Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The Lord of the Rings Symphony 2009
Composer Howard Shore's masterwork, The Lord of the Rings Symphony: Six Movements for Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists, gets it Finnish premiere with two concerts in May 2009.
The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra takes You to a musical journey into the realm of
Middle-Earth, featuring original illustrations and storyboards by Alan Lee and John Howe with over 200 musicians and singers on stage.
Fri 1 May 2009 7 pm Tampere Hall
Sat 2 May 2009 7 pm Tampere Hall
Howard Shore: The Lord of the Rings Symphony
- Six Movements for Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Markus Huber, conductor
Ann De Renais, soprano
Tampere Philharmonic Choir
Boys' Choir Pirkanpojat
Produced by the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Tickets 45/40/35/25 EUR for sale from the 23rd of June 2008
at Lippupiste Call Center, tel. 0600 900 900 (from abroad +358 600 900 900), Lippupiste Ticket Outlets and Tampere Hall Ticket Office (Please check the special summer opening hours here).
Critical acclaim for The Lord of the Rings Symphony
"...flawless...breathtaking...a real sonic spectacle..." - Michael Tumelty, The Herald, Glasgow UK
"Shore manages the admirable feat of summoning up a Wagnerian atmosphere without copying the original." - Alex Ross, The New Yorker
"The simplicity of the music ... is ... striking. Shore's music ... [evokes] awe, fear and hope as well as titanic conflict." - Mark Kanny, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
"Shore's musical opus is every bit as impressive as Tolkien's literary one, standing on its own as a sweeping, operatic experience, even when liberated from the majesty of Jackson's trilogy." - Jeff Shannon, The Seattle Times
"The ‘Lord of the Rings Symphony’ is still a big success because of the power and appeal of Shore’s themes." - Barbara Zuck, Columbus Dispatch
"Brilliantly hued ... and so completely exploitive of the symphony orchestra’s potential." - John Button, The Dominion Post
"The rich combination of orchestra and choir were working magnificently…" - Gerry Maddox, Sydney Morning Herald
"The Lord of the Rings Symphony -- and the entire film score -- lies in the grand tradition of American movie music…" - Charles Ward, Houston Chronicle
"A two-hour distillation of the much longer ‘Lord of the Rings’ soundtrack, Shore's six-movement symphony is a complex, ingeniously evocative work rivaling Wagner operas in the manipulation of readily identifiable motifs pegged to certain characters, emotions and events. No one who has seen even one of the films could fail to recognize its major themes." - Plain Dealer [Cleveland]
Links
Composer Howard Shore and The Lord of the Rings Symphony
Howard Shore Official Homepage
Columbia Artists Management The Lord of the Rings Symphony page
The Lord of the Rings Symphony
Website for Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings fans
TheOneRing.net
The Tolkien Society
The Tolkien Society homepage
Source: http://www.tampere.fi/english/philharmonic/concerts/lotrsengl09.html
Friday, June 13, 2008
Amazing Lord of the Rings book facts
- The Lord of the Rings was released on 29 July 1954
- JRR Tolkien sold the film rights to the books in 1969 for only Ј10,000
- The whole book is normally more than 1,000 pages
- 100 million copies of the books have been sold around the world
- It has been translated into 40 languages
- Tolkien made up 37 new languages for the 34 books he wrote
- The three books took 11 years to write
- The average height of a hobbit is 1.05m
- A hobbit's favourite snack is fresh mushrooms
- Tom Bombadil is the biggest character in the book who is not in the films
Amazing Lord of the Rings film facts
- Filming took place in New Zealand.
- Director Peter Jackson took 18 months to film all three adaptations of The Lord of the Rings. You can expect the second one to hit UK screens next December.
- 1,600 pairs of rubber ears and feet were used.
- 5,000 cubic metres of vegetables and flowers were grown a year before the filming started to make Hobbiton - the village where some of the Hobbits live.
- 250 horses were used. 70 of these were specially trained, including five miniature horses used for the hobbits.
- A lot of the sets were carved out of polystyrene, to make them look like wood which had aged over thousands of years.
- 64 miniature sets were used to create places such as the Land of the Dwarves and Khazad-Dum.
- The character Gollum was completely computer- generated.
- Over Ј50,000 of coffee was drunk by the crew and cast during the 18 months of filming!
- Nearly all nine actors of 'The Fellowship' had a tattoo done of the word 'Nine' in Elvish to mark the close bonds they built up during 18 months filming together - though none of them will allow photos taken of the tattoos! Dominic Monaghan (who plays Merry) confirmed this by secretly showing his tattoo to our team. He added that John Rhys-Davies chose not to. His stunt double Bret had one instead.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Music of Middle Earth - an Analysis on the Use of Music in the Film: "the Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring"
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was the first movie in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, based on the popular fantasy books written by J.R. R. Tolkein. The movie was a blockbuster hit at both the box office and at the Oscars. The story, in and of itself, is creative, captivating and magical. But even a wonderful story can flop when put onto the big screen. Cinematography, special effects, visual effects and the quality of acting all play an important part in making a story “live” for an audience. Music also plays a vital part in making a movie successful. Music can make us feel that we are in another place and time. It captures our emotions by creating an ambiance of happiness, sadness, tension, fear or excitement. Music helps suspend our disbelief about the fantasy of the story. It helps us identify with distinct characters, places and cultures. The music of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, does all of these things. Through music, composer Howard Shore successfully takes us to Middle Earth.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring takes us to another time and place. Howard Shore’s music tells us that we have left our world before we’ve seen even the first frame of the film. As the screen fades from black into the New Line Cinema icon, we hear music. The music has an Eastern sound, using woodwind instruments from Africa and East India. The sound is quaint and mysterious. It gives us the feeling of being in a far away land and contributes to the suspension of disbelief that helps the audience subconsciously consent to be taken to a place with which they are not familiar.
The mystical music that we hear during the first few moments of the film is soon joined by a voice – the voice of the Elf queen Galadriel, of Lothlorien. This music that we hear is the theme of Lothlorien. Every time that we see or hear of Lothlorien or Galadriel, we hear a version of this theme.
Peter Jackson, director of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, understood the importance of a musical score in a movie. He said, "The music score to any film, obviously, is very important because it guides your emotions when you're watching the film. The actors can do their job, the director can do (his) job in terms of creating a certain mood and emotion, but using music is so strong and evoking of what you should be feeling at any given time."
Jackson continued, "I wanted the music (of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) to reflect Tolkien. I wanted the music to also bring the world of Middle Earth to life."
Howard Shore the composer said, "Tolkien spent fourteen years writing The Lord of the Rings. And now you're writing a musical image, creating a musical mirror, if you will, to his writing. And I mention this so often - even in other discussions - and I feel like Frodo. I did feel like that. Like I have this amazing journey to take, and I had the ring in my vest pocket and 'You were chosen, now you're going to write the music to Lord of the Rings. And, you have to do it."
Peter Jackson added this regarding the huge task that Howard Shore had in composing the music for the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, "It's doing two jobs at once. It's underscoring the film. It's providing an emotional link - a bridge between the movie and the audience - and it's drawing the audience in. But it's doing it in such a way that it's also telling you a lot about the cultures of this world."
