#i hate so many aspects of the silmarillion

[lostinmemoria]

brooooo, not me making an avarin elf oc and researching primitive quenya to come up with his name

#i think the avari are neat just bc fuck the valar #i hate so many aspects of the silmarillion #like framing the avarin elves as inherently evil because they didn't bend the knee to the valar lol?

[outofangband]

Textual significance of Morwen being accused of witchcraft

Aka the essay draft I’m posting earlier than I should be because I wanted to post this on my birthday

my tag for this topic is word ran among them where there are way too many posts. I’ve written at length about the implications in universe and real life connotations but here are some thoughts on why Tolkien chose to include this detail in The Silmarillion and The Children of Húrin

This is my first draft of this, written as bullet points. I’m going to make a more essay style version with more sources. Pretty much all of these I have posts about, and as I said, I’m very fixated on this topic so I’m definitely looking forward to elaborating a lot of this

I actually have studied the history of witchcraft accusations and their sociopolitical contexts for years and I’m so happy it’s going to such great cause :/

cw: discussion of misogyny both in universe and historical

It’s also worth mentioning that while these accusations didn’t exist in the very first drafts of The Children of Húrin, such as the book of lost tales version, they exist in pretty much every version that Morwen herself exists in as Morwen (that is, not in the book of lost tales versions or versions of The Lay where her name is different)

-It makes Morwen’s situation precarious when her survival is needed for the plot and the doom; she’s hated and feared and shunned but not directly attacked due to that fear. She’s alive but in danger, poverty and isolation.

It also puts the reader in fear for her. Good things do not happen to women who are accused of witchcraft

Witch hunts and witch trials are events that bring cruelty, paranoia and betrayal. The invoking of this adds to the bleak atmosphere of post Nírnaeth Hithlum. The phrasing, “word among them” or rumor ran among them, depending on the version , adds to this atmosphere of paranoia and whispers, and not knowing who to trust.

-It highlights the regressive beliefs of her accusers*. and emphasizes certain aspects of Morwen’s character. Morwen is very clearly not a witch. She is however a severe and intelligent woman who canonically challenges the men around her.

She’s also presumed to be a widow. Historically, especially when women were thought to be the property of their husbands, it has often been unmarried women and widows who were persecuted as witches*

The exact reasons given in the text are somewhat vague. “But so great was the beauty and majesty of the Lady of Dor-lómin that the incomers were afraid and whispered among themselves that she was perilous and a witch skilled in magic”, “proud and fair as a queen she was…Witchwife they called her and shunned her”. These descriptions alongside other descriptions of Morwen’s personality and countenance can easily track with commonalities among women who have historically been accused; she is fiercely independent, blunt in her words and proud.

“These were women given to speaking out, to a bold tongue and independent spirit. It is no surprise that such unwelcome, even feared speech, could be mistaken for wicked enchantment”Mona Chollet wrote in a recent nonfiction book on the history and legacy of witch hunts.

-Morwen specifically being related to the elves (“he had thought that he looked in the fell eyes of an elf”, “word ran among them that she was perilous and a witch who had dealings with the elves”, “Witchwife it is but elf friend in the new language”) also is used to show how deeply Melkor has managed to turn human and elven populations against each other

I cannot say if Tolkien intended this but this aspect mirrors a common theme in witch hunts historically. I talked about this before but many if not most accused women were accused of either obtaining their alleged powers through communion with non humans or otherwise engaged with them.

I have…way too many posts about this specific connection

-I also definitely want to do more about what exactly the lore is for witches in first age Beleriand, what it’s believed they are and what it’s believed they can do

-Morwen being feared by the occupiers mean that she is largely left alone by them. She’s still suffering, we know there were times that she and Niënor nearly starved, and its implied she faces harassment and intimidation but despite the doom on Húrin’s family, she is able to resist being driven from Hithlum for decades.

Morgoth canonically sews dissent, mistrust and prejudice. The prejudice of the occupiers here has the potential to interfere with Morgoth wanting to use Húrin’s family to hurt him. This fits neatly into Tolkien’s themes of evil hindering itself.

-It highlights her as a cultural outsider. It is specifically Morwen, a refugee and exile who is accused of having sinister powers and alliances with an enemy. I think this is especially interesting because, in the earlier version of The Children of Húrin, the occupiers were comprised largely of men from Hithlum

-It adds to the power of her character and makes parallels with other confrontations and struggles with villains that members of her family have. It’s easy to parallel for example the lines about Húrin not being daunted by Morgoth’s eyes or Niënor staring down Glaurung with the encounter between Morwen and Brodda. And while it is true that he might not be quite as powerful or dangerous as Morgoth or Glaurung, if he kills or hurts her, she’s going to be just as dead or traumatized as she would be if he were a god or dragon. Her courage is extraordinarily powerful and harrowing. Does this make sense?

Anyways happy birthday to me, thank you for reading all of this and for your patience with my rambling which I have done so much of on this topic and will continue to do more of

End note: I wanted to add another note about how the position Morwen is in can also be used to show Aerin’s bravery in helping her; Aerin takes great risks to help her people and the danger she faces for her aid to Morwen is even more extreme; she faces extreme physical abuse for it. But I have several posts about this already and I think it deserves its own post

Sources

Fearless Wives and Frightened Shrews: The Construction of the Witch in Early Modern Germany

Mona Chalet, Stacy Schift

#the silmarillion #the children of húrin #morwen #word ran among them #musing and meta #dropping in to post this before rushing back to work #Aerin #cw abuse #(bc of note at the end) #occupation of hithlum

[cilil]

𝓐𝓝 ~ For my 6666th post, I decided to compile an Angbang appreciation post to (hopefully) spread some joy and positivity for one of my favorite ships of all time. I tried my best to present the things that I love about Angbang in a broad and open manner, so that it encompasses all sorts of takes and welcomes as many fellow Angbangers as possible.

As I will also say at the end of this: You're cordially invited and welcome to share what you love about this ship and/or add aspects I haven't mentioned in this post. Just keep it positive!

Melkor. Ah Melkor, the man himself, the myth, the legend, a prime example for chaotic evil and our resident devil. Throughout the Silmarillion, as well as Tolkien's other writings, Melkor is busy hating pretty much everyone... except Mairon, it seems. He trusts him enough to let him run entire fortresses and taught him a lot of dark magic, which, as mundane as it may seem, is a lot more productive and friendly than Melkor has been to other people, including those who serve him. I - and I think many other Angbang shippers as well - love the idea that there is this one person in the world whom he actually likes and appreciates.

Mairon. The eponymous Lord of the Rings and general nuisance, enough to make Eru himself intervene twice, the Deceiver, professional pretty boy and peerless perfectionist. No other Maia has come close to causing as much drama, and something tells me Melkor will be proud once he hears about the Second and Third Age shenanigans. Mairon seems to hate everyone as well... except Melkor, with whom you could argue he might be a little obsessed. He's both frightening and hilarious and, for better or for worse, an icon both in-universe and outside.

Great ship name. Angbang is both a handy and memorable ship name and an amazing pun. It sure is a funny coincidence that my (to date) favorite ship all time also has my (maybe forever) favorite ship name of all time. And if that wasn't enough: If you take Morgoth x Sauron as the basis, their ship name is Moron which... yeah. No explanation needed. The stars aligned with this one.

Opposites attract. There are fundamental differences between Melkor and Mairon as characters, such as the chaos vs. order dynamic (as @maironite also pointed out), their goals - Melkor wanted to destroy while Mairon was more interested in getting things to run smoothly, though both were keen on enforcing their will - and their approach to handling situations they find themselves in - whereas Melkor is often impulsive, Mairon is more patient and calculating. You can also create an ice vs. fire dynamic, though they share the fire element (Melkor used to be the Vala of Fire and Ice and is still seen using these two elements a lot). It gives them some additional friction and spice to work with.

Similarities. Aside from their differences creating chemistry, Melkor and Mairon also share a few similarities and things they can bond over to balance whatever conflicts might arise. Both seem dissatisfied with the plans of Eru and the Valar, want to create whatever they wish to create without rules being imposed on them, have a questionable moral compass at best, like screwing people over and have obsessive tendencies (more on that later). I like to think that they can nerd out about about science and magic for hours, which likely became the foundation of their relationship in the first place, and that they also engaged in deep and challenging conversations that satisfied both of them in ways other conversation partners hadn't.

The Fall. We love fallen angels and a good corruption arc. Mairon's origins as a respected member of Aulë's household - who is still remembered for his skill despite his dark deeds - and moments where he could have potentially been redeemed are documented in the Silmarillion and the subject of many interesting discussions and fanworks. However, while less pronounced and presented as far less likely in the narrative, the same applies to Melkor. Even he started out as "good" and his motives, at least early on, are also understandable: He was dissatisfied with his inability to create freely and completely on his own. You could even say he's a bit of a failed artist which... is painfully relatable. As much pain and grief as both of them have caused, it's also tragic that they couldn't overcome their pride and choose a better path, for the sake of others as well as their own, and that Melkor ended up dragging Mairon down with him; both of them would have had the ability to do truly great things if this hadn't happened.

Philosophical aspects. To read Melkor and Mairon as a couple and their fates as a tragic love story creates interesting parallels with other star-crossed lovers in Tolkien's legendarium and raises fascinating philosophical questions. Can evil love? Can love be evil? Could love have been their road to redemption or was it - at least on Mairon's part - his doom? If I had to summarize my personal take on this, I would say that Melkor unwillingly corrupted love by genuinely being in love.

