking. Sam and Frodo, both injured by the fight with the orcs, do eventually fall behind, and Aragorn makes the group stop so he can tend their wounds. It’s interesting to contrast his behavior here with the very first time we met him, considering I thought he was unnecessarily suspicious with the hobbits. He’s far more tender and caring now, and his opinions of these characters has changed a whole lot for the better. Plus, I think it’s adorable when Aragorn discovers that Frodo has a mithril-coat. There’s a really awesome subtext to this book and to The Hobbit, and it’s related to this: one should really not judge the courage and capacity of people solely on the physical appearance. So often, other characters in this book assume all the hobbits are lazy, cowardly, or weak, and Bilbo and all four of the main hobbits here disprove that theory. I like that.
Oh, right, it’s been far too long since Tolkien messed with my head:
Yet he had heard something, or thought he had. As soon as the shadows had fallen about them and the road behind was dim, he had heard again the quick patter of feet. Even now he heard it. He turned swiftly. There were two tiny gleams of light behind, or for a moment he thought he saw them, but at once they slipped aside and vanished.
Okay, so…a mini-orc? Some other creature? What is following the Company? I haven’t quite figured it out yet, but it’s creeping me out.
The group makes it to the outskirts of Lothlórien, where Legolas can barely contain his joy. It’s dark out, though, so no one aside from Legolas really appreciates where they are. To be fair, it’s not certain that any Elves still live here anymore, and they’re about to enter a forest that can hide a whole lot of danger, too.
However, what interests me the most about this is how Tolkien uses the Lothlórien to exacerbate and expand on the conflict between Dwarves and Elves. He certainly hasn’t ignored it before; Gimli hasn’t exactly kept a lot of his prejudices to himself, but it’s right at this moment that they start coming out. Often. First, Gimli opposes the idea of cutting through the forest, and you can tell it’s not just because of danger or peril. He agrees to go on, yes, but it’s not without reservations. The difficulties between the two races is still in his mind, though he largely keeps things to himself that day. That is, he does this until Legolas sings a song about Nimrodel, and it causes him to reflect on the fact that the Dwarves “awakened evil in the mountains,” which brought sorrow and loss to Lothlórien.
That history is so present for the two of them, and I see now more than ever before why the two might not be the best of friends. But this only gets worse when the Company tries to find grounds to camp on. Well, I should say trees, as it’s customary for Elves to live in the trees. Legolas is shocked to discover that there most certainly are Elves living in Lothlórien, and that they’ve known the Company was there, and they know who they are and they’re quite fine with them being in the forest.
Well, that’s nice!
In particular, they ask Legolas to bring Frodo up to them so they can speak with him about the rumors and tales that they’ve been hearing. I think this is my favorite line:
‘You do not look evil!’
Well of course not. Hobbits are adorable! Well, except for the Sackville-Bagginses. I imagine they don’t look adorable. THIS IS MY HEAD CANON.
However, all this cuteness comes to a halt when the Elves find out that they’ve brought Gimli, a dwarf, into the forest.
‘That is not well. We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days. They are not permitted in our land. I cannot allow him to pass.’
Who do you think you are, Gandalf??? YOU TAKE THAT BACK.
Though I do love that Frodo just namedrops Elrond and the Elves pretty much accept that. Well…sort of.
‘If Aragorn and Legolas will guard him, and answer for him, he shall pass; but he must go blindfold through Lothlórien.’
Oh, he’s going to be pissed.
Before they proceed through the forest, the group spends the night at this very tree; the hobbits stay up with the Elves, and Aragorn hides their luggage below in a drift of leaves. There’s something massively appealing to me about the idea of a slumber party in a tree house with Elves. How can we make this happen? Actually, wait, let me add a qualifier to this: it’s awesome but only unless what happened next did not happen for me. Because that night, they’re visited by orcs and, like many things in this goddamn book, I start worrying that I’m going to have nightmares about The Lord of the Rings. I’ve managed to avoid it so far, but seriously, how awful is this?
Something was now climbing slowly, and its breath came like a soft hissing through closed teeth. Then coming up, close to the stem, Frodo saw two pale eyes. They stopped and gazed upward unwinking. Suddenly, they turned away, and a shadowy figure slipped round the trunk of the tree and vanished.
Okay, so it’s some sort of spy creature, maybe? What is this thing?
‘It was not an orc. It fled as soon as I touched the tree-stem. It seemed to be wary, and to have some skill in trees, or I might have thought it was one of you hobbits.’
Wait, what? So this is something new? Oh, that’s kind of exciting. Possibly a new kind of creature in Middle-earth! BRING IT, TOLKIEN.
Day arrives, and with that comes LOTS OF BICKERING. It’s time for Gimli to be blindfolded! Unsurprisingly, he’s not very happy with the arrangement made without his consent. I do think that Tolkien does a good job presenting both sides of this, though I think I ultimately side with Gimli on this. It’s rude for them to blindfold the dwarf because of something that happened so long ago. Would Elrond honestly appoint him to be a part of the Company of Nine if he was not to be trusted? I understand that the Elves also have their law, and it’s not really up to Haldir and the other Elves to make an exception; they do their best not to be condescending about it either. But when Gimli won’t budge and he actually draws his axe as a threat, it’s Aragorn who comes up with a solution:
‘If I am still to lead this Company, you must do as I bid. It is hard upon the Dwarf to be thus singled out. We will all be blindfold, even Legolas. That will be best, though it will make the journey slow and dull.’
Wow, that’s pretty reasonable of you, Aragorn! And I was equally unsurprised when Legolas was having none of it, suddenly just as obstinate as Gimli. He does make a good point about the absurdity of this all:
‘Alas for the folly of these days!’ said Legolas. ‘Here all are enemies of the one Enemy, and yet I must walk blind, while the sun is merry in the woodland under leaves of gold!’
Dude, I didn’t make the rules! Keep your sass levels down!
And so the Company proceeds to walk through Lothlórien while blindfolded. My initial worry is that I’d miss out on the experience of Lothlórien, since it couldn’t really be narrated from the point of view of any of the main characters. But Tolkien compensates for that through an interesting phenomenon. In Frodo’s case, he suddenly feels as if he’s slipped back in time and his senses aside from sight are heightened. I don’t think it’s any magical thing happening here. I think they recognize that they’re traveling in a forest with a long history, but one that’s been untouched for a very long time.
Plus, it’s not long before they reach another set of Elves who bring news that the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim have allowed them all to remove their blindfolds. Immediately I wanted to be there, in that forest, at the moment of discovery and revelation. What I can tell from Tolkien’s description is that this is one of the most glorious and beautiful forests any of these characters have set eyes upon. Not only that, but they get to see the Cerin Amroth for the first time; it seems to be some sort of tree structure, circular in nature, a grand and bizarre sight.
The others cast themselves down upon the fragrant grass, but Frodo stood awhile still lost in wonder. It seemed to him that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world. A light was upon it for which his language had no name. All that he saw was shapely, but the shapes seemed at once clear cut, as if they had been first conceived and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes, and ancient as if they had endured for ever. He saw no colour but those he knew, gold and white and blue and green, but they were fresh and poignant, as if he had at that moment first perceived them and made for them names new and wonderful. In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or for spring. No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lórien there was no stain.
YEAH CAN I GO HERE. HOW CAN I GO HERE. I WOULD LIKE THIS VERY MUCH RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF REASONS.
Upon atop Cerin Amroth, Haldir shows Frodo the spectacular view, in particular pointing out the contrast between the way the sun falls upon where they are, and the darkness of Southern Mirkwood, specifically Dol Guldur. It’s where the Enemy once lived, and possibly lives again. Is that where they’re headed next? I imagine that they have to go where the Enemy is dwelling to destroy the Ring, yes? Or is Mordor in another place?
The end of this chapter, though, has a strange moment with Aragorn, who is “wrapped in some fair memory.” Something about this place holds a positive thought for Aragorn. He speaks something in Elvish about Arwen, and then turns to Frodo and smiles.
‘Here is the heart of Elvendom on earth,’ he said, ‘and here my heart dwells ever, unless there be a light beyond the dark roads that we still must tread, you and I. Come with me!’ And taking Frodo’s hand in his, he left the hill of Cerin Amroth and came there never again as living man.
YEAH OKAY WHY ARE YOU ENDING THIS CHAPTER LIKE THAT??? Tolkien, I swear, did you specifically plan to ruin my day all those years ago? It’s like you knew. Oh god, how does Aragorn know Arwen? What happened here? What happens to him that prevents him from coming back??? AHHHHH GODDAMN IT.
Updated cast list for MUPPET LORD OF THE RINGS:
RACES
MEN – frogs
HOBBITS – either little frogs or Fraggles
DWARVES – bears
ELVES – pigs
ORCS – the wild boars from Muppet Treasure Island, or a whole herd of Animals
NAZGUL – Muppet Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
THE FELLOWSHIP
Gonzo the Grey – Gonzo
Aragorn of the Ranadain – Kermit the Frog
Pigolas – Link Hogthrob
Dimli – Fozzie
(“Jung ohfvarff qb n cvt, n sebt, naq n orne unir va gur Evqqreznex?”)
Boromir – ?
The Hobbits – either Robin and four other little frogs, or assorted Fraggles
OTHERS
Cvtnqevry – Zvff Cvttl
Floyd Bombadil
Janiceberry
Saruman – Ubergonzo (Muppets From Space)
Elrond – Sam the Eagle?
And in the still-spoilers department:
Nejra naq Tnynqevry ner pbasyngrq vagb n fvatyr ebyr cynlrq ol Zvff Cvttl. NYY FUNYY YBIR ZBV NAQ QRFCNVE.
Fgngyre naq Jnyqbes cynl gur Qrargube Oebguref, svanyyl erfbegvat gb svrel fhvpvqr orpnhfr vg orngf univat gb fvg guebhtu gur jubyr zbivr.
Ebjys: Rbzre be Snenzve?
Fjrrghzf: Gerrorneq
"Nejra naq Tnynqevry ner pbasyngrq vagb n fvatyr ebyr cynlrq ol Zvff Cvttl. NYY FUNYY YBIR ZBV NAQ QRFCNVE."
PERFECT!
This is perfect. Thank you.
So yeah… when is this movie coming out again? 😀
Do we know whether it's going to be in 3D?
Gur Qrargube Oebguref. Bu zl tbfu lrf sberire.
"Jung ohfvarff qb n cvt, n sebt, naq n orne unir va gur Evqqreznex?"
Seriously, that will NEVER get old for me! 😀
Sadly, I had to rot13 the best one, orpnhfr fur vfa'g anzrq hagvy gur arkg puncgre. Guvf puncgre vf fhpu n grnfr!
Sorry about that, I should have checked this chapter to see it it was still a spoiler.
It's okay, you'd think it wouldn't be by this point!
I'd like for Gonzo to somehow be Aragorn, Legolas, or Gimli, so we can have this:
"Jung ohfvarff qb n sebt, n orne, naq n…"
"Jungrire."
"Jungrire unir va gur Evqqneznex?"
Gonzo should totally be Aragorn, so tura Pnzvyyn pna or Nejra!
I don't know, but a whole herd of Skeksis might be interesting as orcs be cbffvoyl nf hehxunv.
They would make terrifying Nazgul. :D:D:D
ELROND IS SAM THE EAGLE. IT'S SO TRUE.
RELEVANT FAN ART FROM TUMBLR
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-789DZFgVVUE/TxBpWNVVFDI/AAAAAAAABao/JSPj5BVYCbg/s800/tumblr_lxcawoLqFF1qk3l1so1_500.jpg">
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-goo0BwtWpjY/TxBpV8864OI/AAAAAAAABag/N4d0l9fDgus/s800/tumblr_lxdyxwNXDk1qk3l1so1_500.jpg">
If you ever get the chance to check out ALL OF JAMES HANCE'S WORK EVER, I highly recommend it. These pieces are new.
These are amazing!
Miss Piggy should bump off Link Hogthrob and come along.
*Here are the things I like about this chapter*
1. When everyone discovers the mithril, no one is angry that Frodo hid it or jealous that it is not theirs or greedy for it…. they are all just relieved that it might save his life. I LOVE THE FELLOWSHIP.
2. The beauty of Lorien. For once, everything feels OKAY. except that Gandalf is dead. And Frodo has to go to Mordor. And everyone is probably going to die. BUT OTHER THAN THAT
3. The hill of Cerin Amroth with the flowers and the trees… so beautiful. I wish it was real so I could go visit it!
4. The underlying meaning of the conversation between Haldir and Merry, when Merry says that if he knew what was out in the world, he would never have the courage to leave it, and Haldir responds, "Not even to see fair Lothlorien?" This is what I got out of it: You have to leave the place you have known your entire life, even if you think that all that is waiting for you is evil and despair; for if you never leave, you will never have known the beauty that exists in the middle of all that evil. And exist it does, even in the most ugly of worlds.
5. These particular sentences; I just want to revel in their beauty: "In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or spring. No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lorien there was no stain." SO BEAUTIFUL. Thank you Tolkien, I forgot for a moment what beautiful writing was. Sometimes, the story can be wonderful, but there is a special glory in the beauty of words themselves.
*And now, here are the things I don't like in this chapter*
1. The story of Nimrodel and Amroth is SO SAD. Gah. Nothing makes me sadder than lovers who are separated. NOTHING. But I do love that her waters run into his, so to speak. They aren't together in body, but they are together in eternity.
