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September 5, 2022 - February 14, 2023
It was in origin Bilbo’s private diary, which he took with him to Rivendell. Frodo brought it back to the Shire, together with many loose leaves of notes, and during S.R. 1420–1 he nearly filled its pages with his account of the War.
Interesting how Tolkien is more interested in presenting and maintaining the framing narrative than he is keeping a sense of suspense -- he is establishing before the story starts that Frodo will survive.
The original Red Book has not been preserved, but many copies were made, especially of the first volume, for the use of the descendants of the children of Master Samwise.
Samwise's survival is established.
That book was a copy, made at the request of King Elessar, of the Red Book of the Periannath, and was brought to him by the Thain Peregrin when he retired to Gondor in IV 64.
Aragorn's survival is also established.
The full tale is stated to have been written by Barahir, grandson of the Steward Faramir, some time after the passing of the King.
Faramir's survival established.
Since Meriadoc and Peregrin became the heads of their great families, and at the same time kept up their connexions with Rohan and Gondor, the libraries at Bucklebury and Tuckborough contained much that did not appear in the Red Book.
Merry and Pippin survival established.
There were rumours of strange things happening in the world outside; and as Gandalf had not at that time appeared or sent any message for several years, Frodo gathered all the news he could.
I forgot just how long the gap was between Bilbo's party and Gandalf's return.
The table is all laden with yellow cream, honeycomb, and white bread and butter.
Hmm. That's also what Beorn served.
‘What do they live on when they can’t get hobbit?’ asked Sam, scratching his neck.
This line was given to Merry in the movie.
or I shall become a wraith.’ ‘Do not speak of such things!’ said Strider quickly, and with surprising earnestness.
Foreshadowing!
‘Going to Mordor!’ cried Pippin. ‘I hope it won’t come to that!’
More Foreshadowing!
‘It is just as I feared,’ he said, when he came back. ‘Sam and Pippin have trampled the soft ground, and the marks are spoilt or confused. Rangers have been here lately. It is they who left the firewood behind. But there are also several newer tracks that were not made by Rangers. At least one set was made, only a day or two ago, by heavy boots. At least one. I cannot now be certain, but I think there were many booted feet.’ He paused and stood in anxious thought.
Well, this is basically the AD&D 1+2E Ranger in a nutshell.
By our valour the wild folk of the East are still restrained, and the terror of Morgul kept at bay;
Considering "Morgul" sure reads a lot like "Mongol" - Yikes!
I am but the heir of Isildur, not Isildur himself.
Arwen gets this line in the film.
There are whole chapters of stuff before you ever got here!’
Really leaning on the Fourth Wall there, aren't you, J.R.R.?
‘“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.”
Look, this exchange is anti-science in a way that cannot be excused, not even in the context of Tolkien's wartime experiences.
this task is appointed for you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will.
Galadriel gets this line in the movie.
And Aragorn gave it a new name and called it Andúril, Flame of the West.
And this doesn't happen in the movies until the Return of the King.
But all the while I sit and think of times there were before, I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.
I can't highlight the whole thing, but I think this is one of my favorite Tolkein poems.
‘Who knows indeed!’ said Gandalf. ‘But there is another way, and not by the pass of Caradhras: the dark and secret way that we have spoken of.’ ‘But let us not speak of it again! Not yet. Say nothing to the others, I beg, not until it is plain that there is no other way.’
Gimli suggests Moria in the movie, and Gandalf is the one who vetos that option, initially.
‘I will add a word of advice, if I may,’ said Boromir. ‘I was born under the shadow of the White Mountains and know something of journeys in the high places. We shall meet bitter cold, if no worse, before we come down on the other side. It will not help us to keep so secret that we are frozen to death. When we leave here, where there are still a few trees and bushes, each of us should carry a faggot of wood, as large as he can bear.’
Boromir succeeded on his survival check.