If you'd like to read a (more concise) take on this aspect which also touches on some other things mentioned in this post, I highly recommend this thread by @naruthandir.

There are just so many things you can read into this relationship and themes to explore, which I appreciate so much. It never gets boring and I always find new ideas to have fun with.

Power dynamics. Now, let me preface this by saying that I'm aware that some of you prefer it one way, some of you prefer it the other way, some see the Vala/Maia power imbalance as inherently unhealthy and like to take that as a central theme of their relationship and some prefer to interpret these two has having a fairly equal relationship. However, I'm not here to debate which take is "right" or "better", nor do I have any interest to. I think that, whichever way you choose, it's an interesting concept to play around with. Did you know that Estë used to be a Maia? I honestly think it would be cool if she still was, just to bridge the divide between Valar and Maiar a bit more. Nevertheless, I think we can all agree that especially Melkor isn't interested in what other Valar think is proper or appropriate and that Mairon, ambitious as he is, probably also likes having a Valarin partner/spouse. It's also interesting as a contrast to Melkor's usual arrogance and thinking that he's above everyone, and if you need something to prove that he wouldn't categorically say no to being with a Maia, look no further than his attempt at (forcibly) marrying Arien in other versions of the story.

Kink. Well, we've talked about power dynamics already, so let's not beat around the bush. We have some hot evil gay sex on our hands here. Super freaky too, if that's your thing. This ship is, in my opinion, excellent for BDSM and was what allowed me to discover and enjoy kink for the first time (though, again, none of this is a must if you prefer other takes). You can play with their existing power dynamic, subvert it, have them live out their sadistic urges, have them do elaborate roleplays, make use of all the creepiness and weirdness of the Ainur, particularly evil ones... they even have a convenient dungeon in their basement! There's so much good and sexy Angbang smut out there and I'd like to take a quick moment to thank everyone who wrote these fics that inspired and entertained me for years - and will do so for years to come.

Queerness. There are a lot of gay ships in the Tolkien fandom and fandom in general, but I still feel like it's important to mention this aspect. In fact, if you'd allow me to share something personal: Angbang was my first contact with queer content and, while this may seem strange considering that I am a woman, it also started my journey to discover my own queerness and I will forever appreciate that (I suppose it was "femboy" Mairon in particular alongside Melkor being a raging bisexual disaster - just my headcanon, not trying to push this on anyone - that finally allowed me to break out of compulsive heterosexuality and heteronormativity). I don't know if anyone had similar experiences with Angbang, but, well, I thought if I'm making an Angbang appreciation post, this might just be the time to include it.

Obsession. Melkor is obsessed with all things bright and beautiful, and this might very well include Mairon. As far as I'm aware, him being a fire spirit like Arien and the Balrogs are is fanon, but he's at the very least associated with fire in canon (on that note: kudos to whoever came up with the "little flame" nickname, it's so cute). Meanwhile, Mairon loves power and, as mentioned above, is obsessed with Melkor and his legacy enough to not only continue what they started, but also create a religion all about him. I like to think that both of them are also very jealous, which certainly ended up being the doom of a few innocent bystanders. They're just angry and evil and insane together and it's endlessly entertaining to me.

Tolkien's accidental "evidence". This could probably be its own post (which I might do in the future, though I'd do some additional research for it), and I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to "prove" to you that Angbang is canon or anything like that, I just find it funny when canon gives me tidbits that I can use for my "agenda". First of all, there's the infamous seduction line that has singlehandedly spawned countless fanfics and most likely raised a few eyebrows:

"In the beginning of Arda Melkor seduced [Mairon] to his allegiance (...)" The Silmarillion

One of my personal favorites is also the fact that, in the Lay of Leithian, Mairon starts ranting about how cool Melkor is - after only briefly mentioning Lúthien - and gets mad at Beren and the others for not stanning his boyfriend master hard enough. To make sure everyone knows exactly how awesome Melkor is, he later made sure people pray to him and perform human sacrifices which, since even any positive effects it might have couldn't reach Melkor in the Void, was apparently just for shits and giggles and to troll some mortals. Now that is what I call commitment! There's also Melkor's trust in Mairon and his fire spirit kink, but I've mentioned that already.

Aesthetics. Spiky black armor is incredibly sexy. Then we have peak hell and hellfire aesthetics. We have crowns and rings. We have fallen angels and fire and ice, as mentioned above. And we have two incredibly hot (literally) angels kissing. You could make them fuck in an erupting volcano. It's just... yes.

To conclude: We love villains, we love dark lords, evil is fun!

What I discussed in this post is pretty much just everything I could think of, with my friends and fellow shippers giving me a few additional keywords to mention, so there's definitely more. I hope this post made some of you appreciate this ship as well, maybe sparked or rekindled some love for it, and I invite you to add on and/or share what you love about Angbang. However: I'm going to have to politely and respectfully ask you to remember that this is an appreciation and positivity post, so I don't want to see any negativity, complaints about the way other people enjoy this ship differently or shade. Time and place. Alright? Alright.

Love you!

"Whom do ye serve, Light or Mirk? Who is the maker of mightiest work? Who is the king of earthly kings, the greatest giver of gold and rings? Who is the master of the wide earth? Who despoiled them of their mirth, the vain Valar? Repeat your vows, Orcs of Bauglir! Do not bend your brows. Death to light, to law, to love; cursed be moon and stars above; may darkness everlasting old that waits outside in surges cold drown Manwë, Varda and the sun; may all is hatred be begun and all in evil ended be in the moaning of the endless Sea!" Lay of Leithian, Canto VIII

#angbang #melkor #morgoth #sauron #mairon #melkor x mairon #angbang appreciation #ainur #silmarillion #tolkien #cílil speaks #i love them

[gardensofthemoon]

20 questions for fic writers

Tagged by the lovelies @ettelene and @tilion-writes, many thanks! Sorry for the late response, been busy with real life commitments.

1. How many works do you have on Ao3? 10

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 38,319 words

3. What fandoms do you write for? Currently, Silmarillion and MDZS/The Untamed, though I haven't posted anything yet for the latter.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Fëanor posts on r/amitheasshole

Capodopera

Family Dinner

Immortal Longings

uprooting

5. Do you respond to comments? Yes, always! And I ramble a lot.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? Hm. I write quite a bit of angst, and I can think of at least three fics of mine with sad endings, but I think Cardinal takes the cake. It's a bleak end, miserable, made even more so by the relative tenderness of the main story.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? Probably Fëanor posts on r/amitheasshole, because it's crack. Nobody dies; is that the low bar for a happy ending in the silm fandom?

8. Do you get hate on fics? So far none, but I expect to get some in the future as I want to write about darker themes. And I'm mentally preparing for posting in a new fandom that's known for its toxicity.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Yes, and I plan on writing more! I love shipfic, I love romance, this is the main genre I read in fanfic, so. If I had to classify my style of smut, I'd say it veers into porn with feelings territory. The main sentiment behind my writing, behind all my writing, smutty or not, is yearning. What intrigues me is what the characters are feeling, their thought process, building the tension and portraying their dynamic. I don't think I can write smut just for the sake of smut - and there are so many facets of the characters' personalities that can be explored through their kinks, their bedroom attitude, their emotions and insecurities. Also, I write slash, though I'd like to try my hand at femslash as well.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? No, but I've thought about it. The logistic aspect of it ruins the fun, unfortunately.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? No.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Not yet.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? Not sure if they can be considered "all-time" favourites since I got into fandom less than a year ago, but the ships I'm completely obsessed with are Curufin/Finrod for the silm fandom and Jiang Cheng/Wei Wuxian for mdzs/cql.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? My Curufinrod in Valinor fic that I talked about on here. It's a long project and I'm used to writing one-shots, so I keep telling myself I'd work on it and post it once it's finished. Not sure when or if that will happen.

16. What are your writing strengths? Story concepts, comedic timing, eliciting emotions. Prose if I'm feeling confident.

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I am always obsessing over sentence structure, conveying tone, and word choice. English not being my native language doesn't help either. Technicalities aside, probably dialogue and longer story arcs.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? Ambivalent.

19. First fandom you wrote for? The Silmarillion! Best fandom.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written? The second chapter of Capodopera (which is composed of two mirroring one-shots). I think I managed to write precisely the story that I set out to; I'm pleased with everything about it, from the prose to the characterisation, to the escalation and the power shift, to the smut scene. And it doesn't hurt that it's the most self-indulgent thing I've written for my silm otp.

I'd like to tag two of my favourite writers @crackinthecup and @tobermoriansass, I'd be super curious to read your answers!