2. "Something was now climbing slowly, and its breath came like a soft hissing through closed teeth. Then coming up, close to the stem, Frodo saw two pale eyes." NO DO NOT WANT. ohmygod. This is literally the fuel for my nightmares. hold me close tiny dancer. And now, so that I may sleep at least a little, I am going to picture that these eyes belong to this:
<img src="http://gamecola.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/puss-in-boots.jpg">
LOOK THIS IS NOW MY HEAD CANON AND YOU CANNOT TELL ME DIFFERENTLY
3. At the end of the chapter, everything is beautiful and nothing hurts and then Tolkien writes this: "And taking Frodo's hand in his, he left the hill of Cerin Amroth and came there never again as a living man."
FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUU TOKIEN I HATE YOU SO MUCH
(that was a lie no I don't please don't hate me I LOVE YOU )
"Sometimes, the story can be wonderful, but there is a special glory in the beauty of words themselves."
Totally.
Yes yes YES to number 4. I was going to make a post with pretty much nothing but that.
#5- YES. For all that people complain about Tolkien's prose, he could craft some unbelievably beautiful sentences when he chose, sentences that lovely both in idea and structure. And he really put a lot of thought and love into his writing about Lothlorien- it's obvious he had a fondness for that place.
I agree with this entire post, but especially number four. I like that it was coming from Haldir, too, since he is one of the few elves meeting the fellowship who travels and has contact with the outside world. He knows the beauty of Lothlorien, and still he ventures to other parts of Middle Earth; he can fully appreciate Lothlorien's beauty because he's seen the wide world, and Merry can appreciating the peace and tranquility of home a lot better now. And, ya know, the sentiment behind not being satisfied with what you know, and staying in one place, is admirable as well.
So much word on #4. And the rest of the post, really!
ALSO YES IT WOULD BE GREAT IF PUSS IN BOOTS WERE FOLLOWING THEM. IN HIS WEE LITTLE BOOTS. HOW MANY CATS CAN WEAR BOOTS, HONESTLY?
Rot13 for Terrible Spoilers: Reh cerfreir hf, abj V nz bayl rire tbvat gb or noyr gb cvpgher Tbyyhz jvgu gubfr rlrf. NNNNNU.
bwahahahaha I so had not gone there……..
I'm LOLing at the creepy stalker being revealed as an adorable kitten. And then the Fellowship would adopt it as one of their own and it would be their faithful companion forever.
For some reason I think he'd team up with Boromir… not sure why!
If you want to be sad, read this myth. It's part of a set of Modern Myths. Who knew that smog could be so romantic. http://banter-latte.annotations.com/2007/07/16/my…
Lothlorien! <3
V ybir ubj oornhgvshy guvf vf va gur zbivr.
Lots of people like Rivendell the best, but if I had to pick one place to live in Middle Earth, it would definitely be Lothlorien.
Also: Znex unf gb or gebyyvat hf jvgu abg svthevat bhg gung'f Tbyyhz, evtug? N PERNGHER GUNG VF TBBQ NG PYVZOVAT GERRF JVGU GJB OVT CNYR RLRF? Pbzr ba, abj. Pbzr ba.
Ur vf Znex Gur Rgreanyyl Hacercnerq Nagv-Fpubbyobl gubhtu. Vg vf cbffvoyr… gubhtu V nz fhecevfrq, ohg guvf vf ZNEX jr'er gnyxvat nobhg…
V jvyy or phevbhf gb frr vs jr ernpu gur erirny naq gura ONZ, ur fnlf, Lrnu, V xarj.
PS: Bam? Apparently I am turning into Sheldon. And my comment needs to be moderated (it's in ROT13) and I can't see what it is, so I really hope I didn't do a really unfortunate typo somewhere… 😮 apologies if I did!
V UBARFGYL QBA'G GUVAX UR XABJF. V QBA'G FRR GUR CBVAG BS UVZ ABG GRYYVAT HF VS UR XARJ. ZNA, V PNA'G JNVG SBE UVZ GB SVAQ BHG/ERNYVMR VG!
(NYFB, ONZ VF GBGNYYL SVAR. AB ARRQ GB JBEEL HAGVY LBH FGNEG FNLVAT "ONMVATN" :Q )
YBY VS V FGNEG FNLVAT GUNG V FUNYY OR PBAREARQ.
naq V guvax/ubcr lbh'er evtug gung ur unf ab pyhr nobhg Tbyyhz :Q
Lothlorien is pretty awesome and I'd definitely want to visit, but I feel like I'd probably live in the Shire. Of course, I am 100% a hobbit a heart and would totally be a hobbit if only they were real. ):
Agreed! I like snug hobbit-holes and second breakfast!
I feel like the part of me that wants to continuously eat and nap would be really happy in a hobbit hole, but the part of me that believes I'm tall and noble and wise (ha!) would do really well in Lothlorien.
LOL, exactly my feelings. And the part of my which is mystical and mysterious would like Rivendell.
It's sort of like my feelings on the houses at Hogwarts. I know I'm a Ravenclaw but some days I feel brave enough to be a Gryffindor and other days I feel…Hufflepuffy enough to be a Hufflepuff.
I never feel like a Slytherin, though.
Speaking of hobbits and Hogwarts, I recently made myself a t-shirt with Hufflepuff's logo and a heart and then a picture of Sam. He is such a Hufflepuff and so adorable <3
Hobbits are the original Hufflepuffs. It's an established fact in my head. Also, Sam is AMAZING FOREVER.
Yes, I think you've nailed it there. I think the Lothlorien/Hobbiton/Rivendell/Gryffindor/Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw thing with me also goes with self esteem…
Yeah – I don't mind elves from time to time, but my heart is with the hobbits, definitely.
Haha, SAME.
I would choose Lothlorien too, it's so beautiful and sublime…really…it makes the rest of the world look so boring…mix Lothlorien and Pandora's bioluminescence and you have the perfect place!
Also: V xrrc guvaxvat gung gbb….ubj pna ur abg erzrzore Tbyyhz…ernyyl…whfg chg 2 naq 2 gb svaq lbhe 4…Sebqb vf jvgu gur evat…tbyyhz jnagf gur evat, ur vf yvggyr, fvyrag, naq gur rlrf…whfg yvxr ovyob qrpevorq vg…
For as many issues as I had with the plot of Avatar, holy CROW Pandora was beautiful. I want to go to there, indeed.
I've still not seen it but you're making me want to.
I'm watching the episode of Big Bang Theory where they find the One Ring… the symmetry of watching this and reading MRLOTR pleases me 🙂
OH MY GOD that is one of my favorite episodes. Soooo funny! When Sheldon keeps stealing it from Leonard….
😀
Qvq ur abg frr BAR FVATYR GENVYRE BE NALGUVAT sbe gur zbivrf? V zrna, ur unf gb xabj Tbyyhz vf va YBGE, evtug? EVTUG?
Lrnu V'ir orra jbaqrevat gung gbb. Vg'f uneq gb oryvrir gung ur arire bapr fnj n genvyre. Fvapr ur arire unq na vagrerfg va vg orsber, znlor ur whfg qbrfa'g erzrzore nalguvat fcrpvsvp sebz gur genvyref? Tbyyhz vf n znva punenpgre va 2 bhg bs 3 zbivrf gubhtu…naq vf pyrneyl va gur genvyref, evtug? V guvax V jnag gb tb onpx naq jngpu gurz abj, whfg gb frr ubj zhpu vf erirnyrq, bs obgu Tbyyhz naq Tnaqnys. V guvax vs ur unf jngpurq gurz, znlor vs vg jnf fb ybat ntb jura ur fnj gurz gung gur obbx vfa'g gevttrevat nal ybat-snqrq zrzbevrf gung jbhyq pnhfr uvz gb pbaarpg gur gjb?
V guvax ur zvtug unir ohg whfg sbetbg/chg vg bhg bs uvf zvaq? Ur frrzf gb or cerggl tbbq ng gung.
Yeah I was thinking that too. Vg unf orra bire 8 lrnef fvapr gur ynfg zbivr jnf eryrnfrq, fb V qba\’g guvax vg jbhyq unir orra uneq sbe uvz gb pbzcyrgryl sbetrg rirelguvat ur unq frra bs YbgE, rfcrpvnyyl vs ur jnf abg cnegvphyneyl vagrerfgrq va vg gura.
I agree, I would absolutely choose Lothlorien over Rivendell. Although, fun fact– my hometown has a nerd store [used books, board games, and a game room in the back where dungeons and dragons is almost always being played] named Rivendell, and I love it so much. So I do have my own Rivendell, even if it's completely different [but my version of perfect so yeah].
That is perfect.
I think I'd pick the Shire, actually. I like homey, comfortable places.
PS: Jura qb jr trg gb gryy Znex gung Pryroeba vf pnyyrq Gryrcbeab va Dhraln??
That's something akward lol
Aragorn: <3 Bar bs gur guvatf V nccerpvngr nobhg gur zbivrf – naq V guvax vg'f zber rivqrag va gur RRf – vf gung Ivttb qbrf znantr gb pbzovar gur sbeprshy, gbhtu thl jvgu n punenpgre jub pna or graqre naq ybivat, nf ur bsgra vf jvgu gur uboovgf, naq jura Obebzve qvrf, rgp. Ur ernyyl qvq fhpu n ornhgvshy wbo va gung ebyr, vg'f uneq gb pbairvir bs uvz abg orvat gur irel svefg naq bayl pubvpr.
Vg vf Tbyyhz sbyybjvat, lrf/ab?
I adore the descriptions of Lothlorien. I love that all the colours are the same but different. Also, poignant – what a great word. And although its meaning doesn't lend itself naturally to a description of a forest, that's why it works so well. It's not so much a description of how things look, so much as how it is all affecting Frodo. Beautiful. I WANT TO GO!
And love the foreshadowing here! Vg'f xvaq bs n funzr Nejra qvfnccrnef fb pbzcyrgryl, ohg V'z ernyyl tynq Znex vf abgvpvat gurfr guvatf. TB ZNEX!
Vg vf Tbyyhz sbyybjvat, lrf/ab?
Lrc vgf Tbyyhz! V unq sbetbggra gung guvf jnfa'g erirnyrq fb rneyl va gur obbxf. Va gur zbivr, Tnaqnys gryyf Sebqb va gur zvarf bs Zbevn.
Naq gura ur (Tnaqnys)tvirf gung ornhgvshy fcrrpu nobhg pubvprf jura Sebqb fnlf gung ur jvfurq gung Ovyob xvyyrq Tbyyhz….vs V’z abg zvfgnxra, guvf fcrrpu unccraf irel rneyl va gur obbx evtug?
Lhc! Bar bs zl snibevgr guvatf va gur svyz vf ubj gurl hfr qvnybthr sebz gur obbxf va qvssrerag cynprf naq znxr vg svg irel avpryl gb xrrc guvatf sybjvat. Vg qbrfa'g nyjnlf jbex, ohg gur fprar va Zbevn vf bar jurer vg whfg nyy pbzrf gbtrgure fb cresrpgyl.
V frpbaq lbh ba gung. Gur qvnbthr jnf zhpu zber svggvat gb gung zbzrag va Zbevn, jura gurer vf fb zhpu qrfcnve naq gverqarff, gura ng Ovyob’f ubhfr!!
Na gura gur ”sbyybj lbhe abfr” guvat yby, vg nyjnlf penpx zr hc!
Qbrf guvf pbzzrag zrna Ivttb jnf abg gur svefg pubvpr sbe gur zbivr? V nyjnlf rkcrpgrq gung ur jnf, nf ur'f fb cresrpg. Ohg vs abg, jub ryfr jnf pbafvqrerq?
Gur cevapvcny svyzvat fgnegrq jvgu Fghneg Gbjafraq nf Nentbea. Ur ynfgrq yrff guna n jrrx, vvep.
Amazingly, no. Ur'f fb tbbq vg frrzf penml ur jnfa'g svefg pubvpr :Q
Please don't use the word "crazy" on this site.
Q'bu – fbeel.
NICE, ARAGORN. Gandalf DIES and you say “I told you so”. WHAT A LOVELY FRIEND -_- I jest, but that is kind of what it sounded like
We’ve finally made it to Lothlórien, one of my favourite places in Middle Earth! I just want to live there forever <3
NTU JUL ZHFG JR JNVG HAGVY ZBAQNL SBE TNYNQEVRY! V ybbbbbbbir gur jnl Ybguybevra jnf qrcvpgrq ba fperra, naq V’z fnq jr qvqa’g trg gb fcraq zber gvzr gurer. V guvax gung cyhf zl haqlvat ybir sbe Pngr Oynapurgg vf jul V qvqa’g zvaq gubfr fprarf orgjrra ure naq Ryebaq va gur yngre svyzf, rira gubhtu nyy lbh frr bs Ybguybevra vf oyhr onpxtebhaq.
Naq gur zhfvp sbe Ybguybevra vf cresrpg nf jryy!! <3 <3 <3
Yby sberire ng Znex sernxvat bhg ng gur ynfg fragrapr bs guvf puncgre. V’ir nyjnlf gubhtug vg jnf irel ornhgvshy naq vg ARIRE bppheerq gb zr gb guvax bs vg nf n pyvss unatre.
<3 Pngr <3 fur vf jbaqreshy!
