Finland and Tolkien

We talked in class a little today how it was really cool to hear about Tolkien's sources when it came to writing his stories of Middle-earth. I wanted to include a little portion of my revised paper that talks a lot about the sources that Tolkien drew from Finland:  

"believe that Finland's landscape was Tolkien's inspiration for many places within
Middle-earth like Mirkwood and other woodland realms. When I think of Middle-earth, the first
images to cross my mind are wide open countryside’s, densely populated forests, and steep
cliff sides carved by a river. Many people attribute this atheistic found in Middle-earth to
Switzerland, which I must agree with wholeheartedly. However, I will also argue that these
surroundings can also be found elsewhere in Europe. Finland is Europe’s most forested country
having about 70% of the land covered with trees. “The country lends itself to
a sense of magic and mystery”. For this reason, I believe that Mirkwood could be
inspired, at least in part, by the forests and natural landscape of Finland."

Who is Samwise?

I know that I put this out on the chat earlier today but I also wanted to post it here for anyone that wasn't able to make it to class today.

Samwise is Joshua Rodriguez.

It's been a pleasure learning about Tolkien with all of you and reading all of your marvelous blog posts. The biggest takeaways for me were learning just awesome Lord of the Rings is, how it's okay for adults to love fantasy literature, how invested Tolkien truly was in creating an immersive world, and the concept of the eucatastrophe and how it applies to all  of us today during these crazy times! Congrats to all of those graduating and have a great summer everyone!   

Free Write on Hope and Despair

I think the image in the return of the king that resembles a picture of despair is the scene where Denthethor is overwhelmed by the battle and attempts to take his own life and bring Faramir with him. I think in this moment was when I realized that people were really being driven mad by the despair that was surrounding them as a result of the ongoing battle and the impending doom that Sauron was pushing towards them. You can see this despair come out in Denethor by both his actions and his words. Denethor talks about how all hope is lost and that there is no chance that they will win this battle.

On the other hand, an image of both hope and despair is when all the men of Minas Tirith ride to the black gate to drive out all the forces of Mordor. There is hope in this action because they believe that by doing this they may help divert Surons attention from Frodo and the ring. There is despair in this moment when they find that Frodo has been killed (or so they thought). I find it had to separate both the feelings of hope and despair from this situation.

Lastly, a moment of hope that I see is in the healing house when Aragorn comes to heal Faramir and Eowyn. Aragorn brings hope to his people upon arrival. You can see it in everyone's eyes that although despair surrounds them there is hope. I think these three scenarios highlight the different levels at which despair and hope can be mingled together. Denethor had no hope and was filled only with despair. Second, at the black gate, the soldiers were filled with hope coming from their previous victory, but were most likely filled with despair after finding out that Frodo had been killed. Lastly, Faramir, Eowyn, and Marry were all filled with hope upon being revived by Aragorn in the house of healing.

It's also interesting to analyse the settings in which each scenario occurs. Denethor is in despair because he is alone, separated from the rest of his people at the top of a city that is under attack. He is filled with only despair. Next, the armies of Gondor and Rohan are filled with hope as they join together to fight against the forces of Mordor, but are then filled with despair as they find out that one of their close friends has fallen. Lastly, the purest essence of hope that I find in these chapters are when characters are reunited with Aragorn. I think these three scenarios emphasize how hope comes from the people surrounding you and that despair comes from solidarity.

The Scouring of the Shire

This chapter was interesting to me because it really showcases that the group of hobbits are not who they were when they left the shire. Additionally the shire was not the same place that it was when they left. It shows that the shire was no exception to the reach of Mordor, more specifically Saruman and Wormtongue. The whole thing felt a bit like a fever dream to me given that I had only watched the movies before this class. It brought me a lot of joy to see Mary and Pippin lead the shire into battle. I can only imagine what they looked like being a foot or two taller than all the other hobbits. 

Subgroup: Frodo, Sam, and Smeagol

I thought that this was an interesting point in today's lecture so I thought I would expand on it. I know everyone always gives Frodo crap for not really doing much and Sam pretty much pulling all the weight in Mordor. However, after reading "Mount Doom", I think it's important to recognize the absolute agony that Frodo has to deal with as the ring bearer. Talking about this in class made me realize:

1. How relatively resistant the hobbits are to the corruption of the ring
2. The different levels of corruption each member of the party has endured.

Smeagol bared the ring the longest and as a result has been almost completely corrupted. However, being a hobbit, there is still some part of him that has not been corrupted. Frodo has bared the ring the second longest out of the group, and as a result has more pity on Smeagol. He understands the turmoil that Smeagol is going through without the ring. Lastly, Sam bared the ring the least. Sam did however bear the ring for a small amount of time and felt it's effects intensify upon entering Mordor. 

   

Why Did Frodo Leave Middle-earth?

I've always kind of wondered why Frodo left Middle-earth at the end of The Lord of the Rings. I was expecting that he would want to return to the shire with Sam, Pippen, and Mary. After doing some research I found some interesting points describing why Frodo chose to leave.

