LotR talk

Name
Email
Subject
Comment *
File	Select/drop/paste files here
* = required field	[▶ Show post options & limits] Confused? See the FAQ.

File: 1446278369709.jpg (1.34 MB, 2560x1600, 8:5, 1640163.jpg)

LotR talk Anonymous 10/31/15 (Sat) 07:59:29 No.16

So I just finished a very long and careful reading of LotR that took about 5 months to complete. It was very rewarding going through it again after reading the Silmarillion. Aragorn's tale and the throne of Gondor stood out as particularly more powerful and meaningful because of it this time around. I took my time and made sure to understand every reference such as what Gandalf meant by the "flame of Arnor" when he confronted the balrog.

Here are my general thoughts:

The beginning of Fellowship until they leave Bree was exceptionally comfy, and peaceful. I really enjoyed the long drawn out pace of the beginning of the book and once the story started getting more serious and darker I felt just like the Hobbits and wanted to return back to the shire and walk through the cool grass among the trees one more time.

The chapter The Field of Cormallen when Frodo and Sam return and meet King Elessar made me cry.

I found it sorta absurd yet oddly realistic that Theoden died from his horse falling over onto him. I suppose Tolkien thought it better for him than a Morgul blade through the chest.

Anonymous 10/31/15 (Sat) 08:01:35 No.17

File: 1446278496835.jpg (60.48 KB, 960x540, 16:9, books.jpg)

Also

>muh leather bound copies with archival quality paper and illustrations

Anonymous 10/31/15 (Sat) 18:00:43 No.19

What order would you recommend I read Tolkiens work?

Silmarillion, Hobbit, Lotr?

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 01:11:31 No.20

>>19

Hobbit -> LotR -> Silmarillion

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 03:23:20 No.21

>>20

Would I understand more if I read Silmarlion last?

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 04:28:51 No.22

>>21

You'd understand LotR better by reading The Silmarillion first yes.. but I don't think that's the point.

LotR is best read before The Silmarillion because you essentially know as much about the greater world as do the Hobbits do on their own journey. You can learn about Middle Earth's people and places along with the Hobbits and relate to them more strongly because this is all new to you as well. Not knowing the details of past history can be fantastic in a tale like this because it adds to the mystique and solidity of the world without having to actually know the lore. The history is ever present but vague, foggy and always in the background.

After you finish LotR you'll be really motivated to read The Silmarillion and learn about the details. Then at your leisure you can read LotR again and pick up on all the subtle threads and references that have creeped in from the past.

One final thing to remember about LotR without having read The Silmarillion. Everything in LotR makes perfect sense, there are no asspulls. Why is the Balrog at the bottom of the Misty Mountains? Why do the trees talk? Where the fuck do any of those magical things come from? Who are the kings in the barrow downs? It all has an answer. Every ruin and road you come across has a historically accurate reason for being there.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 12:38:26 No.23

I grew up with Tolkien. Read the Hobbit first time at 10yrs old and I'm not a native english speaker.

Spared Silmarillion for later on purpose, and I think that today I'm able to understand it.

Cried when Theoden charges the orcs on Pelenor. Fucking glorious.

Thanks, Tolkien.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 13:21:53 No.24

>>23

>that whole fucking battle

So many ups and downs. Beside Theoden's charge and the Rohirrim arriving I loved Aragorn's arrival it was so glorious.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 14:02:35 No.25

>>17

Jesus god they are beautiful.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 14:33:10 No.27

File: 1446388390204-0.jpg (340.02 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, bok2.jpg)

File: 1446388390205-1.jpg (242.46 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, bok3.jpg)

File: 1446388390205-2.jpg (198.67 KB, 1200x675, 16:9, bok4.jpg)

>>25

They'll be my family heirlooms.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 19:23:17 No.33

>>16

>I found it sorta absurd yet oddly realistic that Theoden died from his horse falling over onto him.

Weird, I never questioned that given Theoden's age.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 19:51:51 No.34

File: 1446407512121.jpg (21.72 KB, 296x475, 296:475, cover.jpg)

>>27

You make me extremely jealous.

Although I love my copy of the Silmarillion.

Anonymous 11/01/15 (Sun) 23:53:12 No.36

>>17

Those are just beautiful

>>16

Why is it hard to believe that his horse killed him? Has happened many times in real history.

Anonymous 11/02/15 (Mon) 00:14:31 No.37

>>22

Great response, thanks for your post.

