Jason BeetsIn 2020 and 2021, I published a series on my blog about "The Fellowship of the Ring."
The series primarily focused on the book, but I discussed the movie as well.
1/x
My first article discussed hobbits' affinity for trinkets, Bilbo's family tree, the poem about the rings of power, a bath song, Tom Bombadil, and Frodo's narrow escape from Sauron's Ring Wraiths.
I also discussed Tolkien's frequent use of "queer" and "master," both of which sound peculiar to modern ears.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/08/world-building-in-fellowship.html
2/x
I also created "The Tolkien Dictionary," a series where I defined unfamiliar words found in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Let's walk abreast over the hillock, and delve down through the dell, to find a bower where we can rest, along our way to Rivendell.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-tolkien-dictionary.html
3/x
Some of us are venerable, others are renowned, but all display a doughty character and journey honor-bound.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-tolkien-dictionary-part-2.html
4/x
In Rivendell, Bilbo preformed a song in King Elrond's home.
Bilbo discussed the song, which he wrote, with his audience, including Frodo and several elves.
Those talks referenced Elvish culture and history, and explored the importance of racial identity in Middle Earth.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-trip-to-rivendell.html
5/x
Oaths and promises held great importance in Middle Earth, both in the early days of The Silmarillion and in the later days of The Lord of the Rings.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/09/of-oaths-and-promises.html
6/x
The journey through the Ruins of Moria involved a difficult riddle, a lesson in Dwarvish history, and an epic battle that lead to Gandalf's demise.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-ruins-of-khazad-dum.html
7/x
We should follow the freshet, down to the fen, where we can fill our ewer and phial, and find our twilit zen.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-tolkien-dictionary-part-3.html
8/x
King Elrond and Lady Galadriel used magic rings to preserve their Elvish Kingdoms.
These rings placed the elves in a difficult position after Sauron's Ruling Ring was rediscovered.
I discussed the origin of the elven rings and those who wielded them on my blog, Meticulous Musings.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-elven-rings.html
9/x
Elrond and Galadriel discussed what Frodo's quest to destroy the Ring of Power meant for their elven kingdoms.
Those consequences were also examined in the Silmarillion.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-fate-of-elves.html
10/x
Following their flight through Moria, Gimli showed Frodo the reflecting pool of Mirrormere, which held special significance in Dwarvish history and prophesy.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/10/mirrormere.html
11/x
#Tolkien #Dwarves #LordoftheRings #Silmarillion #Fantasy #HighFantasy
The Fellowship journeyed to the beautiful forest kingdom of Lothlorien, where elves had a special connection to their home, which appeared to preserve a time that had long since passed away.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/11/lothlorien.html
12/x
Lady Galadriel, a wise, powerful, and benevolent ruler, was tempted to take the Ruling Ring, which Frodo offered to give to her.
"In place of the Dark Lord, you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! [...] Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!"
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/11/lady-galadriel.html
13/x
Across meads and over downs, past wold and eyot, we journeyed listlessly only to find the sloe was spoilt.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-tolkien-dictionary-part-4.html
14/x
Boromir, a member of the Fellowship, wanted to use the Ring of Power as a weapon in the war against Sauron.
"The Men of Gondor are valiant, and they will never submit; but they may be beaten down," Boromir said during the Council of Elrond.
"Valour needs first strength, and then a weapon. Let the Ring be your weapon, if it has such power as you say. Take it and go forth to victory!"
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/12/boromir-and-ruling-ring.html
15/x
During a pivotal scene, Boromir tried to convince Frodo to give him the Ring of Power.
"And behold! in our need chance brings to light the Ring of Power," Boromir said.
"It is a gift, I say; a gift to the foes of Mordor. It is mad not to use it, to use the power of the Enemy against him. The fearless, the ruthless, these alone will achieve victory."
