- Joined
- Mar 9, 2007
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We all have our favourites, those bits that stick in our minds.
I smiled at the mention of Bilbo having his 'second breakfast' in the Hobbit and was delighted when it was very cleverly incorporated into the LOTR movie (one of the few of Jackson's 'modifications' to the story I approve of).
But my two favourite excerpts are from The Lord of the Rings, and both involve Sam. The first is in 'A Knife In The Dark' when Sam, who to this point has seemed quite clumsy, suddenly becomes exquisitely eloquent as he tells the tale of Gil-galad. Now I must admit that I am normally one to whizz over Tolkein's poems and songs, but this one is very short and poignant. and ends with the Elven-king falling into darkness in Mordor.
Which brings me on to my second favourite passage in 'The Tower of Cirith Ungol'. Sam, armed with Sting and a glass phial meets an orc 'and what it saw was not a small frightened hobbit trying to hold a steady sword; it saw a great silent shape, cloaked in a grey shadow , looming against the wavering light behind; in one hand it held a sword, the very light of which was a bitter pain, the other was clutched at it's breast, but held concealed some nameless menace of power and doom. And as the orc flees from this mighty warrior, Sam cries "Yes the Elf-warrior is loose!"
I like to think that Sam, in his attempted rescue of Frodo, is for a brief moment a reincarnation of Gil-galad, wreaking his revenge on his enemies in the Dark Lord's lair.
I smiled at the mention of Bilbo having his 'second breakfast' in the Hobbit and was delighted when it was very cleverly incorporated into the LOTR movie (one of the few of Jackson's 'modifications' to the story I approve of).
But my two favourite excerpts are from The Lord of the Rings, and both involve Sam. The first is in 'A Knife In The Dark' when Sam, who to this point has seemed quite clumsy, suddenly becomes exquisitely eloquent as he tells the tale of Gil-galad. Now I must admit that I am normally one to whizz over Tolkein's poems and songs, but this one is very short and poignant. and ends with the Elven-king falling into darkness in Mordor.
Which brings me on to my second favourite passage in 'The Tower of Cirith Ungol'. Sam, armed with Sting and a glass phial meets an orc 'and what it saw was not a small frightened hobbit trying to hold a steady sword; it saw a great silent shape, cloaked in a grey shadow , looming against the wavering light behind; in one hand it held a sword, the very light of which was a bitter pain, the other was clutched at it's breast, but held concealed some nameless menace of power and doom. And as the orc flees from this mighty warrior, Sam cries "Yes the Elf-warrior is loose!"
I like to think that Sam, in his attempted rescue of Frodo, is for a brief moment a reincarnation of Gil-galad, wreaking his revenge on his enemies in the Dark Lord's lair.