I'm enjoying getting to know Merry better. Tolkien certainly does a good job at conveying how lonely and out of place Merry is feeling. Poor Merry...so used to chumming about with Pippin, sitting at home "in a quiet room by a fire", surrounded by all things familiar and safe. And here he is, the only hobbit around, not knowing whether his good friends from the Shire are alive or dead, feeling unnecessary. Had to laugh at the paragraph where Merry is brooding about his friends all likely going off to some "doom", and that it will be his turn next. Then:
I am -so- glad that Merry's with Theoden's crew. Whenever I start feeling too bogged down by all the seriousness and gloom, OR distanced from the scene because it's too battle-focussed, I focus more heavily on Merry (or one of the other hobbits, if they're in the scene). It's far easier for me to identify with Merry than with the other characters, so I get pulled back into the story that way.
For instance, Merry asks Theoden a question that had been "tormenting" him for a while...what the heck are the Paths of the Dead? I almost cheered aloud when I read that - the question had been tormenting me, too!
Interesting to compare the similarity between Merry and Eowyn in their frustration at being left behind, and feeling as if they could be helping so much more. Poor Merry, being left behind like a child for the supposed reason that he's too little to ride on the war-horses. How humiliating! But I warmed up a bit to Theoden despite this...at least he is thinking of Merry's well-being, and said that although he is releasing Merry from his service, they will still be friends.
It's clear that Theoden always knew that Merry would only be in his service a short while. I wonder why he accepted his service at all, though? Couldn't he have graciously turned Merry down? Or perhaps he didn't want to shame the hobbit in front of everyone, and figured Merry would be better looked after and protected, were he shown to be so close to the king.
I realize that Theoden does actually tell Merry that he accepted his service for Merry's own safekeeping, but something makes me suspect there's more to this. Hmmm....
And YAY, Eowyn is back!! It seems pretty clear that the mysterious Rider near the end of the chapter is Eowyn disguised as a man. VERY cool. So she and Merry are going to battle after all. What a wonderful plot development!
No wonder you all sniggered and half-hinted how I would eat my words when I described Eowyn as being too meek and quiet a while back. :-)
Replies: 29 comments
So, I've finally read all the journal entries and have caught up to you Debbie! Fantastic idea to read and post your comments. I think the fact that you were skeptical at the beginning only makes this that much more rewarding for me. (us) We LOTR fans think the whole world would love Tolkien if they gave him an honest chance. :)
Keep up the great work - you are providing a great distraction for the rest of us while we wait for the movies!
Oh, I about died a few times reading the couple of spoiler comments. I was fairly mad at a few, but then felt sorry for them once they were smitten by the protectors. Glad your innocence has been protected - adds to the fun obviously!
Posted by Wart @ 2001 Jun 05 07:18 AM EST
btw, pretty cool being first to comment on your latest entry. :)
First read The Hobbit in 6th grade for my advanced english class. Remember very clearly being amazed by it. Drew a less than artistic rendering of Bilbo and Gollum from the end of the riddle game.
Was thrilled to find out there was more books on Hobbits. Borrowed Fellowship from a friend (and very pretty girl named Donna Seadler - thank you whereever you are!) and devoured it.
Had a very tough time with Sim - was too young. Recently re-read it, still a tough read, but very rewarding.
To the person who commented on the internet communities that pop up like this, I agree completely. So cool to be able to share common interest with others across the world. (and even learn some in the process - had never heard of Filk before!)
Well, off to work I go. Thanks again!
Posted by Wart @ 2001 Jun 05 07:25 AM EST
was amazed at the amount of responses all of a sudden. I'm taking my time and reading and enjoying with you.
PLEASE NO SPOILERS!!! that is really annoying me.
Let's just let Debbie read the books and enjoy.
I've so loved reading your thoughts on each chapter :-)
I found this page before I could catch up reading the book but am now reading with you now and again.
Sam (ah ha!! Samwise???) from Australia
Posted by Samantha @ 2001 Jun 05 07:48 AM EST
Ah, so you like to plot with Eowyn, yessss, my preciousssss! And there is much more to look forward to, both for you and for us, sssssure!