Naq lrnu, V jbhyq YBIR gb unir frra zber bs Ybguybevra…
V'yy nterr gung Pngr vf njrfbzr, naq fur cynlf zbivr-Tnynqevry dhvgr njrfbzryl. Nyy gur fnzr, V unir gb nqzvg V'z abg gur uhtrfg sna bs gur birenyy cbegenlny bs gur ryirf va gur zbivrf. Gb or ubarfg, V qba'g guvax gurer jnf nal jnl gurl pbhyq unir zvzvpxrq gur ngzbfcurer bs "n yvtug sbe juvpu [bhe] ynathntr unq ab anzr", fb creuncf vg'f orfg gung gurl gerngrq vg nf gurl qvq. Ohg gur obbx znxrf vg pyrne gung vg vf oevtug naq fhaal va Ybguybevra, abg qvz naq zlfgrevbhfyl qnex yvxr va gur zbivr. Vg srryf zber yvxr n zntvpny zbeavat guna n zntvpny riravat.
Naq zbivr-Tnynqevry vf abg gur fnzr nf obbx-Tnynqevry. Gur zbivr znxrf ure frrz svyyrq jvgu uvqqra cbjre, juvpu vf cerpvfryl ubj Sebqb fnlf fur qbrf ABG nccrne abeznyyl. Guvf vf nyy svar jvguva gur pbagrkg bs gur zbivr. Ohg V cersre gur obbx, jurer cneg bs ure zntvp vf gung fur pna or n "fyraqre rys-jbzna, pynq va fvzcyr juvgr," jvgubhg pbagenqvpgvat ure punenpgre.
V guvax znlor gur ernfba gurl cbegenlrq Ybguybevra gur jnl gurl qvq vf orpnhfr gurl jnagrq gb fgnexyl qvssreragvngr vg sebz Eviraqryy, juvpu unq nyernql orra cbegenlrq nf tbyqra naq fhaal.
Elrond also says that the quest may be Gandalf's last great task. So Aragorn isn't the only one with a premonition of disaster.
Dude, even Gandalf predicted his own death! He was like "against some foes I have not yet been tested."
The Kheled-zaram is one of my favourite places in Middle-earth. I love the concept of the lake reflecting stars even during the day. <3
Or is Mordor in another place?
All of my books (I have the trilogy in German and English) have maps of Middle-earth – I don't know if you consider those spoilery, but if not, maybe you should check them out? 😉
(I really don't know – is looking at place names spoilery? I just kinda went for it before starting to read, because the map pretty much fell out of the book as soon as I opened it.)
Nyfb, V pna'g JNVG sbe Znex gb svaq bhg Tvzyv naq Yrtbynf orpbzr OSSf.
V nqber gurve sevraqfuvc. Cnegvphyneyl gur fpber-xrrcvat qhevat gur Ubeaohet onggyr 🙂 Vg cebivqrf zhpu arrqrq pbzvp eryvrs.
Lrf :Q
Tvzyv: "Ur jnf *gjvgpuvat* orpnhfr ur'f tbg zl nkr RZORQQRQ VA UVF AREIBHF FLFGRZ!"
Gung'f bar bs gubfr yvarf gung V pevatr ng orpnhfr vg fbhaqf fb nanpuebavfgvp/bhg bs cynpr npghnyyl.
Lrnu, V fhccbfr gurl jbhyqa'g xabj jung n areibhf flfgrz jnf. Vg qbrf vyyhfgengr gurve obaq jryy gubhtu 🙂
Yeah, if this is up for a vote, I think that you should look at the maps, Mark. In most versions they're part of the front matter, so it isn't REALLY spoilery because it's something that is shown to you when you open the book for the first time!
Also, having looked at the maps in my own copy, there are several. One is sort of the whole of Middle-Earth, and then there are more detailed maps for different regions. Just looking at the first map will give you a good idea of where Mordor is without really spoiling much.
Looking at even the detailed maps, many places are named that the characters don't travel to, and many places they go to aren't on the maps, so I'm not sure you'd be able to be spoiled for anything anyway.
(in conclusion, srsly, look at the maps!)
Yeah,srsly Mark…LOOK at that map!!!:|
Whenever a book has a map, I ALWAYS go back and check it every time a new location is mentioned in the book. I love maps and I love being able to see where the characters are at any given point. Mark may be anti-map, though; as far as I know he hasn't said anything on the subject.
At first I felt as many of you do that he should finish all the books first before watching the films. While that would still be fine, if Mark wanted to try and watch the films to try and break up the reading a bit and conduct a better comparison between each book and film I believe that there is a very simple way that he could do that.
Gur bayl gvzr gung V pna guvax bs na rirag gung unccraf va n yngre obbx bpphevat va na rneyvre svyz vf jung unccraf gb Obebzve naq gung puncgre vf gur svefg bs Gur Gjb Gbjref. Cyhf pu 1 raqf jvgu Nentbea gnyxvat nobhg gur Terng Punfr gung ur, Yrtbynf, naq Tvzvyl jvyy znxr juvpu vf cerggl zhpu ubj gur svyz raqf.Nf sne nf rirelguvat ryfr, lrf n ybg bs Gur Gjb Gbjref gur obbx unccraf va svyz 3 ohg ng gung cbvag Znex jbhyq unir nyrnql ernq Gur Gjb Gbjref naq vg jbhyq or ab qvssrerag guna vg jnf gb nal bs hf jub ernq gur gevybtl orsber gur zbivrf pnzr bhg.Fb ernyyl nsgre Znex ernqf Puncgre 1 bs Gur Gjb Gbjref ur pbhyq jngpu Sryybjfuvc bs gur Evat naq gura gur bgure gjb svyzf nsgre rnpu obbx erfcrpgviryl.
V guvax gur ceboyrz vf gung gurer ner fcbvyref/sberfunqbjvatf rira va svyz bar gung nccyl gb obbx guerr. V fgnegrq bss va gur "whfg ernq gur fgneg bs GGG gura lbh'yy or tenaq gb jngpu gur 1fg zbivr" ohg gur zber V guvax nobhg vg, gur zber V'q engure ur gerngrq gurz nf dhvgr frcnengr. V guvax gurl ner orfg gerngrq nf gjb eryngrq gevybtvrf, orpnhfr ovgf ner fb qvssrerag, naq va fhpu qvssrerag beqref rgp, gung V qba'g guvax vg jbhyq qb gur obbxf be gur zbivrf whfgvpr gb vagrejrnir gurz. Whfg VZB gubhtu – V qba'g xabj jung Znex unf qrpvqrq, naq va bar frafr, rvgure jnl vg'yy or svar. Ur vf irel njner gung sbe rknzcyr ur zhfg ernq gur fgneg bs GGG orsber jngpuvat SBGE.
V svtherq ur znl unir orra vasbezrq nobhg ernqvat gur fgneg bs GGG orsber jngpuvat SBGE ohg V’ir orra jnagvat gb chg zl gubhtugf bhg gurer sbe n juvyr naq unira’g orra noyr gb cyhf gurer ner fb znal pbzzragf bhg gurer vgf uneq gb fvsg guebhtu. Thanks for the reply!
Nf zhpu nf V "trg" Grnz Bar Zbivr, gurer vf fgvyy n uhtr cneg bs zr gung jvyy or qvfnccbvagrq vs Znex jnvgf hagvy gur raq gb jngpu gur zbivrf, zbfgyl orpnhfr gura rirelguvat jvyy srry "bire" naq jr jba'g trg gur punapr gb unir tvs cnegvrf va gur pbzzragf bs gur svefg zbivr sbe gur arkg gjb obbxf naq, fvtu. V qba'g xabj. Vg'yy nyzbfg srry yvxr gurl'er na nsgregubhtug naq gurer jba'g or nalguvat gb ybbx sbejneq gb naq V xabj gung'f fvyyl ohg vs ur'f nyernql ernqvat uvf arkg cebwrpg ol gur gvzr jr trg gb gur zbivrf gurl'yy whfg srry gnpxrq ba naq GURL NER GBB TBBQ GB WHFG SRRY GNPXRQ BA.
V unir n ybg bs srryvatf, nccneragyl.
I feel the same way..everyday I have to restrain myself not to put gifs…everyday…to show how the orcs are, how the places look…it's really complicated…
Unu gurer vf gung. V guvax V fnvq ryfrjurer, jung V ernyyl jnag vf sbe Znex gb or noyr gb ernq gur obbxf abg univat frra gur zbivrf naq jngpu gur zbivrf abg univat ernq gur obbxf. Ohg hayrff bar bs gur ZnexErnqf pbzzhavgl unf n eryvnoyr zvaqjvcr, gung'f n ovg qvssvphyg :'(
Yeah, we really need to invent this mindwipe contraption. It seems like the only way around the issue! I too am antsy to be able to post gifs from the movie for the next too books. Ohg V nz fgvyy jbeevrq gung gur zbivrf jvyy vasyhrapr uvf ernqvat gbb zhpu, orpnhfr gurer ner cnegf gung ner fcbvyrel, be jrer punatrq be nqqrq va gur zbivrf, naq vg vf gung nfcrpg gung znxrf zr fhccbeg grnz bar abiry. Bs pbhefr gurer vf gur Nentbea/Nejra fgbel yvar, ohg gurer vf nyfb fghss yvxr gur cnynagve naq Qrargube, gung ner obgu sbhaq zhpu rneyvre va gur zbivrf guna va gur obbxf, ol 1 obbx/zbivr! There are pros and cons for each way. I get the feeling Mark may stick with his original plan, because it sounds like he is pretty excited to see everything realized on-screen, and I do not blame him one bit!
Yeah, it's a tough one. I guess either way it's going to be good!! 😀
I'm getting seriously excited for Mark Watches LotR, though I hope it works out and they land on weekends/times that will allow me to participate. In the past, every live blog that's been planned while I'm active on here hasn't worked with my schedule. Vs Znex tbrf nurnq jvgu uvf cyna, ur'q or jngpuvat SbgE arkg jrrxraq, evtug? (ebg13'q orpnhfr V'z abg fher vs Znex'f njner ubj znal puncgref ner yrsg va SbgE)
Another problem with this, as I've said before: va gur svefg zbivr, lbh xabj gung Fnehzna vf gur bar jub frag gur bepf gb nggnpx gur Sryybjfuvc. Va gur obbxf, ABG XABJVAT GUVF vf n ynetr cneg bs gur grafvba nyy guebhtu gur svefg 3 be 4 puncgref bs gur Gjb Gbjref. Bayl jura Tnaqnys nccrnef naq rkcynvaf rirelguvat va puncgre 5 vf vg ernyyl znqr pyrne.
Lrnu, gur Fnehzna fgbelyvar vf fcbvyrq nyy gb uryy va gur svefg zbivr. V zrna, gur svefg gvzr jr frr uvz, jr frr n Cnynagve. Va gur obbx jr qba’g rira xabj jung gurl *ner* hagvy gur ynfg puncgre bs Obbx Guerr va GGG. Jr jngpu uvz perngr gur Hehx-Unv. Ohg jura gur bepf nggnpx ng gur ortvaavat bs GGG, jr unir ab vqrn jub gurfr ovt Hehx-Unv ner, jul gurl’er gnxvat gur uboovgf gb Vfratneq, abar bs vg. Gung fgbelyvar tenqhnyyl hasbyqf orgjrra Nentbea, Tvzyv, naq Yrtbynf’f wbhearl naq jung Zreel naq Cvccva yrnea sebz gur Ragf naq jung Tnaqnys xabjf naq. . . lrnu.
Abg gb zragvba gung, snvgushy nf gur zbivrf ner, gurl cbegenl gur punenpgref va qvssrerag jnlf, juvpu jvyy nssrpg ubj Znex ernpgf gb yngre cybg qrirybczragf, rira vs gubfr qrirybczragf nera’g fcbvyrq bhgevtug va gur zbivrf. Orpnhfr CW jnf znxvat gur zbivrf jvgu gur raq va zvaq, gurl whfg gryy gur fgbel qvssreragyl– naq va n jnl gung, juvyr njrfbzr, vf qvssrerag guna gur jnl Gbyxvra gryyf vg.
Gur frpbaq cneg bs lbhe cbfg vf na rkcrpgngvba fcbvyre sbe gur zbivr, fb V pvcurerq vg.
Mark reads this book at weekends apparently. He read about the death of Gandalf at last sunday, so, by the time when the last chapter of FoTR is reviewed, he will be already reading TT, therefore, it's safe for him to read, he will be at least in chapter 5 of TT.
No, it would not be safe. There are SOOO many smaller spoilers, not just main plot points, in the movies, simply because they are a different entity with a different goal, that there is no way to catch them all. Yeah, for big plot points, you'd be semi-fine, but, as has been mentioned pretty much every time we talk about this, there are MAJOR plot points that are mentioned WAY earlier in the movies.
Sorry to sorta rant, but it will be such a huge spoiler if Mark doesn't wait.
GURL'ER GNXVAT GUR UBOOVGF GB VFRATHNEQ!
Qnzzvg gung'f tbvat gb or fghpx va zl urnq nyy qnl abj.
THIS SONG use to follow me everywhere lol
Kept singing it on may way to work and all lol
omg, I look forward to the day we can post that
Damnit, that is exactly what I was going to say!
GB VFRATHNEQ!
Didn't even need to translate that. 😀
jul gurl'er gnxvat gur uboovgf gb Vfratneq
GB VFRATNEQ! GB VFRATNEQ!
Yes, this.
Naq va gur obbx jura Cvccva ybbxf vagb gur Cnynagve vg'f abg lrg xabja jung vg vf. Fb, jura Cvccva ybbxf vagb vg gurer vf ab xabjvat jung vf tbvat gb unccra be vs nalguvat vf. Xabjvat gung gur Cnynagve vf n qrivpr sbe pbzzhavpngvba naq pbaarpgrq gb Fnheba jvyy punatr gur fhfcrafr va gung fprar.
