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orderforbrian · 1 year

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what's funny about the jmart LOTR poll is that i obviously cant add 100 layers of context into each option (plus its really fun to read people delving into their headcanons!! i like reading them all) BUT i have more personal hc for jmart :3

i think neither of them would've even known about the series until the FOTR came out in 2001 - placing them about early high school. So theyve definitely changed from being kids!

I think they both went to see the first movie, Jon liked it overall but it was hella long and if he has to sit and watch any sequels, he may as well cut his losses and read the books at his own pace instead. Martin watched and was like omfg i LOVE this and started to read the books so he could compare them to the next films.

I think for both of them it was a chore to read, Jon moreso than Martin (afterall he's mister poetry and prose). I think Jon would, like the films, think it was too long with unnecessary detail (aka describing the food and surroundings for 10 pages) but Martin likes world building like that to compare to the films and imagine the setting. I also think Jon would read a book series if it was good enough! He would want to know what happens next in a story, I think it's separate stories by the same author that gets him bored. But he'd probably get fed up with the books and end up reading the plot synopsies on Wikipedia or something (bc no way in hell is he going to sit and watch RotK for 4 hours). Meanwhile Martin is like watching the extended versions and getting all the behind the scenes lore too.

So when they start dating, Martin is like "WHAT DO YOU MEA N YOU NEVER WATCHED ALL THE FILMS, THEYRE SO GOOD" and then obviously makes jon watch all the extended versions with him (at an easy pace, he'd be nice lol but i like goofing it up in a comic for a laff) while he spouts off behind the scenes facts and any consistencies/inconsistencies with the books. jon is just like oh my sweet nerd boyfriend, i love him <3 but also this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and i will never watch 10+ hours of this with you ever again. Jon would say he likes the movies after watching them but was a little bored since he already read spoilers about what happens LOL

and finally when they were both younger, they both:

1. had gay awakenings to the first movie (i personally think jon's was arwen and martin's was aragorn)

2. attempted to learn Elvish ONLY only because its hilarious and cute to me if s1 martin tried to curse at jon in Elvish under his breath and jon responds in Elvish to him - this embarrasses him extremely but martin is also like YOU KEEP FUCKING AROUND SIMS, YOURE GONNA FIND OUT (i wanna marry you).........and also bc i made art i'll post later

ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK i like saying all these silly things about jmart

#order up! art tag #i got shit to say yknow #not really art tag but i know i'll want to find it again to reblog with the elvish comic LOL #jmart really has me writing paragraphs on how they would enjoy LOTR the autism is at its peak today huh

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whentherewerebicycles · 1 year

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hi jes!! i want to ask you about how you enjoyed the Rings of Power series? i just recently watched it and overall had such a good time!! i really really enjoyed seeing Middle-earth in its prime, before everything fell into the ruins we travel through in the Third Age, i felt like was so cool to see the world at its 'height' you know! i also felt like it had a kinship to the movies in that even though the stories were totally disconnected, i /felt/ like i was in the same world? i think it was mostly the dialogue, the language of the series was so lovely, it felt like Tolkien's words to me. anyway i am really just interested in how you felt when watching it! whether you also enjoyed it or it wasn't quite for you? i remember you said you'd watched it a few months back and i never chased you up about it because i wanted to watch it first lol

hi jamila!!! i miss you friend!!!!! i loved the rings of power as an experience even if i felt like sometimes the plotting and pacing needed some significant work. it was just such a joy to be reimmersed in middle earth and i thought every aspect of the set, cinematography, costuming, etc. was just perfect. i totally agree that it felt aesthetically and tonally consistent with the LOTR movies even though obviously so much has changed (in filmmaking etc) since then and the stories are quite different! i was really relieved by that - i was a bit afraid they would game-of-thrones it and make it significantly Darker and Edgier and Sexier but i felt like they really stayed true to the values of the world & the legacy of the films.

my favorite storylines were the elrond/durin friendship (i didn't totally buy the core conflict there but i LOVED their chemistry as friends/brothers) and the southlands humans storyline, which i thought was such an interesting meditation on like, a people living within the shadow of their ancestors' evil, trying to move beyond it while living with these ever-present reminders of the past (the elves' surveillance/occupation of their lands), and also trying to figure out if you are doomed by the choices others have made before you. it reminded me of that moment in FOTR where arwen tries to tell aragorn that he is not isildur and is not doomed to isildur's fate and aragon is like but doesn't his blood run in my veins? just like that question of, do we get to choose our destinies or are we instruments of fate, fooling ourselves into thinking we're different or stronger or better than the flawed people who came before us, only to discover that we are just as flawed and that our 'choices' are us enacting these storylines that were scripted for us long before we were born. i'm also SO intrigued to discover who the mysterious stranger from the sky is... my brother and i think it might be gandalf but it seems like they'd have to do some reworking of the storylines to make that work. idk! i'm excited to find out.

my handful of criticisms: it felt like they were often dragging out storylines a bit too long or taking us back and forth between storylines too much without much changing since the last time we'd visited those characters. i also think it's still suffering from a bit of a crisis about who its central characters are and what their central conflicts are. galadriel felt like a very interesting, complicated, fully formed character in the beginning episodes to me, but then started to fade a bit into the background as the episodes went on. i loved the southlands storyline characters (especially bronwyn and the elf whose name i forget) but i feel like i don't "know" bronwyn that well - she felt like a secondary character who got briefly elevated to primary character importance but without them doing much backstory work or much fleshing out of her as a person. i'll be interested to see if she has a role beyond the first season. numenor was beautiful to visit and the queen's visions of the destruction of numenor were extremely compelling but again the characters there felt a little two-dimensional to me at times.

i really enjoyed it as a whole though!! i do hope that things sort of pick up a bit in the next season but honestly i would watch four seasons of the slowest plot just to spend more time in middle earth!!

#i love what you said about seeing middle earth at its height too!!#i feel like it drives home a bit more how much the LOTR films are set in a dying world #or an ancient world full of ruins of a more vibrant world #the rings of power

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everything-is-gay-and-im-sad · 3 years

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A nazgûl, probably: I know you have the one ring, Baggins.

Frodo, internally: Play dumb!

Frodo: Who's Baggins?

Frodo, internally: Not that dumb!

#this came to me while i was watching fotr #probs not very original but i said it anyway #source: spiderman into the spiderverse #lord of the rings #frodo baggins #the fellowship of the ring #lotr incorrect quotes #first half of fellowship in a nutshell #its a good thing the nazgul were stupid old and blind #otherwise lotr would be a very short trilogy

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alittledizzy · 2 years

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Advent Day 23: LOTRIPS

This prompt showed up in my advent form and it’s been on my mind since I saw it. It’s not a fic but I hope you’ll enjoy it in place of one today!

Hi! This isn’t fan fiction per say but I’m very interested in early fandom history and saw you mention lotrips— it’s difficult to find good information about what the fandom was like back then and I’m especially curious about the real person shipping/ domlijah aspect of it. If you’d like, could you say what it was like back then and what happened to it/ how fandom and opinions have changed? Have a great day!

This answer really ended up being more about my experiences specifically than the shipping, but if you want to ask specific questions about that I’m happy to share opinions! I think I just don’t know how to approach that from such an expansive perspective. Also lotrips friends please jump in!!

When I think of my time in lotrips fandom, I think of three main things:

Fic: This was not the first fandom I wrote for, it wasn’t even the first fandom I actively participated in, but it was still a revelation. I fell into lotr/lotrips during the second half of my senior year of high school, at the same time I had just been outed at my rural Mississippi high school by my childhood best friend. I did not have a good senior year, and this fandom dropped into my lap right when I really needed escapism.