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/12/boromirs-final-gambit.html
16/x
I discussed the separation of the Fellowship and Boromir's death in my analysis of the end of "The Fellowship of the Ring" and the Beginning of "The Two Towers."
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-end-of-fellowship.html
17/x
No one better demonstrated the self-absorbed nature of the Shire than Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.
Lobelia, one of Bilbo’s relatives who desired to inherit Bilbo’s home at Bag End, is portrayed as a jealous and entitled woman who was disliked by her extended family and others in the Shire.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/04/lobelia-sackville-baggins.html
18/x
Tom Bombadil's wife Goldberry is a joyful woman who regularly broke into song and lived happily with her husband, surrounded by the beauty of the natural world.
Frodo and his companions visited them on their way to Rivendell.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/04/goldberry.html
19/x
Tom and Goldberry acted in harmony while setting the table for supper.
"Yet in some fashion they seemed to weave a single dance, neither hindering the other, in and out of the room, and round about the table; and with great speed food and vessels and lights were set in order. The boards blazed with candles, white and yellow."
20/x
The beautiful elf Arwen, King Elrond’s daughter, makes a slight appearance in The Fellowship of the Ring.
"Young she was and yet not so. The braids of her dark hair were touched by no frost, her white arms and clear face were flawless and smooth, and the light of stars was in her bright eyes, grey as a cloudless night; yet queenly she looked, and thought and knowledge were in her glance, as of one who has known many things that the years bring."
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/04/arwen.html
21/x
I discussed Lobelia, Goldberry, Arwen, and Galadriel as I examined the portrayal of women in "The Fellowship of the Ring."
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/04/female-characters-in-fellowship.html
22/x
I examined parallels between the books of J.R.R. Tolkien and the improvised fantasy podcast, “Hello from the Magic Tavern.”
I discussed wizard names, improvisation, and a shout out I received on the podcast, in a blog post for Meticulous Musings.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/04/similarities-between-magic-tavern-and.html
23/x
#Tolkien #Fantasy #MagicTavern
I discussed how the book and the movie portrayed Bilbo, Isildur, and Galadriel, who were each tempted by the Ring of Power.
I also examined other differences between the book and the movie.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-temptation-of-ring.html
24/x
I compared how the movie and the book portrayed the breaking of the Fellowship.
I prefer how some parts of the ending are described in the book and how other parts are performed in the movie.
http://jasonbeets.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-end-of-fellowship-revised.html
25/x
I disliked how the movie chose to portray Boromir.
The movie's climactic scene removes the part where Boromir actually tries to persuade Frodo the ring should be used as a weapon of war against Sauron.
Instead, the movie jumps ahead to Boromir’s attempt to take the ring through intimidation and force.
The movie portrays Boromir’s attempt to take the ring as a moment of madness, devoid of reason.
This makes Boromir a far less sympathetic, and much less interesting, character.
26/x
Boromir is never given the chance to reason his way into his poor decision, and his moment of madness is shown primarily as a character flaw, rather than as a bad consequence of his otherwise noble intentions.
27/x
I prefer the dialog between Frodo and Sam in the movie when Sam insists on joining Frodo on the journey to Mordor.
I also prefer the movie's decision to include Boromir's death, and Aragorn's decision to rescue Merry and Pippin, in "The Fellowship of the Ring," rather than "The Two Towers," where these events are described in the books.
28/x
Sam attempted to stop Frodo from leaving on his own. Sam, who couldn’t swim, waded into the water after Frodo left in a rowboat.
This led to one of my favorite lines from the movie.
"Frodo: I’m going to Mordor alone.
Sam: Of course you are, and I’m coming with you."
28A/x
The exchange in the book is slightly different.
“’But I am going to Mordor.’
‘I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I’m coming with you.’ "
28B/x
I prefer the dialog from the movie, which is more comedic.
Frodo can’t go to Mordor alone if Sam goes with him, despite Sam’s claim to the contrary.