Therefore, every major place, race and character in this movie has a musical theme attached to it. This film has a large number of characters, cultures and races. The distinct races, geography, trees, nature, and the earth itself were a big part of Tolkein’s story. It would have been very easy for the audience to become confused trying to distinguish between the many peoples and places of Middle Earth. Giving each of these elements a musical theme makes them live as individual characters, all contributing to the essence of Middle Earth.
The Shire, for example, is the place where the Hobbits live. The Hobbits are a peaceful people and they live a quiet life. Any sort of adventure is a scandal. They are an agrarian society and live as part of the land. Even their homes are burrows in the ground. Howard Shore uses music to “describe” Hobbits and the Shire to the audience. Their theme is very light and cheerful. A slide flute accompanied by a full orchestra give a Celtic or Irish feel. This accomplishes the feeling of another time, but brings the audience a little closer to home and gives a feeling of comfort. A solo violin carries the melody for a while until the full string section finishes the theme, but whenever the Shire is mentioned or referred to in the movie the score refers us back to the slide flute.
The Fellowship, made up of people and creatures from different races, has its own distinct theme. “As the two Hobbits leave Hobbiton and set out on their own, you hear the first statement of the Fellowship theme in the corn field, because it's essentially the first time that the Fellowship is formed," said Mr. Shore.
When the four Hobbits are on their way to the village of Bree, they are running from the “Nasgul”, or Ring Wraiths. There is very little dialogue during this scene. Our emotions are heightened and we feel the tension of the moment through the musical score. This is accomplished largely through dissonance. Our ears like to hear nice chords. Notes that are close to each other in value sound terrible to us. In the theme of the Ring Wraiths, the chords that clash are used to make us to feel uncomfortable. The movie makers want us to squirm in our seats. They want us to feel fear. The French horns are playing staccato quarter and eighth notes in a building rhythm while the strings are on descending eighth notes that continually clash. Add a men’s choir chanting an Elvish poem and it makes for a very confusing and intense moment.
Then while in the village of Bree, the Hobbits think that they are finally safe. We see images of them sleeping in their beds smiling. The scene then cuts to the Ring Wraiths coming into the village. The dissonant music becomes louder. Cut to the inn keeper’s face in horror as the Wraiths enter his inn. Cut to the peaceful Hobbits in their beds. All the while, dissonant and ancient sounding music is playing loudly. Then silence. As the Wraiths approach the Hobbits in their beds there is silence. This adds to the tension. We hold our breaths. This is a stroke of genius. Knowing when to not have music, or score, is just as important as knowing when to include it.
As soon as the Wraiths discover that they were tricked, however, the angry dissonant Wraith theme returns with a fury to remind us how serious the situation is. Even though the Hobbits are safe for the moment, they will never really be secure or free until they have accomplished their goal. The music reinforces this to the audience, as a version of the Wraith theme plays softer while Frodo watches the Wraiths from across the street from the Inn.
The Ring itself has an interesting theme. The Ring, though an inanimate object, is a character of its own. Its essence is evil and its intent is to deceive and enslave. The theme of the Ring portrays all of that through instrumentation and dissonance. It is appropriate that the main instrument used for the theme of the Ring is the oboe. The oboe is the instrument used to charm a snake out of a basket. It is also often associated with seduction, or allure. The ring certainly personifies that. Frodo, Bilbo, Gollum and many others were seduced, even addicted, to the Ring.
The wizard, Gandalf, goes to visit his superior and mentor, Sauraman, at the tower of Isengard. We believe at first that Sauraman is still a friend to Gandalf.
Once the story reveals that Sauraman has turned to the side of darkness, the musical theme, as well, “tells” us that the tower of Isengard is a place of evil. Howard Shore uses several methods to give that feeling. Dissonance is used to portray a feeling of uneasiness or apprehension.
Also, during the musical theme for the Tower of Isengard, Howard Shore uses an odd way of timing so that we feel off balance. Anytime that we see the tower of Isengard and the forging of weapons, Mr. Shore adds a beat to throw us off and make us feel uncomfortable. We are used to hearing music in common time (or four-four time), with four beats to each measure, and that feels right to us. The industrial sounding theme uses a five-four time which makes us uncomfortable by adding an extra beat to each measure. Also, French horns are used for the main melody, but Howard Shore also relies on the bass drum, tympani and a chime or bell to give the effect of a hammer pounding away down in the depths of the caverns underneath the tower.
Rivendell, a city of the Elves, has a theme of its own. This is a western haven for the Elves. We feel the peace and the beauty of the city, as well as its antiquity, through the music. This is quite different from the theme of Lothlorien. We are made to feel comfortable here at this place.
When the Fellowship leaves Rivendell and sets out on its journey, the theme of the Fellowship is fully revealed. The theme is naturally lyrical, aimed at the brass, but is restrained by a fully mixed and realized string section. The music is heroic and we feel the importance of their quest. We are excited and proud of them for making the decision to destroy the Ring and save Middle Earth.
Later, the Fellowship takes refuge in the Mines of Moria, only to discover that they are trapped inside a Dwarf “tomb”. The theme music of the Mines of Moria features a men’s chorus made up of Polynesian men. Peter Jackson had this to say about the music for the mines of Moria. "We sat around our kitchen table at home talking about the choral arrangement ideas for Moria and I thought it would be really great to weight it fairly heavily toward Polynesian singers. Maury or Pacific Islanders who have again, another worldly quality to their voice."
"Mines being a Dwarven kingdom would really suit having those male voices. A bit like a Welch mining choir. So, Howard found himself in the town hall with an all-Polynesian male choir."
At the bridge of Khaza-Dhum, the Fellowship is chased by the Moria Orcs. The Polynesian men’s choir and the tympani drums heighten the tension and excitement of the scene. The members of the Fellowship cross the bridge, but Gandalf stays behind to fight the Balrog. The music crescendos to an all-time forte until Gandalf falls from the bridge. Then very suddenly, the music goes into a very soft and melodic hum with just a single boy singing, lamenting for Gandalf. Under this beautiful theme, the camera shows a montage of the members of the Fellowship reacting to the loss of Gandalf. We see the characters faces and expressions of grief, but it is the music that makes us feel with them. The music “guides” our emotions and we feel as they do.
Later, when the Fellowship enters the forest of Lothlorien, we again hear the theme that was introduced at the beginning of the movie. There is also a twist of tension and mystery to this theme. As the Fellowship creeps through the forest, we sense through the music that they are wary of being in this land of the Elves. We sense that they fear that they will not be welcome.
In Lothlorien, when Boromir speaks of his home in Gondor, we hear a very brief part of the theme of Gondor, offered by a solo French horn, foreshadowing a people that we have not yet seen. The full theme of Gondor, however, is not revealed until the third part of the trilogy.
Critics of the music in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring say that there is just too much music. This simply is not true. This film was successful largely because of the comprehensive score. The extensive music in this film augments what is happening on the screen and enhances the experience for the audience. At every important moment in this film, the music is there to “guide” the audience emotionally. The music also helpes suspend our disbelief in a world that might otherwise seem ridiculous and surreal.
This film has an extensive number of characters, places, cultures and races. It would have been very easy for the audience to become confused. Howard Shore uses music to help the audience distinguish between the different groups and places by giving them their own distinctive themes.