I think I won’t reveal too much when I tell you that there are some battle scenes drawing near. You identify them after their title easily. I would recommend you to read those aprox. 3 chapters all in one day to keep the action and drama flow. But it's not necessary of course.
I enjoy it very much, Debbie! I think I will print your comments when they are complete and I put it into my LotR book :o)))
Posted by Katerina @ 2001 Jun 05 08:03 AM EST
Boy, Deb, you're really gonna keep stringing us along with this 1-chapter a day thing. I agree with Katerina - 3 chapters a day! With copious commentary! Yeah! 8-)>
I try to imagine how intimidating it must've been for Merry in his situation. Imagine him, a hobbit from the Shire, suddenly tossed in amidst all these grim-seeming warriors (who also happen to be 2 or 3 times taller than him) with no one to talk to besides the embattled King. Interesting thing is, Merry probably has more in common with a lot of the Rohirrim than he'd imagine. Most probably weren't professional warriors, but farmers and horse-tenders answering a call to service and wishing for peaceful times.
Also interesting - I started reading LoTR again (a real shame, eh?) and am noticing that Merry is presented as a generally confident character while in the Shire and the Old Forest. Amazing how he's kinda torn down over the course of the first half of the book. Everything he used to base his confidence on is nearly meaningless now, and he's left only to rely on his strength of character and spirit. I guess that's true of most of the hobbits, isn't it?
Posted by Nathan @ 2001 Jun 05 08:52 AM EST
I agree Merry is a confident character and in some things he's quite similar to Frodo - he is wise, quiet and calm, much more than Pippin. (Yes, Pippin is just a boy :o)) So it must have been a very new situation for Merry beeing left behind, far away from friends.
Posted by Katerina @ 2001 Jun 05 09:23 AM EST
Debbie, try not to let yourself get distanced from the forthcoming battle scenes. One - they are necessary, this is a war after all ;-). Secondly, much of the writing in the next few chapters is, IMHO, downright operatic! I also think reading the next three chapters in fairly quick succession is a good idea; they cover much the same territory, just from different points of view. But go at your own pace and relish this - the hardest thing about reading LOTR (for me at least) was finishing it. Whatever I tried to read afterwards paled so much in comparison, I didn't fully read another book for several months. So, again, make the most of this experience!
Posted by Charly @ 2001 Jun 05 09:46 AM EST
Just love reading these pages & I have got to agree with Nathan With copious commentary! haha. I like the change that you have made from when you 1st started the book. Didn't appear very keen, and it appeared that you were only going to read the book because it was a thing you had to do... Haha, & now look at you. These last few chapters have seen your posts grow in size (I am putting my scroll button to great use). What also pleases me is that nearly everything about the book that you have given a little bit of cristicism you seem to have done a back flip on in the next few chapters.. hehe... Keep up the good work.
P.S Go "Samwise" from Australia (Fatwilbur form Australia)
Posted by Fatwilbur @ 2001 Jun 05 10:12 AM EST
Hang in there! Thanks for all the work. I've read LOTR tooo many times - starting when I was 14.
Have you noticed that there is *always* a short person (usually a hobbit, but once it was Gimli ;-) to act as the point-of-view character?
Cheers! Sing Hey! for the close of Day!
Posted by DDD @ 2001 Jun 05 10:20 AM EST
It's starting to get really good. The fellowship is scattered in every direction and things seam to be comming to a head.
This part always forces me to keep reading. The war seams eminant and everybody is on the move. You just get the feeling something big is going to happen.
Posted by Big Mike @ 2001 Jun 05 10:28 AM EST
I agree about LOTR spoiling one for other novels. In fact, I have never become much of a novel-reader, largely because LOTR came into my life so early, and all others seem so lame in comparison.
I too think Debbie will have a hard time sticking to the one-chapter-a-day plan from here on out. For every time I have read LOTR, I have read the coming chapters three times. They are so thrilling, so dramatic, so moving...
Posted by Paul Mendenhall @ 2001 Jun 05 10:42 AM EST
Hey Deb.
As I said a few posts (chapters) back...this is a war with Sauron and he is going to be royally narked with all the goings on. The battle scenes coming up are NOT he-man, warrior of the planet, grunt-grunt scenarios. They do have a purpose. And, while like some of the other posters I have a sneaking suspicion that you may find the 3 chapters 'better' to be read as a single block, that will bring you closer to the end of the book a whole lot faster.
