News From Middle Earth

Did Frodo Fail?

mikkel — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:34:37 +0000

This is a question I’ve always had after watching Lord of the Rings. After all, he did hold out for a long time, but eventually he turned into the same type of person fighting over the ring, not wanting to throw it in, and I almost imagined him turning into Golum/Dobby if you have also watched Harry Potter, with the whole “my precious” thing.

The whole time, watching the movies and reading the books, here I was thinking that he was supposed to be the one creature in Middle Earth who could withstand its appeal, and yet he succumbs at the end and he has to be forced (partly by losing certain limbs) to give it up. So did he ultimately fail?

Of course, Sam is what one would consider a pillar of strength, I’m sure partly because he doesn’t wear the ring and partly because he’s just that good a friend in the story, even offering to carry it for short periods of time to take part of the burden off of Frodo.

As Peter Kreeft noted, “The self is saved only when it is lost, found only when really given away in sacrifice. True freedom comes only when you bind yourself to your duty.” Obviously, Frodo did this, even at the cost of his own sanity, not giving up the responsibility even for a second, but Sam definitely did too. At times, one might have thought that maybe it would have been better for Frodo to share the responsibility with someone else, even if he were to still take care of it the majority of the time.

By the time Frodo reaches the Sammath Naur, his strength and endurance is gone, and while he has become increasingly aware of the wear and tear, he cannot resist without the strength that has slowly eroded over a long period of traveling.

Frodo is certainly not the only one susceptible to this. In fact, others gave in much more quickly, but with constant exposure, it is eventually bound to affect the person holding it. It is really no wonder that he eventually gave in.

The writer specifically notes “It is possible for the good, even the saintly, to be subjected to a power of evil which is too great for them to overcome – in themselves”, which leads me again to the point of why didn’t Frodo accept help from certain others like Sam?

At some point, you could say that Frodo would have failed on his mission had he been on his own when he stated “The ring is mine!” He probably would have. It is not a matter of moral failure, but rather a trial that builds over time. However, in the end he was helped and what had to be done was done, after which he seemed to return to the previous self we were all familiar with.

Facts About the Mines of Moria

mikkel — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:46:41 +0000

Depicted in the Lord of the Rings and the JRR Tolkien fiction Moria, Moria is directly translated into the Sindarin word for “Black Chasm.” Given to the Eldar in an enormous underground area of North-Western middle earth, the mines of moria are made up of various tunnels, chambers, mines, huge halls, and mansions that run under and through the Misty Mountains, occupied by the Longbeards Dwarf clan.

At one time, it was called Hadhodrond by the Sindar as well as Casarrondo by the Noldor and Phurunargian for the common people.

Where Did It Come From?

Obviously, we know that moria is not a place in our tangible earth, only in the imagination of Tolkien and then the Lord of the Rings movies. However, there are some who speculate that Moria was inspired, at least in name, by a real place, the mountains of Moriah, which was according to the book of Genesis, the place where Abraham went to sacrifice his only son Isaac at the time, because of the fact that Tolkien was an ardent catholic.

Tolkien strongly denied this, saying that the mines of Moria have no connection to the mountains of Moriah. However, critics continue to speculate on this point.

How It Is Depicted

The mines of Moria have continually been depicted as a dark and dreary place, filled as one might expect with the dust of mines and small, dirty dwarves who maintain a certain demeanor. The descriptions have varied between the books and the movies, but the dwarf inhabitants have remained basically the same.

A Lineage

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:17:58 +0000

JRR Tolkein not only opened the genre of fantasy to the world but set a high bar for future generations. In modern times, countless authors have tried to leave a mark like Tolkein’s and instead flooded libraries and bookstores with their attempts.

However a few authors have risen to the challenge. Notably authors like JK Rowling who opened the doors for modern fantasy, Terry Pratchet whose fantasy parodies actually have depth, and Anne McCaffrey who successfully fused fantasy and science fiction.

However, few authors have actually taken up the work Tolkein started. His in depth canon of Middle Earth went far deeper than Frodo and the One Ring. He created a world for his stories and let that world effect the characters.

One author has come close: the late Robert Jordan. Author of the phenomenal Wheel of Time series and the well-known Conan the Barbarian series, he met the bar that Tolkein set and is often acclaimed as the Tolkein of our time.