Through the musical score, we know what to feel. We feel fear when the Hobbits are on their way to Bree. We feel sadness when Gandalf falls. We feel tension when Arwen is trying to get Frodo to Rivendell. We celebrate when the Fellowship sets out on their incredible journey. We understand the emotions of the characters and we feel with them. We become part of Middle Earth. And the musical score of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring helps take us there.
About the Author:
Stuart Heimdal is an inspiring movie director and producer. Over the last few years he has also been a movie editor.
Stuart composes and orchestrates most of his own music. To view Stuart's works, please log onto: http://www.stuartheimdal.com
Stuart Heimdal is an inspiring movie director and producer. Over the last few years he has also been a movie editor.
Stuart composes and orchestrates most of his own music. To view Stuart's works, please log onto: http://www.stuartheimdal.com
Personally I very much love music which Howard Shore have written . Long time I waited the fullest selection of soundtracks.
Hobbits Becoming More Human
A new study suggests that the hobbits, a diminutive people whose remains were found on the Indonesian island of Flores in 2003 and 2004, were real humans after all. They were originally classified as Homo floresiensis, a species distinct from Homo sapiens but the dispute about their status has never abated.
Named after J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth heroes, they became known all over the world after scientific journals published a drawing by Peter Schouten that describes a tiny ape-like man carrying a furry animal on his shoulder.
Many researchers think that the hobbits’ small stature (one meter or just over three feet) and small head were the result of microcephaly, a neurological disorder that still causes some individuals to have an abnormally small head. They maintain that it is not justified to classify them as a distinct species. For instance, in 2006 Pennsylvania State University published a study stating that the small head of Homo floresiensis was due to microcephaly.
As reported by ScienceNow, a new study conducted by Peter Obendorf and Benjamin Kefford of the RMIT University of Melbourne and Charles Oxnard of the University of Western Australia at Crawley concluded that the small stature of the Homo floresiensis was not the result of genetic defects. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests that the hobbits’ size was caused by a condition known as cretinism. This is due to a lack of iodine. Comparing the pituitary flossa in a hobbit skull with individuals suffering from cretinism, they found a significant match and thus suggested a new theory.
The remains of twelve hobbits were originally found in a cave in Liang Bua. Obendorf stated that it is an area where people still suffer from goiters that results from iodine deficiency. The new study even mentions that local myths include stories of tiny people who lived in caves.
While it may be too early to discard the microcephaly hypothesis altogether, the case for hobbits being real humans is much stronger than before. We should probably do well to forget the image of an ape-like man carrying a furry animal on his shoulder and start describing hobbits as real people. It seems that the distinction between hobbits and humans is found only in Tolkien’s Midde-Earth but not on this earth.
About the Author: Joel Kontinen
I am a translator and novelist currently living in Finland. I have an MA in translation studies and a BA in Bible and theology. I like to keep up-to-date with science and origins issues and write about them in my blogs.
blog
Harad - Southern Realm of Middle Earth
Harad is a land in the fictional world of Middle Earth that formed the stage for the book (and recent films) Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien.
Harad, Elvish for "South", is a general term for the lands in the far south of Middle Earth, if Middle Earth could be said to represent Europe then Harad would correspondingly represent Africa. Harad was not mapped by Tolkien and is therefore of unknown size and the lands themselves feature little in the books. However it is thought that Harad covers a larger area than any of the other kingdoms in Middle Earth. The only location mentioned in the Lord of the Rings books is Umbar, a coastal city in northwestern Harad from which corsairs (pirates) attack the coasts of Gondor.
Although Tolkien himself never mapped Harad, a general understanding of the landscapes of Harad can be drawn in his works. The lands of the North, while generally drier then the greener northern realms, can be beautiful enough to challenge the most verdant realms of the world. In the southern areas, also known as Far Harad, the land is covered by either jungle and desert.
The Haradrim, also known as Southrons, are the people of Harad, they fought on the side of Sauron in the War of the Ring, however it is unclear whether they were truly evil or if they were deceived into fighting for the dark lord. In the third Lord of the Rings film (Return of the King) the Haradrim appear in the Battle of Pelennor Fields as heavily armoured warriors in vaguely Middle Eastern-looking costumes. In battle, the Haradrim are renowned for riding the colossal Mumakil or Oliphaunts, which are massive elephants or elephant-like monsters native to Harad.
From a physical point of view Harad's tribes can be divided into those from Near and Far Harad, although this is a generalization for there are many tribes of Haradrim, often mutually hostile. Those of Near Harad are typically brown-skinned, with black hair and dark eyes, whereas the people of Far Harad have black skin.
Chief among the enemies of the Haradrim is the northerly realm of Gondor and they have been much given to warring with their northern neighbour over many generations. Such battles are always ferociously fought on both sides and often end in stalemate - the skill and armour of Gondor matched by the sheer volume of warriors the Haradrim can bring to bear.
About the Author:
Paul Adkins
Total Wargamer
www.totalwargamer.co.uk
Specialists in Lord of the Rings models, including Harad.
Lord Of The Rings - The Mind of Gollum (Sue Bell)
The portrayal of Gollum/Sméagol in the second installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy provides an excellent demonstration of split/mind duality in action. The conversations, disagreements and arguments iterated by these two characters as good versus evil, victim versus manipulator, self verses self - give us insight to the very same battles that go on, often unnoticed, within our own psyche. Tolkien introduces the character of Gollum (originally Sméagol) in The Hobbit when Bilbo finds the ring and spares his life. Frodo and Sam first meet Gollum when he attempts to retrieve the Ring – the Precious – while Frodo sleeps. At that point he is subdued and captured, finally being dragged unceremoniously along at the end of a rope, protesting loudly.
Gollum’s obsession with the Ring has so corrupted him emotionally and physically, he is no longer recognizable as one of the River Folk. An analogy with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden can be seen. The Ring is an icon of absolute power for its own sake. It has a will of its own. This is the representation that we have a will separate from God’s. The ring is the symbol of our usurpation of God, using all His power for our own corrupt purpose, wrecking havoc upon all of mankind and ultimately leading to our own demise.
However, Gollum’s total resistance to Frodo begins to waver when Frodo extends compassion to him and defends him to Sam. Frodo, having heard of his Uncle Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum then calls him by his true name – Sméagol. This invokes a memory of an earlier innocence and happiness which creates a pause in the thought process of Gollum and allows for a different response.
Gollum is the character that Sméagol became in his obsessive idolatry of the Ring. He is isolated, grievous, defensive, manipulative and alone. Frodo makes a break in that wall of defense by simply referring to another self that still exists behind the wall. This is the self that existed before ‘the fall’.
The full impact of the split mind becomes evident in the second scene where the internal dialog which is played out between Sméagol and Gollum is shown as two opposing personalities in a debate with each other. Sméagol portrays the essential “goodness” – it is the original condition before the corruption of the ring which made “Gollum”. Gollum is the hard egoic shell created to protect and maintain the self under siege in a world which must be bent on the same destructive premise as he. But Frodo recognizes that Sméagol is not so different from a Hobbit; he sees the innocence behind the corruption as his own, and by the action of forgiveness, ensures his own salvation. The savior saves his brother – and by so doing saves himself.
