Middle-earth Journeys

I think we kind of lost some energy for these chapter discussions, Kirill. But we can open another one if folks are interested.

*is interested*

Kirill and Iolanthe, I have added the chapter, The Breaking of the Fellowship. We had gotten that far in our previous discussions and it seems a good place to start our discussion of The Two Towers in general.

We were going through one chapter at a time, Kirill, progressing gradually through the book.

Ah, I see. I thought you were just being FotR-centric.

Nope . Just very, very slow in an entish unhasty fashion.

(There's an interesting poll at theonering.net about which element from book LOTR that we would have liked to have seen in movie LOTR. I know we don't discuss the movies here, which is why I'm whispering, but it's an interesting thing to think about!)

Merry, the obvious for me would be anything having to do with Aragorn...

The Grey Company
The friendship of Aragorn and Eomer
Their meeting on the Pelennor
The passing of Erech and the battle at Pelargir
The Field of Cormallen
(of course!!) The complete House of Healing

Just for starters...

I agree wholeheartedly with your list, Riv, and would also add Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, the Scouring of the Shire, and a proper representation of Faramir's encounter with Frodo and Sam (no silly march to Osgiliath!).

Funny, RR, none of your Aragorn events are listed at TOR.net. To me, the Field of Cormallen is the eucatastrophe of the story, and so its absence is grievous. I think all of your suggestions are possibilities at TOR.net, Lindariel. The last time I looked, the Scouring of the Shire was winning.

Lindariel, wouldn't you just love to see that whole scene and conversation play out between Faramir, Frodo, and Sam on their way to Henneth Anun, and once they get there? Faramir interrogating Frodo...Sam coming to his defense?

"Maybe, maybe you discern from far away the air of Númenor."

Is their a line so fair in all of Tolkien?

Oh Riv, I do love that line, but I think I can top it:

I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Numenor; and I would have her loved for her memory, her ancientry, her beauty, and her present wisdom. Not feared, save as men may fear the dignity of a man, old and wise.

[THUD!] THAT is when I fell in love with Faramir and realized that Tolkien had given me not one, but TWO extraordinary men to adore -- Aragorn and Faramir.

That quote ranks right up there with the following one from Aragorn in the Houses of Healing:

Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man's heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned.

[THUD! again] I felt cheated, I tell you, CHEATED, when PJ & Co. did not have the grace to include these two lovely passages in the movie. How hard could it have been? Get rid of the stupid, pointless trek to Osgiliath and the completely non-canonical encounter between Frodo and the Nazgul, and give us Ithilien and Henneth Annun as it was originally conceived. Eliminate some of the endless Battle of the Pelennor Fields and give us a true account of what happened in the Houses of Healing.

Demographics, my friends, demographics: they were making movies for the people who most make the decisions to go to movies, young men. The middle-aged, well-read female audience is kind of low on the list, I would imagine.

I think you have nailed it Merry.

But...I also think we may need a thread here at MeJ for our most beloved quotes from Tolkien's LOTR.

Yes please!!!