#tumblr games #fanfic #elio writes

[thelordofgifs]

I'm going to mix it up a bit and ask for Fingon for the character ask :)

(character ask game!)

one aspect about them I love:

oooh I love how morally grey he is actually. He's great as a heroic warrior prince who does dramatic rescues and fights dragons - but it's the fact that he's a Kinslayer that makes him SO fascinating to me. Love a sunshine boy with a dark streak.

one aspect I wish more people understood about them

hmm see above I guess. He's complicated!! Don't make him a cinnamon roll! He's not a cinnamon roll!!

one (or more) headcanon(s) I have about this character

He was so angry with his father after his death actually. Fingon never wanted to be High King, and never really believed that Fingolfin - the wise, the patient, the steadfast! - would ever actually die. But more than that, I've talked before about how Fingon is the embodiment of hope in the Silmarillion (at least for the Exiles); and I think on a fundamental philosophical level he could not sympathise at all with Fingolfin's despair, did not understand how he could have given up when there was still hope - for Fingon there was always hope - and viewed pointless suicidal charges very unfavourably.

one character I love seeing them interact with

Hmm not to be basic but. Maedhros. I DO ship them very hard (sorry ik they're your notp!!) but even platonically I think their friendship is so excellent and touching. They care about each other so much!! The rescue!! Maedhros standing aside at Losgar!! The making of the Union!! I just love them.

one character I wish they would interact with/interact with more

getting VERY obsessed with the Fingon-Maglor relationship lately. There are so many different ways you can read it and it's fascinating. Did they hate each other? Were they grudgingly friends, or sincerely so? There's so many layers of complexity there.

one (or more) headcanon(s) I have that involve them and one other character

aahhh I think I kind of answered this above already with Fingolfin :( I do like picturing him as close to Aredhel. They're both impulsive and adventurous and maintain friendships with sons of Feanor even after the Helcaraxe!! I think Turgon tended to treat Aredhel as a Baby Sister a lot, but Fingon was rather more chill and fun with her (Fingon just has NO big brother vibes to me. Turgon got all the overprotectiveness in that family). I wonder if he ever found out (from Hurin maybe?) about her death :(

#asks #ask game #fingon #tysm bestie <3 #curufinswife

[twirlybumblevee]

I stole this from @bottleofchaos

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

71 right now! (man I've been here for a long time, haven't I...)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,077,321

3. What fandoms do you write for?

currently it's Dteam (adjacent) and Tolkien's Silmarillion, in the past most notably Marvel (plus various others)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Oh boy. First, and by a mile, we have Sign Dirty to me and its sequel As loud as our hearts (MCU, Steve/Bucky modern AU where Steve is deaf and they meet under... embarrassing circumstances), then the next with not even half as many kudos is No other version of me I'd rather be tonight (Larry famous/non-famous AU), then a fic called First Sons and Superheros (Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four meets troubled gay president's son TJ from Political Animals), and then Cross the Line which was just a silly little MCU RPF get together fic but yeah, everything MCU related went HARD back in the day.

Everything and many others found here.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always!! It sometimes takes me a while but I never ever leave comments without a response over - if you see them, I just haven't gotten around to them yet. I think it's only fair - if people take their time to leave comments, I should show just as much appreciation back by responding. (That's why I don't comment on fics where I see lots of comments that have never been responded to because I just think it's rude.)

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh man that's got to be the Silmarillion stories. Nightfall ending with murder and the dying of the Light (of the Trees), Shards that goes to incredibly dark places (but all the stories in that series aren't happy).

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably Ever a surprise / Ever as before where DNF literally life in a fairytale and get a fairytale ending. :D (Taizi and I did our best. <3)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really. I remember once in an MCU Steve/Bucky fic there was a big discussion going on in the comments about an aspect of therapy in the story, but that was the height of it. It never went into hate territory.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Oh absolutely. XD Not sure I understand the question though, what kind. The sexy kind? Wholesome, sweet, kinky, dark, I've written it all.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

I have! The crasiest was probably First Sons and Superheroes (mentioned above) that sort of founded a whole new branch of fandom at the time. The premise was good though.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

There have been several requests over the years, yes

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Constantly. XD I think 95% of fics on my account have been co-written. I don't know how to finish stuff by myself.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship

Mae/Fin and Tyelpe/Annatar (Silmarillion), but DNF is up there as well for sure :)

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

The Holiday. It's a Remus/Sirius fic based on the movie and there's only ONE CHAPTER MISSING and I still get comments on it even years later and they're all so sweet and I always feel so bad about it and I wish I could finish it but I'm so out of the headspace. Maybe one day. Not giving up hope.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Worldbuilding. Picking things apart until everything makes sense. Believable character/relationship progression especially in adversary, I'd like to think.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Motivation and drive, for sure. I was never able to write big stories by myself, I always needed someone to do it with. I WISH I could, how cool would that be. But I just get too distracted too fast by other things.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I can only write in English. German, I guess, I am a native. XD But I haven't done that in forever and the thought of it just makes me cringe.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Lord of the Rings

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

That's the meanest question. I have so many favourites, DNF ones as well, so many amazing ones that have never even seen the light of day on AO3 for one reason or another. I think overall I am the most proud of all the Silmarillion stories because they all belong in the same universe and span thousands upon thousands of years and so much worldbuilding and progression.

If you want to do this yourself, please feel tagged!! This was loads of fun. :)

#tagging game

[djemsostylist]

ROP was never meant to be Game of Thrones which why they kept the show family-friendly and tonally, there's nothing ASOIAF about it either. Tolkien's own estate has continued to license his works for all kinds of adaptations, including the most recent hilariously bad Gollum game. Fans act as if these studios can just produce works without the legal blessing of the Tolkien estate, and even then, ROP was not allowed to use the Silmarillion. It's so obvious his estate wants to profit from these adaptations, even in limited capacities, which Tolkien fans seem to never want to admit to.

I don't mean Game of Thrones as in the sex and nudity or themes, I mean Game of Thrones in the "Show everyone talks about and is a Part of the Discourse and Conversation." They wanted to make a popular fantasy show that would be a major part of pop culture--not unlike whatever the Witcher is attempting (and also failing) at doing.

And yes, I'm well aware that ROP has the rights because they were sold to them. I do know how copyright works. I also know that the current Tolkien in charge of the estate is more concerned with money and less concerned with preserving a legacy than Christopher was. I am not unaware of these things, nor has that ever been the point of my posts.

The point of my posts has always been that I find the entire thing overwhelmingly sad and vaguely depressing. Because while yes, Tolkien did initially sell his rights early on, we also know exactly what he thought both of big corporations (he notoriously hated Disney) and also how he felt about changing the fundamental aspects of his work in order to turn a profit. We also know that Christopher Tolkien was very protective of his father's legacy, and wanted nothing more than to preserve his father's works as close to their original form and meaning as possible. My point has always been that as Tolkien's works move further and further from their origin, and as the media (tv shows and movies) developed from his works take over the public consciousness, and fewer and fewer Tolkien fans are actually reading the works which they claim to love, his works become less the things he poured his soul into, and more the thing that tv show/movie fans *think* it is. And this isn't just me saying that--I have read/listened to/seen so many fans talking about his works as huge Tolkien fans while never having actually consumed any of his works.

And because of the unique place the Tolkien holds in fantasy literature, I find this sad. Unbearably, overwhelmingly sad. Again, my point has never been that ROP fans can't like a show--it's been that when said show becomes the thing that people think is Tolkien, then we lose something fundamental about what his works so special in the first place.

I feel like the fact that my ROP posts inspire so much anger and defense in ROP fans says all that needs to be said really. (And also the fact that every time I get an anonymous post angry about my ROP posts, they always seem to have actually not read said post, or at the very least comprehended none of what they did.

#anonymous #rings of power #rop critique #tbh i don't generally tag my criticism unless it's constructive #but in rop's case i make an exception #bc it honestly might be the most insulting piece of media i have ever had the misfortune to not watch

[tamariasykes-art]

17 and 18 for Rings of Power!

The Rings of Power themed asks. 🍃✨

17. What are your thoughts on the original characters? Do you like them? (For example: Nori, Bronwyn, Adar)

I absolutely adore all the original characters in the series and their arcs are usually the ones I am most invested in. The whole arcs with the Southlands (yeah I know they don't exist anymore) was such a joy to watch.

Someone on twitter refereed to Arondir as the "the elfest elf that ever elfed" and I think that is more than accurate. He is kind, noble, determined and just so good in every way. The interactions between him and Adar? This bond of both mutual respect and attempting to understand the other, but ultimately taking a different path in the end. I love his relationship with Bronwyn, they way they are so dedicated to each other but also willing to let the other go for a greater sake. They way they support and comfort each other throughout the series <3<3

Bronwyn is great too, probably my favorite female character from the series. She is also kind and very courageous and they way she is ready to take up a weapon to defend others and how she ends up taking the responsibility for coordinating resources and shelter for the people fleeing from the uruks. They way she unconditionally loves her son and Arondir <3<3

There are many more great original characters, but this is already getting so long

18. What are your thoughts on the portrayal of the canon characters? (For example: Galadriel and Elrond)

I am gonna preface this by saying that the only books of Tolkien I've read by now are the Hobbit and the Silmarillion so my knowledge on the lotr triology is mostly based on the movies. (Also I'm gonna stick with Miriel, Elrond and Galadriel here because I have the most thoughts about them)

I do like the changes the made to Miriel's character. I remember reading the Silm and wondering what Numenor might have been like under her reign and how sad it was that so much of her character is just a victim, a victim of Ar-Pharazôn and Sauron and later on a victim of Numenor being turned into Atlantis. Miriel in Trop just feels so refreshing compared to that. I wish the Numenor arc would have gotten a bit more attention, especially the relationship between Miriel and her father, but all the episodes with her

Elrond, is Elrond. He's fine The scenes with him in it always feel a bit odd tho. I recently started watching the series with my mother and she said about him: "He sounds like a politician" and I couldn't agree more. Now, I am aware that this is what the show is going for and the way he carries himself and his speech make sense for the position he holds at Gil-galads court. What makes scenes with feel so odd to me is that he seems to carry this behavior into these very personal scenes where he interacts with Disa and Durin and because of that they don't seem as heartfelt and intimate as they should. I mean, especially the scene where Durin voices his anger over the disagreement with his father and Elrond explains the relationship with his father, it sounds like he is reciting something and not offering insight on his friend. Although that part could also be a result of the German voice actors performance. I doesn't matter either way, this is a interpretation of Elronds character, a legitimate one and I don't hate it. It is fine. His haircut is always a joy to look at.