First of all, Frodo suffers from both natural and magical "PTSD". There is a sadness in Frodo that he never quite overcomes despite returning to a life in The Shire. His wound from the Morgul blade that he suffered on Weathertop continues to bother him and we can only guess that he is tormented by the thought of failing to release the ring at the last moment on Mt. Doom.

Second, Frodo was the ring bearer for most of the story. Although Sam did bear the ring for a short while, it did not effect him to the same extent that Frodo experienced. It's important to note that the other three hobbits all return to The Shire and embark on strong public and personal journeys. Sam marries, Pippin and Merry become leaders but Frodo is just not the same. He is just not a whole person at ease with his surroundings similar to most veterans of intense wars.

Frodo leaves Middle-Earth because he's in pain and sailing into the West is his chance to reclaim some peace for himself in the blessed lands of Valinor. 

Gollum

This week, I decided to write about the significance behind the infamous character Gollum. Gollum was once a good hobbit named Smeagol, but once he gained possession of the ring he turned into a wretched evil creature. Smeagol represents the good, while Gollum represents the bad. These two alter ego’s battle with each other, causing this character to struggle choosing a course of action. However, a common trend in the series is that Gollum, the evil side, tends to win more frequently. This event is significant because it portrays how the ring can make a seemingly good hobbit turn to the dark side. The reason J.R.R. Tolkien chose to write Gollum into the series was to depict what could happen to Frodo. However, Gollum isn’t entirely evil, because when his two ego’s unite he is able to act as a guide to Frodo. By acting as Frodo’s guide, readers learn that Frodo possesses qualities, like strength and willpower, that Gollum does not possess. This revelation allows Frodo to be a more superior ring-bearer and remain more good than evil.

Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring was a necessary group of characters to get Frodo comfortable with the idea that the ring is his to bare. I think that Frodo would not have accepted the ring and the responsibility of destroying it less the Fellowship came with him for the first few days of the journey. additionally, it also highlights the main characters of the story and lets the reader know that these are the characters to focus on.

The end of the first book ends with the disbanding of the fellowship. This seemed a bit odd especially because Boromir dies in the very beginning of the second book. It seems like the death of Boromir should have been the ending of the first book, but Tolkien wanted to make sure that the reader focused in on Sam and Frodo as the focal point of the entire story. This is why Tolkien instead ended the first book with Sam and Frodo departing from the party.     

More On Shelob

Everyone that has read or even watched the Lord of The Rings knows of Shelob, the giant spider that attacks Frodo and Sam on their journey into Mordor. She is one of the most overwhelming obstacles that Frodo and Sam have to overcome on their perilous journey. I thought that the detailed description that you get of Shelob in the book was super interesting, especially because you will miss out on this if you've only seen the movie.

"But still she was there, who was there before Sauron, and before the first stone of Barad-dûr; and she served none but herself, drinking the blood of Elves and Men, bloated and grown fat with endless brooding on her feasts, weaving webs of shadow; for all living things were her food, and her vomit darkness".

With this description, it feels like the text is describing Shelob as existing from the beginning of time. The book tells us that she is the last descendant of Ungoliant, an evil spirit in the form of a spider. Ungoliant is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings, and plays a supporting role in The Silmarillion. However, even Ungoliant's origins are unclear, as Tolkien's writings do not explicitly reveal her nature, other than that she is from "before the world". Ungoliant is one of a few instances, along with Tom Bombadil, where Tolkien does not provide a clear background for an element of his fiction.

Although we don't know much about Ungoliant, we do know some things about Shelob. She dwelt for many years in Nan Dungortheb with her countless brothers and sisters, even after Ungoliant ventured elsewhere. Shelob fled from ruin the War of Wrath and established her lair high in the mountains of Mordor, before Sauron claimed that land as his own. And her descendants were to be seen in Ephel Dúath and Mirkwood.

Oliphaunts and why they are important

The Two Towers has this interesting foreshadowing of the oliphaunts where Sam recites a peculiar rhyme about them while Smeagol guides the two hobbits to the gates of Mordor. after this passage Sam concludes that he will never see an oliphaunt and decides that they are but a myth. 

Later, after being discovered by the men of Gondor, the hobbits see a real life oliphaunt being used in battle by the Haradrim.

I felt like this was a good example of how both Tolkien often foreshadows events in his writing as well as how even though a passage is not critical to the advancement of the plot it was left intentionally. The first rhyme about the oliphaunts spoken by Sam could have been left out completely and nothing would have changed.

The Sams reaction to seeing an oliphaunt just days after giving up hope that he will ever see one is priceless. I beleive that it adds to his character development and reminds the reader that Sam enjoys seeing new things and overall retains a positive outlook.     

Beowulf free write

“But I have read enough, I think, to venture the opinion that Beowulfiana is, while rich in many departments, especially poor in one. It is poor in criticism, criticism that is directed to the understanding of a poem as a poem.”

