The 2017 Tolkien Blog Party Tag!

Family mine!  Hamlette's fifth annual Tolkien Blog Party is starting today! 

I realize I haven't put a button on my sidebar yet, but I have been thinking about this and wondering what I could contribute other than my tag answers.  I still don't know, but I'll keep thinking. :-P  In the meantime, here are my answers to Hamlette's tag!  [And also, guys, her giveaway this year is PHENOMENAL.  My inner fangirl is, like, almost drooling.  (But not really.  'Cause that's gross.  My inner fangirl is Quite Excited, let's say.)  Click here to check it out!]

On to zee questions!

1. How long have you been a Tolkien fan? 

I don't remember how many years it's been since my family first showed me the movies, but I know it wasn't that long ago.  Also *sheepish grin* I didn't become a fan right away.  (You can read more about that in this post, if you wish.)  But yes, I am now thoroughly, completely, and firmly Ensconced in diehard love for Middle-earth.

2. Has your love of Middle-earth affected your life? 

I'd say so.  As I mention here (look at me, just doing all the shameless plugs today), I'm pretty sure it's my ultimate fictional story (although there's also Narnia . . . ).  It's not necessarily my favorite in terms of how often I watch/read it (all the emotions are too much for regular consumption, my love), but I think it sort of subconsciously influences how I view all of the other books I read and movies I watch (usually positively!).  I'm not sure how to explain how it does it, but it does, I think.  I guess you could say that it's the ultimate epic, for me, so I tend to compare and contrast other stories' genres/similarities/dissimilarities/how they hold up to the caliber of LotR on a "message" level, even if they hold up in a completely different way due to differences in genres. Does that make any sense?  Does anybody else relate?  

Also, it's a story that I think every member of our immediate family has at least some level of affection/respect for.  So that's nice. :)

*gasp*  Oh!  And,  I think my love for it was a large part of why I got into blogging, so THERE'S THAT.  THAT'S KIND OF A BIG EFFECT 'CAUSE I'VE GOTTEN TO MEET YOU ALL AND GROW IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND SUCH.  *huggles you all*

3. If you had to take the One Ring to Mordor, which character would you choose for your sole companion?  

*pointed looks*  For real?!?!  *sighs*  Okay, if I HAD to . . . I dunno, honestly.  Probably either Sam or Gandalf or Aragorn.  

4. Which is scarier, Shelob or the Balrog? 

Shelob.  No thank you.  

5. Which two towers do you think Tolkien was referring to in the title The Two Towers? (i.e. Orthanc, Barad-dûr, Cirith Ungol, Minas Morgul, or Minas Tirith)

I've always kind of assumed it was Orthanc and Barad-dûr.  

6. Whose wardrobe would you like to have? 

*foolish grin*  Arwennnnnnn's. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

7. What do you think an Ent Draught would taste like? 

At first I was going to say cool and deep and fresh, and I thought I'd quite like it, but then I thought that it might well be more of a beery taste.  I don't know; it's an intriguing question!  I don't remember Ent Draughts, but I'm assuming they're in the book Two Towers?

8. Where in Middle-earth would you like to live?  

I toss and turn over this question (not really) soooo often!  I mean, the question of which location is my favorite.  Either Lothlorien, Rivendell, Hobbiton, or Ithilien is my favorite, and I'd probably like to live in either Rivendell or Hobbiton.  Perhaps Hobbiton. :) 

This may sound strange, but I feel like my feelings would be too much in Rivendell, especially in the autumn?  Like, there's just so much nostalgia and elvishness and books and etherealness but not, and I just don't know if my emotions could handle it?!  I'm very, very susceptible to nostalgia and the longing for "otherness," as Lewis put it, so . . . yeah.  There's my overly-philosophic answer. :-P

9. Do you have any Tolkien-related opinions that surprise other people?

Hmm . . . people are sometimes surprised when they hear that my favorite character is Faramir, and that I like Boromir as much as I do. 

THAT'S MY BOO <3

I have been known to amuse people with the virulence of my hatred for A Certain Man. *glares*  [Although I will say that I have -- brace yourselves -- come to a modicum of okay-ness with him in the book.  In the movie I'm still just like "Die."  (But then I almost feel like sorry/guilty when he dies, 'cause he and Faramir have that look and I feel like I should be more merciful?  But I'm also still very okay with it?  I DON'T KNOW.  I'M CONFUSED.)] 

I also don't think that the dwarves' quest in The Hobbit is an epic quest, which is part of the problem with the movies, in my opinion (but I also still kind of like the movies).  That may surprise people . . . ?  I'm not entirely sure. :-P

10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotations from the books or movies.

Oh, boy. *stretches hands*

. . . . . Okay so this actually kind of stresses me (I KNOW IT SHOULDN'T), because how do I pick?!?!?!  *sigh*  Okay.  Up to ten OF my favorites, not necessarily my ten favorites, right?  Right.  Okay.  

Haldir's "but still there is much that is fair" quote and Sam's TT speech are both favorites, of course, as is the part in Mordor when he sees the single star "above the cloud-wrack." <3  I also love this Arwen quote from the appendices: "Dark is the Shadow, and yet my heart rejoices;".