Galadriel is just like that. Idk I mean you have these really great aspects that you can base her story off. The death of her brother and husband, the survivors guilt, this feeling of restlessness and also this fear of going to the west and possibly thinking that she might not deserve it yet. And then they go ahead and show her to be this really cold, selfish and manipulative character and I am just asking myself where it went wrong.

And yes, those are flaws, every good character has those. But I feel with the way her story and character is written, she just comes of as utterly unlikable. I am not interested in seeing her evolve and change for the better, or face the consequences for her actions because her motivation seems so weird and her struggles seem to be non-existant. I mean Celeborns death for example has had such a big impact on her, I don't understand why they did not hint at that sooner in the show until her conversation with Halbrand (?) Why didn't they show her grieving, why do they never show her struggling with her values and believes, why is the majority of her arc her just try to find and destroy Sauron and not doing anything else? Also, the whole thing with taking the boat to the west. You could have done so much with that. But in the show you just see her conversation with Elrond about it where she makes it clear that she won't accept this gift from Gil-galad with the reason that he work isn't finished. And then the next scene is just her on the boat. I mean, this is literally a journey with no return why did they not show her trying to come terms with that or her fear of leaving her friends and Middle Earth behind, her feeling that she might not worthy of accepting something like that. (Maybe also her wondering if she will see her family again. I mean in Tolkiens work Finrod was allowed to leave the Halls of Mandos)

Like, I don't get it. I really don't. I am not a fan of her arc during the first season and neither is my mother (who hasn't seen all the episodes yet).

Thanks for asking!

#ask #answered #krakenguard

[absynthe--minded]

So I'm excited about the POC characters in the LOTR show if nothing else. But many people in fandom are really nasty about that. Is there anything concrete in canon saying dark-skinned elves are possible existing?

so first off, whatever Tolkien says or does not say ultimately doesn't matter. the existence of people of color in real life is a fact and there is no reason why elves and Men and dwarves can't be racially diverse. it doesn't matter that it's Eurofantasy, it doesn't matter that it's "a mythology for England". nothing about the Legendarium is inherently white in a way that cannot or should not be racebent.

gonna say that again, louder:

it does not matter what the intent was. adding racial diversity to a cast is not dependent upon authorial approval. Tolkien is literally dead and I don't care if this would offend him. I don’t think it would offend him for the reasons I’m including below, but even if it would, that doesn’t matter, racial diversity and an inclusive imagining of this world are more important than the hypothetical feelings of the author.

now. Tolkien was racist. this is an undeniable fact that everybody has to engage with when they read his works. it is uncomfortable equal-opportunity racism where no matter if you’re Black, indigenous, or Asian, he’s said something gross and loaded about you. you cannot avoid this in The Lord of the Rings, though it’s much less present in the Silmarillion and the greater Legendarium. I’ve made a study of his life and I tend to come down on the side of “he wasn’t well-informed enough to be truly aware of the racist aspects of his work, and was echoing stereotypes held by his society or put forward in the literature he drew from as inspiration”. this is for two reasons:

when he did get called out on the antisemitic portrayal of the dwarves in The Hobbit by a Jewish associate he apologized and wrote Gimli in The Lord of the Rings with a care to not behave that way again; Gimli exists almost as an apology for former antisemitism. this demonstrates he can learn and grow when he’s made aware of what he’s doing, and that he’s not doing it on purpose.

he taught nonwhite students at Oxford and none of them have come out and said that he was cruel and racist to them, which indicates at the very least that he was at least capable of respecting their personhood and treating them fairly even if he held racist beliefs. he also spoke positively of at least one of his South Asian students, calling him one of the best English literature scholars he’d encountered, which shows he wasn’t personally malicious.

of course, none of these things matter if you’re a person of color reading his works and you encounter what he wrote. this does not make Tolkien less racist, at all. I am not trying to excuse his racism or say that it doesn’t matter, because it does, and if the fact that it exists is a dealbreaker for you that is fucking understandable. There are parts of The Return of the King that I genuinely cannot fucking read without getting sick to my stomach. The reason I’m trying to provide this context is to show why I, as a scholar, consider his work worth studying and examining and loving despite that flaw, and why I don’t think he’s on the level of someone like Hates Phoreigners Lovecraft. I can’t make that decision for anyone, but that needs to get out of the way first because before I start talking about the genuinely surprising diversity in Arda I need to acknowledge that the guy who was making it diverse didn’t have the best intentions all of the time.

now, onto the actual examination of things. (more below the cut, the tl;dr is ‘dark-skinned elves have exactly as much canonical precedent as Gil-galad being the son of Finrod + a Sinda named Meril, so there’s no reason to discount them. also, the mortal Men and hobbits in Arda have a canonically established range of skin tones even among the heroes, so elves and dwarves having those too makes complete sense.’)

Maeglin is the only elf whose skin tone is ever explicitly mentioned, and it changes between the drafts. In his earliest Book of Lost Tales appearance, he’s “swarthy” and dark-skinned, in his latest appearances he’s pale-skinned. BoLT’s draft has the benefit of being the only complete account of the Fall of Gondolin that we have, which makes it large and weighty and too great to be ignored. In The Shaping of Middle-Earth (I think, that’s off the top of my head but if it’s not in Shaping it’s in Peoples) he’s described as physically resembling his mother and mentally resembling his father. Shaping as a draft is relevant because this is what Christopher Tolkien pulled from to write the ‘Of Maeglin’ chapter in the Silmarillion. If Maeglin is interpreted as both dark-skinned and as resembling his mother, that means Aredhel was herself dark-skinned, and that means her family isn’t white.

(note: Christopher Tolkien, so far as I can tell, invented the idea that Idril and the Gondolindrim found Maeglin disgusting for wanting to marry his cousin from whole cloth. I’ve scoured the drafts and Vinyar Tengwar and all the tidbits I can find and I’ve found absolutely no indication that Tolkien included a taboo against cousin marriage anywhere in his actual writings. he in fact explicitly allows it in one draft of Laws and Customs among the Eldar. In Shaping, Turgon loves and trusts Maeglin but Maeglin is scheming for the throne, and in BoLT - where Maeglin is outright villainous and the most racially loaded - Turgon is opposed to his marrying Idril because he doesn’t think Maeglin will love his daughter, he thinks Maeglin will use her as a tool for political gain. this is not really relevant except to say that Maeglin being seen as disgusting by the Gondolindrim reads in a very loaded and problematic light, and it seems to not be present at all in the original text.)

In most cases, Tolkien doesn’t really describe skin tone, instead reverting to somewhat vague descriptors like ‘pale’ or ‘fair’. I will admit that in a strictly literal interpretation of the text, that does seem to indicate that there’s a relative dearth of heroic elves of color, but I’m going to repeat what I said above (authorial intent does not matter more than making Arda inclusive) and continue on with the fact that ‘pale’ can mean things other than ‘white’.

Plenty of people who are not white are pale, or pale compared to others in their family or community. if you’re committed to a racially diverse Arda, this genuinely should not stop you, and if you’re bothered by people playing with this, that’s a sign you should examine yourself. the same goes with ‘fair,’ which Tolkien uses just as often to mean ‘beautiful’ as to mean ‘light-skinned’ or ‘of a light complexion’. someone can be dark and fair (Lúthien comes to mind) and that’s not a contradiction. again, it does not matter what the author thought, and while this is an admittedly creative reading of the text, it’s certainly not impossible.

We have significantly more textual and paratextual evidence for nonwhite mortals, and frankly that’s what I would consider the biggest evidence for nonwhite elves. And it’s not just the evil Men, either!

Hobbits are a canonically ethnically diverse group with varying skin tones and a lot of intermarriage and ‘mixed-race’ (by contemporary Earth standards) individuals; the smallest Hobbit ethnic group (the Fallohides) is the white one. Sam is darker-skinned than Frodo is, and he’s the true hero of LotR according to the author. And, The Peoples of Middle-Earth confirms that the House of Bëor is brown-skinned, which means Tolkien’s own self-insert Beren is not a white person. If Beren isn’t white, neither are Barahir, Andreth, Emeldir, Aerin, Rían, or Morwen Eledhwen. This means that Dior wouldn’t necessarily be white, and that Elwing, Elrond, and Elros are mixed-race both in terms of their actual bloodline and modern conceptions of the term.