My origin story: my senior english teacher was out on maternity leave and the sub was a massive fan of Tolkien and had us watch Fellowship. (The Two Towers had just hit theaters, so FOTR was the only one available on DVD). Over that Christmas break I found the fandom and I found livejournal. I lurked for a while (longer than I’d ever lurk in a fandom now) but within a few weeks I hit up someone for an LJ invite code, since at the time you still couldn’t just sign up. (Shoutout gabbyhope, wherever you are, from the once upon a time seventeen year old that emailed you saying please read my (shitty) fic and also help me, a total stranger, get on this website.)

I started writing and posting fic fairly quickly after that. It’s funny because I know I made friends, I know people liked my fic, and I was passionate about writing. But when I look back the things that really stand out to me aren’t what I wrote or the reception I got, but the amazing writers in that fandom that I knew and followed. Some of them became what I hope are lifelong friends, some of them were only in my life for a short time, and some of them I never even talked to but their work influenced me so much. That fandom more than any other helped shape who I am as a writer.

AIM Chatrooms: There was no social media! There was no performative fandom creative output for the purpose of trying to get notices from the actors online. The fic was on livejournal, you posted there, people commented. No one from the cast was in that space. That just wasn’t a thing. So the social bond of the community seemed a lot stronger.

But people still wanted to get together and talk in a more immediately way, you know? so the main group of friends I had in that fandom came from an AOL Instant Messenger chat room that we called “fandom chat.” The awesome thing about AOL is that you could invite yourself into a room, so all you had to do was know the name of the chatroom and boom you were there. I invited myself in and after, idk, a few months I just felt like a natural part of it.

Every single night we would gather and chat about everything under the sun. I met the longest relationship I’ve ever had in that chat room. I had my first (and second, and third and fourth, shhh look we were all young and kinda horny) kisses with women from people who were in that chatroom. I met friends that would change my life. I was exposed to so much from other countries and other cultures and other ways of life that I’d never had my eyes opened to before. Even as I type this, a part of me just misses what a pure social experience that felt like for me.

Conventions: I went to every single Lord of the Rings convention there was. I stayed with people that I knew from fandom chat, but I also met so many people there. I flew on a plane for the first time going to a convention. I had those first kisses at conventions. I fell in love with a new side of fandom culture I’d never really felt before, and the reality that the people in my computer screen didn’t have to only be there. Meeting the celebs was exciting but nothing compared to the bonding experiences. And like, yeah, there was absolutely drama. Amongst people who were around my age I think we all (well, the queer ones) had weird crushes on each other and there was jealousy and some pettiness and it was like any social group of baby gays dipping a toe into the world for the first time. But I love those people so much, even the ones I haven’t talked to in years, and I love how many other people I just never would have met otherwise. Maybe I have some rose colored glasses on but if so it’s just because LOTRIPS gave me the building blocks for what I expect a fandom to be for me and what I want to get out of it.

#lotrips #how tf is it december already

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luthienne · 3 years

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Who are your favourite characters from LOTR, or just Middle Earth as a whole? Your favourite quotes and songs from the books? Have you read The Silmarillion, and perhaps, the History of Middle Earth volumes? Are there any essays or poems of Tolkien you particularly like and recommend? Did you watch the movies first, or read the books? Are there other fantasy series you love? How did your love for fairies come about?

Apologies for the question dump. Today, my love for Middle Earth is overflowing, and I really wanted to share it.

oooh ok let's go:

legolas. aragorn. gimli. éowyn. faramir. éomer. lúthien. thranduil. elladan and elrohir. beleg and túrin. nienna. i’ve read the silmarillion, most of the history of middle earth, and the history of the lord of the rings volumes + the end of the third age. ofc the hobbit. i adore tolkien’s essay on fairy-stories. i think everyone who’s interested in fairy-tales should read it. i read the books first. my dad and my brother and i would drive up to the green river every summer to do 10-day float / camping trips. we’d listen to the lord of the rings and the hobbit on the drive up and sometimes around the campfire. the films came out when i was in sixth grade and i fell in love w them. my core friend group exists bc of the films. my love for the world of faerie sprung from those river trips with my dad, listening to tolkien, imagining mirkwood, elves, dark forests, and enchanted rivers. i grew up in the desert and all our river trips were in the canyonlands, but that only made me love the idea of enchanted forests even more.

for more fantasy/speculative fiction recs, you can check here.

if you looked at my beat up copy of the lord of the rings, you'd see so many highlights. it feels nearly impossible to choose favorite quotes. but:

“yet it is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. what weather they shall have is not ours to rule.” —rotk, the last debate (gandalf)

“there, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, sam saw a white star twinkle for awhile. the beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. for like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.” —rotk, the land of shadow (sam)

“and he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many.” —rotk, the houses of healing

“the trees and the grasses and all things growing or living in the land belong each to themselves.” —fotr, in the house of tom bombadil

“‘and now leave me in peace for a bit! i don’t want to answer a string of questions while i am eating. i want to think!’ ‘good heavens!’ said pippin. ‘at breakfast?’” —fotr, a short cut to the mushrooms

“the wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.” —fotr, three is company (gildor)

“‘but where shall i find courage?’ asked frodo. ‘that is what i chiefly need.’ ‘courage is found in unlikely places,’ said gildor.” —fotr, three is company

“before long the elves came down the lane towards the valley. they passed slowly, and the hobbits could see the starlight glimmering on their hair and in their eyes. they bore no lights, yet as they walked a shimmer, like the light of the moon above the rim of the hills before it rises, seemed to fall about their feet.” —fotr, three is company

“many evil things there are that your strong walls and bright swords do not stay.” —fotr, the council of elrond (aragorn)

“yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.” —fotr, the council of elrond (gandalf)

“the world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places, but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” —the two towers, lothlórien (haldir)

“Already she seemed to him ... present and yet remote, a living version of that which has already been left far behind by the flowing streams of time.” —the two towers, farewell to lórien

“‘they will look for him from the white tower,’ he said, ‘ but he will not return from mountain or from sea.’” —the two towers, the departure of boromir (aragorn)

i also love the lay of nimrodel and the lament for boromir. so bittersweet 🥺

“it was sam’s first view of a battle of men against men, and he did not like it much. he was glad that he could not see the dead face. he wondered what the man’s name was and where he came from; and if he was really evil of heart, or what lies or threats had led him on the long march from his home; and if he would not really rather have stayed there in peace —” —the two towers, of herbs and stewed rabbit

“...but i do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. i love only that which they defend.” —the two towers, the window on the west (faramir)

and finally, the sheer amount of sass gandalf has in these passages from the council of elrond describing his conversation with saruman:

“‘i looked then and saw that his robes, which had seemed white, were not so, but were woven of all colours, and if he moved they shimmered and changed hue so that they eye was bewildered. ‘i liked white better, i said.’”

‘i cannot think that you brought me so far only to weary my ears.’”

and some bonus grumpy gimli:

“we cannot pursue them through the whole fastness of fangorn. we have come ill supplied. if we do not find them soon, we shall be of no use to them, except to sit down beside them and show our friendship by starving together.” [mood. same. how i feel when my brother is late to dinner.]

