The Council of Elrond

THE DAY: The Council of Elrond

October 25th, 3018 TA, The Council of Elrond. Okay, so this is the longest chapter in the book, I love it, but I know that a lot of people find it slightly boring. The point being, I have no idea how to talk about it in this post. But it was a pivotal moment. Now, in the movie, the nine companions thing just sort of happens...but in the book, there is a lot of time passing before that. Seeing as the council is October 25th and they did not leave Rivendell until December 25th (Christmas day! The savior set out to save us, as Frodo and the Fellowship set out to save Middle Earth. It would take Jesus 33 years to complete his journey, though, and Frodo only 13 months. Exactly one 3rd though) So, at the council, Frodo agrees to take the Ring, and Gandalf decides to go with him. After a bit, Elrond decides that there should be nine companions, so he takes a look at all the people there, and chooses seven more. Gimli the Dwarf to represent all Dwarves. Legolas to represent his people, and in a way, all elves. Gandalf, because Gandalf is very powerful, because he is a Wizard and represents them, because he would have gone anyway, regardless of what Elrond decided. And because he is Gandalf. Boromir to represent Gondor and the Race of Men (he thinks) and Aragorn, to represent Gondor and the Race of men..wait a minute....

Samwise because Gandalf urged him too, and because Sam would not be parted from his master, and because Sam would have gone anyway...(he and Gandalf...tsk tsk tsk). 

And, in the book, Gandalf and Elrond (long after the actual council) argued about the last two companions. And it was a close shave for Merry and Pippin. But they got in. And THUS was born the Fellowship. But I can see why Sir Peter Jackson did what he did, because lets face it, when you make a movie, you HAVE to shorten and cut some things. Especially things like the Council of Elrond. 

THE YEAR

2984 TA

Ecthelion II dies, and Denethor II becomes Steward of Gondor. Not very interesting. I don't like Denethor. 

Welcome! Faramir of Gondor!

THE YEAR

In the year 2983 TA, Faramir of Gondor was born. Dear Faramir, that sweet and gentle youth with a really really despicable father. (Let us try to be kind.)

There really isn't much to say about Faramir. As we know, he married Eowyn of Rohan, and they kept the line of Stewards going. He was also made Lord of Ithilien. He lived a long and happy life with his beloved. Was greatly favored by the king. Was honored and respected by the people of Gondor...etc etc. He was kind of old during the whole War of the Ring, about 35, but Tolkien didn't mention the year of his death in the Tale of the Years. But he said when he was born, so there we have that. 

THE DAY

Oh my, this is a coincidence. It was on October 24th that Boromir arrived at Rivendell. Also it was today that Frodo recovered and awakened. 

Fanatics, Obsessed, and Over Obsessed

Oho! So you've read the Lord of the Rings have you? *Rubs hands together with anticipation* Well isn't that nice! Absolutely delightful I'm sure. You probably enjoyed it too! Maybe, in the depths of your mind you are even considering reading it again. How lovely. Delightful! Splendid! Possible, you are even what you might call, a fanatic. Maybe. Possibly, but probably not. Perhaps you even go so far as to call yourself an obsessed fanatic. Wrong.
I shall address the first issue....um...first.
Fanatic....well a quick question. Did you know there was a prologue to the Lord of the Rings? Did you? Did you? If so, have you read it? If still so, have you read the whole shebang twice? If STILL so, have you read the hobbit twice as well? Have you done all this with the intention of doing it AGAIN? and AGAIN? and AGAIN?
If so to all the above, you are a fan. But simply, "reading the Lord of the Rings and liking it" doesn't count. I mean, what are feelings and virtues without actions?

And now for the next issue, which I am dealing with.....wait for it.....NEXT! (Oh my, you never saw that one coming did you?)

And obsessed fanatic....tsk tsk tsk...such large words. All the better to trap you with my pretty.
We have recently defined "fanatic" in regard to LOTR, now let us do the same with "obsessed"
Now, what we should really say is two fanatics and an obsessed. Which means that, to be an obsessed fanatic, you must meet the fanatic requirements. Then do them all again, then meet obsessed requirements. So with that in mind. Do one fanatic, then do an obsessed, then do a fanatic again, and you will get much more out of it. An obsessed being the....will you ever guess.....I can just hear the music going on right now....I can keep my words in time with the beat.....even though you can't hear it....imagine really morose and boring music playing every time you see and...ellipses....anyway....back to the matter at hand....where was I?.....oh yes of course....APPENDICES!!! (yay!!! Drumroll! You totally saw that one coming.)
So yeah. Reading the appendices, word for word page for page, no skips, no skims, just read it.

So the moral of this story, is read The Hobbit, The Prologue, The Lord of the Rings...Then do it again...Then read the Appendices.....Then The Hobbit, The Prologue, The Lord of the Rings...then again...then just keep going every two years for the rest of your life....there you go, now you're beginning to get the hang of it. Good.

Someday I will talk to you about being and OVER Obsessed Fanatic. I think I even have a whole chart lying around here somewhere. Doesn't it seem like this post has gone on way to long. I feel like I should talk about Tolkien to make up for it. Of course, we have a whole page for that, so wouldn't that be silly now?