On top of that, Gondor is a canonically racially prejudiced society, but Gondor is racist based on blood and ancestry and not on skin tone and is diverse in terms of the people living there - the Rohirrim are described as paler and lighter-haired than they are, indicating they’re already not white, and when Pippin is watching the reinforcements come into Minas Tirith in the first chapter of RotK he observes that there are some warriors who are significantly darker-skinned-than-the-others but are counted as men of Gondor. Aragorn’s crown as drawn by Tolkien in his letters also bears a resemblance to Egypt’s double crown, and Gondor has a Mediterranean climate, which famously yields extremely white-looking people here on Earth (that’s sarcasm lmao) And if Gondor isn’t white, that means Arnor and the Dúnedain aren’t white either, which means Númenor wasn’t white (Unfinished Tales says that a lot of descendants of the House of Bëor ended up on Númenor, so...)

tbh this indicates to me that we have absolutely no reason why elves - and not just silvan elves or Sindarin elves, Calaquendi too! - can’t be diverse in terms of skin tone and the races of the actors. the only thing stopping anybody is their own racism and their own lack of commitment to diversity. Tolkien was racist, but he’s dead, his ability to impact the world now is dependent upon the fandom and the scholarly community, and I think the way forward is to embrace diversity and also to explore and acknowledge his racism and his failings. crafting a version of Arda where everyone is included is to me reclaiming a space that I was both welcomed by and excluded from, and the fact that this sometimes means standing in opposition to supposed ‘purist’ reads on the text is fine by me.

so... what are we left with?

well, it’s contradictory. we’ve got a racist guy who nonetheless makes his heroic characters explicitly brown, a society that could either be read as very racially segregated or very racially diverse, and a lot of mixed messages (I haven’t delved into his takes on colonialism yet, I do not have the strength for that). It’s a space that has just as much evidence for including people of color as excluding them, and as a result, I say to include. if you’re not for that, you’ve got some self-examination to do.

#replies #anon replies #absynthe's meta #tolkien

[miriel-therindes]

Do you have any opinions on turin turambar?

Oooh anon yes I do indeed.

So I actually really like Turin as a character- I may not like him much as a person but I find the whole fate-doom-free-will-moral aspect of his story fascinating.

The Children of Hurin also strikes me as one of the most...morally complex? no that's not the right phrase for it. But what I mean is it seems to be one of Tolkien's writings where he is most questioning of philosophy and morality. I'd actually be really interested in researching what period of his life Tolkien was working on Turin Turumbar at. I remember reading a post once about free will in Tolkien, the music of the Ainur, and the difference between the fate and free will of Elves and Men- how free will works for Elves seems to be more on the lines of Protestant belief, where free will for Men is more Catholic. He really seems to be exploring his beliefs and what he thinks about ethics in Turin’s story- doom vs free will, Turin’s anger and bad choices vs his fate. The (accidental) incest between him and Nienor and their subsequent suicides also is interesting to me, Tolkien never seems to quite condemn it, he (always seemed to me) laying it out as a tragedy which really wasn’t either Turin or Nienor’s fault.

(I need to reread the CoH though, so I may be remembering wrong.)

I’ve always identified somewhat with Turin, especially at the point of life that I first read his story at. I was the tender age of 13, had recently been going through a lot of difficult situations and changes, and at his childhood Turin seemed just like me back then- grave, proud, melancholic and apart from the others, unlaughing, stubborn and rebellious, desperate for freedom, filled with both pity for others and an anger against them. I liked him at the beginning of his story as a child just like me, and hated him at the end while simultaneously terrified that I really was just like him with that same weakness and that same end. I’ve always been very guarded of my emotions and, I think, often very fake, in a constant dress-up of personalities to hide what I really feel or think. I’ve changed a lot since that time I first read about Turin, or at least have changed a lot in my outward personality. But I still do see myself in him a lot.

(I’m so dramatic but I was a dramatic 13-year-old too, ok? I’m method acting.)

But onto my actual opinion of Turin Turumbar: while I cannot condone many of his decisions, I can at least understand them, and pity him. I tend to be in the camp of attributing more power to his curse than some do, I really do think that the curse had a great deal of power over him. He did some terrible things of his own volition, but he was, I think, always doomed for his end.

He’s also very much a trauma kid, and I think getting that helps see where he’s coming from.

I love his friendship with Beleg, he was my favourite character in CoH when I first read it and his death broke my heart. I cried for a very long time, and I think the most tragic part of his death was that it was an accident. He wasn’t killed in battle or by Morgoth, or even drowning or falling off a cliff or suicide. He was killed by his best friend who he had just saved, lord I still think it’s one of the most tragic deaths in the Silmarillion. He was killed, in a way, by fate itself, by chance, by trust and friendship.

That’s the point where you begin to understand the inherent doom of this story- it is wrapped around the children of Hurin and loving either of them is truly a death sentence.

Finduilas, damn I feel so bad for her. And Gwindor. The amount of pain that Gwindor went through- his brother is killed and mutilated, Gwindor charges at the enemy in grief and rage, this adds to triggering the Nirnaeth, he’s captured, made a slave, crippled, fights his way out, loses a hand, decides to help save Turin (risking recapture!), guards Turin for months after he’s under the cloud of grief for Beleg, his betrothed falls in love with Turin and guess what! he’s gracious and kind about it even though he’s deeply hurt and still hopes the best for her!

And even after all of this he still loves Turin and tells him so with his dying breaths, and begs him to save Finduilas.

But both he and Finduilas are caught in the Curse.

I desperately wish that Turin had saved Finduilas, it’s such a pivotal moment, and I do think that maybe maybe if Turin had done as Gwindor said perhaps the doom could have been avoided. But that’s when Turin’s fatal flaws comes into play, as a classic tragic hero: Pride, and Wrath.

His relationship with Nienor...how do I saw this without sounding weird...it really is sweet from the point that you don’t know they’re siblings. “Only at his coming would she smile, and only when he spoke gaily would she laugh.” But maybe that’s the tragedy and the horror of it all.

In another universe, maybe, a better one, Nienor would have loved Brandir and Turin would have saved Finduilas and loved her. They would never have met and their doom would not have come full.

But their doom did come full and Glaurung reveals himself to Nienor. She realises what had happened to her and her brother and bids farewell to Turin, twice beloved, master of doom by doom mastered. And then she commits suicide from jumping from the cliffside.

Turin murders Brandir in rage, his final horrific action and, perhaps, one of the worst. Then he asks his sword to take his life, his sword speaks back to him, and he throws himself upon it and is dead.

Actually, I think one of Turin’s fatal flaws, that sort of overweening pride, is the Anglo-Saxon concept of offenmod. I wonder if this was an intentional thought on Tolkien’s part, Tolkien did write about the Battle of Maldon and mod. It’s a very classic heroic flaw seen in many characters, even if it isn’t called such.

I once read something about Tragedy and how it’s about the hero being in the wrong story, the wrong place, the wrong time. If Hamlet and Othello had swapped places both of their stories probably would have turned out much better. But instead they’re in these situations where their greatest strengths are useless and their flaws cause them to fail.

And this really does ring true for Turin- he so desperately wants to do something, to be useful, but he’s in the wrong story. He wants to fight against Morgoth so much, he wants revenge for all the pain he’s caused him. But he’s not in the right story for that, so his greatest strengths don’t work and he falls because of his flaws which are so very picked out in this story.

In the end, I pity him. I may not like him as a person, I may not condone his actions, but I see his fate and his strengths and his flaws, and I understand.

#this is so rambly #a day will come where i write a character opinion without it being weird and all over the place #but it is not this day #turin #turin turumbar #silmarillion #tolkien #asks #answered ask #children of hurin

[jail-crow-of-mandos]

Is Caranthir Autistic Or Am I Just Projecting: An Autobiography

Yup, here it is. My long-promised autistic Caranthir meta. Although I’m not sure how much of a meta it can be considering Caranthir is only mentioned by name 24 times in the entire Silmarillion, outside of the name index at the end. So here’s the plan: we’re gonna go through every time he’s mentioned and see if it tells us anything about potentially being autistic.

Before we begin. here is the DSM list of requirements for being diagnosed as autistic. Considering how few times we see Caranthir doing stuff in day to day life, odds are we won’t get to the level required for full diagnosis, but it certainly can help support it as a theory.

Requirements:

Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity

Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction,

Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships

At least two of the following: Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech, Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior, Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus, Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interest in sensory aspects of the environment

Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities, or may be masked by learned strategies in later life)

Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.

These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.

With that being said, let’s start at the beginning:

“The seven sons of Fëanor were Maedhros the tall; Maglor the mighty singer, whose voice was heard far over land and sea; Celegorm the fair, and Caranthir the dark; Curufin the crafty, who inherited most of his father’s skill of hand; and the youngest Amrod and Amras, who were twin brothers, alike in mood and face. In later days they were great hunters in the woods of Middle-earth; and a hunter also was Celegorm [...]”

“[Regarding the Oath] Thus spoke Maedhros and Maglor and Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir, Amros and Amras, princes of the Noldor [...]”

Okay these two tell us absolutely nothing about Caranthir in particular, at least for this particular topic. Moving swiftly along.

“But Caranthir, who loved not the sons of Finarfin, and was the harshest of the brothers and the most quick to anger, cried aloud: ‘Yea more! Let not the sons of Finarfin run hither and thither with their tales to this dark Elf in his caves! Who made them our spokesmen to deal with him? And though they be come indeed to Beleriand, let them not so swiftly forget that their father is a lord of the Noldor, though their mother be of other kin”

Now we’re finally getting to the good part. Let’s start at the beginning. “Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity”. Yep. To put that in layman’s terms, it means to have trouble understanding how to navigate conversations in a normal way, often talking out of turn or speaking too harshly. This falls into both of those. On top of that, it also shows signs of “Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships”. He is clearly misreading the situation and attacking Angrod for no real reason outside of being mad about everything. This is not how you speak to a stranger, especially not a diplomat. 