#the only other fantasy series i could recommend would be for younger readers: the lionness quartet by tamora pierce #i was obsessed w that series when i was younger and i think it still holds up #anyway thank you for these middle earth questions!! i love them <3 #ask #anon #lotr #tolkien blogging

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fortes-fortuna-iogurtum · 3 years

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name 7 comfort movies + tag 7 people

tagged by @swinging-stars-from-satellites (yes I’m still catching up on things from like 2 weeks ago, shhh 😅🙃) thank you dear!! ^-^

(these are in no particular order aside from the order they came to my mind)

1) Spider-Man: Homecoming--I know there are some IssuesTM with this movie (specifically its portrayal of Spidey as compared to the original comics’ portrayal of him), and I try to be aware of them, but I do still personally really love this film. it’s very comforting to me for some reason, I think because it’s familiar and has a fairly straight-forward plot and themes that I resonate very deeply with?

2) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring--I mean really all of the LOTR movies are comfort movies for me, but I think FotR is especially so, probably because of all the time spent in the Shire.

3) Doctor Strange--I’ve only seen it a couple of times, but I’m still going to count it because it’s another one where I’m very comfortable with the characters and storyline and resonate deeply with the themes (I guess I just don’t rewatch movies quite to the extent that some people do, even movies I really love??)

4) Rogue One--yes it’s tragic, yes it’s kind of heavy, but I still just love it so much. I’ve seen it so many times, I’m very comfortable with the characters and their journeys at this point, but I also never get tired of seeing their story play out, and I always manage to come away having noticed new things about them and being touched by the themes in a new way. Jyn is still my favourite Disney-era SW film heroine. <3

5) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey--I certainly understand the complaints with all the films of this trilogy, but they’re rather nostalgic for me, because I still remember watching them when I was young with my dad and little sisters, and how re-enraptured I was by the world of Middle-earth (I’d seen the LOTR films not long before but hadn’t read any of the books yet). the colours and designs of this film are just so appealing to me, and it has fairly few discrepancies between the book and the film (compared to the other two)

6-7) all of the Star Wars Prequels + The Force Awakens--this is a bit of a cheat, but I’m going with it anyway, because doing this tag has reminded me just how rarely I actually watch movies and I’m struggling to come up with more to list 😅 I grew up watching the PT almost every weekend for several years of my early childhood, and then when my sisters discovered the Star Wars universe a while later, they were also the ones they fixated most on. I firmly believe that all my entire understanding of storytelling was heavily molded by these movies.

and then The Force Awakens was just so cool when it first came out. at first I complained a lot about how it was “too simple” and “too much like A New Hope”--and while I still think it copied the format of ANH a bit, it’s also very fun in its simplicity. I just enjoy it and it makes me feel like a kid going to the to watch spaceships without worrying about what The Important Fandom Officials thought about every detail.

tagging @audreythevaliant @as-dreamers-do @ladyzayinwonderland @ontologicalmoki @dawnflames @ladyverachtung @assorted-things (but if you guys don’t want to do it or have done it already, that’s perfectly fine! :))

#gurt says stuff #movies #comfort things #star wars #LOTR #the hobbit #rogue one #the force awakens #star wars prequels #doctor strange #spiderman #spider-man: homecoming #tag games

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zalrb · 4 years

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Could you give your opinion on LOTR characters? Not all of them because I know there are too many lol, but maybe the most prominent like the ones that were part of the fellowship or Gollum/Smeagol, Bilbo, Saruman, Eowyn etc... If I'm not bothering of course, thanks. 😊

I was thinking about this because I don’t really know how to give my opinion on LOTR characters and it’s maybe because the epic journey and the world and the characters all have equal parts where it’s kind of hard for me to single out the characters particularly but I’ll give it a try, and I’ll stick to the movies, the only time I’ll mention the books is in relation to Boromir so I guess I’ll start with Boromir.

Boromir

I understand why Boromir was portrayed the way he was in the movies, I just thought that they reduced his character and didn’t really show that he was meant to be a man of valor and that the ring appealed to him as much as it did because he truly wanted to save Gondor and that his people were being killed off considering Gondor’s close proximity to Mordor, he kind of just comes across as a villain and unless you read the books and understand exactly what the ring does then I feel like his story in FOTR is just he was tempted by the ring and then he realized he was wrong and it’s more complicated than that

and to be fair, in the Director’s Cut, they show more of this side of Boromir.

Aragorn,

It’s funny because I remember being a pre-teen when LOTR first came out and I was all about Legolas and then I got older and I was like OK but Aragorn though, he’s got the angst/dark past and the undying love for his woman and he’s got the honour and he’s slugging it in the mud with the soldiers

I was all about that Aragorn life. Now that I’m older still, he’s a character that definitely still appeals to me even though I think his angst over Isildur is a bit much, like come on dude, but also, he absolutely led Eowyn on, LOOK AT THAT EYE SEX

then he has the nerve to be like, oh no that’s all you when Elrond shows up basically as a reminder that he loves Arwen. Mmhmm OK.

Eowyn

I don’t really have much to say about Eowyn, I know people go crazy for “I am no man” which is fine but I just never really cared for her but I never really care for characters who fit the Eowyn-esque mold.

Arwen

I think my affection for Arwen is really more about her style, LOL, my obsession with bell/angel sleeves started with her in LOTR and I really liked her love story with Aragorn (in the books and in the movies) and I liked her etheral-esque presence but next to being there for Aragorn and saving Frodo that one time she doesn’t do much and I always wanted her to have a more integral role

Sam

Sam is literally the best friend you could ever hope for.

He deserves SO MUCH credit. Frodo would absolutely not have succeeded if it weren’t for him, he’s the freaking best.

Legolas

You’re in love with Aragorn, deal with it.

Pippin

His little bitch ass needed to STAY. HOME. Oh my GOD. EVERY TIME I watch LOTR (and it’s often) I’m like REMEMBER WHEN YOU GOT GANDALF KILLED? Telling people in pubs who Frodo is and shit. Uh uh. The minute, the MINUTE he said “Where are we going?” I’d be like, no.

Gimli

I do like Gimli. I remember I had to have a discussion with my TA in tutorial once about the portrayal of Gimli in the movies, which was odd because he was my TA for a Caribbean Studies course and I don’t remember why we were speaking about it, but my TA was saying that Gimli was used for comic relief and he had a Scottish accent while the orcs were evil and they had Cockney accents and he was essentially saying it was rooted in stereotypes so that’s kind of at the back of my mind whenever I watch it but anyway, Gimli has some of my favourite lines.

Elrond

My man said get the fuck out of here with that shit and I respected it.

Gandalf

I like Gandalf. I don’t think I have any strong opinions on him, I just like him, like a stoner grandpa or uncle or something.

Frodo

I fucking love in the first movie when Gandalf is like, so this is a ring that can destroy the world and Frodo is like great, let’s just hide it in my drawer. Bro, what?

Gollum

I don’t think I ever thought of Gollum as tragic on a personal level although I objectively appreciated that the ring destroyed his life and that his motivations are tragic because of that. He was also savage.

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battlestar-royco · 4 years

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updated faq

Round 2! I tried to shorten the answers so as not to be repetitive, and I also added new FAQs for your convenience. My past self who wrote my first FAQ annoys me, and this one is more thorough anyway, so here you go. I still can’t believe you all actually interact with me enough that I have to make one of these.

Questions up here, answers under the cut.

anti sjm basics

1. why are you an anti?

2. why are you specifically anti SJM?

3. do you like anything about SJM’s books?

4. terminology and practices

5. why do you hold SJM to a higher standard than other authors?/why do you focus on criticizing this one woman more harshly than you do men?

6. did you see what xyz stan did?