28C/x
The movie attempts to portray Boromir’s death as a tragedy.
But the movie did little to establish Boromir as a sympathetic character during his life.
Moments before, Boromir had been struck by madness and attacked Frodo to steal the ring.
In the book, Boromir was able to explain why he wanted to use the ring during moments where his reasoning seemed plausible, but misguided.
27A/x
In the movie, during Boromir’s last words, he tells Aragorn, “I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my king.”
Boromir’s description of Aragorn as “my brother” is unnecessarily confusing. The movie does a poor job explaining the relationship between Boromir and Aragorn, who are not, in fact, brothers.
27B/x
Their relationship is mentioned in the movie, but not in a way that would be clear to first-time viewers who hadn’t read the books the movies are based on.
Boromir was the heir to the ruling stewards of Gondor, a human kingdom at war with Sauron. The stewards ruled Gondor for generations, after its king left on a perilous quest and never returned.
Aragorn was related to the royal family of Gondor, which had long been absent from the kingdom.
27C/x
Boromir likely described Aragorn as his brother to describe a close friendship with him. But that could have been conveyed in a way that was less confusing for the audience.
The line could have been, “my friend, my captain, my king,” which wouldn’t have required the audience to know that Boromir meant the term “brother” in a metaphorical way.
27D/x
In the book, Bilbo’s transformation into, “a little wrinkled creature with a hungry face and bony groping hands” appeared to happen primarily in Frodo’s mind.
Bilbo, who appeared not to be nearly as phased by the moment, waved his hand in front of Frodo’s face, before apologizing to Frodo for giving him the burden of carrying the ring.
Bilbo quickly transitioned to talking about developments in the Shire.
24A/x
The movie’s version of this interaction is more dramatic and portrays the ring’s power over those who seek it as intense and unmistakable.
24B/x
In the book, during the Council of Elrond, Elrond recounted advising Isildur to destroy the Ruling Ring by casting it into Mount Doom.
Isildur decided to keep it, instead.
But in the book, Elrond never said that he and Isildur had made it as far as Mount Doom before Isildur chose to keep the ring.
24C/x
The movie’s version once again shows the intense power of the ring over those who possess it.
Isildur had been so close to destroying Sauron forever. Instead, he chose to keep the ring himself, with disastrous results for both himself and Middle Earth.
24D/x
"Long they journeyed far and wide among Elves and Men, and held converse also with beasts and with birds; and the peoples of Middle-earth gave to them many names, for their true names they did not reveal."
23A/x
"Chief among them were those whom the Elves called Mithrandir and Curunir, but Men in the North named Gandalf and Saruman."
23B/x
"I am Usidore,
Wizard of the 12th Realm of Ephysiyies,
Master of Light and Shadow,
Manipulator of Magical Delights,
Devourer of Chaos,
Champion of the Great Halls of Terr'akkas.
The elves know me as Fi’ang Yalok.
The dwarves know me as Zoenen Hoogstandjes.
And I am also known in the Northeast as Gaismunēnas Meistar."
23C/x
Overall, female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring are portrayed positively.
But none of the members of the Fellowship itself are female.
All of the proactive and daring adventurers who go on an exciting and dangerous journey to destroy the Ring of Power are male.
22A/x
I believe the female characters, while fascinating and well-developed, are not as relatable to the general reader.
To be clear, I find this to be an interesting observation, rather than a criticism of the book.
22B/x
The lack of relatable female characters in The Fellowship of the Ring is likely one of the reasons why the story of Arwen was expanded in the movie.
22C/x
Frodo was stabbed and seriously wounded by one of the horsebound Ring Wraiths who pursued him.
In the film, Arwen saves Frodo’s life by transporting him on horseback to Rivendell, where he could receive the medical care he needed.
With the Ring Wraiths close behind, she risked her own safety to protect Frodo.
Arwen isn’t involved in these events in the book.
