Lord of the Rings Discussion Group (The Green Dragon Inn)

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The Green Dragon Inn

Approaching The Green Dragon Inn
Hobbiton, in The Shire

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.
- JRR Tolkien

Politics also goes ever on and on.
This is a place for FReeper Tolkien fans to come and take a break from the impure reality of conservative activism and relax a little with a great story. We (the other co-conspirators and I) would like to study together the writings of Tolkien, beginning together, and discussing as we go through The Lord of the Rings together.

This is a chapter discussion, roughly one chapter per week, with the discussion mostly centered on the books, though of course the movie will be contrasted and compared, and perhaps used to illustrate another interpretation of the story.

When we are ready to move on, someone from the group (maybe me) will ping The Green Dragon List to the new Chapter, but we will continue this one thread until it becomes too cumbersome…. Let me know if you would like to be on - or off - this list. I will for now serve as the Thain of the list.

If you are joining late, jump right in, but please stick to the chapter currently being discussed.

Some have loved this story a long time, and some are newly discovering it. If you fit either category, we invite you to join in, but we would like this thread to stay mostly focused on the chapter at hand and keep moving, but at a pace everyone can keep up with… No jumping ahead, and no lagging behind! If you have other news to report or wish to discuss something Tolkien in more general terms… May we recommend the equally homey Hobbit Hole where my co-conspirators and I frequently have plenty of good talk.

One other request…. This thread will get long. In recognition that images slow down the thread for many and take up bandwidth, let’s keep the posting of images to a minimum on this thread. If there is a great illustration you wish to share, let’s try to use links instead of images wherever possible.

So lets read, listen and become inspired by the many aspects of The Lord of the Rings that touch us deeply and reconnect us to the values we aspire to. Many great discussions have already been had, and I hope that this thread will produce even more. Many FReepers have wonderful things to say about LoTR, whether the fantasy reconnects them with their faith, with their relationships with friends and family, or simply illustrates the splendor of great acts of heroism and sacrifice in the constant battle of virtue versus corruption.

Though it is a work of fiction, we believe the inspiration to be gained can only help us in our larger political goals: to guard and defend our freedom, our culture and our political ideals. May the fellowship and insight gained from this discussion help us to work through the issues that are the basis for our many shared ideals.

Besides, we Tolkien fans* need something to keep us busy during the next two years of waiting for the next two films. If you do not enjoy this story, then please simply leave us be.

*Also known as Geeky Hobbity Weirdos, obsessive fanatics, you name it, we have heard it and we see these names as compliments. In other words: don’t act like a troll, or we will distract you with our endless babble until the morning sun turns you to stone.

[EternalVigilance]

A couple of parallels...

George Washington was like Bilbo. He found the courage to willingly part with the instruments of power...thereby breaking the power that had ruled the affairs of men for centuries and millenia.

The biblical character in the Book of Acts, Barnabus, was like Gandalf...an encourager, someone whose focus was on stirring others to courageously exercise their gifts and abilities.

[Countyline]

Delighted to read this decision.

"as I am REALLY trying to not push it too fast for people who are NOT here all the time. Some of our best posters actually have lives that interfere with their participation, and I would hate to leave them behind."

There are many "morsels" to consider, offered in this thread, bringing insight, tieing loose threads together, expanding and amplifying the story. It has re-awakened the original joy of the works.

For those of us that have read Tolkien's LOTR once twenty years ago; and now seeing the movie, this is a welcome and enchanting discussion, thanks so much for launching it. The bit of a moderate pace of a week allows deeper assimilation.

Spike Lee was being interviewed on Biography recently, and he commented, that "music videos had reduced viewers attention spans to 5 second blips or less; making it difficult to develop character and tell profound stories."

We are so into "fast" and "extreme" everything ... food ... cars ... romances ... sports ... commercials ... road rage, resulting from inconvience or delay ...cell phones and doing three things at once. Real life can not begin to keep us with the hyper speed of it. Makes for impatience and instant frustration, etc.