One could even argue that it could show signs of “Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior”” and “Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction”. The former could be argued because one could say that he has fallen into a comfortable pattern, and the idea of changing it is deeply distressing to him, hence why he lashed out. The idea of changes happening that he didn’t directly have a say in causes him to panic and react with anger. As far as the latter one goes, given Maedhros’s initial response to Angrod as well as him trying to calm Caranthir down afterwards, one can reasonably assume that his body language was telling his brothers to stay calm and cordial. Caranthir either ignored this deliberately (which would strengthen the prior argument that he struggles maintaining and understanding relationships, given the authority Maedhros has over him) or he simply could not pick up on the nonverbal cues that Maedhros was giving.

“Now the people of Caranthir dwelt furthest east beyond the upper waters of Gelion, about Lake Helevorn under Mount Rerir and to the southward; and they climbed the heights of Ered Luin and looked eastward in wonder, for wild and wide it seemed to them were the lands of Middle-earth. And thus it was that Caranthir's people came upon the Dwarves, who after the onslaught of Morgoth and the coming of the Noldor had ceased their traffic into Beleriand. But though either people loved skill and were eager to learn, no great love was there between them; for the Dwarves were secret and quick to resentment, and Caranthir was haughty and scarce concealed his scorn for the unloveliness of the Naugrim, and his people followed their lord. Nevertheless since both peoples feared and hated Morgoth they made alliance, and had of it great profit; for the Naugrim learned many secrets of craft in those days, so that the smiths and masons of Nogrod and Belegost became renowned among their kin, and when the Dwarves began again to journey into Beleriand all the traffic of the dwarf-mines passed first through the hands of Caranthir, and thus great riches came to him.”

So this is the part that led to all of the Caranthir loving money jokes, which ultimately led to there being a Caranthir/money tag on AO3. (No, really.) That said, there’s a lot to unpack here. First of all, it’s pretty reasonable to think that Caranthir’s love for planning and economics go beyond average, so let’s assume for a moment that economics are his special interest. This would fill the third elective requirement: “Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus”. Or, in other words, having a special interest. But beyond that, him not even trying to hide his distaste for the Dwarves clearly shows a lack of basic diplomacy, which we’ve been over before. He has severely lacking social skills. Plus, choosing to be hostile towards a group that have the exact same interests as him proves that he struggles with change, or at the very least forming interpersonal bonds, even if he did form an alliance with them in the end (which only goes to show how strong his special interest is).

“Therefore the Noldor held strength of cavalry In the plains at that place; and the people of Caranthir fortified the mountains to the east of Maglor's Gap. There Mount Rerir, and about it many lesser heights, stood out from the main range of Ered Lindon westward; and in the angle between Rerir and Ered Lindon there was a lake, shadowed by mountains on all sides save the south. That was Lake Helevorn, deep and dark, and beside it Caranthir had his abode; but all the great land between Gelion and the mountains, and between Rerir and the River Ascar, was called by the Noldor Thargelion, which signifies the Land beyond Gelion, or Dor Caranthir, the Land of Caranthir; and it was here that the Noldor first met the Dwarves. But Thargelion was before called by the Grey-elves Talath Rhúnen, the East Vale.”

Okay this one might be a bit of a stretch, but one could argue that Caranthir choosing to live beneath the mountains and in a notably dark region could indicate a sensitivity to bright lights, which would qualify as a sensory sensitivity. Even if not, though, we already have the required two of the four electives.

“At that time [Celegorm and Curufin] were from home, riding with Caranthir east in Thargelion [...]”

And this tells us absolutely nothing.

“But seven days later, as the Orcs made their last assault and had already broken through the stockade, there came suddenly a music of trumpets, and Caranthir with his host came down from the north and drove the Orcs into the rivers.

Then Caranthir looked kindly upon Men and did Haleth great honour; and he offered her recompense for her father and brother. And seeing, over late, what valour there was in the Edain, he said to her: 'If you will remove and dwell further north, there you shall have the friendship and protection of the Eldar, and free lands of your own.'

But Haleth was proud, and unwilling to be guided or ruled, and most of the Haladin were of like mood. Therefore she thanked Caranthir, but answered: 'My mind is now set, lord, to leave the shadow of the mountains, and go west, whither others of our kin have gone.'”

One could probably argue that Haleth was Caranthir’s only friend outside of his immediate family, which certainly indicates a struggle in forming bonds. That being said, he did pretty good here. I’m proud of him :))

“Maglor joined Maedhros upon Himring; but Caranthir fled and joined the remnant of his people to the scattered folk of the hunters, Amrod and Amras, and they retreated and passed Ramdal in the south. Upon Amon Ereb they maintained a watch and some strength of war, and they had aid of the Green-elves; and the Orcs came not into Ossiriand, nor to Taur-im-Duinath and the wilds of the south.”

While this is a very interesting passage for Caranthir’s characterization, it has nothing to do with him potentially being autistic, so we can move on.

“The sons of Ulfang the Black were Ulfast, and Ulwarth, and Uldor the accursed; and they followed Caranthir and swore allegiance to him, and proved faithless”

Poor Caranthir can’t catch a break, can he? But yeah of course he chooses the people who end up being the least loyal. Certainly indicates a lack of character judgement, which falls under not understanding nonverbal communication.

“There fell Celegorm by Dior's hand, and there fell Curufin, and dark Caranthir”

RIP. But it doesn’t really tell us anything.

Obviously, we can’t know what he was like during childhood development, nor can we know what underlying conditions he may have. However, given how many alliances he fucked over or nearly fucked over with his bad social skills, it’s fair to say that his autistic traits would have clinical significance. So, in conclusion, while nothing can be said for certain, it is reasonable to think that Caranthir is autistic.

#tolkien #silmarillion #caranthir #meta #actuallyautistic

[outofangband]

I sent an ask to @ingoblingo about this because of her amazing meta on Silmarillion and narrative (and literal) ghosts so some of this might be repetitive but I just think so much about Morwen’s encounter with Glaurung and what happened afterwards

One of the last descriptions of her, a gray wraith upon a mad horse, has stuck with me especially when taken with this line from The Wanderings of Húrin, “and (the women of Brethil) would sing for awhile of the gray lady who searched in vain for her son”

And in the version of The Children of Húrin in the Book of Lost Tales, both Húrin and Morwen are described as possibly haunting the forests near Doriath

While there’s more information than in The Book of Lost Tales version where Morwen is not mentioned after being enchanted into unconsciousness by Glaurung, her fate in The Children of Húrin is still ominously vague

Another thing that makes me wonder is how Húrin’s accusation that the people of Brethil played apart in Morwen’s death by denying her aid is treated both by the text and by readers as an aspect of his Morgoth induced paranoia and bitterness but the way Húrin himself is treated in The Wanderings of Húrin makes his accusation almost sensible.

Anyways I do wonder exactly how Morwen died, I mean it seems to be fatigue but with what factors? Was she denied aid? What exactly happened to her in between her encounter with Glaurung and her death

I cry if I think too much about it but something seems…off and I wonder sometimes if Morwen was already somewhere between life and death before she reunited with Húrin. I don’t think “she was actually dead the whole time” makes sense exactly and I’m having trouble finding the right sort of words but I just have many thoughts and questions on this

Could she also have been kept alive up to a certain point by the curse? Unable to truly die of starvation or cold?

I also think about how Morwen is forced to escape into Brethil as a young child after Glaurung’s destruction during Dagor Bragollach and she ends up in Brethil again after another encounter with Glaurung

And I think about how she died in a place she hated and didn’t want to return to.

#the silmarillion #the children of húrin #Morwen #musing and meta

[brownskinsugarplum76]

One Shot: House Call

Finally finished with the prompt that @firethatgrewsolow gave me a few weeks back: 77 Robert is your bae, and he comes home from the first leg of the tour, only to find out you're sick.

This was t o r t u r e... No kissing Robert? 😩😩😩 But I enjoyed where it went. Here you go. Nudity, but no smut. ❤️❤️❤️

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You awaken to the sensation of weight pushing down on the bed. You are still a little weak and disoriented, but then you remember where you are, as well as who has joined you.

It is Robert. It must be just into Sunday morning. You know that you must've slept all yesterday, because he said he'd be home from the tour around 2 a.m.

A sneeze comes barreling out of your nose, and your head reels. You decide to focus on the positive: the first leg of the tour that started a couple of months ago is over, which means you'll have a few weeks alone with your love. But you wish that you weren't so sick on his first night home.

He kisses your cheek. “Hmm… You're burning up, love. Are you OK?”

He smooths your hair out of your face and feels your forehead. He turns on his nightstand light and looks around the room.

On your nightstand are a teacup, a near-empty bottle of honey, a box of cold pills, and a stack of magazines. A box of tissues has fallen to the floor, and your trash can is filled with discarded tissues.

“When did this happen?” he asks. You were fine the last time the two of you talked on the phone.

“It hit me really bad yesterday,” you croak out with a scratchy throat.

You tell him that he might not want to get too close to you because of your awful cold. The tour was already delayed because he was sick, and you'd hate for it to happen a second time.

He dismisses your fears. “No microscopic germs are going to keep me away from you tonight. I'll be here nursing you back to health, so you can do all those things you promised last week that you'd do to me.”

You're secretly happy for his disregard, but you hope it won't turn out to be a bad decision. You smile weakly and take your first good look at him in months. He's on top of the covers in his t-shirt and jeans, after tossing his favorite leather jacket and red Converse sneakers and socks in a pile on the floor.