7. are you an anti for non-SJM stuff?

best of (in my humble opinion)

diversity and sensitivity

8. I have a question about writing and/or how to portray xyz identity...

9. can you please tag...?

10. is it okay if I like [x author]/[y series] even if I know they’re problematic?

11. what are your suggestions for aspiring authors who want to write diversely?

personal

12. is it okay if I message you?

13. why don’t you post about books/shows/movies you actually like?

14. favorites?

15. book suggestions?

16. are you a writer/what are you writing/do you plan on publishing?

17. is it okay if I follow you on other social media?

18. fandom research

19. when did you start your blog?

20. how did you decide your url?

anti SJM basics

1. why are you an anti?

I love thinking critically about the media I consume. Though I wouldn’t say I’m particularly “anti” any text or author, some people classify any criticism as “anti.” To respect people in the main tags, I post in anti tags so they don’t have to see critical posts. Otherwise, I love talking about positive, neutral, and negative aspects of books.

2. why are you specifically anti SJM?

The Anti SJM Manifesto

What made you turn into an anti? x x

Rowan/Rowaelin: x x x

The fandom: x x x x x x

3. do you like anything about SJM’s books?

Yes. I like a lot of SJM’s ideas, but I don’t like how they’re executed at all. I highly enjoyed TAB, TOG-HOF, and the witch storyline of QOS. My favorite TOG characters are Manon, Chaol, Nehemia, and Sorscha. Honorable mention for Lysandra, Kaltain, and Asterin. My favorite ACOTAR characters are Nesta, Lucien, and Tarquin. Additional links: x x x x

If you want my positive thoughts on certain SJM characters, look up: “anti sjm: [character name]” and you’ll find them.

4. terminology and practices:

Anti SJM Glossary. Seeing as many of us have had bad experiences with stans and in one case, authors, we censor names so our posts stay in our own tags.

What is soap dick? From August 2018 x x.

Manongate? when KOA came out, Charlie Bowater’s promotional art (x) depicted Manon as Asian. Here’s more on why that’s a problematic and lazy decision on SJM and Bloomsbury’s part: x x.

5. why do you hold SJM to a higher standard than other authors?/why do you focus on criticizing this one woman more harshly than you do men?

SJM alone out of all the biggest YA authors has yet to make craft improvements or display a social awareness similar to what I’ve seen from her colleagues. I give all authors an equal chance, but SJM’s writing and behavior has significantly decreased in quality compared to other fantasy authors despite her books being lauded as complex and feminist works. However, I’m not perfect, so do feel welcome to send me an ask if you think I’m being unfair.

The anti SJM community is focused on women because we all mainly read women. Critiquing women doesn’t mean we are unaware, dismissive of, or silent about the issues in men’s work. The “anti” movements for the likes of GRRM do exist, but under a different name than “anti”–there are thousands of critical meta blogs, book/TV critics and reviewers, Youtubers, etc out there who discuss his flaws in depth. I also have lengthy anti GRRM, anti GOT, and anti ASOIAF tags. Finally, I personally find critiquing and discussing women’s work a lot more interesting, productive, and empowering than doing the same for men, especially because my blog’s focus is on the YA author/transformative fan community at large.

About Leigh Bardugo: x x x x x x x

About GRRM (and GOT): x x x x x x x

About Tolkien: I've only read The Hobbit and a third of Fellowship of the Ring, and I’ve only watched FotR, so I don’t say much about him at all.

6. did you see what xyz stan did?

Probably not, especially if what they did was off Tumblr. I don’t look at stan accounts unless someone informs me that my posts or I have come up in conversation on their blog. Any specific stan urls in asks will be redacted both for their privacy and my own well-being. Stans have doxxed, harassed, and discriminated against antis, including myself, so I’d rather save us all the trouble.

7. are you an anti for non-SJM stuff?

I most often talk about SJM’s books, but I’ve also been very critical of GOT/ASOIAF. Following GRRM, several other YA authors have appeared in positive, neutral, and critical lights. On the more critical side we have Cassandra Clare and JK Rowling, and a very little bit about Victoria Aveyard, John Green, Maggie Stiefvater, Stephenie Meyer, and Veronica Roth. Otherwise, I’ve talked about Susan Dennard, Rick Riordan, Leigh Bardugo, and Marie Rutkoski. Check out my YA critical tag for more. I’m also down to discuss franchises like Star Wars, Fantastic Beasts, MCU, etc, as well as TV shows. Basically anything big in genre fiction media, there’s a good chance I’ve read/watched it and I have opinions!

best of

anti SJM

Are the Illyrians MOC?

Moral Ambiguity Series

Anti Nessian

Lucien or Rhysand?

Chaol or Rowan?

misc.

why are period dramas like... that

White Feminism

a beginner’s guide to fandom racism

diversity and sensitivity

8. I have a question about writing and/or how to portray xyz identity...

First and foremost, check my “writing advice” and “writing advice: poc” tags to see if the question has already been answered.

I am black cis girl with a dual degree in women’s/gender studies and creative writing. I will best be able to answer questions regarding black characters, women, racial oppression and identity as a whole, and most questions about queer characters. There’s a chance I can provide a basic answer to questions about demographics outside of these, but I’ll most likely advise you to ask another blogger or seek out sensitivity readers.

9. can you please tag...?

Yes. Just send an ask and I’ll tag anything. I’ve turned off all Tumblr notifications for this account so I probably won’t see tag requests in comments unless you comment within a day or so of the post.

10. is it okay if I like [x author]/[y series] even if I know they’re problematic?

Absolutely. I’m not the liking-things police and I can’t control whether you like something or not. There’s no such thing as an unproblematic author or unproblematic series, so you just have to like what you like at your own discretion and with a critical eye. As long as you’re aware of the issues and not denying or ignoring them, maybe even seeking out other people whose opinions add to the conversation, you’re good. It’s exhausting to be 100% critical but harmful to be 100% uncritical, so you have to seek out critics you like and figure out how to maintain a dialogue with the text and/or the author. The balance is different for everyone but once you find it, it gets easier to keep up!

11. what are your suggestions for aspiring authors who want to write diversely?

Concepts to be aware of and tropes to avoid: male gaze, the Bechdel test, the Mako Mori test, the sexy lamp test, fridging, Orientalism, xenoface (called “the Gamora Phenomenon” on my blog), black best friend, Spicy Latina, Dragon Lady, bury your gays, disability narratives, queerbaiting.

What not to do when creating a culture.

My advice about writing POC.

Check out these blogs if you like: x x x.

Follow as diversely as possible. Follow multiple blogs, especially writing- or fandom-themed blogs, run by POC (especially women and LGBTQ+), bloggers from religiously marginalized groups, bloggers with disabilities, older bloggers, younger bloggers, international bloggers, plus size bloggers, etc. Everyone has different perspectives and opinions, so it’s best to read from multiple sources.

Magnify marginalized voices in conversations about diversity, and LISTEN to what they are telling you.

Read diversely! Read genre fiction written by marginalized people. Maybe even read some gender, queer, race, or disability theory if you like. I’m personally a fan of Audre Lorde, Anne McClintock, and Sara Ahmed, but I like a lot more.

Seek out multiple sensitivity readers for the specific identity you are trying to represent (ie if you are trying to write a Muslim woman, ask a Muslim woman to sensitivity read for you. Experiences are not interchangeable so don’t treat them as such).

Don’t let the research stop here. This is just the beginning. There are plenty of awesome and accessible resources out there if you want to know more. I started learning about this stuff on sites like Tumblr, Goodreads, and Youtube. The Goodreads review sections, especially for YA books, are so entertaining and full of commentators coming at texts with feminist, queer, and POC lenses if you look in the right spots. There are also podcasts and Youtube videos about feminism, history of queerbaiting, and such. Happy reading/listening/writing!

personal

12. is it okay if I message you?

