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Jul 06 2004 08:16pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
Bail Hope of Belouve
I kind of stole this idea from Koyi, so thanks to him for bringing me to this idea!
(by stealing I mean: I saw his thread Bible Study and it came to me to do a Tolkien Study)

In this thread, I'd like to discuss the literary works of Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, Lost Tales (part 1 & 2), Left Tellings, ...).
I want to talk about likes of the stories, and also some dislikes.
Perhaps, when we come to a question, we can seek the answer together.

Just, if you're planning to post something like: 'Tolkien sucks!' or whatever, please just ignore this forum.
Thank you

So start talking :P
When I've got some more time (and a connection that isn't 56k, then I'll post my opinions too :))
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Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.

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Jul 23 2004 02:37pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

Casual, you scare me :P
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Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


Jul 23 2004 02:34pm

Casual
 - Student
 Casual

The five wizards sent by the Valar to Middle-Earth. They were Maiar, and went by the names of Curumo, Alatar, Pallando, Aiwendil, Olórin. Of Alatar and Pallando there is really very much knowledge, some stuff about them appeared in the Unfinished Tales, and some can be found in the Histories of Middle-Earth. But Curumo we got to know better as Saruman, Olórin as Gandalf, and Aiwendil as Radagast.

-Cas
_______________
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.


Jul 23 2004 02:23pm

Jippie Phoenix
 - Student
 Jippie Phoenix

argh who was the Istari:)
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Jul 19 2004 10:13am

D@RtHM@UL
 - Student
 D@RtHM@UL

They don't have names no.

Jul 19 2004 09:48am

Casual
 - Student
 Casual

Quote:
If I'm not mistaken, those don't have names :confused:

Do they?


Nay, at least none that have been published. Just the Seven and the Nine, I guess.

-Cas
_______________
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.


Jul 19 2004 09:47am

Casual
 - Student
 Casual

Well the Elven smiths made a lot of rings originally, but the three last that had been made were Narya, a ruby Ring of Fire, Nenya, an adamant Ring of Water, and Vilya, a sapphire Ring of Air. And these rings Sauron most desired to possess, for those who wore them could ward off the decays of time and postpone the weariness of the world. At the end of the third age, Galadriel held Nenya, Elrond held Vilya, and Gandalf held Narya.

The nine rings of men were given to mighty kings of men (some sources depict them as of Numenorean descent, but Silmarillion describes how they became kings only _after_ they started to use their rings). These rings corrupted the men over time, and they became minions of the One Ring, the Nazgûl. The leader of the Nazgûl was the Witch-King of Angmar.

The seven rings given to dwarves were either destroyed or recovered by Sauron. It is said the each ring was the foundation of each of the Seven Hoards of the Dwarf-kings.

And that's what happened to the rings of power, but you must remember that many more rings were created. Sauron had these rings created because of the way they are all drawn towards the One Ring in power. He who holds the One Ring can see into the hearts and minds of those who wear the rings of power. So no wonder Sauron was pissed off when Isildur cut the ring off his finger :)

-Cas
_______________
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.


Jul 19 2004 03:17am

Plo Koon
 - Student
 Plo Koon

this is straight from the book.


Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,

Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,

Nine for Mortal men doomed to die,

One for the Dark Lord in his dark throne in the land of mordor where the Shadows lie.


One Ring to rule them all,One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them in the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
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Jul 19 2004 12:13am

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

If I'm not mistaken, those don't have names :confused:

Do they?
_______________
Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


Jul 19 2004 12:08am

Jippie Phoenix
 - Student
 Jippie Phoenix

is that it bail,what of the rings held by men and dwarves?:)
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Jul 14 2004 06:38pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

Narya, Nenya, and Vilya
Ring of Fire, Water and Air.
:D
_______________
Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


This comment was edited by Bail Hope of Belouve on Jul 14 2004 06:38pm.

Jul 14 2004 06:23pm

Jippie Phoenix
 - Student
 Jippie Phoenix

ok so does ne1 know what the rings are called,I only know of nenya ring of water held by galadriel nemore?:)
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Jul 13 2004 12:48am

Moridin
 - Student
 Moridin

Actually, I've always refuted most kinds of Christian analogies with Tolkien's work. Because, although Illuvitar is the God, the Valar who descend to Earth take on the qualities of demi-gods. I mean, they're just like any kind of pagan god system. There's three "main" gods, (Manwe, Ulmo, Morgoth) but one of them takes the place as ruler. (Just like Greek mythology, Zeus, Posiedin, and Hades) One of these gods resents the others.

The maia, on the other hand, are like angels in their job discription. The term Angel actually means "messenger", and this is what the Maia do. They serve the Valar, and have lesser power. THe reason I can't compare the Valar to angels, is because of the power and rule that they hold. To compare them to the Christian idea of angels, they would not have such sway. God controls everything, whereas Valar have the power to change and create and make decisions.