22D/x
Arwen’s love story with Aragorn, and her decision to give up immortality to be with him, are also part of the movie.
By contrast, Arwen makes only a slight appearance in the book.
Arwen gave up her immortality to be with Aragorn, a mortal man, in a love story described in Part 5 of Appendix A of The Return of the King.
22E/x
Arwen’s role in the film was likely expanded to give the film a more central love story.
Foregrounding Arwen and Aragorn’s commitment to each other also heightens the stakes for Aragorn, who could easily die during his dangerous journey.
22F/x
Neither Lobelia nor Goldberry (nor Tom for that matter) appear in the movie, which had to omit many of the side stories that appear in the book.
22G/x
When the hobbits arrived at Tom and Goldberry’s home, Goldberry welcomed them with a song.
"Now let the song begin! Let us sing together
Of sun, stars, moon and mist, rain and cloudy weather,
Light on the budding leaf, dew on the feather,
Wind on the open hill, bells on the heather,
Reeds by the shady pool, lilies on the water:
Old Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter!"
20A/x
Bilbo returned from his heroic journey in The Hobbit to learn that he was presumed dead and that his possessions were being sold at auction.
"Bilbo's cousins the Sackville-Bagginses were, in fact, busy measuring his rooms to see if their own furniture would fit.
"In short Bilbo was "Presumed Dead," and not everybody that said so was sorry to find the presumption wrong.”
18A/x
"'Oh, Mr. Frodo, that's hard!' said Sam shivering. 'That's hard, trying to go without me and all. If I hadn't a guessed right, where would you be now?'
'Safely on my way.'
'Safely!' said Sam. 'All alone and without me to help you? I couldn't have a borne it, it'd have been the death of me.'
'It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam,' said Frodo."
17A/x
'I will follow the Orcs,' Aragorn said at last.
'I would have guided Frodo to Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death.
‘My heart speaks clearly at last: the fate of the Bearer is in my hands no longer. The Company has played its part. Yet we that remain cannot forsake our companions while we have strength left."
17B/x
"The only plan that is proposed to us is that a halfling should walk blindly into Mordor and offer the Enemy every chance of recapturing it for himself. Folly!" Boromir said.
"Surely you see it, my friend?' he said, turning now suddenly to Frodo again. 'You say that you are afraid. If it is so, the boldest should pardon you. But is it not really your good sense that revolts?"
16A/x
'We cannot use the Ruling Ring. That we now know too well," Elrond said.
"It belongs to Sauron and was made by him alone, and is altogether evil.
"Its strength, Boromir, is too great for anyone to wield at will, save only those who have already a great power of their own.
"But for them it holds an even deadlier peril. The very desire of it corrupts the heart."
15A/x
"'You are wise and fearless and fair, Lady Galadriel,' said Frodo. 'I will give you the One Ring, if you ask for it. It is too great a matter for me.'
Galadriel laughed with a sudden clear laugh.
'Wise the Lady Galadriel may be,' she said, 'yet here she has met her match in courtesy. Gently are you revenged for my testing of your heart at our first meeting.
'You begin to see with a keen eye. I do not deny that my heart has greatly desired to ask what you offer.'"
13A/x
"It seemed to him that he had stepped over a bridge of time into a corner of the Elder Days, and was now walking in a world that was no more.
"In Rivendell there was memory of ancient things; in Lorien the ancient things still lived on in the waking world.
"Evil had been seen and heard there, sorrow had been known; the Elves feared and distrusted the world outside; wolves were howling on the wood's borders; but on the land of Lorien no shadow lay."
12A/x
"They stooped over the dark water. At first they could see nothing.
"Then slowly they saw the forms of the encircling mountains mirrored in a profound blue, and the peaks were like plumes of white flame above them; beyond there was a space of sky.
"There like jewels sunk in the deep shone glinting stars, though sunlight was in the sky above. Of their own stooping forms, no shadow could be seen."
11A/x