He looks a little leaner than when he left, and his hair is a little longer. He's still wearing the linked collar necklace that he picked up while you two were on holiday last year, and he's paired it with a new lightning bolt pendant on a longer chain.

His smile hasn't changed one bit, though. The way your body is jolted by electric enchantment when you see him hasn't changed, either.

You reach for Robert, nestling your fingers between his. He gently squeezes your hand.

“First order of business: are you comfortable?” He fluffs your pillows so you can sit up.

“And how about tea? Would you like some more? I can put the kettle on.”

You nod and thank him. He kisses your forehead, grabs your empty teacup and honey bottle, and leaves for the kitchen.

With the water heating, he comes back to the bedroom, strips off his clothes, and joins you under the covers.

You slide back down in the bed and snuggle into him. You are wearing a thin, long-sleeved nightgown. The heat you feel when he drapes his arms around you and presses his chest into your back is comforting, just what the doctor ordered. The two of you cuddle for a while.

You turn around and spend a lot of time gazing into Robert's eyes while he smiles and traces the features of your face. The view into his stormy blue eyes that you missed so much is one of the main things keeping you awake at the moment.

“We had a string of great shows, but I wish you were there to share the fun with me,” he says, breaking the spell after a while.

He kisses the top of your head. “I have some souvenir surprises for you. I'll give you them in the morning.”

You thank Robert for the gifts and let him know that you missed him, too.

The angry whistle of the tea kettle pierces the air. “I'll be right back,” Robert says.

He blesses your eyes with the golden-skinned vision of his retreating figure. His easygoing amble means that you have more than enough time to enjoy the view of his athletic body.

You fixate on his suitcase and carry-on backpack on the floor once he's gone. You're wondering how big the load of laundry will be, how many new shirts, shoes, and pieces of jewelry he brought back with him this time. You're also curious to see how many books and records he bought - - he always travels light so he can bring home whichever new things catch his eye.

You hope your souvenir isn't another piece of lingerie, because you teased him that you'd run screaming from the house if he found a way to weasel another post-concert striptease out of you.

You hear Robert's footsteps softly hitting the carpet in the hall. You quickly turn on the light on your side of the bed so you can better see the sight that you've missed dearly during your time apart.

Robert, just being his proud, affable self, doesn't disappoint. He's wearing only his brightest smile. His focus is on you, focusing on him.

He carries a tray with your teacup, a plate of digestive biscuits, and a brand new bottle of honey. He sits the tray on your lap.

He looks to your lamp and grins wider. “I didn't expect to be back in the spotlight so soon, darlin’,” he drawls. He places his hands on his hips and tosses his hair off his shoulders. He turns his face, presenting the side of him that is always photographed.

Part of you wants to roll your eyes at how Robert is shamelessly posturing in his trademark concert stance, but you can't deny that you've been yearning to see his heavenly visage and statuesque body again and appreciate each second of his preening.

You drink in every aspect of his presence, from the curls on his head to the fuzz dusting his broad chest and stomach, to his abundant manhood and his shapely thighs. Your admiration darkens to lust, and you begin to feel feverish in a familiar way that is clearly not due to your illness.

“That's enough of that; gotta save your strength for later, yeah?” His wicked grin turns to something more innocent as he hops into bed and pulls the covers over his chest. You tease him for being so modest now.

He tells you to turn off your lamp so you can fall asleep, when the time comes, without interruptions. And then he fills you in on all the antics and gossip from the road, acting out his favorite stories with gestures and silly voices.

You laugh the whole time, and it makes up for the lack of his fun-loving presence for so long. Sure, there were moments of amusement on the phone, but it's just not the same. You tell him again that you're glad he's back.

After some more chatter, Robert realizes that your energy is winding down. He takes your tray back to the kitchen.

When he comes back, he rummages through his bag and returns to the bed with a book. “It's The Silmarillion,” he says. He knows you've been excited as he has been about it when you've talked on the phone.

He begins to read it to you while you settle into his arms again and lay your head on his chest. It feels like an extremely delightful fever dream, but the music of his soft, accented speech with the bass line of his heart beat means without a doubt that he's back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of my stories are here, or search for the hashtag #brownskinsugarplumlibrary

#robert plant #fanfic #fan fiction #robert plant fan fiction #led zeppelin fan fiction #led zeppelin #classic rock #1970s #writing #my writing #robert plant fanfic #led zeppelin fanfic #writer #writers #fiction #fan fic #short story #fanfic writing #fan fic writing #fanfics #fan fiction writing #short fiction #brownskinsugarplumlibrary #one shot

[cyrefinn]

On passion and calculation

Headcanon time! I was thinking earlier about how I wrote Curufin four years ago and how to hit my stride with him again. At my peak activity level, it felt natural to write in his voice. I felt I knew him well. I’ve been revising the canon and revisiting also my old threads and headcanons, and I came up with this as a corollary to a few of my previous headcanon posts in which I speak of Curufin’s as being crafty (outside of the forge), thoughtful, deliberate, manipulative, etc. (e.g. here) And yet, this is not entirely accurate.

This is only part of the picture. For is not Curufin his father’s son, most like him in temper, as well as look and appearance? And is Fëanor not known to be passionate?

Curufin consciously tries to come off as always in control, and often he does act in a cold and calculating way. He certainly spends a good deal of thought and energy on thinking what roads to take, how to optimize his choices to most efficiently achieve his goals, how to influence the things and people around him that he can to help himself. He is crafty...

But he has many strong passions, as well. His interest is easily diverted, and he loves to learn and to experiment. He will often do things out of curiosity. He will do things just because they feel good. Because he wants to. It’s the centuries-old Noldorin equivalent of considering something and then just being like, “Fuck it,” and going for it, just for the hell of it. Sometimes these things will set him back, and he will acknowledge that, and he’ll do them anyway. If asked to explain something like that, Curufin would probably say some version of that the utility he derives from the activity offsets, or even outweighs, the disutility of the strategic setback. (There’s always a logical explanation.)

And he can be moved to anger, hate, and malice much more easily than he lets on, and himself believes. Again, take Fëanor, the one who cursed and insulted Morgoth and slammed the door in his face (ref. the immortal quote, “Get thee gone from my gate, thou jail-crow of Mandos!”), the one who swore that infamous Oath, the one who burned the ships, who (to his downfall) was so eager “to come at Morgoth himself” that in battle he pressed beyond his vanguard alone and fought a bunch of Balrogs like it was his day job (“long he fought on, and undismayed, though he was wrapped in fire and wounded”).

A note in particular about the burning of the ships at Losgar. There’s a quote from The Shibboleth of Fëanor I’ve always found interesting for a number of reasons but here the only relevant part is the detail about the relationship between Fëanor and Curufin: “In the night Feanor, filled with malice, aroused Curufin, and with him and a few of those most close to Feanor in obedience he went to the ships and set them all aflame; and the dark sky was red as with a terrible dawn.” Here Curufin is the only son of Fëanor mentioned by name to participate in the burning of the ships. That’s no accident. Although in my RP I subscribe to the Silmarillion version (in which all the sons but Maedhros participate), I do draw upon the Shibboleth’s version for inspiration and information about who Curufin is.

Curufin is his father’s son. In Fëanor’s place, Curufin would likely have felt the same malice and done the same thing; in helping his father burn the ships, he probably felt some version of that malice because he loved his father and sympathized and was affine with him.

I like to think of Curufin’s conversation with Eöl as well, in which he is said to be “of perilous mood.” I always read this as “of perilous mood at the time” but it’s still interesting. Curufin is somewhat rude to Eöl in this interaction, laughing at him and giving him to understand in no unclear terms how much he dislikes and distrusts him. (Yet I note that, despite his dislike of Eöl and disapproval of his choice in spouse, Curufin nonetheless grants Eöl his life (when he might have taken it easily with impunity), his leave, and a warning: “This counsel I add: return now to your dwelling in the darkness of Nan El-moth; for my heart warns me that if you now pursue those who love you no more, never will you return thither.”) This is sloppier work than I would normally ascribe to Curufin, and it serves to underline that, when he’s in a mood, Curufin can be careless and say/do things that might be better left unsaid/undone. 

All this is to say I wonder sometimes if I focus too much on the “crafty” aspect and not enough on the fact that he is like Fëanor and, like his father, has a fire in his spirit that often masters him. I do love me some complicated characters (the more complicated, the better!), so I may start exploring this aspect of Curufin a bit more going forward. 