However, Jordan passed away before he completed the wheel of time series, leaving a gap in his work. The decades-long masterpiece was missing its crown work.

However, Jordan’s wife (who was also his editor) sought out an experienced fantasy writer to finish her husband’s work. Instead she happened upon Brandon Sanderson.

Sanderson is a fireball of an author whose Alantris and Mistborn trilogy gained him the attention needed to become Jordan’s successor. A master at character building, magic systems and world-wide stories, he is currently in the spotlight for his revolutionary fantasy writing techniques.

However, does he have what it takes to fill in Tolkein’s shoes that were widened by Robert Jordan? And do his past successes guarantee his future results?

We await patiently…

Castles

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 22:54:50 +0000

From Helm’s Deep to Minas Tirath, Tolkein stretched a legacy of the fortified castle that still inspires medieval and fantasy lovers alike. However, how true to history were Tolkein’s castles?

Motte- The primary structure that makes up a castles was it’s motte, or the raised ground that it sat upon. This could be a natural hill, or dug up to form a hill-and-ditch-combination that was even more defensible.

Wall- Had to be tall enough to make scaling impractical and wide enough to withstand bombardment by siege engines and artillery. The wall was usually crenelated to protect the defenders while they repelled attackers

Bailey- The castle grounds, surrounded by wall. It is where all of the barracks, stables and other “every-day” structures were kept.

Keep- This was the residence of the lord of the castle. As its central fort, the keep was the most heavily fortified structure in the castle.

Moat- The ditch formed by the motte was often filled with water or other hindering obstacles. The words “moat” and “motte” are very closely related showing their relation in both construction and purpose.

Gatehouse- Because any entrance to the castle would be a weak point in it’s wall, gatehouses were constructed to increase their defense. Typically this consisted of portcullises, machicolations (“murder holes”), and lengthened hallways to leave the attackers as vulnerable as possible as they attacked.

We see that Tolkein implemented many of these structures into his castles. Though in reality, sieges would have taken the fortifications, the orcs’ headlong rush showed us how defensible these structures were and how they worked.

Then again, were the orcs capable of anything other than a headlong rush?

The Legacy

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:39:21 +0000

As one of the greatest and most anticipated series of all times, the Lord of the Rings has left an undeniable impression on the face of our culture. Consistently ranking in the top ten lists of series on almost any list, there is little chance that the story of the One Ring will be forgotten.

But what are the other series that stand with Frodo and Aragon? Not taking into account great franchisees (Like James Bond, who has little cohesive story to bind the movies into a series) I’ll look at strict series

STAR WARS

“A Long Time Ago, In s Galaxy Far, Far Away… …there was a series that set the standard for all other series. George Lucas’s Star Wars is the defining factor of what is a good series.

HARRY POTTER

The story of The Boy Who Lived, the series of this generation. The finale of this series is the third highst grossing film of all time, right behind Avatar and Titanic.

INDIANA JONES

The fact that they pulled Harrison Ford back decades after the original trilogy attests to his own legacy. No one will forget the Hat nor Ophidiophobia (if you have to look that up, you are a shame to our culture).

BATMAN

Along with several other comic-book series and franchises, Batman has been an icon and role model of what is good and what isn’t. The Dark Knight will be emulated by the just for generations to come.

Other Heavy Hitters

Pirates
Matrix
Jurassic Park
Godfather
Back to the Future

The Magic of Middle Earth

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:14:38 +0000

Little is known about the magic of Tolkein’s Middle Earth. We see Gandalf the Grey (later the White) from the beginning of The Hobbit to the end of The Return of the King and rarely see him use his powers.

Examples of Magic

Most of the magic seen in Middle Earth is very mysterious (as magic should be). Once or twice we see Gandalf spew lightning, or conjure holy light, but most of the magics seem to sustain things, like the light of the elves.

The power of the One Ring is very covert (with the exception of turning people invisible). The prophesies of the elves and the making of their artifacts seem very situational, as opposed to the magics we may expect from other literature in the genre of fantasy.

Tolkein’s Magic

That’s the way Tolkein wanted it: real. His magic system stems from the mythology of Middle Earth. Beginning with Eru Ilúvatar (the One Father of All, analogous to God) stemming into the Ainur (consisting of the Valar and Maiar, both angel-like beings) and finally to the Elves and Men.