Good point! Now it is kind of making me nervous/anxious to see a response from Mark about his final decision…whether he will stick to his original plan or hold off. V zrna, vg vf trggvat pybfre gb gur raq bs gur obbx naq vs jr tb ol uvf bevtvany cyna jr fubhyq ir jngpuvat SbgE arkg jrrxraq.
I seriously think he should hold off!!! There's just too much cross-spoilage, big and little.
Whfg sbe rknzcyr, va guvf irel ragel Znex vf jbaqrevat jung perngher vf sbyybjvat gur Sryybjfuvc – fbzrguvat gung vfa'g erirnyrq va gur obbxf hagvy jryy vagb Gur Gjb Gbjref (vs V'z erzrzorevat pbeerpgyl), ohg va gur svyz jnf nyernql fcvyyrq ol Tnaqnys gb Sebqb va gur Zvarf bs Zbevn.
Jura V jnf n xvq guvf jnf n ernyyl rkpvgvat guvat gb svaq bhg nobhg.
Bar be gjb puncgref nsgre gurl yrnir Ybguybevra, Fnz fcbg Tbyyhz va gur jngre ol gurve obng, fb ur gryyf guvf gb Nentbea yngre V guvax, naq Nentbea cbvagf bhg gung vg\’f tbyyhz…vg unccraf orsber Sebqb rfpncr jvgu Fnz…fb, vg\’f fnsr sbe Znex gb jngpu gur zbivr…gurer vf abguvat ovt gb gur cybg yrsg…
Ur jvyy xabj gung:
gur evat zhfg tb gb Zbeqbe
Obebzve qvrf (ur jvyy ortva GG va guvf jrrxraq V guvax)
Sebqb tbrf jvgu fnz
gung tbyyhz vf sbyybjvat gurz
gung zreel naq cvccva ner nybar, orpnhfr grl fcevagrq gb trg sebqb jvgubhg nentbea
gung\’f nyy V pna guvax bs…naq ernyyl, Nentbea naq Nejra eryngvbafuvc vf abg n ovt qrny gb xrrc Znex seb jngpuvat gur zbivr…vg\’f whfg abg n ovt guvat gb gur fgbel, bapr gung va gur obbxf vf abg gung fgebat naq rivqrag…vg\’f whfg n zvabe uvfgbel…
gung\’f nyy V pna guvax bs…naq ernyyl, Nentbea naq Nejra eryngvbafuvc vf abg n ovt qrny gb xrrc Znex seb jngpuvat gur zbivr…vg\’f whfg abg n ovt guvat gb gur fgbel, bapr gung va gur obbxf vf abg gung fgebat naq rivqrag…vg\’f whfg n zvabe uvfgbel…
People keep saying, oh, this doesn't matter, it's a minor plot point. But it's STILL A SPOILER. And Mark doesn't want to be spoiled, no matter how minor. If chapter titles and maps and character names are spoilers, this is a spoiler too.
If Mark decides to watch the movies without finishing all the books, that's his choice. But he needs to know that HE WILL BE SPOILED if he does this. He will. End of discussion. Whether it's a major or minor spoiler is irrelevant. IT'S A SPOILER. HE WILL BE SPOILED.
Besides, he'll also know:
Gung Fnhezna unf n zntvp onyy gb gnyx gb Fnheba (gur Cnynagve)naq vf gurersber n qbhoyr genvgbe
Gung Fnehzna vf perngvat n arj enpr bs fhcre bepf ol pebffvat bepf naq zra
Gung Fnehzna frag gur bepf gb xvqanc gur uboovgf
Onfvpnyyl, gur svefg zbivr frgf hc gur znwbe pbasyvpg bs GG va n irel qvssrerag jnl guna gur abiry qvq vg. Vg'f tbvat gb punatr gur jnl ur ernqf GG vs ur frrf gur svefg zbivr orsber ernqvat zbfg bs GG.
I think we can still discuss it as long as its in rot13. no need to declare "end of discussion" give me a break. everyone makes valid points and I was just putting my thoughts out there. I am re-reading the trilogy for the first time in a while and I am about a third of the way through TTT naq V sbetbg nobhg fbzr guvatf fb znal cbvagf znqr ner inyvq pbapreaf. One thing I'm not really sure on is how are the maps spoilers when they are put in the front of the book? they are there to help show the geography of Middle-Earth. just curious
When I said "end of discussion" it was meant in regards to whether or not the plot point in question is a spoiler. It is.
Whether or not it's a spoiler that Mark is fine with knowing is the matter under discussion, and I had no intention of declaring that matter settled. But saying "oh, it's minor, it doesn't matter" isn't our call to make. It's Mark's. Because it's a spoiler. And he doesn't want to be spoiled.
Mark hasn't looked at the maps because he considers them spoilery (apparently. He hasn't really commented on the matter). If he's willing to go that far to avoid spoilers, then he simply shouldn't watch the movies until he's finished all the books.
Ohhh yes – if he considers the maps spoilery, he definitely, definitely would find the films way too spoilery.
yep. too much cross-spoilage. and he should form his own opinions of all the characters before seeing the movie versions.
[Guvf jnf gur bevtvany cyna–crbcyr unir nyernql gbyq uvz gb ernq gur svefg puncgre bs GG orsber jngpuvat SBGE–ohg gura bguref cbvagrq bhg gung gurer ner guvatf yvxr gur eryngvbafuvc orgjrra Nentbea naq Nejra.]
It's Mark's spoiler policy and he's the one who doesn't want to know ANYTHING about what happens later, so sadly I have to agree with Team One Novel, despite the fact that I would love to see him watch each movie between the books.
agreed.
*nod* Yes, if he were someone who didn't care about spoilers, watching the movies between books would only be confusing, but since he likes to experience the story for himself without a bunch of hints from other people about what to expect, it's really better for him to do one version of the story and then the other. If he'd started by watching the movies I'd be urging him to finish the movies before he read the book for much the same reason I'm urging him to read the book before watching the movies.
Does it just pain anyone else that Znex pna'g cvpx bhg gur boivbhf fvtaf bs Tbyyhz? V zrna, znlor jr nyy jrer whfg oebhtug hc ba vg, ohg V pna erpbtavmr n Tbyyhz va zl fyrrc. UBJ unf ur abg svtherq vg bhg lrg?! V'z QLVAT urer!
Also, V'z n yvggyr jbeevrq gung Znex jba'g unir nal erny ersrerapr va gur fgbel gb Nentbea/Nejra bgure guna fhogyr uvagf, hayrff ur qrpvqrf gb ernq gur Nccraqrpvrf (juvpu vf fgvyy hc va gur nve). V zrna, vg'f orra n ybat gvzr fvapr V jnf noyr gb ernq gurfr fgenvtug guebhtu, ohg gurer'f bayl fhogyr uvagf va gur znva fgbel.
V guvax ur cynaf gb ernq gur nccraqvprf riraghnyyl. V qba'g xabj nobhg gvzr senzr.
Ur'f tbaan qvr jura ur ernyvfrf vg'f Tbyyhz. V pna'g jnvg sbe gur xrlfznfurf!
Jryy. Gur snpg gung gurl trg zneevrq ng gur raq bs EbgX zvtug gvc uvz bss. Orfvqrf, NSNVX ur fgvyy cynaf gb jngpu gur zbivrf nsgre rnpu obbx, fb ur'yy xabj ol gur gvzr ur svavfurf gur svefg svyz.
See my reply to Jenny M above. I don't think these things are obvious to a first-time reader.
ohg gung'f gur jnl Gbyxvra jnagrq gur Nejra fgbel – nf na nfvqr.
V pna'g erzrzore vs V thrffrq gung gur guvat sbyybjvat jnf Tbyyhz. Vg'f orra yvgrenyyl qrpnqrf fvapr gur svefg gvzr V ernq YBGE
That's not something I got, my first time on the Middle Earth dance floor.
Sbe gur yvsr bs zr, V whfg pna'g erzrzore nal zber jurgure V tbg gung vg jnf Tbyyhz, orsber vg jnf fnvq. V pna pregnvayl erzrzore bgure guvatf nobhg zl svefg ernq bs gur obbxf, ohg abg gung.
If there were a Middle-earth dance floor I would spend ALL MY TIME there.
YBY naq jrypbzr gb zl jbeyq jura ur pbhyqa'g svther jub Ze. Jbeyq jnf va Nzrevpna Tbqf qrfcvgr gur frrzvat boivbhfarff va gur culfvpny qrfpevcgvba. Gung jnf uvynevbhf, nf jnf uvf "BZT BMNV VF MHXB'F QNQ!" guvat va Ningne. Fbzrgvzrf gurfr guvatf whfg rfpncr uvz sbe jungrire ernfba.
Jura vg pbzrf gb cybg gjvfgf, Znex vf greevoyr ng svthevat gurz bhg ab znggre ubj boivbhfyl gurl frrz gb or gryrtencurq gb bguref. V'ir nyjnlf gubhtug vg jnf cerggl uvynevbhf.
Vg'f gung byq hacercnerq guvat gung jrybir fb zhpu :Q
Only a few things to say for this chapter.
Still in mourning and shall be for a while. 🙁
Kheled-zâram sounds absolutely amazing.
“Again, I’m taken in by the beauty of Middle-earth; it’s one of many things I’m impatient to see in the films.”
O Mark you are so unprepared. Peter Jackson et al. Filmed in New Zealand, giving the movies, I personally believe, the most beautiful cinematography ever put onto film. 95- 98% of the scenery you will see on the screen in real and not CG work. There’s also the fact that they build whole cities, completely, from scratch, such as Hobbiton….which I actually think is still standing if I’m not mistaken.
Frodo and Sam not telling people when there hurt is going to be a thing isn’t it? -_-
Ngurynf vf gur sernxvat jbaqre qeht bs Zvqqyr Rnegu. Vg urnyf rirelguvat sebz phgf naq oehvfrf gb Evat jenvgu fjbeq jbhaqf naq “irabz.” (gurer’f ernyyl ab bgure jbeq sbe gur shpx lbh cbvfbavat lbh gurl tvir lbh jura lbh xvyy gurz) Fb V nyjnlf ynhtu jura Fnz pnyyf vg n jrrq. V’z yvxr qhqr ner lbh GUEBJVAT gung njrfbzr fghss njnl! Ubj pna lbh guebj njnl fbzrguvat fb hfrshy?!
Fcrnxvat bs Ngurynf naq Evat jenvgu cbvfba erzvaqf zr bs Rbjla naq ubj zhpu V pna’g jnvg sbe Znex gb trg gb ure. Onq nff puvpx vf onq nff!!!
I want to go to Lothlorien. I love the wood and this place just sounds gorgeous.
“Wait, what? So this is something new? Oh, that’s kind of exciting. Possibly a new kind of creature in Middle-earth! BRING IT, TOLKIEN.”
It’s….Tbyyhz vf n fgnyxre! ^_^
"Filmed in New Zealand, giving the movies, I personally believe, the most beautiful cinematography ever put onto film."
V nterr, vg'f fghaavat. V jvfu gung vg jnf nyy erny naq nyy gur va cynprf vg nccrnerq gb or, V jbhyq fb ivfvg CW'f Zvqqyr Rnegu!
Vs gurl znqr n Zvqqyr Rnegu gurzr cnex, V jbhyq fb tb.
Uvtu ebcrf pbhefrf va gur gerrgbcf bs Ybevra… Rntyr'f Syvtug ebyyrepbnfgre… 3-Q rkcrevrapr evqr sebz Jrnguregbc gb Eviraqryy… Nyy gur cnex'f erfgnhenagf naq fubcf va n snvgushy erperngvba bs Uboovgba…
Want! <3
It is gorgeous, I'll agree, but when I'm rereading now, having not seen the movies for a while, I'm conscious of the ways in which Middle Earth is different in Tolkien's descriptions from what it was possible for any film to capture. He really understood the ecology of the journey, just as he understands how very much walking you need to do when there are no cars or trains or planes.
True – you do get a real scope of the distances in the books, which va gur zbivrf vf arprffnevyl fdhnfurq hc. ROT13'd because that borders on expectation spoiler.
They are beautiful descriptions 😀
I'm not sure movies will ever capture the same things as books. At least not until we get smell-o-vision. (Which will probably set of my asthma, come to think of it.) And other sensations might be nice for Lothlorien, bu I'm not sure I'd want to have a theatrical experience which involved being buried in snow the way the Fellowship was on Caradhras!
Naq qrsvavgryl ab frafr-b-ivfvba bs Furybo…
I think you need to not post expectation spoilers and let Mark decide on his own when he gets there. I'm deleting this and subsequent posts.
I'm honestly not trying to be a jerk here, I'm just wondering why some posts get deleted and some posts get ROT13'd. And "this post and its replies would've taken forever to rot13-ify" is certainly a perfectly valid answer, as I seem to remember this post being pretty long. But I didn't get a chance to finish reading it earlier, and I come back and find it gone now.
It was a combo of "just to be safe" and the fact that the comments wouldn't have made sense out of context as they directly addressed the deleted comment. As to why I deleted Aris Katsaris' comment, the fact that they addressed Mark directly with the intent of influencing him on the movies. It wasn't just a giant expectation spoiler, but it was one that presumed that he not only wasn't allowed to form his own opinions on the films when he got there, but insulted his intelligence by claiming that he wouldn't be able to differentiate between the way stuff happened in the book vs. the movies. I have zero tolerance for that kind of nonsense.