Thanks for the slow down.

[JenB]

Incidentally I wanted to say that I'm working on a site to summarize the history, for quick reference or what not. You already know that but I wanted to get the address out there for other people. It's here. I've finished summarizing the First Age, the age of legends, which doesn't much come into LotR, other than a few mentions of the Silmarils and Beren and Luthien - oh, and Earendil, of course. So for people who have yet to read Sil., this is available.

[Countyline]

...Excellent! ...and true.

"Gandalf...an encourager, someone whose focus was on stirring others to courageously exercise their gifts and abilities."

Gandolf is a favorite character, as well as Bilbo.

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks, I didn't want to tell them until you were ready to "go public" ;~D

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks for the slow down.

I will re-read your post when we are tempted to rush... No new chapter yet!

[Overtaxed]

The Shadow of the Past is indeed an important chapter...

According to the Foreword, The Shadow of the Past "is one of the oldest parts of the tale" and basically tells you what the problem with Bilbo's ring is and what must be done to fix the problem. It also foreshadows how hard it is going to be to "fix" the problem.

Like I said last chapter..."Poor Frodo!" (no Lobelia jokes this time!) :)

[Overtaxed]

Is there anything else anyone would like to know about this period?

Why isn't there a set of 5 rings? (It busts up our pretty set of odd numbers.)

[NewCenturions]

A trivial question, but, did Tolkien EVER mention that elves had pointy ears? Every movie and drawing of them always show those ears but one wonders whether that is "authentic" (as far as authenticity can be in a fantasy world) or not.

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't know of any description of elf ears.... anyone?

[JenB]

Why isn't there a set of 5 rings? (It busts up our pretty set of odd numbers.)

Because the Ents didn't want any and nobody asked the Hobbits, that's why. They only made rings for 'important' races. ;-)

NewCenturions, in one of Tolkien's published Letters he said that Elves have slightly pointed ears. The word for "ear" and "leaf" are related, indicating that there's some connection between the shape of an Elf's ear and a (presumable pointy) leaf. Hope that helps!

[NewCenturions]

And so ends my search for an answer! (years ago, a hairdresser told me that I had "elf ears" because of a very SLIGHT point...he didn't mean it as a compliment but now I will think of it as such!) Thanks.

[HairOfTheDog]

Perhaps there was some mingling with elf somewhere in your ancestry - how are you with a bow?

[NewCenturions]

My brothers are good archers but my arms are a bit weak. But I DO like to climb trees...

You realize that letting me on this thread is like giving a needle to an addict!

[Overtaxed]

You realize that letting me on this thread is like giving a needle to an addict!

Yeah. Tell me about it!

[Overtaxed]

Because the Ents didn't want any and nobody asked the Hobbits, that's why. They only made rings for 'important' races. ;-)

Yes, but why didn't they make 5 rings for the Dwarves and 7 for mortal Men?

[JenB]

Because, um - well, there were seven 'fathers of the Dwarves' that resulted in seven Dwarf families. So maybe each family got one ring? And then the Men got nine, I don't know why. Because the Elf-Smiths liked us better than they liked the Dwarves? Part of a plot started by Sauron?

The great rings (the three, seven, nine and One) weren't the only ones, you know. There were lesser rings, but we don't really know anything about them. I think it might be that each ring was originally made for a particular person. The elf-rings went to Galadril, Cirdan, and Gil-Galad, the three greatest Elves this side of the sea. The Seven presumably went to various Dwarf kings, since one belonged to the line of kings that were Thorin's ancestors. As for the Nine, it's possible that they were made for nine great Men of the time. We don't really know. At least I don't, maybe the answer is in one of the "History of Middle-Earth" books that I haven't read.

[HairOfTheDog]

You like an orderly life don't you?

[Overtaxed]

What can I say? I crunch quite a few numbers in my day job...I notice things like this. :)

[Overtaxed]

Inquiring minds just wanted to know. :)