If we’ve been mutuals and/or we’ve interacted for a while (at least a few weeks or so), absolutely. When it comes to questions about writing or diversity advice in WIPs, I prefer asks (off or on anon is fine; if you’d like to be off anon but answered privately, you can indicate that in the ask). That way, other people with similar questions can join the discussion and I’m less likely to repeat myself. That said, I’m not opposed to messages; I just get shy around people I don’t know :). Regardless of ask or message, please try to ask the full question as clearly as possible so I can answer it to my best ability. Generally, you can expect an answer to your message or ask within a few days to a week of sending.

If you’re looking for a fight and/or if you start using condescending, rude, or discriminatory language, you will be ignored.

13. why don’t you post about books/shows/movies you actually like?

I do! :)

14. favorites?

books: Harry Potter; The Hunger Games; Six of Crows; Percy Jackson; The Winner’s Trilogy; Angelfall; The Secret History; Othello; Jane Eyre; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe/The Magician’s Nephew; A Storm of Swords.

movies: Alien, Blade Runner 2049, Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, Black Panther, Annihilation, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Terminator 2, The Breakfast Club, The Lion King, Moonlight dir. Barry Jenkins, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, Tangled.

tv series: Sense8, Battlestar Galactica (2004-2008), Black Mirror, The X Files, The 100, Westworld (season 1 only), Watchmen, Homeland (seasons 1-4 only), Orphan Black, Breaking Bad, The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, New Girl, Fleabag.

15. book suggestions?

Book recs!

Maxine, did you read/watch...?

16. are you a writer/what are you writing/do you plan on publishing?

I hope to publish, yes! I write mostly YA fantasy, but I also love sci fi, crime drama, and certain elements of horror so I have works in or influenced by all of those genres. I want to get my foot in the YA fantasy door first and foremost :). Check out “polysorscha writes things” if you want to know more specifics.

17. is it okay if I follow you on other social media?

As of now I keep my blog disconnected from my personal life, so I don’t share my other socials but feel free to follow me over on my main blog @ripley-stark if you like! It’s just pretty gifs and photos of my favorite movies and shows, social justice, meta reblogs here and there, and rambling in the tags. Don’t feel like you have to follow if you don’t want to; I say a lot more on here.

That being said, I have given my Goodreads to a handful of people who ask, so if you want to track what I’m reading, private message me and I’ll send you the link. In the case that I share the link with you, please respect my privacy and do not repost or share the link anywhere else unless you see me share it on my blog publicly.

18. fandom research:

In March to May 2019, I conducted a survey on my blog in an attempt to gather information about fandom through a social justice–specifically, intersectional feminist–lens. Here are the results and my analysis of the survey x. The purpose for this data collection was to write my final undergraduate research paper in one of my two majors, women’s and gender studies (the other is creative writing!), which focused on diversity and inclusion in genre fiction media and fandom. The final paper is about 11k words. I haven’t publicly published it, but message me if you’re interested in reading it! I also plan on doing more similar surveys to gather information about what audiences want to see in future media, so if anyone is interested, please send messages, asks, comments etc about what YOU want to see and/or ideas about how we can spread the info to creators. This is much bigger than just me and I can’t do it without your help. I love hearing from diverse voices and amplifying them as much as I can. Everyone’s perspective is meaningful!

19. when did you start your blog?

No earlier than the end of April or beginning of May 2018.

20. how did you decide your url?

I wish the Celaena/Dorian/Chaol love triangle resolved in a polyamorous relationship, and that Nehemia and Sorscha were thriving. Seeing as I am black, Sorscha is one of two characters in T0G who represents me. Thus, polyamorous + Sorscha. :)

#faq

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nimium-amatrix-ingenii-sui · 5 years

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To be fair.. At one hand I am really excited about the lotr series, and really looking forvard to it.. But on the other hand I dont really want it to be too famous, like the GoT-level-mainstream-famous, I dont know why, I just like the (not that)"small" and nerdy fandom, and it will expand. (By a lot, if they make the series that good)

It will certainly expand (whether the series is good or not, perhaps), in the same way that it expanded and got mainstream-level popular during the hot phase of PJ’s LotR and Hobbit trilogies. Presumably, now as then, some of the new fans are going to stay, while a lot of them will eventually “grow out of it” and move on when the series ends - just as the fandom grew smaller and nerdier between ~2004 and 2012, and has again grown nerdier after The Battle of the Five Armies faded from mainstream memory. In the meantime, yes, there will be a wave of new fans, just as there will be a wave of (hopefully) excellent visuals and soundtrack music and costume and set designs.

To some extent, I get the worry. I came into the fandom via the books shortly before the first LotR movie hit cinemas, a youngster among the “old guard”, and I can’t deny I was – well, not a gatekeeper, but certainly a book purist and proud to have been there (just barely) before the movies. And to some extent, I still am! I have my issues with the movies (the Hobbit more than LotR, but that doesn’t mean the latter is perfect), and I have my issues with some of the discussions and interpretations these movies have sparked. I feel a bit wistful whenever I see fanart that’s purely movie fanart. I roll my eyes at the popularity of Orlando Bloom!Legolas. I get downright pissed off when people blame Tolkien’s storywriting for one of PJ’s more questionable choices because it actually makes sense in the book and if only you’d actually read the damned thing — ;) I scrolled past a lot of fan content produced for the Hobbit trilogy, simply because I didn’t care - and of course there was a lot to scroll past during its hot phase, which can feel annoying at times. So yeah, to some extent I, too, enjoy the feeling of a somewhat exclusive, reasonably small community.

Nonetheless, I can’t deny that a lot of awesome fandom people have been brought in (or back) specifically by one of the movie trilogies. Some of them feel like old-timers who’ve been there forever now! But that’s because FotR’s cinematic success was 18 years ago, which for plenty of younger fans is their entire lifetime! But these people, too, once came into the “small and nerdy” fandom because it had suddenly become mainstream, watched mistrustfully by people who had themselves joined the fandom in the 1990s or 80s or 70s or 60s or even earlier, and fandom would be a lot poorer without them. And while a lot of the new fans may just be there for the hype, because it’ll suddenly be cool to know who Celebrimbor or Tar-Aldarion or whoever is, because this actor is soooo hot and that actress is soooo sexy… there will be awesome new people, too.And, as I said, we will hopefully be getting awesome new visuals.

Presumably, you’ll have to curate your fandom experience a bit more (depending on whether you follow any general fannish tags right now), simply to not be exhausted by the sheer amount of new material and to avoid being exposed to the kind of “mainstream” interaction with the story that you personally don’t enjoy. (For example, I have very little to do with the Hobbit movie fandom, except when Silmarillion fanfolk that I follow also occasionally post Hobbit content; and I also stay out of certain corners of Silm fandom that I simply am not interested in.)That way, you’ll create your own small and nerdy corner from which you can cautiously venture into the flood of new material - or not - as you like.

Things will change, just as they’ve done before.

What I’m really afraid of is a bad series full of GoT-style sexualised violence and grimdark plot twists that will make me feel embarrassed by association! I do hope they’ll care to preserve the tone of the original.