Next up we have the song that Sam sings (in the tower of Cirith Ungol, I think?) in the book Return of the King.  It has one of the strongest encouragements towards hope that I've ever read, and it means a lot to me, as it's helped me. <3 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

In Western lands beneath the Sun

the flowers may rise in Spring,

the trees may bud, the waters run,

the merry finches sing.

Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night

and swaying beeches bear 

the Elven-stars as jewels white

amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie

in darkness buried deep,

beyond all towers strong and high,

beyond all mountains steep,

above all shadows rides the Sun 

and Stars for ever dwell:

I will not say the Day is done,

nor bid the Stars farewell.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Now we come to one of my faaaaaavorite things in all the trilogy: the "The Steward and the King" chapter in The Return of the King (also like one of my top favorite 45 seconds in the extended movie :-P).  I just reread the Eowyn/Faramir parts for this post and legit almost cried, guys.  It's so beautiful. :')  (And then at the end there's Aragorn's coronation and Arwen comes back and it's happy!!! :D)  All right, here are three highlights of the chapter.  (This'll be long.  I'm sorry.  My favorite part in the chapter is lengthy and One Does Not Simply Abridge It.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

And in the fair evening Faramir and Merry walked in the garden, but she did not come. 

        But in the morning, as Faramir came from the Houses, he saw her, as she stood upon the walls; and she was clad all in white, and gleamed in the sun. And he called to her, and she came down, and they walked on the grass or sat under a green tree together, now in silence, now in speech. And each day after they did likewise.   

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

And Eowyn did not go, though her brother sent word begging her to come to the field of Cormallen. And Faramir wondered at this, but he saw her seldom, being busy with many matters; and she dwelt still in the Houses of Healing and walked alone in the garden, and her face grew pale again, and it seemed that in all the City she only was ailing and sorrowful. And the Warden of the Houses was troubled, and he spoke to Faramir.

      Then Faramir came and sought her, and once more they stood on the walls together, and he said to her: 'Eowyn, why do you tarry here, and do not go to the rejoicing in Cormallen beyond Cair Andros, where your brother awaits you?'

      And she said: 'Do you not know?'

      But he answered: 'Two reasons there may be, but which is true, I do not know.'

      And she said: 'I do not wish to play at riddles. Speak plainer!'

      'Then if you will have it so, lady,' he said: 'you do not go, because only your brother called for you, and to look on the Lord Aragorn, Elendil's heir, in his triumph would now bring you no joy. Or because I do not go, and you desire still to be near me. And maybe for both these reasons, and you yourself cannot choose between them. Eowyn, do you not love me, or will you not?'

      'I wished to be loved by another,' she answered. 'But I desire no man's pity.'

      'That I know,' he said. 'You desired to have the love of the Lord Aragorn. Because he was high and puissant, and you wished to have renown and glory and to be lifted far above the mean things that crawl on the earth. And as a great captain may to a young soldier he seemed to you admirable. For so he is, a lord among men, the greatest that now is. But when he gave you only understanding and pity, then you desired to have nothing, unless a brave death in battle. Look at me, Eowyn!'

      And Eowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: 'Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Eowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem, beyond even the words of the elven-tongue to tell. And I love you.  Once I pitied your sorrow. But now, were you sorrowless, without fear or any lack, were you the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Eowyn, do you not love me?'

      Then the heart of Eowyn changed, or else at last she understood it. And suddenly her winter passed, and the sun shone on her. 

      'I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun,' she said; 'and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.' And again she looked at Faramir. 'No longer do I desire to be a Queen,' she said. 

      Then Faramir laughed merrily. 'That is well,' he said; 'for I am not a king. Yet I will wed with the White Lady of Rohan, if it be her will. And if she will, then let us cross the River and in happier days let us dwell in fair Ithilien and there make a garden. All things will grow with joy there, if the White Lady comes.'

      'Then must I leave my own people, man of Gondor?' she said. 'And would you have your proud folk say of you: "There goes a lord who tamed a wild shieldmaiden of the North! Was there no woman of the race of Numenor to choose?"'

      'I would,' said Faramir.  And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many. And many indeed saw them and the light that shone about them as they came down from the walls and went hand in hand to the Houses of Healing. 

This gif is everything. <3

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Then the King welcomed his guests, and they alighted; and Elrond surrendered the sceptre, and laid the hand of his daughter in the hand of the King, and together they went up into the High City, and all the stars flowered in the sky. And Aragorn the King Elessar wedded Arwen Undomiel in the City of the Kings upon the day of Midsummer, and the tale of their long waiting and labours was come to fulfillment.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

I MEAN.  FAM.  *wipes tears*  

Okay.

Wow.  That was very long.  Abject 'pologies and all that.  Do be sure to check out Hamlette's blog to find the tag, enter the giveaway, and generally join in the festivities!  *confetti showers*

'Till next we meet, friends!

P.S.  Also, what think you of the new autumn look?  It's not completely finished yet, and I'm not totally satisfied with the background, but it's proving difficult to find one that fits.  Thoughts? :)