Sméagol’s ideas are thus protested and countered inevitably by Gollum. "Where would you be without me?" Gollum demands. Sméagol’s response "I don’t need you anymore – master will protect me now" – is his declaration of trust in his savior. It’s here that Sméagol experiences singularity and to his delight Gollum (his split mind) disappears. He immediately experiences a lightheartedness as a result of laying down the burden of self reliance.
In this new, uncertain world, where my own best interest is unknown, Frodo appears to betray Sméagol (but has actually saved his life), Sméagol restores Gollum to the role of protector because “Master has tricksed us!”. His decision to switch allegiance from Frodo to Gollum (himself) is made on incomplete information in which he knows only that he’s been captured and beaten. He is unable to see the larger picture. The split mind (Gollum) as self protection in the dream, reappears.
The nature of passion in duality is that it swings wildly and unpredictably between love and hatred. As Gollum nurses his grievance, he plots the murder of both Sam and Frodo by leading them into a dangerous situation where they will fall victim to “She”, a carnivorous spider. His rage and disappointment at Frodo’s betrayal can only be assuaged by a total revenge. The payment demanded is the death of the savior.
The parallel with the human split mind undergoing a spiritual transformation is obvious. The process outlined in ‘The Development of Trust’ in the Course in Miracles describes how reluctantly but with increasing confidence, trust is moved away from the self-concept, to the Self that knows. It reflects surrender (not sacrifice) to an alternative not within the former mind construct of the Teacher of God. This trust results in a confidence and certainty not previously available.
The scenes with Sméagol/Gollum highlight the impossible dialogue that churns on incessantly within the mind that tries to solve its own problems. It is found to be a redundant and futile exercise which feeds on itself bringing increasing chaos and uncertainty. As Jesus succinctly puts it ‘My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.” Despite apparent setbacks the journey home has commenced.
Sue Bell is a co-creator of The Miracle Times – an online ezine created as an extension of her own personal transformation through A Course In Miracles. Sue came to the Miracles Healing Center in Wisconsin Dells as a gifted computer programmer - a master in her own field. Fueled by the passion of her own personal awakening and a deep love for Jesus she is now a minister of God.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Lord of The Rings - How it Relates to "Real Life" (By Lisa Page)
Being the huge Lord of the Rings fan that I am I have come up with this theory of what all the races, some characters & places may represent in "Real Life" or what J.R.R. Tolkien may have based his ideas on.
Men –
represent the men of the world. They are seen as the superior & more dominant. Some are power hungry and all are always trying to be the better man; yet they too have their weaknesses and are easily tempted, as seen in Isiadur, Boromir & the Nazgul. When they all gave in to the power of the Ring. Although some are strong and can hold true if they chose the right path, as seen in Aragorn. Some are afraid to admit who they are; as seen in Aragorn as Strider & Faramir.
Hobbits –
represent the women of the world. They seen as the weaker & more submissive; but they are a lot stronger then given credit for. More in tune with nature & the prettier things in life. Some however can become power hungry as seen in the Sackville Bagginses. Most are strong @ heart as seen in Frodo & always see the light @ the end of the tunnel as seen in Sam. They like adventures & always are on the go as seen in Bilbo. They like to have a good time in everything they do.
Elves –
represent the good in all of us, fighting to prevail in our battle within. Elves are said to have stars in their hair & eyes, I think that this is our inner light, our good side shining through all of us. Like when we get married, find out we are having a baby, or are just in a good mood & we are "glowing".
Orcs – represent the evil in us all, fighting to prevail in our battle within. Orcs are ugly & nasty. Kinda like we are if we are in a bad mood & don't want to be bothered we lash out at those around us, wanting to hurt anyone that we can because we are hurting.
Drawfs –
represent the greed & anger in us all, but also the willingness to forgive & forget, as seen with Gimili who in the beginning hates the elves but learns to forgive them because of his friendship with Legolas & his admiration of Galadriel.
The Ring/Dark Lord – represents the devil. Dark & evil, he resides in the fiery pits of Mordor (Hell). It was said by Boromir during the Council of Elrond, that there is a stench that could kill a man. The smell of burning flesh, that would be associated with Hell.
Galadriel –
represents God. She is the most Beautiful of all the elves, although some may disagree & say that Arwen is. Galadriel is clothed all in white and resides in Lothorien (Heaven), the oldest & most beautiful home of the elves. She is also the oldest of all the elves in Middle Earth, being the daughter of Finarfin & sister of Finrod Felagund. She remained in Middle Earth after the end of the First Age.
Middle Earth – represents our battle within. We are all fighting for what we believe, good or evil.
Gollum –
represents the two sides of our battle within, Smeagol, the good side & Gollum, the bad side. Some of us may be torn as to who is right & who is wrong or which side to chose. J.R.R. Tolkien shows this battle raging in all of us perfectly with Gollum/Smeagol and his fight to be freed of the power of the ring & his need to have the ring.
The Nazgul –
represent the devils minions. They are controlled by the power of the Ring & they can always sense it. They will do whatever the Sauron tells them to do because he controls the ring.
Where Do Elves Come From? (By Steve Dolan)
Elves
The recent movie trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s impressive work, the Lord of the Rings, has sent interest in elves through the roof. It seems at times that every facet of popular culture has an elf involved somewhere or another. Of course, elves are not a recent mythological invention. Indeed, elves have been a part of cultural mythologies for centuries.
Early depictions of elves
The first depictions of elves are from the mythologies of northern European Germanic cultures. Within this group, the earliest descriptions found by modern scholars are in Norse mythology. The elves in Norse mythology were beautiful human-sized beings with special powers who lived a semi-divine life. Although this point is contested, many scholars believe that the Norse associated elves closely with Vanir, the god of fertility.
Scandinavian folklore is a comparatively more recent invention, being a combination of Norse mythology and Christian mythology. Once again, however, elves are present. In Scandinavian folklore, elves are presented as beautiful women dancing the night away in meadows. For the most part, elves were benevolent; however, if an elf was ever insulted, trouble was sure to ensue. Offended elves were sure to cast spells against their target that would cause horrible diseases, ranging from a skin rash to death. Epidemics and other outbreaks in Scandinavian society were often blamed on vengeful elves.
The depiction of elves in German folklore continues this vengeful streak, although in a less harsh manner. The elves of German folklore are tiny pranksters who give diseases to people and cattle, and are the ultimate source of bad dreams. This can be seen in the German word for nightmare, ‘albtraum,’ which literally means ‘elf dream.’ It was thought that the elves would pass on the bad dream by sitting on your head. Fortunately, given their small size, the only consequence was the bad dream. Similar to the conception of elves in German folklore is the depiction presented in English folklore. In English folklore, elves are still seen as pranksters, but without their more malevolent characteristics, mainly seen prancing around in forests with fairies.
Modern depictions of elves
The resurgence of elves did not just start with the Lord of the Rings movies, but more properly with J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, both released in the 1950s. In Tolkien’s Middle Earth, the elves most closely resemble the elves as depicted in Norse mythology: full-sized with god-like powers. The elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s work are missing most of the mischievousness of elves in German and English folklore, and the vengefulness of elves from Scandinavian folklore. Instead, elves in Tolkien’s work are firmly on the side of good in the great battles with evil forces. The popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work meant that elves were incorporated into Dungeons & Dragons, the popular fantasy role playing game, in the 1970s. That provided the breeding ground for modern fantasy works. From there, elves have become a standard character in fantasy worlds.
