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.

[Restorer]

I may also be getting ahead of myself, but I don't recall the black riders after the early chapters.

They don't show up except peripherally in the rest of FOTR. In the TT, they're around, but mostly as menacing figures just out of sight, but scaring the c*** out of everybody anyway.

Their numero uno has a major appointment coming up with a wizard and a surprise contestant in ROTK.

(I hope that is mysterious enough tp avoid spoilers.)

[Penny1]

This is getting ahead of where we are, so you'll have to highlight the text below to find out the answer since it's a spoiler (and since I don't want to spend the rest of my hobbit-life in Took's corner ;) ):

Highlight to read:
At the ford of Bruinen, the horses of the black riders are swept away. At that point in time, someone (Gandalf?) explains that it will take them some time to get new mounts and track down the fellowship. So they don't show up from the time of the ford of Bruinen to just after the breaking of the fellowship, at which time they are mounted on big, nasty birds rather than horses. So then they're kind of out of sight.

[2Jedismom]

I am really enjoying the thread! This is one my most favorite parts of this book.

[Overtaxed]

Ai! I'm in trouble now...

Does that mean the heat is not on me anymore?

[Overtaxed]

OK. I just got here and think I am missing something.

Someone was saying how the scream of the Black Riders sounded like elk bugle so we wandered off topic to elks.

[Overtaxed]

I don't want to spend the rest of my hobbit-life in Took's corner ;)

After last week, I expect I'm in Took's Corner for the duration. :)

[Overtaxed]

For anyone who's up early this Saturday morning, BBC Radio 4 is still webcasting the BBC radio production of LOTR.

The show starts at 9:30-ish Eastern time and you'll need RealAudio to listen.

They are way ahead of us, though, doing Episode 9: The Two Towers.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good Morning! I am up and thank you!... I will check out the link...

[Cleburne]

They're still around: one shows up on the Great River, (not in the movie) then more in...other places. In later chapters they tend to be on their nasty carrion-fowl mounts. But I'll say no more...

[sweetliberty]

There is a program on this afternoon on FX at 3 pm EST on the making of Lord of the Rings. I thought some of you might be interested if you were not already aware of it.

[Overtaxed]

Cool! And it's right before their NASCAR coverage too.

[sweetliberty]

Where'd everybody go? I finally am just about caught up and now there is nobody around! And it's Saturday night too! I would think it would be a busy night at the Inn.

[Monkey Face]

Yah...strange thing about this Green Dragon Inn -- things get going along with lots of wit and interesting tidbits, and then everyone vanishes...

Several times I felt I was being ostracized because I would post a comment, and it would still be the last one the next morning. It's like everyone has a silent signal to leave at the same time. Go figger.

[sweetliberty]

"things get going along with lots of wit and interesting tidbits, and then everyone vanishes..."

Maybe there are more elves about than anyone is letting on.

[Monkey Face]

Remember the Black Riders lost their steeds in the Floods Of Bruinen, when Frodo was chased to the Ford. They were "unhorsed" at that time, but when they "returned", they were not allowed to cross the River until the time was "right", and their "steeds" became winged beasts.

But this is way ahead in the book...It will be covered at length, I'm sure, and we will all be wishing for the call of the "elk".

I can see The Corner looming ahead of me for giving advance warning of future topics...:-) I'll be good, I promise!

[sweetliberty]

I started rereading the books night before last and after having seen the movie I am seeing the story in a different light. I t is very enjoyable to put faces to the characters and also the places seem somehow more familiar.

[Overtaxed]

There are many who recognize Sam's devotion and commit Sam to his master in this story... In the film it was Gandalf first. In the book, it is the elves:

When I go reread this chapter, it struck me how Frodo is slow (slower than Gandalf and the Elves at this point) to recognize Sam's devotion.

Frodo looked at Sam rather startled, half expecting to see some outward sign of the odd change that seemed to have come over him. It did not sound like the voice of the old Sam Gamgee that he thought he knew. But it looked like the old Sam Gamgee sitting there, except that his face was unusually thoughtful.

Also, did anyone else think it was funny how Farmer Maggot talked about the Hobbiton folk the same way Hobbiton folk talk about the Bucklanders? Reminds me of growing up in a small town not too far from two other small towns who's town folk talked about each other in much the same way! :)

[HairOfTheDog]

things get going along with lots of wit and interesting tidbits, and then everyone vanishes

Good Sunday morning to you! And sorry that you two have found yourselves alone here... That is poor service from an inn isn't it? Rather than any elf-trick or conspiracy theory, I think that we simply spend our whole wad on the first day! It seems we can only keep up a good pace for the first day, then we find ourselves chatting aimlessly over in the Hobbit Hole, where we are NOT bound to the same guilt about topic.

At least this first part of the story seems to be going that way... as Tolkien begins to bring in more complex elements later in the story, undoubtedly that will change and even this group will not be able to "say it all" within a few hours!

[BibChr]

One of the fun things about that to me is — how many people who have only seen the movie (and not read LOTR) are thinking the Black Riders are gone for good? Aren't they in for a nassty surprise?

Dan

[sweetliberty]

I remember the first time I read the books and my first encounter with the black riders. It seemed that they set the atmosphere and tone for the entire story. They are SO ominious, just dripping and oozing with evil. That was portrayed so well in the movie. I really had reservations initially about the movie capturing the essence of the books and maintaing the creative integrity of Tolkien's complex story. I was pleasantly surprised, and when the black riders came on the scene it became evident that great effort was made to be true to the original.