The subtle presence that the magic plays makes it all the more believable. The “magic” is still magical, still mysterious and ephemeral to mortals. It isn’t some system manipulatable by man, or some advanced or secret science, but a touch of the divine in everything.

It’s no wonder Tolkein is the father of fantasy: he showed us what a world with magic would truly be like.

Types of Dragons

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:15:58 +0000

Most people begin categorizing dragons by drawing a line to divide the eastern dragons with western ones. Some start by numbering the limbs, or categorizing the type of breath the dragon can expel. However, this doesn’t match the dragons up very well: The Hungarian Horntail and Draco (from Dragonheart) are phisically identical–they could be cousins, say. However, mythically they aren’t: Draco has intelligence and free will, being very advanced in mythology/theology. However, if you start by dividing dragons by their mythological heritage first, everybody starts falling into place. You don’t get match-ups between Malificent (in her dragon from) and Mushu.

Types of Dragons

Bestial

Essentially, bestial dragons are the most “realistic” dragons. Derived from evolution usually, these dragons are typical of terrorizing countrysides and attracting knights to slay them. The primary attribute of these dragons is that they don’t possess free-will. They are animalistic in their behavior, and in some cases, domesticatable. Here are some examples of Beastial Dragons

Reign of Fire dragons- Responsible for making the dinosaurs go extinct, the awake out of hibernation to inflict this fate upon man.
St. George’s Dragon- While a phenomenally mythic dragon, this guy was pretty simple. That’s probably why he’s made such an impression on mankind’s dragonlore, and St. George has become the champion of dragonslayers.
Beowulf’s dragon- The third “monster” that Beowulf has to slay, this dragon rides along similar lines as St. George’s, though without the satanic symbolism
Vermithrax Pejorative- A very well-done dragon along the same lines as Beowulf’s & St. George’s
Norbert- Hagrid’s pet dragon from the Harry Potter series. These guys are a treat: while having some magical attributes, the dragons of J.K. Rowling’s imagination are a great example of “speciation” among dragon types.
Toothless- A night-fury from How to Train Your Dragon. This is a great example of the domestication of dragons and how bestial dragons are not inherently evil, just acting on instinct.
The Dragons of Pern- Usually seen as an extension of their rider, these “realistic” dragons where biologically crated to fight the “thread” that threatens the inhabitants of Anne McCafferey’s Pern series
Temeraire- This was the hardest dragon to put under this list. In His Majesty’s Dragon humans have domesticated dragons to help them fight in the Napoleonic wars. Temeraire, the main dragon of the story, shows the ability for free will, but since most of the dragons of the series fit under this category, I was obliged to bump him from the list of:

Human Dragons

Like I mentioned earlier, these dragons are just like us, only a whole lot bigger. Though they may have bestial natures, they seem to have chosen their path. And since dragons inhabit the realm of fantasy, there is usually magic associated with Human Dragons, though they can often still be killed by mankind. Here are a few:

Edmund- Well, Edmund is a human. But the rules still apply.
Saphira- Such a beautiful dragon. The standard for Human Dragons.
Draco- from Dragonheart (Dragonheart II had two very well-done dragons, but the story was quite cliche)
Malificent- Same category as Edmund, but showing the potential for evil
Smaug- The epitome of all dragons before him, we all anxiously await to see this powerful, calculating icon in the new Hobbit> movies.

Companion Dragons

While originally not included in my dragon types this category helps to encompass all dragons of all genre’s. These dragons are best described as a sub-type of Human Dragons, but they are far more human, and far less dragon, in their behavior. However, each one has touched our hearts in some way:

Puff, The Magic Dragon
Dragon Tales Dragons
Elliot, Pete’s Dragon
Mushu, from Mulan
Dragon, Donkey’s other half from Shrek
Falcor, the “luck dragon” from Neverending Story

Primordial

These dragons are portrayed as beyond human abilities. Usually associated with forces of nature, and often being as ageless. These Primordial Dragons are often the gods of their “lesser” relatives:

Bahamut & Tiamat- The Dragon gods from the popular Dungeons & Dragons game, being the leaders of the good & evil dragons respectively.
Dragons from Shadowmoon series- By George Lucas and Chris Claremont, these dragons are a part of the 13 realms. The series stems from George Lucas’s Willow, but are much deeper in theme and story.
Asian Dragons- Associated with the forces of nature, these mystical beings are often seen as the ones who inspired and taught mankind to speak or write
The Devil- Often portrayed as a “dragon” or “serpent” in the Bible

Two Hobbits?