Steve Dolan loves fantasy and fiction and is an avid reader of mythology. Find out more at Elf and Elves
Approaching J.R.R. Tolkien (A.M. Smith)
One of the most common questions I encounter from readers approaching J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings is “Where do I start?” The list of books “written by” J.R.R. Tolkien can be overwhelming and confusing.Most readers are familiar with The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, but locate the Tolkien section at your local bookstore and you’ll likely find a dozen or more title staring back at you. What’s more, many of those will proclaim themselves as “prequels” to The Lord of the Rings.
Ironically, Tolkien only published four books on Middle-earth (his fictional world) during his lifetime - The Hobbit and the three-volume Lord of the Rings series.
The two major posthumous publications are The Silmarillion and the recently published The Children of Hurin. So where should you start? With the “prequels”? The Lord of the Rings? The Hobbit?
Here are my simple ordering suggestions for reading Tolkien’s works:- The Hobbit
- The Lord of the Rings (three volumes)
- The Silmarillion
- The Children of Hurin
While the events chronicled in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings may occur thousands of years after many of the tales in The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin, these tales stand on their own, without the background necessary for the latter two pieces.
The time to tackle The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin is after reading The Lord of the Rings, and reaching an understanding of the basic heroic structure of Tolkien’s created world.
While browsing Tolkien’s books, you may also come across a number of other titles not listed above - for example The Book of Lost Tales, The Return of the Shadow, Morgoth’s Ring (and many others).
These books are collections of Tolkien’s unfinished and abandoned writings on Middle-earth, generally of interest only to those who have read his core writings and are interested in the development and writing process of Tolkien’s “mythology”. They are fascinating snapshots of the creative process at work, but would likely be confusing and nearly unreadable to someone unfamiliar with his earlier works.
For more in-depth information on J.R.R. Tolkien's life and writings, visit the author's website at http://www.tolkien-online.com
Is The Lord Of The Rings Audio Book Suitable For Tolkien Purists? (Alan Moore)
The Lord of the Rings trilogy has taken the world by storm over the last few years. J.R.R. Tolkien's classic stories have been given a new lease of life thanks to the fantastic cinematic world of Peter Jackson. His film adaptations captured the spirit of the original novels and created a whole new army of Tolkien fans. They were released in three installments as The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003). As an aside, in 1978 the animator Ralph Bakshi created an animated version of the story, attracting more fans to the world of the Shire and Middle Earth (though not to the same degree as Jackson's creation).
However, despite the popularity of the novels and the films, many people are unaware of the wonderful Lord of the Rings audio book. The audio book is attracting a sizable fan base, although purists might sneer at the idea of an audio book version of the novel. However, the classic text read aloud brings a whole new dimension to the story and may even provide new insights into the plot. Also, consider the convenience of being able to listen to the novels whilst on the move: in the car, on the train or plane, for example. Maybe you'd like some entertainment whilst sunning yourself on the beach but can't stand the glare of the sun on the white pages of a book!
Are there different versions of the Lord of the Rings Audio Book?
Yes, there are several versions of the story, but perhaps the best known is read by actor Robert Inglis. This is a mammoth work which runs to forty six CDs! The recording is first rate and is completely uncut, which means that you're going to need quite a few days to get through the entire collection! For LOTR devotees this could be the first choice, especially if authenticity is your primary concern.
However, there is another extremely popular Lord of the Rings audio book produced by the BBC. You need to be aware that BBC audio books are usually in a radio-theater style rather than a simple, straightforward reading of the novel. This might be preferable if you are seeking a more entertaining, or fun, experience. The choice between the two styles of audio book is ultimately up to you and your personal preferences.
How much will all this cost me?
As you can imagine, forty six CDs is going to cost quite a bit of money. Think of it, though, as an investment in your future entertainment. In fact, the CDs could cost you up to $100 if bought brand new in the high street. However, thanks to the marvel that is the internet, it is possible to locate discounted, used copies from a number of suppliers. If cost is an issue for you then it would certainly pay to shop around on the web and locate a number of suppliers to compare prices.
Even die-hard Tolkien fans will find the Lord of the Rings audio book an entertaining experience.
Alan Moore reviews audio books at www.AudioBookActive.com He is available to hire as a composer of music for audio books and you can hear his media work at www.alanjmoore.com
Song Of Firiel
Ilu Ilúvatar en káre eldain a fírimoin
ar antaróta mannar Valion: númessier.
Toi aina, mána, meldielto — enga morion:
talantie. Melko Mardello lende: márie.
En kárielto eldain Isil, hildinÚr-anar.
Toi írimar. Ilyain antalto annar lestanen
Ilúvatáren. Ilu vanya, fanya, eari,
i-mar, ar ilqa ímen. Írima ye Númenor.
Nan úye sére indo-ninya símen, ullume;
ten sí ye tyelma, yéva tyel ar i narqelion,
íre ilqa yéva nótina, hostainiéva, yallume:
ananta úva táre fárea, ufárea!
Man táre antáva nin Ilúvatar, Ilúvatar
enyáre tar i tyel, íre Anarinya qeluva?
By J.R.R.Tolkien
ar antaróta mannar Valion: númessier.
Toi aina, mána, meldielto — enga morion:
talantie. Melko Mardello lende: márie.
En kárielto eldain Isil, hildin
Toi írimar. Ilyain antalto annar lestanen
Ilúvatáren. Ilu vanya, fanya, eari,
i-mar, ar ilqa ímen. Írima ye Númenor.
Nan úye sére indo-ninya símen, ullume;
ten sí ye tyelma, yéva tyel ar i narqelion,
íre ilqa yéva nótina, hostainiéva, yallume:
ananta úva táre fárea, ufárea!
Man táre antáva nin Ilúvatar, Ilúvatar
enyáre tar i tyel, íre Anarinya qeluva?
By J.R.R.Tolkien
Lord of the Rings: Ticketnest
The mystical story has been taken from Tolkien's marvelous book. Lord of the Rings is actually a sequence of the book The Hobbit written earlier by Tolkein for his kids. The popularity of The Hobbit lead Tolkein to write another book named The Lord of the Rings. Special care has been taken not to twist Tolkein’s epic writing to fulfill the technicalities of conventional standards of a great theatre musical instead the traditions of theatre has been stretched to the limits to accommodate Tolkein’s writing.
The story possesses amazing opportunity to amuse, thrill and excite the audience with its magical story and mystic events. The story is successfully adapted as a theatre show and it will definitely transport the spectators to a fantasy world with its powerful imagery and special stunning effects where they’ll cry and laugh with the characters.
Till now “The Lord of the Rings” is the most expensive theatre production with more than 24 million dollar cost in the history of theatre. Cast members include 55 characters, having 18 orchestra members and also a set with a turntable and 17 elevators. Hmmm! Just imagine the magnitude of the show. . Tree roots from the front of the stage developing an arch as the auditorium. Audiences witness actors flying and appearing on poles that are 10 feet high. There's also a gigantic spider puppet in the show. Producer of the show-Kevin Wallace says that show's enormous budget allowed all the creators to carry out their fantasies to life.