#headcanon #out of the forge #[if you've been wondering why I am so slow] #[it's because I haven't written curufin in literally 4 years and am a little out of practice] #[also because my job is insane but mainly this] #[it's like getting to know someone again after a long time apart]

[kuuderekun]

Sauron and Azazel

http://mithrandironmythology.blogspot.com/2019/02/sauron-and-azazel.html

We all know that Melkor The Morgoth is basically Satan in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Cosmology.  But have you ever wondered if the other great Dark Lord of Middle Earth can also be equated with a specific Fallen Angel from Judeo-Christian tradition?  Well I happen to have a theory on that. Now up front I want to remind people that I’m aware Tolkien hated Allegory, like George Lucas he drew on many mythological concepts and motifs, but nothing was meant to be a one to one allegory, even Morgoth’s connection to Satan comes with qualifications. Also the development of Sauron as a figure in Tolkien’s Mythology was uniquely complicated.  I personally suspect that before Tolkien actually began writing a sequel to The Hobbit, Sauron’s roles in the tale of Beren and Luthien, the Fall of Numenor and the Necromancer mentioned in The Hobbit were three completely separate characters.  For example in the case of Beren and Luthien the role eventually taken by Sauron was originally just a Werecat.  But it’s none of those proto-Saurons I’m comparing to Azazel here, this is specifically about Sauron as The Lord of The Rings. Also there are conflicting traditions about Azazel, sometimes that name is just used as another name for Satan, which could very well be the original intent behind it’s role in Leviticus 16.  This is mainly about the figure of Azazel as he appears in The Book of Enoch.  The Richard Laurence Translation was published in 1883 and the R.H. Charles translation was published in 1917, so both are books Tolkien could have read at some point. When I first read the Book of Enoch, I couldn’t help but notice how much Azazel’s role stood out narratively.  In the initial list of the leaders of the Grigori/Watchers that fell (chapter 7 verse 9 in the Laurence version and chapter 6 verse 7 in the Charles version) Azazel’s name isn’t included, in either the Ethiopic of Aramaic texts.  Yet when Azazel is first mentioned in chapter 8 verse 1 he is suddenly being treated as one of the single most important of them.  Then in chapter 10 verses 4-12 he’s given a uniquely different fate, being buried under rocks in Dudael rather then being chained in the Abyss/Tartarus.  I eventually learned some of that uniqueness is a product of how the name is used in Leviticus 16, but it still stands out.  If you think you can explain this by just saying Azazel and Samyaza/Shemjaza are different names for the same Angel, the Aramaic text of chapter 8 lists Shemjaza separately as the one who taught Sorcery.  And Chapter 9 lists them separately in both versions. In The Enemy section of the Valaquenta in the published Silmarillion, the only Maia who joined Morgoth singled out for mention are the Balrogs as a group and Sauron as an individual.  One Youtube video I watched on the Balrogs theorized their special status among Morgoth’s followers might be that they were the very first Maia to follow him.  Sauron meanwhile came much later, never openly betraying the Valar till after Angband was firmly established.  So even the difference between Sauron and the Balrogs echos the difference between Azazel and the Grigori.  But the crux of why I feel this comparison works is what’s said in Chapter 8 Verse 1 of the Book of Enoch.

"And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals 〈of the earth〉 and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures."

That certainly sounds like he’d be a Maia of Aule (as both Sauron and Saruman were) if placed in Tolkien’s Cosmology.  In fact it’s tempting to see even the Rings of Power themselves in that verse. I also can’t help but wonder if Dudael where Azazel met his final doom being traditionally placed East of Jerusalem is echoed in Mordor being East of Gondor. Another possible mythological influence on Sauron were various pagan gods associated with Blacksmithing and/or Volcanoes.  If you were to compare the Valar to the Olympians then Aule would be Hephaestus/Vulcan, yet Sauron ultimately resembles Hephaestus more since Hephaestus was cast down from Olympus. Typhon is a figure in Greek mythology some scholars suspect was originally the same as or an aspect of Hephaestus, one of his origin stories is the same, being borne by Hera in response to the birth of Athena.  Also in some versions Typhon is buried beneath Mt Etna a Volcano on Sicily, which is also said to be the location of Hephaestus workshop. Is it possible to connect Hephaestus/Typhon to Azazel independent of comparing them to a modern literary figure?  I think so, like for example winding up buried, and of course Azazel’s status as a craftsman already mentioned above.  That the Greeks identified Typhon with Set gives precedence for seeing him as a Desert Storm god.  I feel the Book of Enoch definitely developed post Hellenization, it’s mentioning Tartaros is evidence of that.  There was a blacksmith god in the Canaanite pantheon, Kothar-wa-Khasis, but he wasn’t cast out like Hephaestus was.  So I think the figure of Azazel in the book of Enoch was possibly modeled a bit after Hephaestus and/or Typhon. So maybe Tolkien likewise consciously or unconsciously made the same connection between?

#Azazel #Sauron #Tolkien #Valaquenta #LOTR #Lord Of The Rings #Gorthaur #Book of Enoch #Enochian Literature #Maia #Fallen Angels

[shadowlineswriting]

Tolkien

This is our last T post, and the reason it comes last is because it’s the biggest!

J.R.R. Tolkien is a pretty big deal in the fiction world. Ever heard of The Chronicles of Narnia (and all of you should be answering “Yes” in your head, since we covered that series in the Ls)? Anyway, C.S. Lewis (who wrote Narnia) and Tolkien were best friends. They helped each other out with writers block and fleshing out ideas and everything. In fact, the pub where they used to meet is still a hot tourism spot in England.

Anyway, Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings. I’ve heard many people describe it as “Narnia for adults” but I have to disagree with that assessment. It’s not that you have to be older to read LOTR--it’s just that it’s so much bigger. I mean, I can read a Narnia novel in about 30 minutes. It takes me about two hours to read one of the LOTR books, and sometimes longer than that, depending on which one it is.

But neither of them have graphic adult content, or language, or any of the things parents should be worried about. There’s some violence, but it’s not gory (in the books, anyway. The movies are another matter).

The beautiful thing that Narnia and LOTR have in common is that they’re both allegorical. In fact, I’d argue that these are two of the three best allegories ever written (the third being Pilgrim’s Progress). Keep the allegorical aspect in mind as we discuss Tolkien.

I have 7 Tolkien books, all of which are either directly part of the LOTR series or connected to it: The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin, The Unfinished Tales, The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Those last four books I listed make up the Lord of the Rings series.

My LOTR journey did not get off to a very good start. My dad introduced my older sister Laura to the books when we were kids (probably because he wanted her to go see the movie with him...I don’t think he ever read the books). Anyway, I was about 9 or 10 at the time. Laura saw the first movie with Dad, and afterward she was totally on fire for the story. She saved up hard-earned babysitting money to buy a lovely boxed set of the books, which she devoured in less than a week, and of course then she wanted me to read them.

I trust Laura’s judgment with books, obviously, so I tried to read them. I really did. The Hobbit wasn’t difficult. It was one of the most in-depth books I’d ever read, but I got through it. I even enjoyed it. But then I tried to read The Fellowship of the Ring and it just flopped. I hated it. I had no desire to read it.

Laura tried a different tactic. Around this time, the second movie was coming out. She sat me down and had me watch the first movie with her. Now, I think 9 years old is too young to see the first film, but I don’t blame her for this--she really did love the story, and she wanted me to love it, too, and because I loved her I wanted to like it. Quite the tangled web there. Only problem was...I didn’t like the movie. The regular versions of the films are 3 hours long EACH, and the extended versions are 4 hours long. That’s a pretty long movie for a 9-year-old, plus there are some really scary moments. My attention did not hold, so alas, my first experience with the film flopped, too.

By the time all three of the movies were out I was 11, and my friends were all watching them. My curiosity was renewed. Laura faithfully loaned me the books to try again, and this time I managed to get through them (although it took me almost 8 weeks to read The Fellowship of the Ring).

There was just one problem, though. I was 11. I’d never read books that were tiny but big, which means I didn’t know how to hold them properly. I’d also had those books in my backpack at school and tossed around in my room. The covers were torn, bindings broken (all 4), and pages ripped around the edges. I didn’t even notice. At the time, a book to me was just a book. Ah, how things change.

When I gave Laura her boxed set back, she cried. She was very upset. Not so much with me (I think she knew, even then, that I didn’t know better), but because she’d saved so long to buy herself those books and I’d basically treated them like garbage. They’d cost her almost $50, and she’d bought them when she was 11. $50 is a lot of money for an 11-year-old!

Mom swooped in to save the day. First, she took Laura to Barnes & Noble and bought her a brand-new boxed set (an even better one!). Then, Mom sat me down and explained how to hold books so you don’t break the binding, and she told me why Laura was so upset. Naturally, I felt awful, but I brightened up when Laura told me that I could keep the damaged set. You might be laughing, but really this is just a testament to how kind Laura is naturally. To teach me a lesson, she really should’ve Goodwilled them or given them to a friend or something, and then I’d be bookless and never allowed to touch the series again (since I wasn’t going anywhere near her new ones!). Instead, she let me keep them.

And that, folks, is the set I still have. I’ve thought about replacing them many, many times (I’ve read them so many times now that the pages are starting to fall out). But those books represented a good lesson for me to learn, and I’ll never forget Laura’s kindness or the way Mom knew just what to do, so for those reasons, I think I might just keep this crappy old boxed set forever.

After all that, I was QUITE determined to adore the series for Laura’s sake, and it didn’t take long before I finally fell in love with them on my own. I didn’t see the movies until I was a teenager, but by that time I was actually very excited to see them, and Laura watched them with me. And the time after that. And the time after that.

The truth is, I wholeheartedly believe that this is some of the best literature ever written. More than that, though, the Lord of the Rings movies (not the Hobbit films, just the original trilogy) are some of my favorite movies of all time. I can watch any of them at any moment, and I NEVER get tired of them. They’re inspirational, and beautiful, and for those who say they’re too long...well, let your imagination relax a little and you might enjoy them more.

I was not looking forward to rereading The Silmarillion or The Unfinished Tales. You see, those are compilations of the history of the world according to Tolkien (all still very allegorical). But they are BORING. If you’re looking for a specific story then they’re great, but honestly reading these is like reading a history book...of things that NEVER REALLY HAPPENED. Tolkien is great, but there are only so many ways to say “and then the trees grew.”

I’m keeping all of the books because despite not wanting to read them all the time, they’re still part of a world that I love. Even if it isn’t real!

They stay!