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:24:27 +0000

With the phenomenal success that Harry Potter had in splitting its #7 in two, a new medium of film has opened: the semi-quel. Quickly trailing after Harry Potter comes the infamous Breaking Dawn, seemingly copying Rowling’s success around every corner. But now the Hobbit is to join the two-movie genre due to its length.

The “Semi-quel”

It’s a known fact that audiences can only take a film so long. A wonderful example is Peter Jackson’s King Kong. At almost 3 hours in length, it easily could have fit into two movies. I only watched it once because–even though it was breath-taking–it was a chore. However, it would never have made it as two movies. There wasn’t enough story or character to build two full movies out of it.

However, in the case of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fans had been mourning the book-to-movie transitions for give or take four movies. Yet even with fans getting comfortable with the ideas of the adaptions, everyone was worried that the sheer timetable of #7 would be ruined in less than three hours. We were all delighted to hear that the Deathly Hallows were split to allow maximum book-to-movie satisfaction. Especially the direct inclusion of Mrs. Rowling in the production, helped Harry Potter remain a delight to fans.

On the other hand stands Breaking Dawn. Trying to follow similar patterns as its predecessor, the final book in the franchise has been broken into two movies. While fans (“Twi-hards”) can see how the book can be easily split, skeptics see this as a cheap tactic used to milk the franchise for all its worth. I will let my opinion rest anonymously.

Good Move?

While it seems un-likely that The Hobbit is just a sell-out, we all worry about the quality of the films. Is there enough story to enrich both halves of the semi-quil? Or are we simply going to be treated to Kiwi-flavored eye-candy? Either way should be a win, though…

Music of the Lord of the Rings

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 22:47:49 +0000

I was having a pretty down day one morning when a mixed CD in my truck started playing “Concerning Hobbit” (the Shire theme). Suddenly the world around me brightened as every flash of green and glitter of yellow in the morning light became a reminisce of the Shire. Certainly the score of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy stands at the top of emotion-invoking soundtracks.

Composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Howard Shore, each motif in his work as iconic as the character, nation or situation it represents. Think of the theme of the Fellowship…

Now, hum Rohan’s theme, shudder at the deep cacophony of Sauron’s and Saruman’s themes and relax into oblivion with the themes of the elves.

Thanks to Tolkein for such inspiring literature as to produce such phenomenal films and scores.

Symbolism in the Lord of the Ring’s

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:47:10 +0000

It was once said that Tolkien didn’t like it when people tried to make allegorical connections to his stories. He once said something along the lines that many people mistake allegorical for applicable. This is was a point that is brought up consistently on the behind the scenes footage included in the Extended Edition LOTR DVD’s. But almost in the same breath, the actors, directors, and writers of the film all start rattling off allegories they saw within Tolkien’s work.

Most of the Hollywood personalities interviewed for the Extended Edition will talk about Tolkien’s messages of multiculturalism, environmentalism, and pacifism. While some of these topics are addressed and are worth researching in Tolkien’s work, they all seem to sidestep one of the story’s main applications. I am referring of course to its religious undertones.

Though many would like to, you cannot ignore Tolkien’s Catholic roots while examining the undercurrents of Lord of the Rings. Many have considered Gandalf to be analogous to the Pope in that it is he who must crown Aragon at the end of the story. Frodo, in many ways is a Christ figure who must take on a great burden to save all men. Gollum’s return at the end of the story has been regarded by many scholars as a symbol for grace and that Frodo was saved through circumstances beyond his power. Even Return of the King summons Christian imagery with reference to perhaps the second coming of Jesus Christ.

But days have changed since the days Tolkien first published his stories. When anything overtly “Christian” has a hard time breaking out in the mainstream media, Peter Jackson and crew had to downplay the religious elements that run throughout the Lord of the Rings. Instead, they focused on themes that were are politically and religiously neutral. Though I am not trying to hammer religion over anyone’s head, I do feel that watering down his religious messages does a disservice to the legacy Tolkien was trying to leave through his work.