The basic problem was to enact such a rich story on stage which was full of good versus evil a lot of magic, fights, different locations, landscapes, different species, magnitude of the events and numerous songs including anthems, prayers, old and traditional songs. Now doing all this on stage needed real theoretical artistry and technical perfection. Warchus first reaction was that Tolkein’s 1,000 pages of writing cannot possibly work on stage. But on the second reading the fog started clearing up and he could see ways and possibilities of making the landscapes and all other things appear on stage as originally as it is in story.
The Lord of the Rings and its ancestors, The Hobbit was present during the Third Age of Middle-Earth. Middle-Earth is a supposed to an imaginary continent on an eternally medieval fantasy world called Arda. Arda is packed with magical places, people, and events, at this place the forces of good and evil fight for power. The Continent Arda is described in so minute details that it starts appearing like a real world before our eyes. The weather, climate, geography, and even phases of the moon everything is so accurately described and nothing seems to be left out. This detail description of the things helps the audience to identify themselves with the creatures of Arda. The narration of Middle-Earth is divided into four eras, suitably called the Four Ages. This magical journey starts with the immortals Elves they were the first Children of Ilúvatar (Iluvatar means aka. Eru, “the One” actually God). Elves awoke by the shores of Cuiviénen in Middle-Earth. Soon after their arrival at the shores they were called to Valinor that is the Blessed Realm, by the Valar. Now Valars are analogous to gods of course in the mythological logic though Valar are rarely called gods. Factually speaking in the original story of Arda their role is more of archangels they are more like witnessing and participating in creation instead of initiating things. Whatsoever the situation is, Valar are pretty much in control on Arda for old Ilúvatar. Those particular Elves who traveled to Valinor (that is positioned diagonal to the western sea from Middle-Earth) named as the Eldar, or High Elves. Whereas the ones who stayed back in Middle-Earth became were known as the Sindar, or Elves of the Twilight.
The Eldar of Valinor mastered several arts and crafts from Valar. Out of those skilled Eldar the greatest was Fëanor, he fashioned three gems of peerless beauty recognized as the Silmarils. Unfortunately an evil Vala called Morgoth stole the Silmarils. Morgoth was one of sinister Enemy of the World, Morgoth managed to escape to Middle-Earth. After this incident Fëanor and follower kinsmen vowed to chase Morgoth and obtain the Silmarils back. But when Feanor and his frined returned to the Middle-Earth, to their surprise they discovered that Mortal Men (aka. "Men"), the Second race of Children of Ilúvatar, had arrive into the world. After that for the following centuries, the Elves and Men combat against the forces of Morgoth. The evil forces included such contemptible creatures as orcs, trolls, and dragons. The Eldar and Men failed to recover the Silmarils. Lastly the valliant Beren (a Man) and courageous Lúthien Tinúviel (an Elf maiden) endeavored for Morgoth's monopoly of Angband and succeed to regain one of the Silmarils from the evil Lord's crown. When time passes the great-grandson of Beren and Lúthien was Eärendil the Mariner sailed to Valinor to plead the Valar to gather their forces against Morgoth. The First Age of Middle-Earth finishes with Angband’s defeat. Most of the continent was flooded whereas Morgoth was grounded by the Valar for all eternity.
The Second Age is the period of Númenor. This was the reign of great island kingdom of Men that position within sight of Valinor itself. Eärendil was father of two sons named Elrond and Elros, the Peredhil (Half-Elven). Elrond decided to follow the trail of immortal Elvenkind, though Elros opted to live his life as a Mortal Man. Númenor’s first king was Elros. On the other hand in the land of Eregion in Middle-Earth, Elven smiths (guided by Celebrimbor who was grandson of Fëanor) started counterfeiting the magical Rings full of magnificent Power, talismans these rings bestowed their wearers with immense supernatural abilities like invisibility which was just a small power of the ring. The Elves were without knowing aided in their pains by Sauron who was the former chief lieutenant of Morgoth. When Elves finished their painstaking labors, the evil Sauron copied the Ruling Ring in the fires of Mt. Doom. Just One Ring gave Sauron dominance over the others, causing them to be tainted to his service. Just the Three Rings of the Elves stayed free, those three rings were forged by Celebrimbor alone. Unluckily even they could not be used without Sauron knowing about it. So for the time being, the Elf lords put aside their Rings. The duplication of One Ring exposed Sauron's original nature to the Elves. After gaining the power Sauron announced war upon them. The Evil Lord took over Mordor.
In the meantime, Elros’s descendents, the Edain, turned out to be powerful kings among Mankind. The Númenóreans were enormously powerful and just, but with the passage of time they started envying the immortality of the Elves. This resulted in their vulnerablity to the deceit and dishonesty of Sauron. Sauron's betrayal lead Númenor to distruction and they sank beneath the sea. Just few of the Edain, assisted by the noble Elendil and his sons, Isuldur and Anárion, managed to survive the destruction by sailing to Middle-Earth. Now here Elendil established a kingdom called Arnor in the North, while Isuldur and Anárion developed the kingdom of Gondor in the south. Everyone believed that Sauron was destroyed in the breakdown of Númenor, but actually, his spirit managed to survive and come back to Mordor. Although now that the One Ring existed could not be completely destroyed. Nonetheless, he was not able to take on a generous manifestation.
Elendil united army with Gil-galad who is last of the kings of the Eldar to fight against Sauron. Collectively both the forces of the final Alliance of Elves and Men were capable of storming down Mordor, driving Sauron's forces before them. Sadly both Elendil and Gil-galad were slain, but the valliant Isuldur cut the Ring from Sauron's hand though in the process his father’s sword broke. Sauron survived, he wasn’t killed. Instead of destrying the ring Isuldur kept the Ring for himself. Sauron’s first defeat was the end of the Second Age of Middle-Earth.
When Isuldur was returning home form war he was attached by a company of orcs. Isuldur tried to use the power of the Ring of invisibility to flee, but it slipped from his finger when he was swimming across the Anduin River. Isuldur was murdered by an orc's arrow. Now for centuries the Ring remained at the bottom of the river. Until one day two friends found the ring by chance. (Déagol and Sméagol). On getting the ring Sméagol swiftly murdered Déagol and took the Ring for himself. Smeagol used the powers of ring including the invisibility for all malpractices like thieving and learning secrets. His people detested him and called him "Gollum," due to his weird habit of making gurgling noises in his throat. After being sick of these abuses, Sméagol determined to join the caverns beneath the Misty Mountains and left his home. He thought that he could learn the secrets of the world's making. This happened in the year 2470 of the Third Age of Middle-Earth.
The interest and excitement keep going on as the ages pass by. This magnificent story is equally superbly produced as a show. If you want to identify yourself with the characters then the4 best way is to see the show. The magic starts when the curtains are drawing apart but it doesn’t even stop after the show is finished. You’ll remain in a trance long after you leave the theatre. The magnitude of the theatre and the sets will transport you in to another world the moment you enter the theatre. This show is an experience of metaphysical and physical powers with a sense of achievement. Let the magic begin and enjoy to your fullest.