Anonymous 11/02/15 (Mon) 00:21:19 No.38

File: 1446423679867.jpg (211.08 KB, 619x960, 619:960, TN-Fingolfins_Wrath.jpg)

>>36

At the time when I read it I felt like it was an unromantic way to go out after all he just did. I suppose it's because I'm tainted by action movies and such expecting him to go out in a blaze of glory taking down multiple enemies or something.

Anonymous 11/02/15 (Mon) 01:34:03 No.39

>>38

well he did take out the Black Serpent Chief or whatever they called him, Theoden specifically says that he can die happy because he went out gloriously

Anonymous 11/02/15 (Mon) 02:14:58 No.40

>>38

Tolkien's view of war and battle was shaped in the trenches in WWI(he lost literally ALL of his pre-war friends in the war).

He knew that it is often necessary to fight, but detested the nationalist propaganda of the 20th century that romanticized what he saw as a human meat grinder.

Anonymous 11/02/15 (Mon) 02:16:02 No.41

>>40

But I still think Theoden's death was pretty heroic.

Anonymous 11/02/15 (Mon) 02:19:56 No.42

File: 1446430796594.jpg (108.49 KB, 720x720, 1:1, 1445548075999.jpg)

Of the world-bound races (that aren't Men, basically), which one is your favourite?

I love me some fucking dwarves. They spend their entire time making shit and mining for the sake of making shit and mining, love Aule, and don't take shit from anyone.

You make a glorious necklace, lend it to some Elvish king as a sign of respect and friendship, he sticks a Silmaril in it, and then claims it for himself and his children forever. What do you do? You kill him, take the necklace, and go home.

You're in your oldest mountainhome, which is essentially just a hollowed-out mountain. You dig deep enough to encounter horrible nameless things that make a Maia blush, so naturally you make a staircase from the very foundations of the Earth to the rooftop of one of the tallest mountains on the planet. For shits and giggles. Then some fucking balrog cunt comes over and smashes your shit in, and your ruins are still more glorious than pretty much anything east of Valinor.

Dragon take over a mountainhome? Bring a wizard along to help you retake it. Sauron offering you a bunch of magic rings that magically multiply your wealth? Spit in his eye once you realize it's slavery. Sauron come over with a thousand armies a mere 60 years after you barely retook your mountainhome? Beat them off and remain one of the fewrich realms in the land. Then go recolonize your ancient mountainhomes, colonize a new cave system in the white mountains, and go make some indestructible doors for a human king as a sign of eternal friendship.

Dwarves. Stout of height and heart.

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 02:19:00 No.116

File: 1446862740224.webm (4.45 MB, 640x360, 16:9, godblesstheusofdwarfs.webm)

>>42

I've got a webm for you my friend

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 02:36:57 No.118

THIS BOARD IS AMAZING

NOW I CAN SHITPOST ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVE THE SILMARILLION

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 02:56:17 No.120

>>42

>You make a glorious necklace, lend it to some Elvish king as a sign of respect and friendship, he sticks a Silmaril in it, and then claims it for himself and his children forever. What do you do? You kill him, take the necklace, and go home.

It wasn't the same king, which is precisely why they had claim to it

They made it for Finrod, not Thingol.

Thingol had no claim to either the Nauglamír, or the Simaril. Objects made with old craft often had a certain right of possession to them, and brought misfortune on those that otherwise kept them.

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 18:27:10 No.144

>>33

It was a euphemism for Theoden getting fucked to death by his horse.

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 18:29:57 No.145

>>120

The Noldor were illegal immigrants. Thingol should have locked them in camps and sent them back to Eldamar.

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 18:51:22 No.148

>>145

Thingol's a faggot who let his daughter get stolen by a Man and was only as powerful as he was because he married Melian.

Anonymous 11/07/15 (Sat) 19:07:24 No.149

I had just finished reading Lotr just a few months back, enjoyed every page of it. I did read the Hobbit first since my Dad suggested that I read it before Lotr. But Tolkeins world of Middle Earth, it's Majestic Beauty going back to the beginning of time (I haven't Read Silmarillion yet just now starting). It's so captivating to think of such a magical place.

Anonymous 02/02/16 (Tue) 13:11:26 No.344

>>148

Thingol was right but he was still a whiny faggot right until his death. When a fucking Maia tells you to shutup because there is a greater power acting, you shut the fuck up and swallow your pride.