Are there people who read LOTR TWICE a year? Or maybe even once a season....which is, you know...four times a year.
Doubt it. But it's a nice thought.

A very long and uncoordinated rant.

I know that there are a lot of people who find it strange and even annoying, that Tolkien had the whole scouring of the Shire. It is a little strange. The whole story has been resolved and Middle Earth saved, and the Ring destroyed. And suddenly, there is a whole other climax and problem to be solved. But it is very realistic. The whole world is in danger, so why should the Shire get of with out a scar? It tends to remind one that even after you go off on an adventure and become a hero, there is still home waiting for you, with its own little problems and stories and adventures. A true hero never gets to rest on his laurels. Frodo could have reasonably complained that he had already saved the world and been through so much, so he shouldn't have to deal with this other problem. But he doesn't. He steps up and saves the shire (with the help of his friends of course. I mean, wasn't the whole point of his quest to save the Shire in the first place? Take, for instance, a man who is having financial trouble and feels unable to support his wife and children. He is then drafted into the army, and is a little relieved and happy in a way, because now his family will have some extra money. He then goes off to war. He is promoted, he helps save the country. He is a hero. Then he goes home and finds that his family is in even greater need than before. Does he sit back and say, "I have already saved the country. Work it out yourself, I have done enough"? What reader would read that and sympathize with the man? None. He is being selfish and silly and stupid, and anyone can see that in a moment. The man set out to save the country, but in a true soldiers heart, his family and loved ones are what he really sets out to save. And so, when he returns, hero though he is, he gets to work to help his family. For that, he will get little or no credit from his neighbors and fellow men. Likely, no one will ever know. But it would be in remaining true to his family that he would become a real hero.  And so Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, proved themselves worthy of their already gained fame, by saving the Shire. 

Swamped

This blog has got me completely swamped, what with this, the World of Hobbits and the newest addition of The Tolkien Dictionary (not yet public). I mean, I cant keep up. But your brave Goldenrod will try very very hard to keep this blog and all the others, because she loves this blog very much, and doesn't want to say bye bye to it. So anyway, that is what is up here. Not that you were wondering. I just thought I would mention it.
bye!

Three things that saved the world.

THE YEAR

Many things happened in the year 2980 TA. But there are three main events which affected the War of the Ring.

1.

Gollum finally made his way to Mordor and became acquainted with Shelob. This is of course pivotal, because it was this acquaintance that ultimately got Frodo and Sam into Mordor, against Gollum’s wishes of course.

2.
A small, but important event: Theoden became king of Rohan.

3.

And of course, one of the most important events ever, the birth of Samwise Gamgee. As everyone knows, Frodo would have died before he even reached the Dead Marshes if it hadn't been for Sam. And of course, if Frodo had died and Gollum had taken the Ring, where would the rest of Middle Earth be? Without Sam, all of the free folk would have become dead or slaves of Sauron. Three cheers for Samwise!!

Also, in the year 2980 TA was Aragorn’s second meeting with Arwen Undómiel in Lórien. It was on the hill of Cerin Amroth that Aragorn gave Arwen the ring of Barahir and they “plighted their troth” as it were. This is interesting, because in the movie, a big deal is made about Aragorn and the ring of Barahir, when Worm-tongue sees it. But Aragorn wouldn't have had the ring then, because he had given it to Arwen Undómiel long ago. 

THE DAY

October 6th, 3018 TA, Frodo was stabbed on Weathertop by the Witch King. The only note on that is that Frodo, while seemingly healed by Elrond, still feels pain in his shoulder every October 6th.

Let us join to welcome Boromir of Gondor into the world.

In the year 2978 TA, Minas Tirith, Gondor; Boromir, son of Denethor son of Ecthelion, of the the House of Stewards, was born. My unofficial Boromir Day is the 26th of February, the day of his death. February is a long time away, but there will be a special post on that day in remembrance of dear Boromir. It will probably be quite long too, as all and sundry Tolkienites, will be invited to contribute a little bit of their thoughts on Boromir. Unfortunatly, Boromir made himself rather unpleasant before he died, so most everything about Boromir is about his death, or makes you dislike him.

“Is it not a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing? So small a thing! And I have seen it only for an instant in the house of Elrond! Could I not have a sight of it again?"

Poor Boromir, he DID suffer a lot of fear and doubt for the Ring, and in the end, it drew him to try and kill Frodo. But he died with honor, nonetheless. His character is a strange one, and I must confess, I have looked into it very little, if at all. He perishes so quickly, and plays so little part in the great war, or so it would seem. I realized when I chose this event for this post, that I had neglected Boromir. And I fear that many Tolkienites have neglected him too. I encourage my fellow Tolkienites to read the Fellowship of the Ring (and the other two) yet again, but this time, pay attention to Boromir. Watch his every move, and hear his every word. Think what part he has to play. What did his short time in the story mean to Frodo Baggins; how did it effect his future decisions?
Let us not forget Boromir so soon, just because he was gone so fast. Needless are none of the characters of JRR Tolkien in life, nor in death.