For more information about lord of ring visit http://www.ticketnest.com/theater-tickets/Lord-of-the-Rings/index.php
About the author
Ron Arthur is a Search Engine Marketer (http://www.sofizar.net ) working for Carlsbad, CA based web-metrics company Sofizar. He is a member of the team developing a click fraud(http://www.sofizar.com ) detection software, ZarTective. While not writing expose’s on the darker side of the web, he plays with his cat “Mano” and watches “Rocky Horror Picture Show” for the 17th time. Or maybe 117th.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (By Sue Bell)
The portrayal of Gollum/Sméagol in the second installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy provides an excellent demonstration of split/mind duality in action. The conversations, disagreements and arguments iterated by these two characters as good versus evil, victim versus manipulator, self verses self - give us insight to the very same battles that go on, often unnoticed, within our own psyche.
Tolkien introduces the character of Gollum (originally Sméagol) in The Hobbit when Bilbo finds the ring and spares his life. Frodo and Sam first meet Gollum when he attempts to retrieve the Ring – the Precious – while Frodo sleeps. At that point he is subdued and captured, finally being dragged unceremoniously along at the end of a rope, protesting loudly.
Gollum’s obsession with the Ring has so corrupted him emotionally and physically, he is no longer recognizable as one of the River Folk. An analogy with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden can be seen. The Ring is an icon of absolute power for its own sake. It has a will of its own. This is the representation that we have a will separate from God’s. The ring is the symbol of our usurpation of God, using all His power for our own corrupt purpose, wrecking havoc upon all of mankind and ultimately leading to our own demise.
However, Gollum’s total resistance to Frodo begins to waver when Frodo extends compassion to him and defends him to Sam. Frodo, having heard of his Uncle Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum then calls him by his true name – Sméagol. This invokes a memory of an earlier innocence and happiness which creates a pause in the thought process of Gollum and allows for a different response.
Gollum is the character that Sméagol became in his obsessive idolatry of the Ring. He is isolated, grievous, defensive, manipulative and alone. Frodo makes a break in that wall of defense by simply referring to another self that still exists behind the wall. This is the self that existed before ‘the fall’.
The full impact of the split mind becomes evident in the second scene where the internal dialog which is played out between Sméagol and Gollum is shown as two opposing personalities in a debate with each other. Sméagol portrays the essential “goodness” – it is the original condition before the corruption of the ring which made “Gollum”. Gollum is the hard egoic shell created to protect and maintain the self under siege in a world which must be bent on the same destructive premise as he. But Frodo recognizes that Sméagol is not so different from a Hobbit; he sees the innocence behind the corruption as his own, and by the action of forgiveness, ensures his own salvation. The savior saves his brother – and by so doing saves himself.
Sméagol’s ideas are thus protested and countered inevitably by Gollum. "Where would you be without me?" Gollum demands. Sméagol’s response "I don’t need you anymore – master will protect me now" – is his declaration of trust in his savior. It’s here that Sméagol experiences singularity and to his delight Gollum (his split mind) disappears. He immediately experiences a lightheartedness as a result of laying down the burden of self reliance.
In this new, uncertain world, where my own best interest is unknown, Frodo appears to betray Sméagol (but has actually saved his life), Sméagol restores Gollum to the role of protector because “Master has tricksed us!”. His decision to switch allegiance from Frodo to Gollum (himself) is made on incomplete information in which he knows only that he’s been captured and beaten. He is unable to see the larger picture. The split mind (Gollum) as self protection in the dream, reappears.
The nature of passion in duality is that it swings wildly and unpredictably between love and hatred. As Gollum nurses his grievance, he plots the murder of both Sam and Frodo by leading them into a dangerous situation where they will fall victim to “She”, a carnivorous spider. His rage and disappointment at Frodo’s betrayal can only be assuaged by a total revenge. The payment demanded is the death of the savior.
The parallel with the human split mind undergoing a spiritual transformation is obvious. The process outlined in ‘The Development of Trust’ in the Course in Miracles describes how reluctantly but with increasing confidence, trust is moved away from the self-concept, to the Self that knows. It reflects surrender (not sacrifice) to an alternative not within the former mind construct of the Teacher of God. This trust results in a confidence and certainty not previously available.
The scenes with Sméagol/Gollum highlight the impossible dialogue that churns on incessantly within the mind that tries to solve its own problems. It is found to be a redundant and futile exercise which feeds on itself bringing increasing chaos and uncertainty. As Jesus succinctly puts it ‘My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.” Despite apparent setbacks the journey home has commenced.
Sue Bell is a co-creator of The Miracle Times – an online ezine created as an extension of her own personal transformation through A Course In Miracles. Sue came to the Miracles Healing Center in Wisconsin Dells as a gifted computer programmer - a master in her own field. Fueled by the passion of her own personal awakening and a deep love for Jesus she is now a minister of God. Through her untiring devotion to sharing God's love she continues to inspire a joyous expression of the innocence in all of us.
The Miracle Times: http://www.themiracletimes.com
Tolkien - The Lord of The Rings (by William Meikle)
This book changed my life. Before it I was a spotty 14 year old hooked on my science studies. Then I read LOTR, and, at the same time, discovered women existed and.....but thats enough of that. You want to hear about the book.
By now there are few people who haven't at least heard of LOTR, and most of them have an opinion. There are the fans, almost fanatics, and there are the people who have read fifty pages or so, sometimes five or six times, but just can't get it, and don't understand what the fuss is about. I might have been one of them, if it hadn't been for an accident.
I asked my local librarian to recommend a book for me as I had read all the Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov works they had. She pointed me at LOTR, and handed me what she said was book 1 of 3. It was only when I got home I found I had book 2: The Two Towers. I arrived in the story just at the point where the first film ends - The Fellowship is broken and Frodo and Sam are heading for Mordor.
I think that is what made me keep reading -I had started at a point of crisis and I needed to know what happened next. Of course I had a lot of blanks to fill in, but I managed to pick up most of them as I went along , and I caught up with the first book as soon as I'd finished the third. (I bought the big all-in-one paperback, the one with the yellow cover. If you were a student in the seventies it was obligatory to have one lying about, all battered and torn to show that it had been read several times. You used to see backpackers in their hundreds on the trains going south through Europe, all with this version of LOTR falling apart in their hands.)
As for starting at the begining, I believe the reason a lot of people give up is that they are expecting heroes, wizards and high magic. What they get is, in great detail, the rural goings-on of a bunch of small hairy creatures who eat and drink a lot and seem to live in an idealised version of the Home Counties. Anyone who has read "The Hobbit" will know that there is more to the Hobbits than that, but newcomers often feel cheated and give up.
They don't know what they're missing.
The story only picks up AFTER Bilbo's birthday party, and after the passing of his ring of invisibility to Frodo. Gandalf, a wizard, discovers the true nature of the ring. It is a magic item of great power, belonging to Sauron himself, a dark god intent on taking dominion over the world.
Gandalf tells Frodo that the ring must be taken to a place of safety, to Rivendell, where the high-elves hold out against Sauron.
And so the great journey starts, with Frodo and his friends, Sam, Merry and Pippin, taking the road to Rivendell. On the way they have many adventures, and the mood begins to darken with the appearance of the dark riders, servants of Sauron intent on finding the ring.