Given these two competing desires I would have to say that the longer you take to finish the book the better. Because I have found that there is nothing as lonely as the 'Tolkien Vacuum' that develops when ROTK is finished, It is a horrible feeling.
TTFN
Rallas
Posted by Rallas @ 2001 Jun 05 10:48 AM EST
Wow the comments are starting to pile up. I've been at work for an hour and I've yet to do any "work".
At the end of the last chapter's comments people were talking about the casting. So far I think that PJ and Co. have done a fantastic job. The insider buzz when they finished shooting was that Viggo Mortensen "was" Aragorn. Someone said he went to live in the woods like a ranger and took his sword with him durring breaks in production.
From the latest trailer I feel that Elijah Wood is a great Frodo, a hobbit with just a little bit of an elvish quality. At first I thought Sean Astin was too much of a pretty boy to be Sam but now I think he should be great.
My excitement about the LOTR movies started about 5 years ago when I read somthing about Sean Connery playing Gandalf. That rumor was around untill last year when it was confirmed that Sir Ian McKellen will play that part. I think Sean has the perfect voice and even face but his persona is just not right. It would become a Sean Connery movie rather than a LOTR movie.
Sean Bean seams really good and so does John Rhys-Davies (hey Indy). Cate as Galadriel is great and I love that Sir Ian Holm is Bilbo as he played Frodo in the BBC radio presentation. (I havn't heard that yet....) Christopher Lee as Saruman is great too because he is the quintesensial evil guy.
It looks like the rest are pretty good as well. OK, I have to watch the trailer again.....
Posted by Big Mike @ 2001 Jun 05 11:16 AM EST
Though it was my idea to read the 3 battle chapter as a block, I absolutely agree with Rallas' last post. It would bring you closer to the end and it is terribly sad to finish reading it :o(
Another thing: Debbie, don’t go back to the Prologue until you finish reading the book. I’ve just found spoiler information there.
Posted by Katerina @ 2001 Jun 05 11:16 AM EST
I've been checking in on this site every day for a couple weeks now (linked in from OneRing), and just had to post something. I love reading Debbie's reactions to each chapter as they come. I recently re-read The Hobbit and LotR, taking it slow and savouring every word. Yes, I even read the poetry/songs this time! I hadn't read the books for many years (I first read them at the age of 11 or 12). This was my third time through the books. This is special, because I almost never re-read books. There are too many other books out there I want to read! (The only other fantasy book I've re-read is Barry Hughart's Bridge of Birds).
I was amazed at how much more I got out of the books this time around. Perhaps because I'm older, wiser? (Well, okay, maybe not wiser...)
The major observation I made was that the Hobbit is not just for kids! It really should be read before you read LotR. It was astonishingly well written. I hear about so many people that try to read LotR without reading the Hobbit, but I feel that this is a mistake.
Tolkien wasn't just a visionary storyteller. He was also a damn fine... um... whats the word I'm looking for... prose stylist?
It had been a long while since a book made me cry...
until I read the last book of LotR again. Get those tissues handy, Deb!
Also, I am intrigued by the idea of the Silmarillion reading group. I have not yet read this book, but I now have definate plans to do so. Count me in!
siriusly,
C.S. Cosco
Posted by Christophe @ 2001 Jun 05 11:16 AM EST
Hey Deb,
Just dropping in my 2 cents. Read the book at whatever pace suits you! I'm amused and annoyed at the same time with the folks who want *more* now... Strikes me as symptomatic of a spoiled desire to have it *all* now (I understand the enjoyment and the desire to share observations but ease back kids!). With a tome as weighty as the Prof's, gobbling it all up in a hurry is likely to give you indigestion. :)
I agree with Nathan about Merry. In the Merry/Pippin duo he's the 'straight' man (sorry, make that 'Hobbit'). He seems like the designated driver, more thoughtful and cautious. Merry does get swallowed up in much of the action leading up to Rohan but this is very much in tune with his character. Consider however that Pippin is lucky to be alive considering how he has made 'hasty' choices about actions he has taken (if the orcs hadn't had specific orders in the run across Rohan odds are that he would have been a goner with his brooch shenanigans). Merry is another facet in Tolkien's preoccupation with the little guy. Those meek who shake the world. Plunk them into extraordinary circumstances and they make a casual observer gape at their depth of character.