Just my two cents

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Bros. with Janus, Leif, Motrec, Aiden, 3th, Zertz, Kenyon, and Vladarion. b00m! Banana Brother to Garos


Jul 12 2004 10:47pm

Casual
 - Student
 Casual

If you want to draw a Christian (or whatever religion) analogy, you could call the Ainur angels. But in my view I see the Ainur as spirits that were created in Iluvatar's thoughts. Eru is, after all, the only god. The Ainur were created by him to aid him in the music of Ainur (Ainulindale) that created Arda. It is really a question of hierarchy of power, and in the Ainur there were 15 more powerful spirits than the others (there could be more, but only 15 of the more powerful Ainur descended unto Middle-Earth and were called Valar). So yes, if you call them angels, the Valar are just more powerful and the Maiar are respectively lesser. You must remember that each Maiar had unique qualities that shared a hyponymic relationship to the powers of the Valar they represented (compare Manwe/Eonwe, Melkor/Sauron, Ulmo/Osse) etc. Tolkien left beautiful ellipses in his mythology that, even though obstructed by his death and thus the existance of many questions without answers, provide the reader with much speculation. What were the Istari? They were Maiar as Tolkien described, but which Valar's wishes did they realise upon appearing in Middle-Earth? Who was Iarwain Ben-Adar? A Maia say some, a spirit from "somewhere else" say others. What was Ungoliant? And many others.

Throughout the histories and the annals the Maiar have in some ways had more contact with the inhabitants of Middle-Earth, so I see them more as avatars of the Valar, who act on their wishes. But in the end they are all of the same essence: Spirits of Iluvatar's creation and thus brothers and sisters of equal might.

-Casual
_______________
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.


Jul 12 2004 06:27pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

Quote:
The sun and the Moon are two Maia. (Think of angels)


Actually, I refer to the Valar as the Angles, and the Maiar as the 'lesser' Angles, in a way.

Since Ainur = Valar + Maiar, and Ainur means 'The Holy Ones'. So that's why I refer both to them as Angles.

Any other opinions on this?
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Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


Jul 11 2004 01:57pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

Squibit, I know they couldn't put it in exactly...
but that last line would've been so cool

Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!

that sounds so chivalrous :D
_______________
Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


This comment was edited by Bail Hope of Belouve on Jul 11 2004 01:57pm.

Jul 11 2004 10:06am

Sared
 - Retired
 Sared

Frodo Lives!!!



....carry on. :D
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I'm crazy, not stupid.

Jul 11 2004 12:28am

Squibit
 - Student
 Squibit

Hey bail, i havnt got book here now ,


but that second quote you made that you think should have been in the movie...

wasn't that when the 3 confronted the riders of rohan ?

if so, aragorn didn't have anduril with him in the movies so they couldnt put that in exactly :)
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fiZZe: its SIR Fizzy Fluffy :p

Quote:
FiZZ[JAK]: that was what I call a counter

Ah, things you only ever expect to hear once :)


This comment was edited by Squibit on Jul 11 2004 12:29am.

Jul 10 2004 03:33pm

Jacen Aratan
 - Student

Quote:
To me in the movies Gandalf was more Gandalf the wise, or Gandalf the Leader, more than Gandalf the Wizzard.

Also when watching RoTK did anyone think it was going to end after like 5 scenes near the end?

Seriously they faded to black for like what seemed like 5 mins between of the final seens, ( obviously it wasnt really that long )

Most noticabl to me was at the end Where everyone bows to the Hobbits, pan out, fade to black, stay black, stay black, waaaaiiiit still black, etc, etc


Tolkien didn't make it easy for Peter Jackson... the ending in the books would've been bad for the movie (seeing it from a broad audience's point of view), compared to the one they chose, where they made sure to at least try and get some of the books' ending in.

Jul 10 2004 02:56pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

Actually, that depends.

According to Left Tellings she was at the city of the Havens, where she then fled away from Feänor.
Or she might have been with him too...

There are two different stories to that I'm afraid :(

THIS WAS MY 7000th COMMENT!! bow down before me!:D
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Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


This comment was edited by Bail Hope of Belouve on Jul 10 2004 03:48pm.

Jul 10 2004 02:47pm

Vasper Ba'xian
 - Student
 Vasper Ba'xian

And don't think that Galadriel is this innocent sweet loving elf. When she and her people fled Valinor in the Great White ships, She helped murder many of her allies to steal those ships.
So she has blood onher hands. I also think that had something do with wut she said after resisting the ring.
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Jul 10 2004 02:41pm

Bail Hope of Belouve
 - Student
 Bail Hope of Belouve

Indeed, Squibit, IMO the light bolt to scare away the Nazgûl was pretty pathetic

I'll quote from the book what had happened, that was great and should have happened!

Quote:
But now the dark swooping shadows were aware of the newcomer. One wheeled towards him; but it seemed to Pippin that he raised his hand, and from it a shaft of white light stabbed upwards. The Nazgûl gave a long wailing cry and swerved away; and with that the four others wavered, and then rising in swift spirals they passed away eastward vanishing into the lowering cloud above; and down on the Pelennor it seemed for a while less dark.


That's a cool scene!
If they had done it like that, it would have been very cool :D

Oh also, about Gandalf

anyone notice that suddenly he no longer has his staff in ROTK? He's still wearing it when talking to Pippin about the afterlife, and suddenly in the next scene, it's gone and doesn't appear anywhere in the movies until he departs to Valinor along with Galadriel, Elrond, Celeborn, Bilbo and Frodo.