#i hope this makes sense #it's 10 pm and i've had two long days #but i felt compelled to reply at once #anyway #thanks for the ask!#do not go to the lyra for counsel #for she will say both yes and no #amazon lotr #tolkien fandom #nihil sub sole novum #the more things change the more they stay the same #and other wise chestnuts #anon ask

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jaebirdy · 6 years

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LOTR was a big part of my early teen years too! I was 11 when the first movie came out (technically didn’t see it till I was 12 but w/e) and they basically helped me survive middle school, and I’m finally rereading the books for the first time in years. it’s a beautiful story with great characters, shout your love ❤️

aaaa thank you!! one of my first memories of lotr was when my dad tried to get me to watch fotr when he had it on vhs, but because i was so young (like 8 or 9 or 10), i just didn’t understand it so my dad eventually gave up. once i got interested in seeing the films when i was in middle school or early high school, he had me read the hobbit book, then each lotr book before i saw each film. that way, i could get all of the lore (even though the books are a bit dense for me and were kind of hard to understand at times hehe) plus see each film after i read its corresponding book. every once in a short while (like once or twice a year), i will pull out my dads blu-ray set of lotr and watch the films, like i did on monday, and i will then be reminded of how wonderful the films are, and they just.. have a special place in my heart, since i think they were made so well, and all of the characters are so beautifully portrayed on screen, let alone how awesome the story itself is. maybe one of these days i will read the books again too since its been since freshman year of high school that i read them.. maybe i will once i have the time to get through them all :3

#thanks for sending this in c:#personal #lotr #answered #alexlifesonofficial

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dawnfelagund · 6 years

Text

Fandom Snowflake: Day 11

Here’s the day’s challenge:

Share a book/song/movie/tv show/fanwork/etc that changed your life.

I’m going to choose the Fellowship of the Ring movie. I feel like I’ve told this story about a billion times over the last twelve years, so I’ll use a cut to spare those of you who don’t want to hear one more time about how a literary snob came to become ginormously nerdy Silmarillion geek.

As Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls would have said: Picture it, Baltimore, 2001 ...

I was in a movie theater with Mr. Felagund--he wasn’t Mr. Felagund yet--and a trailer came on for Fellowship of the Ring.

I should backtrack a bit. I was a literary snob. I was an undergrad at a research university that was very self-consciously Serious. The school was known for its STEM programs, but I was a writing minor, and the writing minor was also Serious: one of those unsmiling programs where one exists to produce Art about Life, which is almost always privileged, upper-middle-class Life. I was once rebuked by the professor in a fiction class for writing a dystopian story set in the future. Because it was futuristic, that made it science fiction, which made it genre fiction, which made it unacceptable for my classmates to waste their time workshopping. Instead of discussing my story, my fifteen minutes of workshop time were spent bashing Dune. (Which is not a book I personally care for, but I’m not sure that insulting it was a better use of everyone’s time than discussing the story they’d all read and come prepared to discuss that day. I later won the argument that allowed me to include the story in my portfolio for the semester, but that lost workshop time was never something I got, or was offered, back.)

So that is the kind of writing I did and the kind of writer I fancied I was. The thing is that I was a huge nerd. Probably my first fandom was The Legend of Zelda--the NES one where you literally had to burn down every bush on the map to find all the entrances you needed to access--and my first fanworks were possibly cosplays with my sister in our bathrobes, using wrapping paper rolls as swords and acting out scenes we imagined our little pixellated characters enacting in Zelda. I adored horror fiction in my teens, always chose the video games where you got to explore and rescue something, and still feel this nostalgic sense of bliss when I open a book and find a map among its first pages. So I really was repressing a part of myself to be the writer I believed I needed to be in order to be considered accomplished and successful.

This is the young woman who watched the trailer for Fellowship that day with her boyfriend.

This is the young woman who thought it looked so fucking good and found her imagination carried away just by the glimpses of setting alone.

But didn’t know how she could manage to see it while holding her idea of her necessary identity intact. A person like she wanted to be--was--would not want to see Fellowship of the Ring.

Thankfully, Mr. Felagund saved me when he wanted to see it, and since we accompanied each other to movies the other wanted to see, I got into a theater on the pretense of going with him. But really, I wanted to see it so g-d bad and was really excited about it. (I didn’t pretend that I didn’t want to see it, but I tamped down my enthusiasm considerably.)

Seeing FotR was a life-changing experience for me. I’d read The Hobbit in 5th grade--it was okay--and was turned lose with FotR in 6th grade, but we were not really supported in reading it, and I lacked the skills needed to comprehend a high school-level book unaided, so I gave it up after the second chapter. That failure convinced me that I “hated Tolkien,” as I would say over and over again across the next ten years. Possibly, this experience would be why I’d turn my personal reading to horror rather than fantasy, even though I’d enjoyed fantasy novels when I was younger.

Sitting in the theater, I was transported to this world, this Middle-earth. I had the old sense of opening a book and seeing a map after the title page and studying it and wondering at the names and features, so excited to explore them in the book. (And vaguely disappointed--and vaguely intrigued--when something that caught my eye didn’t make it into the story.) I wanted to know what lay around every corner in this new world. I couldn’t wait for The Two Towers to come out.

I would ease into being a Tolkien fan. It would be nice to say that I bought all the books that night, read them in a week, and went back to school after break and told my writing program to fuck off, but of course I didn’t do that; one’s identity--especially one tied so tightly to one’s dreams, as mine was--doesn’t get reforged overnight. But seeing FotR and being honest about my reaction to it--and to my credit, I was honest about that--gently forced me to question what I was doing with myself creatively. It made me question the unequivocal rejection of “genre” fiction as too indulgent and formulaic to take seriously.

I do wish I could go back to that class when my professor refused to workshop my story and swap the quavering, shy person I was with the person I am now, but I tell myself that everything turned out okay, and I honor art and creativity in its myriad forms with my own teaching.

As is often the case, seeing the films made me read the books. And that hunger was there and not easily sated. I kept reading and reading and eventually started writing fanfic, then discovered that other people did this too, started writing AMC, built the SWG ... and the rest is history.

#tolkien #lord of the rings #lord of the rings movies #fellowship of the ring #fandom snowflake challenge #I think I'm going to actually finish Fandom Snowflake this year

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promin-blog · 7 years

Text

What do Denethor and Pippin have in common?

What inspired this post is a quote by the fabulous Elkins who mostly analyzes Harry Potter but made this LoTR related gem of an observation:

Ah, Denethor... You know, Denethor was my favorite non-SYCOPHANTS-ish character in all of LotR? I always really felt for Denethor. Must be that Edge thing again. I always liked Pippin, too, for that matter. I liked that touch of morbid curiosity to him, that morbid fascination: the way that he never seemed to be able to resist doing things like throwing rocks down deep pits and awakening ancient Evil, or staring into Eastward-turned palantir, or... Well, you know. Pippin was Denethor Lite, really. That's why they got on so well.

‘Pippin was ‘Denethor Lite’. When I first read this, I was really blown away. I didn’t think before of comparing Denethor and Pippin in any way, but when you think about it they have a lot in common.

That ‘morbid curiosity’ being foremost.

There is this famous quote by Friedrich Nietzsche, that might shed even more light on the matter:

He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster . . . when you gaze long into the abyss the abyss also gazes into you.

If you happen to be somewhat confused by this quote, what could help is this line from S07E20 of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “The Changing Face of Evil”:

He who studies evil is studied by evil.