A word about Theoden. If ever there was an old world Anglo-Saxon/Norse chieftan he da man. Bowed, wearied yet undaunted and ready to face a struggle that all Wormtongue's whisperings have convinced him must be hopeless. There's that perfect Northern bravery again, like Odin and company ready to fight in the face of the (perceived) inevitability of defeat. Do I sound like I'm babbling? Check out Tolkien's 'Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics' for his thoughts on this particular idea.
On to the next Chapter!
Posted by Paul H @ 2001 Jun 05 11:32 AM EST
Paul-right on about other books! I have a very hard time reading other fantasy since I read LOTR. Everything, unless it's very well written or in the style of LOTR, is bland and boring i.e. Wheel of Time :-P (I have a little theory that most popular and well known fantasy is bad, excluding LOTR)
About the movies, I think they're going to be great, but I still don't like Galadriel's hair, and why did they ever give Boromir and Faramir blonde hair! But other than those minor details, I think PJ is doing a great job!
btw, what is everyone's favorite part of the new trailer?
Mine is when Frodo goes "No one knows it's here, do they?.....Do they, Gandalf?" oooo, gives me chills!
Posted by talierin @ 2001 Jun 05 12:09 PM EST
I'd be glad to set up forum over on Deb's message boards for a chapter-by-chapter book discussion of "The Silmarillion", since I'm already an administrator over there. I think those boards would work well for such a talk- rather similar to what we have here, except with editing capability for your own posts. We can open a topic for a chapter, set a deadline to read it and then let the discussion begin. It would be nice, though, to have someone share the hosting duties with me who's a bit more knowledgeable of "The Silmarillion" than I am :). Someone who can pose some questions, provide background, etc..
I like the idea of you setting up a separate Tolkien section on your message boards, too, Deb. I suspect there will be other Tolkien projects people may come up with that it would be appropriate to open forums for over there, too.
Anyway, I can open up the Silmarillion board as soon as Deb finishes her LOTR journal (and at the rate she's moving today, that might not take long!). Glad to hear you're tackling "The Hobbit" next, Deb. Guess I'll have to squeeze in a reading of it before I tackle "The Silmarillion".
Posted by Allison @ 2001 Jun 05 12:12 PM EST
Augh! Now I have to get a copy of The Silmarillion! You know, The Sil was published a year after I read LOTR the first time. A friend that I had introduced to LOTR got it and told me to read it but I could never get into it. Maybe I'll try again now.
That phrase - the 'Tolkien Vacuum' - it's really true. I was thinking how lucky readers are now to have all these accompanying texts to choose from after you finish LOTR.
Posted by Jan @ 2001 Jun 05 01:36 PM EST
The thing with Boromir’s hair was touched on over at TORN a while back. In film it’s important to establish the characters visually. There are many similarities between Boromir and Strider in the FotR; hair length, beard, height, build, weathered exterior, the whole ranger/fighter thing. There had to be something to separate them easily for the punter walking into the theater with no LOTR history to fall back on.
Personally when I heard David Wenham’s name associated with Faramir I instantly thought it was perfect casting. Maybe the best bit of casting in the whole film. Although the Aussie series ‘Seachange’ wasn’t my cup of tea, Wenham was great in what I saw of it.
I think I might have cheered when I heard Bernard Hill was Theoden. I still remember him in ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ which IMHO is the best TV program ever made.
Posted by Dean @ 2001 Jun 05 01:43 PM EST
Sarah NO! :((
That's spoiler stuff! Can someone stop Debbie from reading that?!
Posted by Katarina @ 2001 Jun 05 01:56 PM EST
I can only edit the boards when I get home around 4 or 5, but I don't have editing capacity from my classroom here. If any of you want to send e-mail to Deb, feel free (I can't e-mail from school, either).
Posted by Allison @ 2001 Jun 05 02:07 PM EST
I also think that it's important to read the Hobbit first. I tried to reread LotR recently without reading The Hobbit first, and I just COULDN'T. It didn't work. My husband, however, didn't read The Hobbit until he'd read LotR twice, and he says he just can't read The Hobbit first. To each his own, I guess.