This quote is at the heart of what Tolkien wants to convey with this lecture. There is no doubt that Beowulf has been studied tirelessly by historians and professors of literature and linguistics. And Tolkien later goes on to somewhat validity the historians' effort as noble and necessary. However, Tolkien highlights the fact that up until now, this poem has been solely used to study northern Germanic themes and history. This may be because it is one of the only stories that we have that date back this far. Tolkien later goes on to talk about the poet's intentions when writing this poem. He claims that this poem was written by a christian on the cusp of a society denouncing the pagan lifestyle. Therefore it is a poem written about the past. The poet's intentions were to make the poem sound like a eulogy, and make it sound historic. Although the poet succeeded in doing so, this is possibly why so many scholars study Beowulf as a historic text and not a poem of the literature category. The author of the poem succeeded in what they wanted to do. 

I found this essay interesting because Tolkien really goes after the critics that break down Beowulf into microscopic pieces in order to analyse them. It reminds me of a quote from Lord of the Rings: 

White!' he sneered. 'It serves as a beginning. White cloth may be dyed. The white page can be overwritten; and the white light can be broken.'

In which case it is no longer white,' said I. 'And he that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom.' - Gandalf”

nature vs. technology

I've reached the point in Two Towers where Marry and Pippin make friends with Treebeard and it made me think about a discussion that we had in class about Tolkien's love for nature and perspective on technology.

Tolkien apparently loved the beauty of nature. The bad guys in LOTR are often described as mechanical  (Saruman having "a mind like metal and wheels"). Saruman's destruction of Fangorn Forest shocks Treebeard and other Ents into action. Through the continued reference of industry and war as synonymous, especially in relation to Saruman and the production of his army, Tolkien presents a very negative image of industry and technological advancement. When looking into Galadriel's mirror Frodo witnesses a polluted world of industry and factories, adding to the negative view expressed towards industry and technology.

I found it very interesting to read over some of these sections after having this discussion in class. I felt that it enhanced my reading experience quite a bit.   

Hobbit Free Write

I didn't share my free write in class so I suppose I will use it as my blogging entry for this week.

I enjoy free writes and always imagine myself eventually using them to start a paper. each free write is a great way to get thoughts and ideas into words on a page. from this point forward, it's much easier to manipulate and mold these words into a presentable paper or article.

My topic was Topic 1 – Why does Tolkien insist on making Bilbo's character initially timid, unwilling to go adventuring, or reluctant to take risks? Many see him as socially conservative and rigid in his ways. Would you agree or disagree? Tolkien could just as easily have written him to be brave and fierce. So, why doesn't he? What is Tolkien’s purpose in constructing Bilbo’s character as he does?

Hobbit free write:
How much more interesting is a book about an unlikely hero. How many tales are there about a brave, powerful, and courageous hero that comes to save the day with little effort to himself. In the hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien makes Bilbo the main character originally timid, however he also writes about the “Took “ side of Bilbo that craves for adventure and ultimately gets the better of him. However, for the most part, Bilbo is a timid creature who doesn't take risks and is stuck in his delightful ways. I think it's much more relate able to the reader. Those who really crave adventure and danger will go out into the world and find it. However, those who want to be entertained without the risks will maybe choose to sit down and read a book. This is now always true, sometimes brave souls will choose to relax and enjoy a book or movie, and sometimes a timid creature will be encouraged outside of their comfort zone to experience something thrilling. However I think Tolkien was trying to appeal to his major audience. Fantasy books can sometimes be over the top and way too crazy to believe with sci-fi adventures where entire worlds live on spaceships and have super powers. However I think Tolkien makes his stories more immersive by making the main character, common place and maybe even more wimpy than any human being. In the case of the Lord of the Rings, The hobbits are “Little people” smaller and weaker than humans. However this little hobbit, and his merry band of dwarfs go on an amazing journey full of dangers. This goes to show that now matter how scared, weak, timid you may be, you can always go on an adventure. Don't let your timidness decide whether or not you can do something. J.R.R. Tolkien writes later in the hobbit about how Bilbo overcomes his fear, and becomes one of the ring leaders of the group. Eventually all the dwarfs look up to him as a leader of the group. Leader and timid do not go hand in hand. They are not synonyms, Bilbo was able to overcome his fear and become a leader. I believe Tolkien's purpose of constructing Bilbo the way that he did was to show that you don't have to be born extraordinary to do extraordinary things.

I am Samwise

I am currently reading through Lord of the Rings for the first time so I tried to do as little external research on my pseudonym as possible for this post. So far, I have read "The Hobbit" and most of "The Fellowship of the Ring". As far as I know, Samewise Gamgee is the chief supporting character of the Lord of the Rings. He accompanies Frodo during his travels, beginning at the shire. He originally worked for the Baggins' estate doing gardening and landscaping. This is initially how Sam overheard details regarding Frodo's departure from the shire. Sam seems to be a fairly adventurous hobbit, and a very loyal one at that. Sam was willing to drop everything and leave the shire with Frodo. Sam is as good a friend as anyone could ask for.