And what Denethor was doing was precisely studying evil by looking into the abyss of the palantír. This is foreshadowed by Beregond:

And the Lord Denethor is unlike other men: he sees far. Some say that as he sits alone in his high chamber in the Tower at night, and bends his thought this way and that, he can read somewhat of the future; and that he will at times search even the mind of the Enemy, wrestling with him. (LoTR: RoTK)

What’s more, evil returned the gaze, studied Denethor in turn and used his curiosity against him, making him more like itself:

Then coming to the doorway he (Denethor) drew aside the covering, and lo! he had between his hands a palantír. And as he held it up, it seemed to those that looked on that the globe began to glow with an inner flame, so that the lean face of the Lord was lit as with a red fire, and it seemed cut out of hard stone, sharp with black shadows, noble, proud, and terrible. His eyes glittered. (LoTR: RoTK)

‘The globe’s inner fire’ makes Denethor’s face look ‘terrible’. The ‘glittering’ eyes might even be trying to evoke Sauron’s Eye ‘rimmed by fire’. Going back to that Nietzsche quote, Denethor, while trying to fight evil using the knowledge of the palantír, should have been careful not to become a monster himself.

On the other hand, Pippin is the first character, and the only member of the Fellowship (barring Aragorn) who looked into the palantír.

And this is, as Elkins above aptly noticed, a kind of a pattern for Pippin. He is the one who threw that stone into the abyss of the well in Moria, to sound its depth.

Pippin felt curiously attracted by the well. While the others were unrolling blankets and making beds against the walls of the chamber, as far as possible from the hole in the floor, he crept to the edge and peered over. A chill air seemed to strike his face, rising from invisible depths. Moved by a sudden impulse he groped for a loose stone, and let it drop. He felt his heart beat many times before there was any sound. Then far below, as if the stone had fallen into deep water in some cavernous place, there came a plunk, very distant, but magnified and repeated in the hollow shaft. (LoTR: FoTR)

Please take notice how the text contrasts the intense avoidance of the rest of the Fellowship of the hole in the floor - they’re making beds as far away as possible from it - and Pippin’s intense curiosity (’he crept to the edge and peered over’) - he is positively drawn to it! And again the abyss (’the invisible depths’) returns the gaze, or more precisely, returns the sound:

Nothing more was heard for several minutes; but then there came out of the depths faint knocks: tom-tap, tap-tom. (...) (Gandalf:) It may have nothing to do with Peregrin's foolish stone; but probably something has been disturbed that would have been better left quiet. (LoTR: FoTR)

And when Pippin looked into the palantír, Sauron returned the gaze and tried to, well, study Pippin. Gandalf even checks Pippin for Sauron’s influence/transference:

'Look at me!' said Gandalf. Pippin looked up straight into his eyes. The wizard held his gaze for a moment in silence. Then his face grew gentler, and the shadow of a smile appeared. He laid his hand softly on Pippin's head. 'All right!' he said. 'Say no more! You have taken no harm. There is no lie in your eyes, as I feared. But he did not speak long with you. (LoTR: TTT)

The implication of this is, of course, that Pippin too would have become something of a monster (as later happened to Denethor) if he peered into the abyss long enough. But that didn’t happen, largely because of Gandalf’s intervention. On both occasions (Pippin throwing the stone in the well; Pippin looking into the palantír) it seems Gandalf wants to distract Pippin from the abyss:

Gandalf: You, Pippin, can go on the first watch, as a reward, (FoTR)

Gandalf: I will ride ahead at once with Peregrin Took. It will be better for him than lying in the dark while others sleep. (TTT)

So what makes Pippin ‘Denethor Lite’, is essentially Gandalf being aware of the ‘changing face of evil’.

#pippin #denethor #lotr #tolkien #meta

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therangerofthenorthernlands · 3 years

Text

Tolkien Update #1 (7 June 2021)

GENERAL SPOILER WARNING FOR THE LORD OF THE RINGS

Hey guys, so I've finally finished with school and now I get to read to my heart's utmost desire. Therefore, I'll be giving regular updates on my journey through Tolkien's works. They will be very heartfelt posts, as Tolkien’s writing consistently manages to touch the deepest parts of my heart. I’ll probably go chapter by chapter for The Lord of the Rings, going over quotes that I loved or found interesting and making general comments... not sure what I'll do for the rest of the books. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Also I’m starting in the middle of the trilogy because that’s where I’m at right now. Retroactive posts may or may not come For now, here is my "review" of:

The Two Towers being the second part of The Lord of the Rings

Chapter 6 “The King of the Golden Hall” otherwise known as “Eowyn is a Fucking Badass”

To give a brief overall review, I found this chapter rather interesting. It chronicled the end of Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli's journey across the plains of Rohan and their arrival at the Golden Hall, Meduseld, the seat of King Theoden son of Thengel, in Edoras. I found Tolkien's specificity in ethnic distinctions between men from different regions of Middle Earth (men of Gondor vs. men of Rohan vs. Men of, for example, Bree) particularly fascinating. His attention for detail is absolutely spectacular. Also in this chapter, Eowyn is introduced, and let me tell you that I fell in love with this woman at first sight. Further commentary in the quotes down below, but damn I love her. I wanna be her. Not sure how I feel about the whole thing Tolkien is setting up between her and Aragorn, though... I definitely hated it in the movie but I feel a little bit better about it in the book. I believe Eowyn's representation is overall more thorough and better in the book than in the movie.

Quotes that I liked/highlighted from this chapter and perhaps some general commentary/observations to accompany them (If I don’t provide commentary for a quote, assume that I just thought it sounded pretty):

As the company approaches Rohan, Aragorn and Legolas observe the lineage of the royalty of Rohan. Legolas notes how insignificant the passage of these five hundred years is to the elves and Aragorn counters that “’…to the Riders of the Mark it seems so long ago,’ said Aragorn, ‘that the raising of this house is but a memory of song, and the years before are lost in the mist of time.’” (pg. 112)

Aragorn’s lamentable tone resonated with the deepest parts of my soul here. I believe that his reflection upon the “mist of time” here mirrors reflection on his Numenorean blood and extended age, and perhaps the alienation he feels from his kin because of these extraordinary traits.

A little later on Legolas observes the language of the Rohirrim and humbly notes that “‘[He] cannot guess what it means, save that it is laden with the sadness of Mortal Men.’” (pg. 112)

This quote kind of left me speechless, the melancholy in conjunction with Legolas’ humility in the observation of the culture of the race of man, a culture and a race that elves normally look down upon or scorn... It just makes you realize the innate goodness of Legolas, and makes me love him all the more.

“‘It is not clear to me that the will of Theoden son of Thengel, even though he be lord of the Mark, should prevail over the will of Aragorn, Elendil’s heir of Gondor.’“ (pg. 115)

...Everytime someone mentions Aragorn’s lineage it gives me chills. Every. Single. Time.

“‘In this elvish sheath dwells the Blade that was Broken and has been made again. Telchar first wrout it in the deeps of time. Death shall come to any man that draws Elendil’s sword save Elendil’s heir.’“ (pg. 115)

See above. Also, no idea who Telchar is yet. Maybe I’ll find out when I read The Silmarillion?

“‘Yet in doubt a man of worth will trust to his own wisdom.” (pg. 116)

Thought this was a good aphorism. Tolkien speaking straight facts.

“’...ill news is an ill guest they say.’“

See above.

“‘The wise speak only of what they know, Grima son of Galmod. A witless worm have you become. Therefore be silent, and keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a serving-man till the lightning falls.’“ (pg. 118) Gandalf putting the traitorous Grima in his place, as he should...

