Search found 78 matches

by Queen_Beruthiel
Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:25 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 2, Chapter 3: The Ring Goes South
Replies: 19
Views: 32377

There is one thing Tolkien does supremely well, although it is sometimes difficult to catch him "in the act" as it were, and that is to create a vast melancholy sense of loss, as time flows relentlessly and takes away much of the wonder of Middle-Earth. This chapter contains one example of...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:51 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 2, Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond
Replies: 38
Views: 55156

Having established the purpose of the council – “what shall we do with the Ring?" - Elrond begins the next section by narrating the tale of the Ring from its forging to its loss at the time of Isildur’s death. He covers these topics which are pretty much chronological: The friendship between th...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Sun Nov 01, 2009 10:30 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 2, Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond
Replies: 38
Views: 55156

Frelga, my Eureka! moment from my thread: The dream is a test applied to both brothers . Not a test relating to the Ring Quest but a test relating to the King Quest. The first words of the dream are: Seek for the Sword that was broken In Imladris it dwells The words are a command to the sons of the ...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:49 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 2, Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond
Replies: 38
Views: 55156

I never associated the two poems before, but now it has been pointed out :D their similarities are obvious. And how appropriate that the dream-poem refers to the awakening of Isildur's Bane and the Halfling, and the halfling who brought Isildur's Bane back to the world should make that response. Ano...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:22 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 2, Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond
Replies: 38
Views: 55156

A few points: • A “council” scene is a trope of heroic fantasy/high epic literature. There is one in The Iliad ; one in Paradise Lost . The Council of Elrond though, is surely unique in not having the objective of aiming to win or maintain power, but to lose it – give it away, relinquish it. • The M...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:06 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 2, Chapter 1: Many Meetings
Replies: 40
Views: 59329

The pattern of danger and toil followed by respite continues. There is a huge difference though, between former houses where the hobbits have been welcomed and given succour - and Rivendell. Even Tom's house was rustic compared with Imladris. Tolkien here has the difficult job of presenting us, not ...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Sun Jun 07, 2009 8:42 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 1, Chapter XII - Flight To The Ford!!
Replies: 63
Views: 83146

That part I always just took as luck (or fate). I always figured the flood was triggered the instant the Nazgûl entered the water, and just took some time to arrive at their position (by which point Frodo had reached the other side). I guess that would mean an especially canny spy could have beat t...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Thu May 21, 2009 10:02 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 1, Chapter XII - Flight To The Ford!!
Replies: 63
Views: 83146

More "road movie" material in this chapter; all of it, I note, cut in the dramatizations. I don't blame them, however, for the purposes of the book only - ME is not a theme park. Readers need to "feel", not only the beauty of this amazing secondary world, but also its bleakness, ...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:13 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 1, Chapter 11: A Knife in the Dark
Replies: 67
Views: 98722

A lot of the material in this chapter might unkindly be described as narrative fluff. Little is vital to the story or the plot. The hobbits leave Bree, meander through the Midgewater Marshes, sing and listen to a couple of songs/poems and then have a scary run in with the Enemy. Yet, as the author s...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:06 am
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 1, Chapter 11: A Knife in the Dark
Replies: 67
Views: 98722

I always thought it was Billy Ferny too! Never mind. ;) Yes, the last hobbity residences are left behind now, and the Fab Four progress into a world new to them, save in stories (Bilbo's, mostly). I think it is in this chapter that we feel the full width and breadth of Middle-earth; it's depth we ha...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:22 pm
Forum: The Shibboleth of Fëanor
Topic: Religious Symbolism in LotR
Replies: 61
Views: 34855

Incidentally, having your finger bitten off is not the same as stigmata, if I understand the word. No. Frodo like several other Tolkien characters is hand-maimed: Beren, Sauron. Which is nothing like stigmata. If Tolkien's Catholic sensibility infuses LOTR (and I think it does) then so does his pas...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:24 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 1, Chapter 10: Strider
Replies: 67
Views: 152413

Well both Strider and Hawkeye are great huntsmen and warriors. Both are associated with a particular weapon. Both have zillions of other/nick names: one of Hawkeye's is La Longue Carabine , also Deerslayer, Pathfinder and the trapper . Strider is known as Longshanks and.... well, you know the rest.....
by Queen_Beruthiel
Mon Mar 09, 2009 11:19 pm
Forum: The LOTR Discussion
Topic: Book 1, Chapter 10: Strider
Replies: 67
Views: 152413

Mind if I join in? :) I'll avoid spoilers. ;) The character of Strider reminds me of Hawkeye, from The Last of the Mohicans . Tolkien is on record somewhere as having enjoyed reading westerns when young, and he could hardly have avoided the books of Fenimore Cooper. Some of us hoped that Daniel Day-...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:32 pm
Forum: The Cottage of Lost Play
Topic: "His Dark Materials" Movie News
Replies: 33
Views: 15441

Sorry Maiden, but Stoppard's script has been dumped. Weitz is both writer and director.

It don't look too good to me.

(Sorry if I did not make it clear.)
by Queen_Beruthiel
Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:40 am
Forum: The Cottage of Lost Play
Topic: "His Dark Materials" Movie News
Replies: 33
Views: 15441

There was an interview with Philp Pullman in The Sunday Times , which I can’t link to. Moderately interesting. Pullman damns Tom Stoppard’s initial script with faint praise: ”I thoroughly enjoyed reading [it]. However, it wasn’t what the studio wanted, so the process began again.” Probably too intel...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:58 am
Forum: The Cottage of Lost Play
Topic: The Dylan Appreciation Thread
Replies: 111
Views: 76164

In yesterday's Observer there was a piece about "hot young actors" (which doesn't sound very Observerish!). However there was some info about one Ben Whishaw, who apparently will play BD. Haynes's project, meanwhile, sees Whishaw, a "massive Dylan fan", playing the musician as po...
by Queen_Beruthiel
Wed Dec 13, 2006 11:33 pm
Forum: The Cottage of Lost Play
Topic: The Dylan Appreciation Thread
Replies: 111
Views: 76164

I don't know if anyone is interested (I am!) but they are making a film about Dylan - weirdie art-house stuff by the look of it:

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/news/comme ... yid=385994

Could be interesting.

Oh, and Masters of War is my personal favourite.
by Queen_Beruthiel
Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:16 am
Forum: The Cottage of Lost Play
Topic: "His Dark Materials" Movie News
Replies: 33
Views: 15441

by Queen_Beruthiel
Tue Sep 05, 2006 6:26 pm
Forum: The Shibboleth of Fëanor
Topic: The Paths of the Dead
Replies: 36
Views: 17264

It is a problem in the book - Deus Ex Machina.

The scene in the film is bad in almost every way, in my opinion. Vigo tries hard to instal some seriousness and some tension in the sequence, but the cheese and the fooling around, defeat him.
by Queen_Beruthiel
Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:31 pm
Forum: The Shibboleth of Fëanor
Topic: Why did Frodo refuse to fight?
Replies: 91
Views: 40286

Brilliant insights there Athrabeth.