V jvfu V xarj ubj gb qb cevingr ercyvrf, ohg fvapr V qba'g V'yy ebg13 guvf gb nfx jung na "rkcrpgngvba" fcbvyre vf. Nyfb gb nfx vs V'ir orra qnapvat ba n yvar V qvqa'g zrna gb pebff orpnhfr V nyfb guvax gung vg jbhyq or qvssvphyg sbe Znex (naq nalbar ryfr, npghnyyl) gb xrrc obbx naq zbivrirefr qvfragnatyrq vs gurl jrer rkcrevraprq *sbe gur svefg gvzr* nf obbx/zbivr/obbx/zbivr/obbx/zbivr vafgrnq bs obbx/zbivrf be zbivrf/obbx naq V xabj V'ir fnvq nf zhpu. (Urpx, V fbzrgvzrf svaq gurz qvssvphyg gb qvfragnatyr naq V'ir ernq naq jngpurq obgu frireny gvzrf.) Ab bssrafr jnf zrnag, ubarfgyl!
Rkcrpgngvba fcbvyref ner onfvpnyyl fnlvat "bbu, gur arkg puncgre/rcvfbqr vf FB NJRFBZR/NJSHY", vzcylvat gung n cybg gjvfg vf pbzvat hc, rgp. Gung fbeg bs guvat. Vg'f nyy va gur fvgr ehyrf. Gnyxvat nobhg ubj gurl guvax gur zbivrf ner greevoyr naq tbg inevbhf guvatf jebat qrsvavgryl snyyf vagb gung pngrtbel. Gurl jrer gelvat gb fjnl Znex'f bcvavba ba gur zbivrf orsber ur rira svavfurf gur svefg obbx. V qba'g rira trg jul, fvapr nyy gur zbivr qvfphffvba unf orra va ebg13.
Ah, thank you!
V qvq ernq gur fvgr ehyrf, ohg gung jnf ng bu qnex guvegl bar zbeavat jura V qvfpbirerq Znex jnf ernqvat gur Uboovg, naq nccneragyl gurl qvqa'g nyy fgvpx. V'yy tb erserfu zlfrys abj. Naq gunax lbh ntnva, sbe gnxvat gur gvzr gb nafjre.
Just wanted to give a belated apology for posing earlier, then. Clearly I wasn't thinking. So yeah- sorry! Many times!
Okay. Thank you for answering so completely and honestly so quickly.
Vs lbh unq n punapr gb rqvg gur pbzzrag naq ebg13 gur ovg nobhg AM, lbh zvtug pbafvqre vg. V'z arj urer zlfrys naq V'z abg fher jung pbhagf nf n fcbvyre gung Znex qbrfa'g jnag, lrg. Ohg, pnfgvat vf pbafvqrerq fcbvyref ur qbrfa'g jnag, naq V'ir nyjnlf fnvq gb crbcyr, "naq, Arj Mrnynaq jvyy or cynlvat gur ebyr bs Zvqqyr Rnegu".
Creuncf vg'f abg vzcbegnag, naq gur nqzvaf urer ner pregnvayl orggre whqtrf guna V. Vg zreryl bppheerq gb zr gb jbaqre vs ur xarj vg nyernql, be jbhyq pner. Vg znl nyfb or gung vs ur qbrfa'g unir n cnegvphyne zragny vzntr bs AM nyernql, gura vg qbrfa'g znggre, orpnhfr ur pna'g gehyl vzntvar ubj tenaq vg jvyy nyy or hagvy ur qbrf frr vg ba svyz. V xabj gung jnf gehr bs zr.
(Gur Uboovgba frg jnf ohvyg ba cevingr ynaq. Vg jnfa'g shyyl qvfznagyrq nsgre gur gevybtl, ohg jnfa'g shyyl yrsg fgnaqvat rvgure. Onfvpnyyl, gur juvgr pbapergr snpnqrf bs gur uboovg ubyrf, jvgu jvqr bcra jvaqbjf naq qbbef, jrer yrsg. Ohg nyy bs gur frg qerffvat gung znqr vg gehyl ybbx yvxr Uboovgba jnf tbar. V jrag gb AM n srj lrnef ntb, naq V QVQ jnag gb tb frr vg… ohg vg pbfg yvxr HF $50, naq vg cbherq enva gung qnl, naq ba gur haqrefgnaqvat gung vg jbhyqa'g or GEHYL yvxr jnyxvat guebhtu Uboovgba, V cnffrq ba vg. Ubjrire, pyrneyl vg jnf sberfvtugshy bs gurz gb unir yrsg rira gung, nf gurl jrer noyr gb erperngr vg sbe svyzvat Gur Uboovg.)
Hz, gur fghss lbh jebgr nobhg gur jnl gur svyz pncgherf gur ynaqfpncr bs Zvqqyr-Rnegu vf xvaq bs n UHTR rkcrpgngvba fcbvyre. Lbh ernyyl bhtug gb EBG13 gung.
The others cast themselves down upon the fragrant grass, but Frodo stood awhile still lost in wonder. It seemed to him that he had stepped through a high window that looked on a vanished world. A light was upon it for which his language had no name. All that he saw was shapely, but the shapes seemed at once clear cut, as if they had been first conceived and drawn at the uncovering of his eyes, and ancient as if they had endured for ever. He saw no colour but those he knew, gold and white and blue and green, but they were fresh and poignant, as if he had at that moment first perceived them and made for them names new and wonderful. In winter here no heart could mourn for summer or for spring. No blemish or sickness or deformity could be seen in anything that grew upon the earth. On the land of Lórien there was no stain.
This part always makes my eyes water with how beautiful and unspoiled Lorien is. WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN, TOLKIEN, MAKING SUCH BEAUTIFUL PLACES THAT NONE OF US CAN VISIT. MEANNESS!
I can't help but compare this to SMeyer's description of Bella's awakening as a Sparkelpire.
Noooo. THERE SHALL BE NO STAIN ON LORIEN.
Nooooooooooooooooo 😮
THIS!
V xabj guvf vf abg gur svefg gvzr guvf pbairefngvba unf unccrarq ba gur pbzzragf, ohg V JNAG GB IVFVG CRGRE WNPXFBA'F ZVQQYR RNEGU naq V nz nyjnlf thggrq gung zbfg bs vg jnf bayl grzcbenel :'( guvf vf gentvp gb zr! Ybguybevna naq Snatbea naq Zvanf Gvevgu naq Eviraqryy naq Uboovgba vg'f nyy fb tybevbhf naq V pna'g tb frr 🙁 🙁 🙁
Eviraqryy vf gur cynpr V zbfg jnag gb ivfvg. Ybguybevra cebonoyl jbhyq or gbb… V qba'g xabj, fgnaqbssvfu sbe zr, orvat uhzna. Eviraqryy erthyneyl trgf ivfvgbef bs bgure crbcyrf guna Ryirf, naq vf n ovg zber erynkrq, vg frrzf, guna Ybevra (ng yrnfg sebz jung jr trg va Zbaqnl'f puncgre). Nyfb, Tnynqevry qbrf xvaq bs perrc zr bhg.
Eviraqryy V guvax V jbhyq abg jnag gb ivfvg ohg gb YVIR va…. V'q ybir gb ivfvg Ybguybevra ohg Eviraqryy vf yvxr gur zbfg crnprshy, ornhgvshy cynpr rire…
All this dwelling in trees just makes me think of Ewoks. So Lothlorien basically looks like Endor in my mind's eye.
The bit with the rope bridge over the river reminded me of obstacle courses at summer camp. We had some pretty fun ones, but the one where you were walking on a rope while holding on to another rope waist-high was one of my favorites. Possibly because I had to wait three years to be allowed to do it because of age restrictions and it was this huge, awesome payoff.
It's interesting. In the passage you pulled out, Frodo mentions that no one could mourn for Spring or Summer during Winter in Lothlorien. It may be true for him, but Legolas spends a lot of the chapter lamenting the fact that they didn't arrive in Spring.
V whfg tbg n znc/cbfgre bs Zvqqyr Rnegu jvgu Sebqb'f wbhearl sebz Uboovgba gb Zbeqbe qenja ba vg. V'z fhecevfrq ubj sne gurl znxr vg va guvf obbx. Gurl trg zbfg bs gur jnl gurer orsber onpxgenpxvat naq trggvat ybfg naq svtugvat onggyrf sbe gur arkg pbhcyr bs obbxf.
Bwahahahaha I am now imagining Ewoks running around Lothlorien. Awesome crossover. I want to see this on film!
Legolas is a hipster elf. "Oh, Lorien in winter? Yeah, I guess that was cool last year."
Puns very much intended, of course.
YES. That's awesome.
It reminded me of Jet's gang living in the trees (which was inspired by Ewoks), especially with Legolas bounding up into the tree all Aang-like. And they're both gorgeous forests that I wish I could visit.
Middle-earth is called Endor in Sindarin.
Does that mean the Elves are Ewoks? o.0 xD
Oh, Evolution, your jokes can be so cruel…
😀
Fantastic 😀
V whfg ybbxrq gung hc naq jbj, lbh'er evtug, gurl ernyyl qb trg njshyyl pybfr gb Zbeqbe ng gur raq bs guvf obbx.
"Again, I’m taken in by the beauty of Middle-earth; it’s one of many things I’m impatient to see in the films."
Film spoilers, obviously: Ab jbeevrf gurer! 'Fprarel cbea' ng vgf svarfg.
V bapr znqr n YbgE cvpfcnz sbe n GI Gebcrf punyyratr haqre gur gvgyr bs Fprarel Cbea. Fb, lrnu, NTERRQ.
THIS.
LOL i love how Legolas is all, "Zl sngure vf gur xvat bs Zvexjbbq, ovgpu! Qba'g lbh shpxvat oyvaqsbyq zr!" (is that a spoiler? I don't think it's a spoiler, but since Mark hasn't mentioned that particular detail… I honestly can't remember what I just know and what they've said already.)
I think that it's said at the Council of Elrond…not sure though…
Do not use the word "bitch" on this site.
That was established at the Council of Elrond, I think.
At the last sunny autumn weekend we were hiking on an old pilgrims path, and when we came to a wood (mixed maple and beech, I believe) full of golden leaves, I thought of Lothlorien. It was so beautiful.
On the topic of Legolas and Gimli, maybe this is a good time to introduce you all to Martin Pearson and his song all them.
[youtube wY0DS5FmC3g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY0DS5FmC3g youtube]
Pearson did a whole parody show called The Unfinished Spelling Errors of Bolkien, you all should try to get a copy if you can.
V tbg gb "Gur jvgpu xvat bs Natzne?" "Ur svtugf yvxr zl tenaqzn!" orsber V cebzcgyl qvrq. 😀
This is the most beautiful thing ever…
Haha…loved that part! 😀
Oh Mark, I can't wait for you to watch the movies!!! (and you have to do that after you've read the books because some maybe a little spoilery with overall plots and such) I tell everyone that the movies are the best book to movie ever made!! Naq vg jnf NYY svyzrq va Arj Mrnynaq! V ZHFG TB GB ARJ MRNYNAQ!!!!! Vf fnlvat gur zbivrf jrer svyzrq va Arj Mrnynaq fcbvyrel? ebg13vat whfg va pnfr V thrff.
I can't wait for more!
I that there is much (very much) in the movies that Mark will love. Just hope he lets them wait until he's read all the books.
So, randomly, I went on a hike in Oregon this summer and I came through the trees when the sunlight was just coming in and I had the thought of "THIS IS THE CLOSEST I WILL EVER GET TO LORIEN IN MY LIFE" and I took this picture:
<img src="http://pics.livejournal.com/nanet/pic/0000gbew/s320x320">
It was kind of magical. But there were no elves.
omg.
Sadly Haldir did not show up to hang out. 🙁 But I later found out there was a bear sighting that day, and the signs that the rangers put up (OMG ARAGORN) said that if we had children with us, we should pick them up and hold them over our heads. I think it was theoretically to appear larger and scare the bear, but we just kind of assumed that we were supposed to throw the children at the bear as some sort of offering.
Probably this is why I'd be a bad parent.
Hahaha, regardless though, that is a beautiful picture
LOLOLOL
It's a beautiful place indeed!!!!
Genuinely laughed out loud LOL 😀
I want to go to there. Maybe there were elves but they were just hiding 🙂
I don't know why they would hide from me! I'm blonde, I'm tall. We are obviously related.
(Also, I want to go to there is said by me like…daily, and so few people get it.)
Well that’s rude of them!
I get funny looks whenever I say it too!! We should start a “I want to go to there” support group.
Elves here in Oregon? I don't think the sasquatch tribes would be happy about that.
THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL. <3
Thank you! One day I hope to be rich enough to have a giant canvas print of it to hang over my couch.
Fantastic picture! I often struggle to really capture that quality of light streaming through trees. *thumbs up*
Thank you! I very nearly left my camera in the car because it was a long hike and it's a heavy beast, but I'm really glad I lugged it around!
Ahhh, and that's why I live in Oregon. Closest thing to Lorien you'll ever get.
I live in Oregon too! Growing up, when we drove through some of the woods near my hometown, my parents would always point out sights along the road that looked like where a hobbit might have his or her hobbit hole. It was fun growing up in a nerdy family.
The photo is beautiful, and I will probably think of Lorien next time I go on a hike.
This looks like gur sberfg va gur RR irefvba jurer Sebqb naq Fnz frr gur Ryirf tbvat gb gur Uniraf.
This is so gorgeous!!!
UGH OREGON I MISS YOU SO MUCH JUST LET ME GO HOME ALREADY >.<
That is beautiful.
There's a hill near where I live that has trees on top and I took some pics like that with the exact same thought. But yours is more beautiful <3
That moment with Aragorn speaking in Elvish about Arwen never fails to make me sad; there's something very beautiful and touching about it, even if we know nothing about the story behind that moment yet.