HERE’S WHERE THINGS GET INTERESTING

As the company proceeds outside with King Theoden, Tolkien provides the first description of his niece, Eowyn. “Grave and thoughtful was her glance, as she looked on the king with cool pity in her eyes. Very fair was her face, and her long hair was like a river of gold. Slender and tall she was in her white robe girt with silver; but strong she seemed and stern as steel, a daughter of kings. Thus Aragorn for the first time in the full light of day beheld Eowyn, Lady of Rohan, and thought her fair, fair and cold, like a morning of pale spring that is not yet come to womanhood. And she now was suddenly aware of him: tall heir of kings, wise with many winters, greycloaked, hiding a power that yet she felt. For a moment still as stone she stood, then turning swiftly she was gone.” (pg. 119)

Wow. And just like that, I’m head over heels for Eowyn in just a few words. Especially the bolded part. I just feel so empowered by this description. I love her. I want to be her. AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF HER BAD-ASSERY, as you will see in my following quotes. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love Miranda Otto, she’s amazing in the movies. However I do in fact adore her more in the books. BUT THEN THE DESCRIPTION OF ARAGORN FROM HER PERSPECTIVE. I WANT TO BE HIM TOO. I love them both, I love them all. I still don’t know how I feel about the romance that Tolkien is hinting at, though... Leaning toward not liking it especially.

“‘Alas!’ he said, ‘that these evil days should be mine, and should come in my old age instead of that peace which I have earned. Alas for Boromir the brave! The young perish and the old linger, withering.’“ (pg. 121)

I like Boromir more in the books, movie did him dirty :(

This is the second time an observation of this type has been made. The first was by Frodo to Gandalf in FOTR. Recurring themes people, recurring themes.

I forgot what number three was. Oh right, spot the aphorism!

“Arise now, arise, Riders of Theoden! Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward. Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded! Forth Eorlingas!” (pg. 122)

I always love Tolkien’s verse. Also the repetition of “Forth Eorlingas!” always hits different :’)

“‘If we fail, we fall. If we succeed--then we will face the next task.” (pg. 122)

Wise, pertinent words. (Spot the aphorism!)

“‘There is no rest yet for the weary.’“ (pg. 123)

yardy know... spot the aphorism! no, but, fr, i felt this. school’s tiring, dude. it’s over tho. good times!

“’Then even the defeat of Rohan will be glorious in song,’“ Aragorn says as King Theoden insists upon riding out to battle with the company, the Rohirrim, and the amassed male citizens of Edoras. “‘The Lord of the Mark will ride! Forth Eorlingas!’“

Chivalry, nobility, humility, and “Forth Eorlingas!” Honestly, what more could you ask for?

“‘Down, snake! ...Down on your belly! How long is it since Saruman bought you? What was the promised price? When all the men were dead, you were to pick your share of the treasure, and take the woman you desire? Too long have you watched her under your eyelids and haunted her steps.’“ (pg. 124)

Gandalf’s confrontation of Grima. Noted because this exchange is transposed almost word for word in the movie (if I’m not mistaken) and I found it interesting.

Following King Theoden’s rallying of the troops, “already they heard below them in the town the heralds crying and the war-horns blowing. For the king was to ride forth as soon as the men of the town and those dwelling near could be armed and assembled.” (pg. 125)

The way Tolkien phrases this makes one feel so powerful.

“’Faithful heart may have froward tongue.’“ says King Theoden regarding Eomer. “’To crooked eyes truth may wear a wry face.’” says Gandalf about the same. (pg. 126)

Aphorisms, aphorisms, aphorisms! Love this man.

When asked what gift he would have from the King of Rohan, Gandalf petitions “give me Shadowfax! He was only lent before, if loan we may call it. But now I shall ride him into great hazard, setting silver against black: I would not risk anything that is not my own. And already there is a bond of love between us.’” (pg. 126)

I love Tolkien’s mention here of love and bonding with animals. Really highlights his special connection with nature and emphasizes the fact that we should all try to be closer with and kinder to our environment as a whole.

“Now men came bearing raiment of war from the king’s hoard, and they arrayed Aragorn and Legolas in shining mail. Helms too they chose, and round shields: their bosses were overlaid with gold and set with gems, green and red and white.” (pg. 127)

Powerful. Just... no words. Powerful.

“’Indeed sooner I would I bear a horse than to be borne by one.’” says Gimli the dwarf. (pg. 127)

Some comic relief from the comedic legend that is Gimli son of Gloin, the dwarf.

HERE WE GO BABY HERE COMES EOWYN MY LOVE

Speaking of who should take charge of Rohan in the absence of Theoden and Eomer, “there is Eowyn, daughter of Eomund, [Eomer’s] sister. She is fearless and high-hearted. All love her. Let her be as lord to the Eorlingas, while we are gone.’ ...Then the king sat upon a seat before his doors, and Eowyn knelt before him and received from him a sword and a fair corslet.” (pg. 128)

YES! JUST, YES! NEED I SAY MORE? NEED I REPEAT MYSELF? NEED I EMPHASIZE MY UNENDING LOVE FOR EOWYN?

AND HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THIS BAD-ASSERY

“Aragorn looked back s they passed towards the gate. Alone Eowyn stood before the doors of the house at the stair’s head; the sword was set upright before her, and her hands were laid upon the hilt. She was clad now in mail and shone like silver in the sun.” (pg. 128)

*INTERNAL SCREAMING OVER HOW MUCH I ADORE AND WANT TO BE THIS AMAZING POWERFUL WOMAN*

“‘Men need many words before deeds.’“ says Gimli the dwarf. (pg. 128)

Aphorism >:)

“‘An axe is no weapon for a rider.’” says Legolas to Gimli. “And a Dwarf is no horseman. It is orc-necks I would hew, not shave the scalps of Men.’“ (pg. 128)

Love Gimli’s enthusiasm. Right attitude, right execution.

It’s too long for me to effectively quote it but on pg. 129 there’s a pretty humorous exchange between Eomer and Gimli. Love the character dynamics of the two, and I love their interactions. They’re great, especially considering the emergence of their burgeoning friendship!

“’Here now I name my guest, Gandalf Greyhame, wisest of counsellors, most welcome of wanderers, a lord of the Mark, a chieftain of the Eorlingas while our kin shall last; and I give to him Shadowfax, prince of horses.’” Theoden to Gandalf. (pg. 129)

Don’t know what Greyhame means. Gandalf has so many names that sometimes (*cough* all the time *cough*) I get lost. Besides that, this passage gives me chills. The whole atmosphere and tone of it. The humility between two completely different yet eerily similar people. The power in kindness.

Continuing in this same thread, “’Behold the White Rider!’ cried Aragorn, and all took up the words. ‘Our King and the White Rider!’ they shouted. ‘Forth Eorlingas!’ The trumpets sounded. The horses reared and neighed. Spear clashed on shield. Then the king raised his hand, and with a rush like the sudden onset of a great wind the last host of Rohan rode thundering into the West.” (pg. 129-30)

Internal screaming at how much this gives me chills. I cannot express enough how much I love Tolkien’s writing. Also, istg that I’m gonna end up with “Forth Eorlingas!” stuck in my head for the next millennia for how much I absolutely adore it.

Aaaaaaaand I guess that’s pretty much it for this chapter? Really honestly short post really. Definitely not long. No. Yeah. Really long post. Wow. Wasn’t expecting to write that much, but here we are! And I’m happy! Well then, all my love to Tolkien and all my love to you dear reader if you have somehow made it this far. I hope see you in the next update! Until then I must say: Forth Eorlingas!

#lordoftherings #lotr #legolas #aragorn #gimli #gandalf #books #reading #grimaworm #grima #hama #eomer #eowyn #rohan

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