The travelling band is befriended by Strider, a ranger of the north, and he helps them get to Rivendell, but not before Frodo is wounded by the dark riders, and starts to understand the power of the ring.
At Rivendell, many things are revealed; the history of the ring is told, Strider is shown to be Aragon, the rightful heir to the kingdom of Middle-Earth, and a fellowship is forged, of wizards, elves, dwarves, men and hobbits. They form a band of nine who will try to take the ring to Mount Doom, a volcano where the ring was forged, and which is the only place where it can be destroyed.
And so the adventure truly begins. From here on we have battles in deep mountain mines, the loss of one of the Fellowship, encounters with elves in enchanted forests, treachery and betrayal leading to the breaking of the fellowship - and we're still in Book 1!
Books 2 and 3 deal with the fight for middle-Earth, with Aragon and his allies taking the battle to Sauron and his minions and Frodo and Sam trying to reach Mount Doom to destroy the ring. There are huge, stirring, battle scenes, moments of humour (especially when the younger hobbits meet the Ents), spectacular feats of high magic when the White Rider enters the battle scenes, and moments of great friendship and tenderness - I defy anyone to have a dry eye when Sam and Frodo are parted at Shelob's lair.
It all builds up to a terrific climax, and the story comes full circle back at Hobbitton where we see the effect the war has had on the rural life of the Hobbits.
And that is why the beginning is important - you might not see it till right at the end, but it is teaching us a lesson about the value of the simpler things in life - respect them or lose them.
Tolkein's genius lies in melding these simple aspects with world-shattering events, showing how even the "little people" have their part to play in the fight against the darkness.
And he also knows that the best villain is a mysterious one....Sauron hardly appears at all in the books, but his dark presence stretches over everything, and he's always there, his evil eye seeing everything.
I used to have nightmares about that large, red-rimmed eye, but that was before I discovered women, grew my hair, developed a liking for Hawkwind and Led Zeppelin, and started to write fantasy fiction. I've never been the same since... but that's another long story.
William Meikle is a Scottish writer, currently travelling in Canada, with seven novels published in the States and three more coming in 2007/8, all in the independent fantasy and horror press. His short work and articles have appeared in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Greece, Saudi Arabia and India. He also has three shorts produced from his scripts, and several supernatural scripts currently on option, including four shorts, and a supernatural thriller feature.
William Meikle
http://www.williammeikle.com
Lord Of The Rings DVD-Understanding The Movie Trilogy (Donny Lowy)
In the time of antiquity a renown Ring disappeared, only to appear close to a millennium later. Through a perplexing motion of events, the ring is now in the possession of unique character, a hobbit named Frodo. Gandalf soon realizes that the Ring is the malicious tool known as One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron. Frodo the hobbit proceeds to engage himself in a startling attempt to reach the dangerous area known as the Cracks of Doom.
Once he reaches this strange land he will attempt to obliterate the ring. Together with an exciting cast of characters, including Gandalf, Legolas the elf, Gimli the Dwarf, Aragorn, Boromir and his three Hobbit friends Merry, Pippin and Samwise they launch a mesmerizing flight to accomplish their daunting goal. Encountering a dangerous and panoramic landscape, the viewer is taken along for a ride that will expose him to a beatiful world of intrigue and fictional characters.
As the group of heros draws closer to their battle against the Dark Lords, they are faced with both inner and external challenges that result in a profoundly entertaining movie.
The trilogy should be watched as one film, since each movie closely follows the story line of the previous movie.
In addition, by watching the films closely together, the viewer will have a better understanding of the hidden plots and subtle story lines taking place.
Fans who enjoy pure science fictional movies that carry an element of personal drama will truly enjoy this film.
Although the movie does not follow the original book in exact detail, it does offer a more in depth look at the universe of the Lords of the Ring saga.
For the latest new release DVDs at below wholesale prices, visithttp://www.wantedthat.comThere are no minimums, and prices start as low as $3.00 each fornew releases.
Lord Of The Rings Chess Set (Swati Banerjee)
The one ring is to find them, one ring to rule, one ring to bring and bind them all. Lord of the Rings in 1997 was voted and due to the mortification of some of the critics in the poll run by major British booksellers it was voted as the greatest book of twentieth century. In 1954 while the first volume published Lord of the Rings have been a steady bestseller, in the sixties and also in the early seventies it has a great campus craze. Lord of the Rings even though having in medieval literature its roots places its readers and characters on a crash course along with the ethical dilemmas of power and knowledge. The modern problems are posed by the Tolkien with a trust in both the human choice importance as well as with the complete ethical principles.
Each detail is true to Academy Award winning epic film, as it is richly realistic and authentic. Lord of the rings is a high-end, gorgeous chess set and has a detailing of the Frodo story, about how he encounters the enemies and friends in his journey for destroying the One Ring; this is a work of art. Under the playing surface the Middle-earth map is mounted and from the film the base has the images of the most unforgettable scenes and characters. In the well pewter of the real cast members 32 playing pieces are exact small sculptures and every likeness is very realistic that by individual actors they were approved personally. The measurement in height of every piece is between 2-3 inches and stands an unbelievable likeness to the actor because by each of them it was approved personally.
The inclusion of some of the pieces are as follows: Gandalf, Aragorn, Arwen, Pippin, Boromir, Galadriel, Merry, Sam, Frodo, Orthanc Tower, four different Orcs, Ringwraith, Cave Troll, Uruk-Hai, Lurtz, Saruman. 15 by 15 by 4.5 inches is the measurement of the board. Plexi-glass is on the top of the board and made of cold cast porcelain is the rest part of board. Around the bottom the purple ring are for the villain pieces and the green ring are for the hero pieces. This chess set can be treasured for generations and is a heavyweight item.
Swati Banerjee is the owner of Writing Ink, a web content management firm based out of India, that services clients from across the globe. Please take a minute to visit http://www.writing-ink.com to experience how the bright young minds here make magic with words!
Each detail is true to Academy Award winning epic film, as it is richly realistic and authentic. Lord of the rings is a high-end, gorgeous chess set and has a detailing of the Frodo story, about how he encounters the enemies and friends in his journey for destroying the One Ring; this is a work of art. Under the playing surface the Middle-earth map is mounted and from the film the base has the images of the most unforgettable scenes and characters. In the well pewter of the real cast members 32 playing pieces are exact small sculptures and every likeness is very realistic that by individual actors they were approved personally. The measurement in height of every piece is between 2-3 inches and stands an unbelievable likeness to the actor because by each of them it was approved personally.
The inclusion of some of the pieces are as follows: Gandalf, Aragorn, Arwen, Pippin, Boromir, Galadriel, Merry, Sam, Frodo, Orthanc Tower, four different Orcs, Ringwraith, Cave Troll, Uruk-Hai, Lurtz, Saruman. 15 by 15 by 4.5 inches is the measurement of the board. Plexi-glass is on the top of the board and made of cold cast porcelain is the rest part of board. Around the bottom the purple ring are for the villain pieces and the green ring are for the hero pieces. This chess set can be treasured for generations and is a heavyweight item.
Swati Banerjee is the owner of Writing Ink, a web content management firm based out of India, that services clients from across the globe. Please take a minute to visit http://www.writing-ink.com to experience how the bright young minds here make magic with words!
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