That thing following them is nasty. I don't like footfalls in the night, I hate them in both moon and starlight, I do not like them here or there, I do not like them anywhere! And then when it starts climbing the tree- no thanks, not right now, please Tolkien. We've barely gotten past Gandalf's death. Spend some time describing Lothlorien, please stop throwing more nightmare fuel at us!
It's obvious Tolkien had a fondness for this particular Middle-Earth location, and it's easy to see why- it sounds really restful and pretty much exactly what they need after the unending nightmare sequence that was Moria.
I'll always adore Aragorn snarking at Legolas over the blindfolding: "Now let us cry 'a plague on the stiff necks of the Elves!' " Love you, Aragorn. Although Legolas had a few good moments himself: "Then dig a hole in the ground if that is more after the fashion of your kind. But you must dig swift and deep, if you wish to hide from Orcs."
Yes, yes, yes. With all the sadness of the books, this one last passage always stands out in my mind– Aragorn says his heart will always be here, and then the book tells us he never came there again as a living man. Even without the backstory, it is so– sad does not seem adequate.
Poignant, melancholy… I'm sure there is another better word…
Hmm… sorrowful, perhaps?
enjoyed your review, Mark. I like how the Fellowship has to keep going, even without hope.
V'z nznmrq Znex unfa'g thrffrq gur 'guvat' sbyybjvat gur tebhc vf Tbyyhz. V svefg ernq gur obbx fb ybat ntb V pna'g erzrzore jung V gubhtug ba svefg ernqvat.
V jnf dhvgr qvfnccbvagrq va gur svyz'f qrcvpgvba bs Ybevra & gur ryirf gurer, rfc nsgre gur Zbevn frdhrapr jnf fb cresrpg.
Yeah, I like how Tolkien handles the void left by loss of Gandalf. Aragorn steps into the leadership role pretty quickly, and even though everyone is despondent, they have to press on. They can't get caught and let Gandalf's sacrifice be in vain, right? Gimli and Legolas's descriptions of Kheled-zaram and Lothlorien are also much-needed distractions; I appreciate the way Tolkien describes their beauty, but it's still appropriately somber, and hearkens to a time they think is lost to Middle Earth. It's appropriate after Gandalf's death. And with everyone so sad, it was nice to see Legolas come alive talking about the forest; that boy loves trees. Boromir seems like the worst at dealing with this turn of events (does he say anything aside from hearing that Lothlorien is a bad place in this chapter?) but he's been the sullen teenager of the Fellowship, so I'm not really surprised.
Sam is still loyally following Frodo, unbidden, and the elves don't even comment on it; you can tell he's a good egg. And of course the hobbits aren't evil! Come on elves, they're totally adorable. I bet even the S-B's look adorable…from a distance…until you see their pinched faces.
I love the way Sam sticks to Frodo, and no one seems to be too fussed over it.
I love your username!
*bows* I picked it when I started writing LotR fanfic and it just stuck.
I love the references to the Dwarf/Elf antagonism and old rivalry. It is evident in the book at this point that both elves and dwarves live a looong time, and do not forget old problems.
Silmarillion spoilers:
Ryirf, bs pbhefr, ner vzzbegny, naq gur qjneirf ner ol qrfvta (yvgrenyyl) fghoobea naq fybj gb sbetrg. Gur nagntbavfz va guvf pnfr jbhyq bs pbhefr fgrz bevtvanyyl sebz gur Snyy bs Qbevngu, juvpu jnf puvrsyl pnhfrq ol Qjneirf. Obgu Pryrobea naq Tnynqevry yvirq va Qbevngu sbe uhaqerqf bs lrnef, Pryrobea jnf cneg bs Guvatby'f pbheg naq Tnynqvery jnf Zryvna'f unaqznvqra. Naq gura gur Onyebt naq gur Nzebgu/Avzebqry qronpyr jbhyq bayl przrag gur vqrn gung qjneirf ner abg gb or gehfgrq. Va nqqvgvba gur ryirf bs Ybguybevra ner Fvaqne be rira Ynvdhraqv, fb gurl pbhyq abg ernyyl trg vagb gur qjnes zvaqfrg va gur fnzr jnl nf gur Abyqbe bs Eviraqryy jbhyq (naq vaqrrq, bayl Tnynqevry jub vf nyfb n Abyqb ernyyl haqrefgnaqf Tvzyv va gur arkg puncgre).
Nf sbe gur qjneirf fvqr bs guvatf, Guvatby qvq purng gurz bhg bs gurve cnlzrag, naq vg'f abg yvxr gurl znqr gur Onyebt. Gevpxl…
V hygvzngryl fvqr jvgu gur Ryirf ba guvf bar. V zrna, Guvatby jnf n qvpx, lrnu, ohg ershfvat gb pbhtu hc gur Anhtynzve/Fvyznevy uneqyl pbhagf nf "purngvat gurz bhg bs cnlzrag." V zrna, jung xvaq bs neenatrzrag vf gung? Jung xvaq bs pensgfzna qrznaqf GUR GUVAT LBH WHFG UVERQ UVZ GB ZNXR SBE LBH nf uvf cnlzrag? Gung jbhyq or yvxr, ohlvat n arj pbafgehpgvba ubhfr, naq univat gur pbagenpgbe or yvxr, JRYC, fvapr V qvq nyy guvf jbex sbe lbh, lbh abj bjr zr lbhe arj ubhfr. Abj yrnir fb V pna zbir va! V ernyvmr guvf jubyr guvat vf fhccbfrq gb or n qrzbafgengvba bs gur hygvzngryl qrfgehpgvir cbjref bs gur Fvyznevy, ohg pbzr ba.
I read Silmarillion 3 times and I'm never able to remember these things…
Gunaxf sbe gur rkcynangvba, V nyjnlf sbetrg nobhg gur Snyy bs Qbevngu.
Gurer'f nyfb nabgure qrgnvy V xrrc sbetrggvat: gur qjneirf bs Zbevn jrer sevraqf jvgu Pryroevzobe'f tebhc, jub jrer Abyqbe.
I love how the events in the Silmarillion shape what came later to this extent.
I have read this book a gazillion times and thought it wouldn't be possible for me to get anything new out of it any more. But this slow reread keeps revealing new things. Like how I had never before thought about how beneficial it really is for the fellowship to have someone from each race with them, as it works like a password to all these places if you have an elf or a dwarf or a wizard with you. But then at the same time, it is also a nuisance, as inevitably someone will work as an anti-password like Gimli in Lothlorien.
V fhccbfr lbh pbhyq rira pbafvqre gur Uboovgf nf n cnffjbeq, bs fbegf. Vg'f gur snpg gung Gerrorneq arire urneq bs uboovgf gung urycf trg uvz vagevthrq. Gur Ebuveevz unir urneq bs uboovgf, fbeg bs, naq gung zvtug uryc nf jryy. Rira Cvccva trgf fbzr perqf nf gur Reavy v Curevnaangu.
V znl or zvfgnxra, ohg V guvax Tnaqnys nyernql gbyq Sebqb jub jnf sbyybjvat gurz bar be gjb puncgref ntb. Be jnf guvf whfg va gur zbivr? Bs pbhefr V jba’g gryy, jub vg vf, ohg V guvax vg jnf nyernql zragvbarq.
One more great description: Sam saying it's like being "inside a song, if you take my meaning." Yes, I think I do.
That is, indeed, just in the movie.
Thank you, Jenny.
I picture the Sackville-Bagginses as those troll dolls from the 80s. They're so homely that they come round to cute again.
<img src="http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/1300000/Troll-Doll-troll-dolls-1353648-640-480.jpg">
"Excuse me, I believe you have my spoons."
perfect
😀 😀 😀
Oh my God I think I almost just died of laughter.
Yes!
*snerk* Looks a good deal like I imagine Lobelia looking.
BTW, those dolls go back to the '60s. I had a couple, but my cousin had a whole collection of them, most of them purchased from a Howard Johnson gift store, LOL!
Ahhh, Lothlórien! Here will be a but a brief respite from the horrors outside its trees.
I like the end of the chapter because Aragorn never seems happy and here you get the idea that he was young once, with hope and happiness and it's rather nice.
When I was younger, I wandered around forests waiting to somehow find Lothlorien in them. My favorite place in Middle Earth (qrfcvgr znlor Ebuna, orpnhfr V ybir ubefrf naq Rbjla xvpxf nff naq va gur zbivrf vg'f ORNHGVSHY).
Rqbenf vf zl snibevgr ybpngvba gurl hfrq sbe gur zbivrf – vg whfg svg gur qrfpevcgvba fb jryy, naq va gur RR gur pnfg gnyx nobhg ubj ornhgvshy gung ybpngvba jnf, gung nal ivqrb be cvpgher pbhyqa'g shyyl pncgher vgf ornhgl. Vg qrsvavgryl znxrf zr jnag gb frr vg nyy va crefba. 🙂
LRF. V nz tbvat gb Arj Mrnynaq fbzrqnl, whfg gb srry yvxr V qebccrq vagb Zvqqyr Rnegu. Orlbaq rira gur fprarel, gur ohvyqvatf va Rqbenf jrer tbetrbhf. V yvxrq gur Abeqvp synibe naq qrgnvy 🙂
naq gur zhfvp… gur uneqnatre svqqyr… cresrpg.
YES! Bu, gur zhfvp bs Ebuna, V ybir gung ghar! Fb ornhgvshy!
Nofbyhgryl. Gur jnl gur Ebuna gurzr jnf shyy bs fnqarff naq fgeratgu…naq lrf, gur svqqyr. V PBHYQ YVFGRA GB VG NYY QNL.
Yeah, I'd love to go to Arj Mrnynaq (qbrf Znex xabj jurer gur zbivrf jrer svyzrq, V pna'g erzrzore?). With the rebuilding of Hobbiton for The Hobbit movie, they've built it all with permanent materials, and will be leaving it up for people to visit. Definitely one of the places I'd love to visit, if I ever get the chance to travel there!
The idea of being followed by a nameless creature and only being able to hear it's feet and see eyes occasionally is terrifying. Especially because now the elves have confirmed that it's there so they knew they aren't just seeing things. At first, when I read this I though Frodo was imagining things or that the Ring was making him hallucinate being followed. But this chapter reveals that, no, it's definitely a real thing and it's getting bolder, considering that it tried to climb up a tree where there were elves sleeping.The idea of being followed by a nameless creature and only being able to hear it's feet and see eyes occasionally is terrifying. Especially because now the elves have confirmed that it's there so they knew they aren't just seeing things. At first, when I read this I though Frodo was imagining things or that the Ring was making him hallucinate being followed. But this chapter reveals that, no, it's definitely a real thing and it's getting bolder, considering that it tried to climb up a tree where there were elves sleeping.
Plus, this creature made it out of Moria and into Lorien, which means that it was able to get by a Balrog and past the elf guards. DO NOT WANT.
dejavú lol
When you think of it, it's pretty scaring…it's just like these big corrupt politicians that seems to always avoid jail when the entire nation knows that they are guilty…how are you going to protect yourself…if the powerfull ones cannot touch them, how can you?
I jest here…
Woohoo! After no art yesterday, I have three today!
Two from the book (by Alan Lee)
<img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/206ye5j.jpg">
<img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/5wdmpg.jpg">
And one from the Ted Nasmith calendar
<img src="http://www.tolkiencalendar.com/images/Tolkien2010Calendar9.jpg">
Oh gods, that Ted Nasmith one…
Yeah,it's perfect!<3
<3
Some random observations not made in the other posts:
You would think the orcs would turn back rather than meet certain defeat after crossing over into "The Heart of Elvendom on Earth" even if they were in hot pursuit.
Going back to the Moria discussions about orcs, when I first read the books, I pictured them as similar to the Nazi mooks in the dream sequesnces of "An American Werewolf in London".
I love the bit about Sam covering his mouth when Haldir says the Fellowship is so loud can hear them breathing.
"GUR QJNES OERNGURF FB YBHQ, JR PBHYQ UNIR FUBG UVZ VA GUR QNEX"
Love that part of the movie. Provides some much needed comic relief 🙂
Rfcrpvnyyl evtug nsgre Tvzyv fnlvat, "Jryy, urer vf bar Qjnes fur jba'g rafaner fb rnfvyl. V unir gur rlrf bs n
unjx naq gur rnef bs n sbk!" Brilliant!
V qb ybir gung yvar.
Yeah, that ending. Spoilers! Gung'f jurer Nentbea jnf ohevrq, evtug? Jryy V xabj ur'f fhccbfrq gb unir n cynpr va Tbaqbe, ohg V erzrzore uvz orvat ohevrq gurer naq gur yrnirf snyyvat naq vg jnf fb tbbq.
Nyfb, V svtherq bhg vg'f Tbyyhz guvf puncgre. V qvqa'g qb vg sebz zrzbel be nalguvat, naq guvf vf gur svefg gvzr V'ir ernq gur obbx, fb V qba'g xabj jurgure vg pbhagf nf n fcbvyre, ohg urer vg vf.
Poor Gimli. Of course it's reasonable for them all to be blindfolded. I like that we get some characterization here. Aragorn is tender and fair, Legolas is all excited and then pouty because he doesn't get to sightsee, and Gimli is proud but reasonable.
Are they going somewhere creepy with Frodo's heightened senses?
Abcr. Nentneba vf ohevrq va Engu Qíara, gur znhfbyrhz bs gur Xvatf naq Fgrjneqf, va Tbaqbe.
