Question: When Strider meets up with the Hobbits at Bree, how does he know that they are looking for Gandalf? Or that Gandalf's not coming? Or about the ring and the Nazgul?
Phil C.
14th Apr 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
14th Apr 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Question: Some people have said that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the "Rings" novels to make a point regarding 20th century society. What is it?
Chosen answer: The people who have said such a thing are incorrect. Tolkien stated that the work's inspiration was primarily linguistic in nature, and strongly disagreed with the meanings that other people saw in the books - the Ring as allegory for the nuclear bomb, et cetera. Tolkien's exact words, from a foreword to one of the editions of the books: "As for any inner meaning of 'message', it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical....I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse 'applicability' with 'allegory'; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author."
10th Mar 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
17th Feb 2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Question: I know that Arwen's mother is Celebrain (daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel) since she was married to Elrond, so my question is where is her mother now? And also where are her brothers (Elladan and Elrohir)? Or is this just a book/film difference?
Answer: Celebrían was attacked by orcs in the Misty Mountains and was rescued by Elladan and Elrohir. She passed into the West soon after. Elladan and Elrohir do not appear officially in the films, though some have argued that this elf or that elf could be them in the Council of Elrond scene.
Question: What does Gandalf say at the Council of Elrond, which he speaks in the language of Mordor?
Answer: "Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatulul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!". This is the translation of the corrupted Tengwar runes inscribed on the One Ring itself. In English it means "One Ring to Rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." This, of course, is only two lines of the longer verse about the Rings of Power.
Answer: Because Gandalf told him about them. He doesn't know for certain that Gandalf is not coming - his words are "You can no longer wait for the Wizard, Frodo. They are coming." In other words, he knows that Frodo is in danger because he carries the Ring, and so they cannot wait for Gandalf to show. As for his knowledge of the Ring, his eyesight is keen and quick enough to see what it was that Frodo inadvertently threw up in the air when he fell to the floor in the common room, and the results when it slipped onto Frodo's finger. He would have guessed the rest.
Phil C.