Oh also, this is a great scene which they shouldn't have taken out:

Quote:
Aragorn threw back his cloak. The elven-sheath glittered as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Andúril shone like a sudden flame as he swept it out. "Elendil!" he cried. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn and am called Elessar, the Elfstone, Dùnadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil's son of Gondor. here is the Sword that was Broken and is forged again! Will you aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly?"


With a bit of rewriting, they could almost exactly put in the movies...
oh well

And about Galadriel:
Yes, you are right :)
But, in the book 'Left Tellings' (not Lost Tales), you get three different versions of the explanation, all because Tolkien wrote three of them.

I'll explain briefly:
1) She was banned from Valinor for leaving alongside Feänor. Perhaps with other motives, but still, she left, and was thus banned.
2) She fled. When Feänor attack his own kind at ther Havens, she got onto a ship and fled to Middle-Earth.
3) A mixture of both.

In any case, she got exiled from Valinor. Indeed I feel that she does not belong among Elves, like Feänor, since they both desire lordship in a way.
According to Left Tellings (and all versions say the same) Galadriel was unbanned at the moment she refused the Ring, and the power within.
By refusing she showed the power, and the wisdom to say no to such power. Which is why she was unbanned. She got over her desire for power, if you get my point.

But then, I might be a bit off, since I have only read the book once...
_______________
Visit the Belouve Family Website!
Quote:
I try to have fun with my friends and try to make a difference as best I can. What does making a difference mean? Well, it can be as simple as saying hello, answering a question that seems obvious or heck, just talking. -- Vladarion

Want to know Vladarion? Read the Article about his life here.


Jul 10 2004 10:50am

(Jedi)Obi-JK
 - Student
 (Jedi)Obi-JK

To me in the movies Gandalf was more Gandalf the wise, or Gandalf the Leader, more than Gandalf the Wizzard.

Also when watching RoTK did anyone think it was going to end after like 5 scenes near the end?

Seriously they faded to black for like what seemed like 5 mins between of the final seens, ( obviously it wasnt really that long )

Most noticabl to me was at the end Where everyone bows to the Hobbits, pan out, fade to black, stay black, stay black, waaaaiiiit still black, etc, etc
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Silent Bob (Kevin Smith): You know, there's a million fine looking women in the world, dude. But they don't all bring you lasagna at work. Most of 'em just cheat on you.

-Steve (Obi)


Jul 10 2004 01:08am

Squibit
 - Student
 Squibit

Gandalf did seem generaly a lot more powerful in the books,

but its impossible to describe feelings of great presence in movie, you can only write about how people are feeling.

as for magic, i guess a little more would have been ok. and that flashy light thing forceing away the nazgul was rather pathetic imo,
_______________
Quote:
fiZZe: its SIR Fizzy Fluffy :p

Quote:
FiZZ[JAK]: that was what I call a counter

Ah, things you only ever expect to hear once :)


Jul 10 2004 12:50am

Scythus Aratan
 - Student
 Scythus Aratan

Am I the only one who thought Gandalf was not that well representedduring the movies?
At only a few pounts does he even begin to demonstrate his magical abilities, and in the battles he doesnt seem to do much sorcery atall.

Anyone else agree?
_______________
Padawan to the great Jacen Aratan!
<Setementor> Scythus is a genius!
Claimer of the 5000th post in the Count thread [Solitude] scy rocks [Casual] good point scythus, you're really smart


Jul 09 2004 11:53pm

Casual
 - Student
 Casual

Quote:
now here is a nice discussion for you :P

... Why did Galadriel say:

"I passed the test... I shall diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel"

(thougher than you think)


Good question Bail! Here's my opinion. Galadriel was one of the greatest of the Noldor. I believe that she was second in spirit only to Fëanor, but she was wiser than him. She was proud, strong and very willed, and she was like Finrod her brother in dreaming of far lands and dominions of her own. But she was different to Fëanor in her generousity and noblity, and she had a great insight into the minds of others. She perceived great darkness in Fëanor from the very beginning of his doom, and thus there was never great friendship between them. She loved Middle-Earth so much, that even though being under the Doom of Mandos, she did not choose to return to Valinor even after the assault of Noldor upon the Teleri. She would not accept the pardon of the Valar even after Morgoth was discarded from Middle-Earth, and she would reamin in Middle-Earth until the end of the Third Age. The test she speaks about is the final trial that would place her against the Doom of Mandos and her dreams of dominion. For she was a proud woman, and really did have ambitions for being the High Queen of the Noldor. The One Ring would be the answer to all she desired in her youth, since it would bring her dominion over the lands of Middle-Earth. Like she says, she would become a queen so mighty and brillian that all would fall in love with her and despair. She was wise in the last days, and knew to forfeit the temptation so she rejected the ring and left Middle-Earth. And thus the circle closed. This is just my interpretation, and required quite a lot of reading for background knowledge :D

As you were,

-Cas
_______________
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.


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