*Nejra*'f tenir vf va Ybevra. V guvax jr pnaabg fnl fur jr jnf ohevrq gurer, nf nppbeqvat gb gur nccraqvprf gur ynaq jnf qrfregrq.
Gunax lbh! Lrnu, V erzrzorerq ur jnf va gur fgbar gbzo naq gura gur zbivr fprar jvgu Nejra nf n jvqbj va Ybevra. Pbashfvat.
Naq fgvyy qrcerffvat.
OFF-TOPIC: answering comments through the replies received at the email.
I've had a problem for the last couple of days: when I get a reply here to a comment a posted I get an email. I used to be able to click a link there and it'd take me to the thread here and I'd be able to answer with no problem.
But now I click that link, it takes me to the page where the thread here and that's it. It won't take me to the relevant part of the thread that I want to answer, no matter how much I refresh. I cannot answer those comments: sometimes I do remember which comment originates the thread but most often with threads over 20 replies long I simply can't find the energy to try.
I use firefox but I haven't changed any settings recently.
Is anyone else having this problem?
yep – have the same problem
I don't even bother trying to reply from my emails anymore, I just see what thread it's in and come here to find it again. IntenseDebate has been a little fail-y of late.
I'm (sort of) glad it's an IntenseDebate problem then, I was worried. I hope it gets fixed soon.
Yes. I thought it was just me. Nice to know I have company.
Yes. Though sometimes it does show up if I wait long enough. It worked just now.
Same problem here. Yesterday it took me 10 minutes to find a comment I'd made – because it was a reply – so that I could read not only the reply but the various comments that followed it.
Yes, that's how it happens to me. I use Safari. I'm pretty new here, so I wondered if it was just a Safari issue of longstanding.
Definitely an Intense Debate problem. Half the time I click on a comment link it doesn't even go to the right comment page, it somehow goes to a page where the comments section is completely blank.
Yeah that has happened to me too. Sometimes I can remember what the thread was and have a rough idea what page it is on and can reply but some I just cannot find and it's getting rather frustrating. Definitely seems to be an Intense Debate problem.
More art from Karina Chmiel:
Boromir and Sam
<img src="http://kasiopea.art.pl/sites/default/files/images/Boromir_i_Sam_0.jpg" width="600">
Crossing Celebrant</b
<img src="http://kasiopea.art.pl/sites/default/files/images/Crossing_Celebrant_0.jpg" width="800">
Lórien
<img src="http://kasiopea.art.pl/sites/default/files/images/Lorien_0.jpg" width="800">
*guh* That one of Boromir carrying SAM! Oh, my! I love it.
I love the rest too, but that one…*sigh*
They look so good. Although by now, the guys would have beards unless they were expert shavers with knives.
She's really talented! I love the second one with Boromir stopping Pippin (??) from crossing before the other hobbit finished.
Why are elves so impossibly gorgeous. Movie spoiler: BEYNAQB OYBBZ. Ur znl abg or gur jbeyq'f orfg npgbe, ohg V yvxr uvz va gur zbivrf naq nyfb ur'f ornhgvshy.
And another lovely rendering of a song by the Poetic Fellowship:
Nimrodel (this is one of my favourites 🙂 )
This one is beautiful. Thank you.
It's so pretty. Is there a link somewhere to a listing of the songs? I tried hunting for the site, but that didn't work very well.
…Not least because I don't read Czech.:p
Here is their website. It's in both English and Czech, so you should be able to navigate without problems. 🙂
This chapter has one of my favorite quotations:
"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."
So descriptive of Arda Marred, and also of our own "Real World" as well.
Others have praised the description in this chapter, so I'll refrain from rhapsodizing, but just chime in with a "Me too!"
V pna'g oryvrir gung Znex unfa'g lrg gjvttrq gb gur snpg gung vg'f Tbyyhz sbyybjvat gur Pbzcnal. V qba'g erpnyy gung V jnf *pregnva* bs vg ba zl svefg ernqvat, ohg V qb erzrzore *fhfcrpgvat fgebatyl* gung vg jnf!
Re: Mark watching the movies– most have been arguing over *when* he's going to watch each one, but I am wondering, has he decided which version he'll watch: TR or EE? V nfx orpnhfr gurer ner fbzr guvatf va gur RR gung ner na vzcebirzrag, bgure guvatf gung V guvax jbhyq unir orra orfg yrsg ba gur phggvat ebbz sybbe…
I think the Theatical Editions are better movies.
I have mixed feelings.
Gur RRf ner jung V unir, fb jura V frr gur GE (yvxr ba GOF) vg nyjnlf srryf nf gubhtu fbzrguvat'f orra phg, rira gubhtu vg unfa'g.
Fbzr guvatf V yvxr: gur rkgen Fuver sbbgntr, pregnva yvarf, gur zvqtrjngre frdhrapr, Zreel'f naq Cvccva'f fbatf, Tnynqevry tvivat bhg gur tvsgf (npghnyyl n cybg cbvag gung *fubhyq* unir orra vapyhqrq va gur GE), nyy bs gur rkgen zngrevny jvgu Zreel naq Cvccva va Ebuna naq Tbaqbe. N srj bs gur zbzragf jvgu Sebqb naq Fnz (yvxr trggvat pnhtug va gur Bep gebbc. Fnehzna'f raq (fbzrguvat ryfr gung *fubhyq* unir orra va gur GE).
Fbzr guvatf znxr zr jvapr: gur nethzragf jvgu Unyqve, gur qevaxvat tnzr, gur fxhyy ninynapur.
Fbzr guvatf V qvfyvxr vagrafryl: zbfg rfcrpvnyyl gur cneg jvgu gur J-X funggrevat Tnaqnys gur Juvgr'f fgnss, juvpu vf ABG BA, rkphfr zr CW!
I have mixed feelings too. For many of the same reasons! Ohg zbfgyl orpnhfr va EbgX, gur onggyrf tb ba, naq ba, naq ba, naq ba… (naq gur Zbhgu bs Fnheba vf HTYL.)
Erzvaq zr arire gb fvta hc sbe Fnheba'f qragny cyna. Ur zhfg unir ybhfl orarsvgf…
Vg'f orra sberire fvapr V ynfg jngpurq gur GR ohg V pyrneyl erzrzore srryvat purngrq bs gur guveq bar. Vg sryg yvxr n ybat genvyre sbe gur RR naq, juvyr V ybirq vg, V ungrq gur guvatf gung jrer phg (Fnehzna'f raq!) naq ubj ehfurq vg sryg gb zr. Fb V guvax gung bar arrqf gb or RR.
I'm pretty sure he's watching the EEs, because he made comments about how each one is like 3 hours long.
I only have the theatrical editions, save for the last. Also, wasn't he going to do the animated Hobbit movie? I remember a liveblog promise at the beginning of this book.
Mark has confirmed on his tumblr that he'll be watching the EEs.
Hurray!!! This really made my day ^_^ thank you for the info.Yeah,I know for you folks it's probably no big deal,but I kindda see things differently.You see,in my country (sorry again if this seems lame,it's not my intention,really) at the theatres it did not run the extended versions of the movies,like in other countries. I only had the chance to see them,I think 2 years after the release of the third movie on VHS (which I bought ofc 😛 at that time my family could not afford a DVD player,and also not many people had them in their homes) by making a special order overseas at a store so for me,the EE movies are like A+,because they made a LOTR-maniac like me feel complet 😀 (especially for what was overlooked in TE regarding the last).That's funny….jeez I hope I don't sound too pitifull but that's why I consider that only the EE do justice to Tolkien.
P.S. Sorry I do not know how to encode stuff so if anyone considers this to be a spoiler,you can erase my comment.
Please don't use the word "lame" on this site, it is an ableist word, as is "maniac".
Oh,ok.I won't.But that "maniac" thing was supposed to be positive.Anyway,thank you for your observation.
My own opinion: I think Mark should watch the EEs, just because there is so much extra stuff in them. If he wants to watch the TRs first/also, that's cool, but he might not want to because then he'd be watching like twenty hours of movie total. I think it would be a shame for him to miss out on the extra scenes in the EEs, though.
Yes… both have good and bad points, but on balance I prefer the extra bits and bobs, character stuff, etc on the EEs.
Tauriel's Linguistic Corner
(extremely short; I had no time to prepare… 🙁 My excuse is that I'm now in Prague on my way to a tolkienite convention called – unsurprisingly – TolkienCon, which now celebrates its tenth year. 🙂 )
Here we have a Quenya sentence:
Arwen vanimelda, namárië!
It means: "Beloved Arwen, farewell!"
Lothlórien – "Dreamflower". Combined Sindarin-Quenya origin: loth – flower; Lórien – place name, derived from lórë – "slumber", "dream".
Not keeping up on your Tolkienian linguistcs because you're going to a Tolkien convention seems like a pretty good excuse to me. 🙂
I can't argue because I don't know Tolkien linguistics, but this site http://www.jrrvf.com/~glaemscrafu/texts/arwenvani… has it as "Fair Arwen, farewell! "
Have fun at your convention!
Yes, this is how I understand it based on Ardalambion.
vanima means fair or beautiful
-lda is an ending meaning 'your'
namárië means farewell
I also found this explanation from a Quenya-English wordlist found on this site http://folk.uib.no/hnohf/wordlists.htm
"vanimelda adj., said to be “the highest word of praise for beauty”, with two interpretations that were apparently considered equally valid and simultaneously true: “beautiful and beloved” (vanima + melda, with haplology), i.e. “movingly lovely”, but also “elven-fair” (fair as an Elf) (vanima + elda). The word was also used as the second name of Arwen."
Sbe fbzr ernfba V gubhtug vg zrnag "Orybirq Nejra, snerjryy" gbb! V pna'g svaq nalguvat gb fhccbeg gung abj, ohg V guvax vg zhfg pbzr sebz fbzrjurer fvapr Gnhevry unq vg yvxr gung gbb.
Thank you! It looks like it means both fair and beloved.
Oooh, have a great time at the con! 😀 That is a more than acceptable "excuse" for not having time to prepare!
Hmmm, can a translation be considered a spoiler? Given that its subject has not been explicitly and directly mentioned in English yet, apart from some trolling comments made way back in the previous book?
Jealous of your TolkienCon!
*grin* Ooh! There's my name!
We'll forgive you! …If you tell us all about the con. :D:D:D:D?
Qbrfa'g Ybguybevra unir n ybatre, byqre anzr gbb? ebg13 orpnhfr V guvax znlor gung'f n fcbvyre ng guvf cbvag.
I forgot to embed the video! [youtube Wc9hAXocURY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc9hAXocURY youtube]
Lothlorien was always my favorite place in Middle-Earth. I fell in love with it from the descriptions here. Like Mark, it was one of the things I was most looking forward to seeing portrayed in the films.
Hasbeghangryl, V UNGR Ybguybevra va gur zbivr. Vg'f nofbyhgryl gur bccbfvgr bs ubj vg'f qrfpevorq va gur obbxf. Fnz fnlf, "V gubhtug gung Ryirf jrer nyy sbe zbba naq fgnef, ohg guvf vf zber Ryivfu guna nalguvat V rire urneq bs." Rkprcg gur zbivr cerggl zhpu whfg tvirf hf zbba naq fgnef naq oyhr. Jura boivbhfyl Ybguybevra vf TBYQ. Gur gerrf ner tbyq, gur sybjref ner tbyq, gur fhayvtug vf tbyq….frevbhfyl zbivrf?
I have a lot to say about the next chapter as well, but I'll have to save that.
Lothlorien is possibly the single place in fiction I would most love to visit.
V'z tynq gb urne lbh fnl gung. V jbhyqa'g fnl V ungr gur svyz'f Ybguybevra, ohg vg'f bar bs gur snveyl srj vafgnaprf jurer CW'f irefvba ybbxrq abguvat yvxr zl vzntvavatf, naq abg va na rkprrqvat rkcrpgngvbaf jnl rvgure. V jnf qvfnccbvagrq.
Cnegyl vg'f orpnhfr V qbhog nal ynaqfpncr ba Rnegu pbhyq dhvgr yvir hc gb gur Ybguybevra va zl zvaq, juvpu vf cerggl zhpu gur rcvgbzr bs angheny ornhgl. Fgvyy, V jvfu gurl pbhyq ng yrnfg unir tbggra gur tbyqra pbybe cnyrggr evtug.
V qb ybir Pngr Oynapurgg nf Tnynqevry.
Just taking a moment to agree with you two; I said almost the same thing in a reply earlier. So yeah, you're not alone feeling that way, haha.
Oh god, how does Aragorn know Arwen? What happened here?
This should motivate you to read the Appendices, that's all I'm saying! 😉
AFTER he's finished the books, because there are LOTS of spoilers back there!
I think this comment is kind of spoilery actually? Now Mark knows that there's something in the Appendices about that. But it was nine hours ago so I assume he's read the comment and the damage is done.
V jnf guvaxvat gung gbb…abj ur jvyy unir gur rkcrpgngvba gung gurer vf zber nobhg Nentbea & Nejra naq gung vg vf cebonoyl vzcbegnag….
Lothlorien was my very first literary crush. Along with Kheled-zaram. The way the water is that perfect mix of clear and reflective so you can see stars faintly.
Kheled-zaram
<img src=http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs38/f/2008/340/3/5/35ca1f6d17202a08473b731cf2f486e3.jpg>
by Zair-Ugru-nad on deviantart
<img src=http://www.coloradocaptures.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/D7H1854.jpg>
by Colorado Captures Photography
<img src=http://tolkiengateway.net/w/images/thumb/1/1c/Alan_Lee_-_Mirrormere.jpg/250px-Alan_Lee_-_Mirrormere.jpg>
by Alan Lee
<img src=http://www.lovethesepics.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Crater-Lake-under-the-Stars.jpg>
and a picture I found of Crater Lake at night. O_O
Okay, so…a mini-orc? Some other creature? What is following the Company? I haven’t quite figured it out yet, but it’s creeping me out.