‘That is plain enough,’ said Gimli. ‘If you are a friend, speak the password, and the doors will open, and you can enter.’
Gandalf gets these lines in the film.
‘There are Orcs, very many of them,’ he said. ‘And some are large and evil: black Uruks of Mordor. For the moment they are hanging back, but there is something else there. A great cave-troll, I think, or more than one. There is no hope of escape that way.’
Aragorn and Boromir,provide this information in the film.
But even as they retreated, and before Pippin and Merry had reached the stair outside, a huge orc-chieftain, almost man-high, clad in black mail from head to foot, leaped into the chamber; behind him his followers clustered in the doorway. His broad flat face was swart, his eyes were like coals, and his tongue was red; he wielded a great spear. With a thrust of his huge hide shield he turned Boromir’s sword and bore him backwards, throwing him to the ground. Diving under Aragorn’s blow with the speed of a striking snake he charged into the Company and thrust with his spear straight at Frodo.
...more
This was the cave troll in the film, and also The Fellowship felled the troll in the movie.
The staff broke asunder and fell from his hand.
His staff survived in the film.
But of that perilous land we have heard in Gondor, and it is said that few come out who once go in; and of that few none have escaped unscathed.’
Foreshadowing that something is fucky in Gondor.
Then there was a pause, and after it many swift scenes followed that Frodo in some way knew to be parts of a great history in which he had become involved. The mist cleared and he saw a sight which he had never seen before but knew at once: the Sea. Darkness fell. The sea rose and raged in a great storm. Then he saw against the Sun, sinking blood-red into a wrack of clouds, the black outline of a tall ship with torn sails riding up out of the West. Then a wide river flowing through a populous city. Then a white fortress with seven towers. And then again a ship with black sails, but now it was
...more
I wonder, had Tolkien written the conclusion of the Battle of the Pellanor Fields before he wrote this, or after?
Gimli had his axe in hand, and Legolas his long knife: all his arrows were spent.
It looks like Aragorn is the only member of Fellowship (outside of Frodo and Sam) who didn't in some way fight.
Rede
My High-Gygaxian word of the book.
Gimli rose and planted his feet firmly apart: his hand gripped the handle of his axe, and his dark eyes flashed. ‘Give me your name, horse-master, and I will give you mine, and more besides,’ he said.
Gimli is much more amiable in the movie.
‘Not here, the banks are too steep,’ said Pippin. ‘Forward now!’
Pippin is much less of a goof-a-doof than in the movies.
That we should wish to cast him down and have no one in his place is not a thought that occurs to his mind.
Erkenbrand of Westfold
Sir Not-Appearing-In-The-Movie
‘Oh yes, I forgot about him,’ said Pippin. ‘He did not get here till this morning.
In the movie he arrived before Isengard's armies had marched to war.
It seemed to Frodo then that he heard, quite plainly but far off, voices out of the past:
I'd forgotten that these short flashbacks to material we'd previously read wasn't just part of the adaptation to the screen, but were in the original book as well.
‘We wants it! But’ – and here there was a long pause, as if a new thought had wakened. ‘Not yet, eh? Perhaps not. She might help. She might, yes.’
Interesting - in the movies Gollum and Smeagol come to this decision much later, to maintain sympathy for the character.
The beacons of Gondor are alight, calling for aid.
No big dramatic set-piece needed to force the lighting of the beacons.
And she answered: ‘All your words are but to say: you are a woman, and your part is in the house. But when the men have died in battle and honour, you have leave to be burned in the house, for the men will need it no more. But I am of the House of Eorl and not a serving-woman. I can ride and wield blade, and I do not fear either pain or death.’
‘What do you fear, lady?’ he asked. ‘A cage,’ she said. ‘To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.’
‘Thank you indeed!’ said Merry. ‘Thank you, sir, though I do not know your name.’ ‘Do you not?’ said the Rider softly. ‘Then call me Dernhelm.’
In the film Merry figures it out immediately.