I like that phrase, "Tolkien vacuum". Looking back at what I've been reading since I finished LotR back in March, I see I'm suffering from it too -- I've been reading mysteries and Regencies, about as far from Tolkien as you can get!
Posted by Janet Croft @ 2001 Jun 05 02:10 PM EST
Allison,
I've already sent an e-mail to Debbie, to ohi@electricpenguin.com. Hope she gets that...
Posted by Katarina @ 2001 Jun 05 02:53 PM EST
I have the same problem with finding good fantasy, being spoiled by finding LoTR at age 13, thirty years ago. Narnia came close, and the Dark is Rising sequence, but most modern fantasy feels like a cheap rip-off to me. I finally had to do what CS Lewis said he did, and write my own since I couldn't find any. My own is unpublished and for my own amusement, but it satisfies me better than a lot of stuff that's out there. For any Tolkien addicts who want more LoTR but don't like the Silmarillion or Lost Tales etc, I really recommend the rough drafts published by Christopher Tolkien. The titles are kind of spoilers, but the first of the four is called "Return of the Shadow". It's fun to see Aragorn as a hobbit with wooden shoes. And at the very end of the fourth book is an extended ending that's well worth the read. I wish he'd included it in the final draft, but I'm glad to have it at all.
I also agree with several other folks I've read here that "Smith of Wooten Major" and "Leaf by Niggle" and "Farmer Giles of Ham" are great fun. And Tolkien's "Essay on Fairy Stories" is wonderful too. I've read it over and over and over...
Posted by Karen @ 2001 Jun 05 03:28 PM EST
Katarina: I've removed Sarah's spoiler letter, but I have no idea if Deb read it before I took it out.
Sarah: Sorry for deleting your letter, but I did agree with Katarina that it gave away major plot points later in Book 5 and into Book 6. Man, I feel -guilty- having this task, but I guess Deb gave it to me because she hopes to remain blissfully spoiler-free.
But I'm starting to think of the people who will be reading this journal down the road and wondering what spoilers I'm deleting :). Just trust me, folks, if I choose to delete it, it's because I really think it's something Debbie shouldn't know quite yet. I feel badly every time I take down someone else's letter.
But, again, remember, if your letter references a chapter Deb hasn't read yet, go back and erase the reference, no matter how subtle you think it is. There will be more than enough time for us to chatter about the entire book when Deb comes to the end. And be careful of Hobbit references, too, since Deb plans to read it next.
Posted by Allison @ 2001 Jun 05 04:06 PM EST
Congrats on spotting who Dernhelm really is the first time. I don't remember catching that (but then again, I was 8 or 9 at the time).
Posted by Keith Fraser @ 2001 Jun 05 05:55 PM EST
"Tolkien Vacuum"....good descriptive term! I suppose the only true cure is starting over from the beginning of FotR as soon as you've finished RotK (appendices included), but where would that get us? Diving right into the aforementioned Dark Tower series is, for me at least, a good methadone to Tolkien's literary smack, which is what I just did. Of course, now I've fot "Gunslinger Vacuum"! I just re-bought "The Stand"! Ye Gods, where will it all end?!
Getting back to the chapter at hand, I agree that the inclusion of the hobbits in these sweeping, epic events is absoulutely vital to a good story. Without Merry to "humanize" the story, it would just be so much "And Eothor son of Eocrap, he of the swishy blond hair, did do battle with the orcish nasties with his sword, Tallywacker, which was wrought by..." yadda yadda yadda. The hobbits (Merry and Pippin, at least) seem to serve as almost a chorus, giving an "everyman" (sorry about the gender- and species-specific language) point of view.
Also, Debbie...you just go at your own pace. We love reading the posts, but we wouldn't want you to miss anything (as if that were possible...spoilers fly around out here like the flies near the Barrow-Downs! A little restraint, people, please!!!)~!
Posted by Chris H. @ 2001 Jun 05 09:34 PM EST
"Eothor son of Eocrap"...LOL :D
Yes, and that's the reason I never got through The Silmarillion. No hobbits! But I'll give it a new try now, anyway.
Posted by Katarina @ 2001 Jun 06 04:34 AM EST