Bu, Znex, lbh'er fb…cerpvbhf.
….okay, now to clean up the tea I just choked on from unexpected laughter.
THIS.
FLAWLESS COMMENT.
ahaha that was perfect
HOW ARE YOUR COMMENTS SO FLAWLESS
*snerk*
Nearly choked 😀
I’ve wanted to live in Lothlorien for sixteen years. This is probably a dream that will never die, because every time I reread these books I want it more.
Ohohoho, V pna'g jnvg gb frr ubj Znex jvyy ernpg jura Tvzyv naq Yrtbynf orpbzr orfg sevraqf sberire. (Orpnhfr, lbh xabj, gurl ernyyl fgnl gbtrgure sberire. Ohg ur unf gb ernq gur nccraqvprf gb svaq bhg.)
So , Mark, read the appendices when you're done with the book! Nejra naq Nentbea ner ernyyl phgr gbtrgure. Lbh xabj, vg'f nabgure fvta gung Nentbea pna or irel tragyr vafvqr… jvgu uvf ybir sbe Ynql Nejra…
OT, but does anyone know if we'll get a new chapter on Monday?
Kheled-zaram sounds ridiculously gorgeous and awesome. I WANT THAT TO BE REAL.
The part where Frodo and Sam were lagging behind hurt my heart, I wanted to just give them hugs and food and bandaids. 🙁 And when Aragorn said that he and Boromir would carry them, I got all teary-eyed. Bs pbhefr, vg qvqa'g uryc gung V ernq gung cneg evtug nsgre znxvat tvsf bs gur pelvat uboovgf cbfg-Zbevn, fb V jnf rkgen rzbgvbany.
I love the reactions to Aragorn finding the mithril mail. <3
DEAR GOD WHAT IS THAT THING.
I love Legolas' song about Nimrodel. The story behind it is so sad, and the song itself is so lyrical and lovely. Tolkien really was great with words.
The bit about hobbits not liking heights or sleeping upstairs and not usually having stairs is like… WOW I AM TOTALLY A HOBBIT. xD Plus I admit I would be scared of these sleeping arrangements because NO WALLS OR RAILS. I would fall off to my doom somehow, or be terrified of doing so and not get to sleep. Erzvaqf zr bs gung ovg va gur Erghea bs gur Xvat zbivr jurer gur uboovgf ner fyrrcvat evtug ba gur rqtr bs gubfr fgnvef naq V whfg pevatr naq juvzcre n yvggyr orpnhfr UBJ JBHYQ GURL ABG SNYY BSS. GUNG JUBYR NERN VF FB FPNEL GB ZR.
I love Haldir's line about traveling, and Lorien sounds like the most gorgeous place ever. PLEASE I WANNA GO THERE TOO.
Go Aragorn for insisting they all have blindfolds so that Gimli isn't singled out! He is already a great leader, and I lol at him turning Legolas' words about the "stiff necks of dwarves" back at him with his line about the "stiff necks of elves". HAHAHA SOMEBODY JUST GOT TOLD. xD
Movie spoilers: Abj, V trarenyyl ybir gur zbivrf naq qba'g unir n ceboyrz jvgu zbfg bs gur punatrf, ohg V frevbhfyl tb "jung gur shpx?" ng gur qrpvfvba gb xvyy bss Unyqve ng Uryz'f Qrrc. JUL?
Penvt Cnexre jnf sne gbb cerggl gb qvr.
*shrug* V arire tbg gb gung cbvag cnfg zl bja "jung gur shpx?" ng gur qrpvfvba gb unir Ryirf ng Uryz'f Qrrc *ng nyy*.
I don't mind sleeping in higher places–I had a friend in eighth grade whose bed hung from the ceiling, and I thought that was SUPER AWESOME. But then I had a boyfriend who told me about the time he had a bunk bed in college and he fell off the top and broke his wrist and didn't pass some of his classes because he couldn't write or type very well and it sucked. So… maybe not?
Note to self: If getting a high bed, get one with a sturdy railing.
Yeah, I had a bunk bed without rails when I was a little kid. One day my family was planning on going to this carnival my town used to have once a year that night, so I got sent to take a nap so I would be wide awake later. Well, I rolled right out of that bed while sleeping, landed on a folding chair, split open my chin, had to go to the doctor, got stitches, and completely missed going to the carnival.
Still, I loved having the top bunk growing up, but I am most definitely pro-railings!!!
Slightly irrelevant, but recently, the first ever film version of The Hobbit has been unearthed.
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/01/09/52578-…
D:
Slag the terrible! OMG this is amazing.
lol, I love everything about Slag the Terrible, but I got to this point before I had to stop:
<img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/k1c7r9.png">
Gandalf is looking into my soul.
imagine waking up in the middle of the night and finding that staring at you from the end of your bed o_O
Why would you even put that thought in my head?
Why??? why would you say this?
If I have nightmares Imma blamin' you…
OMG I love it! It's beautiful! The designs, the colours! It's also terrible too which makes it better.
This link has more of the backstory to this version: http://io9.com/5874282/watch-the-very-first-film-…
This seems like a good place to bring up an opinion related to how Tolkien handles his world building. Look back at Moria and here at Lothlorien and both places are not only superbly well detailed but also as beautiful in their own way. Even those areas of Middle Earth that haven't been particularly friendly or notable are described with an eye to the positives of the place itself. Then he layers the actions of the people or creatures that live there on top of that landscape. I guess Lorien has been the most obvious example of the positive thus far (partially, it has to be said, thanks to its position in the story) where the biggest negative impact was Moria (going from the spectacular halls of Dwarf Kings to a place of dark despair and peril with the Orcs and Balrog in residence). We've even had an in-progress point of view when Gandalf went to Orthanc to see Saruman, his memories of the place giving way to the reality.
For me this is one of the most attractive elements of Tolkiens writing, this deliberate showing of cause and effect yet done in a subtle enough way that it all merges into the one narrative. In fact maybe that's one word more than any that sums up his work – subtle. Sit down when you have some free time and deconstruct one of his longer passages regarding an area and location, people, history and the actions of the story all twist and mix around each other to form a superbly crafted narrative.
Okay, sorry, that got long, stopping pretentious waffle…. now!
Yes! to this. Tolkien took a lot of care in writing this story. Those (and there are many) who say he's a bad writer are just plain wrong.
YES. So many people complain about how detailed ("boring") he is, but I LOVE IT. It creates this entire other world so gorgeously.
Not at all pretentious– a very astute and observant reading!
Yes to all of this. I also love how he manages to imbue the right places with a sense of their age in relation to the scope of the world.
That's not pretentious at all, that's a really brilliant observation and I feel like I should take notes on it.Thanks for pointing it out! 😀
I don't necessarily think that Tolkien is always the most lyrical or visceral writer, but I really admire his writing. As a linguist, he always knows exactly the right words to use to convey what he wants to say.
mmm, pretentious waffles.
with pretentious maple syrup for preference 🙂
and the powdered sugar of condescension 😉
I think this was beautifully reflected va gur jnl gur svyzznxref gerngrq vg nyy yvxr n qbphzragnel. V xabj crbcyr qvssrer ba gurve fhpprff, ohg gur ornhgl naq qrcgu naq pbzcyrgrarff naq ubj qrgnvyrq vg nyy jnf… vg'f whfg nznmvat naq qbrf fbzr xvaq bs whfgvpr gb gur qrcgu bs jung Cebs G perngrq.
This was the point where I figured out that, indeed, gur pyvzovat perngher zhfg or Tbyyhz. Vg jnf gbb pybfr gb ubj gur ryirf unq qrfpevorq Tbyyhz onpx va Eviraqryy. V fcrag gur erfg bs gur gvzr ba gur rqtr bs jbeel. Ubj zvtug Tbyyhz zrff guvatf hc sbe gurz va Ybguybevra?
It is interesting about the interplay of Dwarves and Elves. They seem to be at odds over many things (stretching back to the Hobbit).
Spoilers:
Vg frrzf gung Znex unf Tvzyv nf gur hajvyyvat bar gb ragre vagb Ybevra. V nyjnlf sryg yvxr vg jnf Obebzve jub envfrq gur ovt bowrpgvbaf. V jbaqre vs ur zvffrq guvf cbvag be whfg cnffrq bire vg va gur erivrj. Yvggyr qbrf ur xabj ubj vzcbegnag gur sberfunqbjvat va gur qvfphffvba orgjrra uvz naq Nentbea gheaf bhg gb or.
Hi Mark,
I'm new to your site (well… not so new, now… have read all your posts on The Hobbit and LOTR so far. The paragraph you selected to quote from Cerin Amroth was one that stuck out to me, too (even as an 11 year old reading the books). What I found out later was that Tolkien spends a good deal of time talking about how fantasy literature assists readers with "rediscovering" basic concepts of natural phenomena, like colors, the variety and uniqueness of trees, mountains, etc. in his essays on fantasy literature. Check out "On Faerie Stories" after you finish the trilogy. I had to read a couple of other analyses of this essay to fully understand it, but it totally changed my perspective of the wonders of this earth.
LOVING READING YOUR POSTS! YOU ARE HYSTERICAL!
The one who didn't want to go into Lothlorien was Boromir, not Gimli. Boromir seemingly lives just close enough to the forest to have heard bad things about it and its people from others. Gimli on the other hand is from Erebor and probably hasn't heard anything about Lothlorien (which he might assume is dwarf-friendly like Rivendell, based on the fact that going there was Gandalf's idea). At any rate, he doesn't say anything at all when Boromir and the others are arguing about it.
Mark: "Okay, so it’s some sort of spy creature, maybe? What is this thing?
‘It was not an orc. It fled as soon as I touched the tree-stem. It seemed to be wary, and to have some skill in trees, or I might have thought it was one of you hobbits.’
Wait, what? So this is something new? Oh, that’s kind of exciting. Possibly a new kind of creature in Middle-earth! BRING IT, TOLKIEN."
Me: HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
Are you reading LOTR via Kindl? I recommend at least Googling maps of Middle-earth and follow along.
Big map (no spoilers):
http://morrowdim.tripod.com/mapofme.jpg
Link not working for me.
here's a much better one:
http://3rin.gs/#0.0533447,0.0976563,0.3927884,0.5…
I love how you can zoom in and out!
Two images spring to mind when i read this chapter (that haven't been mentioned by other posters).
Firstly, Gimli shaking his fist at the mountain; i guess its his way of expressing his sorrow at Gandalf's death, but i just can't take it seriously.
Secondly, Haldir's orders to Legolas to "keep an eye on that dwarf!". I keep imagining the two of them (Gimli and Legolas) having an all night staring contest.
"Upon atop Cerin Amroth, Haldir shows Frodo the spectacular view, in particular pointing out the contrast between the way the sun falls upon where they are, and the darkness of Southern Mirkwood, specifically Dol Guldur. It’s where the Enemy once lived, and possibly lives again. Is that where they’re headed next? I imagine that they have to go where the Enemy is dwelling to destroy the Ring, yes? Or is Mordor in another place?"
I think its time you bust out the maps… Just saying… 😉
I believe 100% that without the maps, I would have been SO LOST!! The maps are not spoilers, since they don't give away any plot. Not every location is visited so you'll still be surprised and all unawares and stuff. But, honestly, the maps give you a MUCH better sense of direction, space, and the breadth of Middle-Earth overall.
Oh,Mark! I've found some Moria orcs drawn by Alan Lee and the second one is by Angus McPriders(hope this helps you) 🙂
http://fantasy.mrugala.net/Alan%20Lee/Alan%20Lee%…
http://fantasy.mrugala.net/Angus%20Mc%20Priders/A…
Also….Gaaaandaaalfff! *still sniff-ing* http://www.tednasmith.com/lotr1/TN-At_The_Bridge…. http://www.tednasmith.com/lotr1/TN-The_Balrog.jpg
Aaaand…. some wonderfull illustrations of Lothlorien http://img-fan.theonering.net/~rolozo/images/hild…
This. Gubhtu, V'z abg fher jura jbhyq or gur orfg gvzr gb tvir uvz gung yvggyr gvqovg. Znlor ng gur ynfg Ybguybevra puncgre?
V guvax vg frrzf snve gb yrnir vg gb bar bs gur ybathvfgf gb cbvag bhg, ohg lrnu, znlor yrnivat Ybguybevra… V thrff vg znl or n tbbq ynhtu guvat gb znxr hc sbe yrnivat YY, naq snpvat rivy guvatf rgp!
It's interesting, I've just finished reading the Harry Potter reviews and I'm realizing just how many things in Rowling's world seem lifted directly from Tolkien. I don't think I'd ever noticed for example the SQUID IN THE LAKE ! Awww.
Anyway, seeing this passage it's just occurred to me that while Rowlings got a lot of creepy things from Tolkien (either directly or they both took standard fantasy/horror elements), she doesn't have as many Beautiful Things Of Beauty, does she ? There are the Veela, which have all the external beauty but are more ambiguous internally.
Hers is a much more down-to-earth world in many ways.
I love when Frodo is talking about the colors as if he is seeing them for the first time. I remember on my first trip to Ireland we were driving through the countryside and I was looking at the grass and was thinking to myself that I will never be able to call anything else green again… because that and only that color is truly green.