When did you cry?

[Folwren]

We've had a 'When did you laugh' thread, and that's still towards the top of the threads. I glanced through the first few pages and I saw no topics on this...if I'm mistaken I'm sure someone will comment.

One of the most fascinating things about Tolkien's works is the ability he had to draw a reader into the story and makes him totally connect to his characters. And when a writer can do that, if he has an audience as emotionally based as some of us (I can point to myself for one), he can make his main character cry and have some of us crying with him, even if it's just for a moment. I know that not everyone is quite like that, but I wouldn't be surprised if many of us here have cried at least once in the many times that we've read The Hobbit and the LotR. I was curious to know what part you thought was the saddest.

For me, it's an easy answer - The Grey Havens. The third time I read the books, I came to the last chapter, read the title, and tears started to come.

But the last half of The Choices of Master Samwise is a close runner up.

[Kitanna]

I always found Theoden's death to be a truly sad part. But never to the point of tears on my part.
However when Sam believes Frodo is dead, well that is just powerful literature. Sam is so broken up and in the course of the books we come to know and love Sam and feel his pain at this.
And of course the Grey Havens. It's the end of the novel, it's the end of Gandalf, Bilbo, and Frodo's life in Middle-Earth. And finally Sam must say good-bye to Frodo. So sad.

[mormegil]

Both in movie and books the Grey Havens get me choked up but not really crying.

Another is when Frodo takes the task upon himself and Elrond compares him to other mortals such as Hurin, Turin and Beren. That is extremely emotionally.

Finally a third I can remember that gets me choked up is when Samwise carries Frodo up Mt. Doom...I just love that little guy.

[Thinlómien]

No one has yet mentioned the part that always makes me cry: in Cirith Ungol, when Gollum is like a hobbit again for a few frail moments and as Sam awakes it's gone forever.
And many times I've cried when the rohirrim enter the battle of Pelennor fields. (Well that's not due to grief... )

[Essex]

sam singing his song when he had lost all hope at the top of the tower at cirith ungol

merry asking pippin "are you going to bury me?" after his battle with the WK

gandalf meeting up with the hobbits and commenting on Merry " He should have been borne in honour into the city"

eowyn saying to eomer that merry should becomae a knight of the riddermark.

pippin being 'killed' at the gates of mordor (well, the first time I read it I thought he was - I still remember laying in bed in my little bedroom as a kid reading the scene for the first time late at night - I burst into tears) - but when I saw him serving drinks and food to sam and frodo on the field of cormallen I was overjoyed!

aragorn getting down on his knee and praising Frodo and Sam on the field of cormallen

the grey havens of course, and Gandalf's immortal line.

and even the APPENDICIES! the tale of the years, and the ongoing events of the fellowship - when aragorn was laid to rest, and it was said that the "beds of Meriadoc and Pergrin were set beside the bed of the great king" gets me welling up every time I read it.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Essex

the grey havens of course, and Gandalf's immortal line.

Ouch! I forgot that lovely immortal line! I even once did a cartoon "Istari and the threat of a nuclear power plant" and those are Gandalf's last lines in there also...

[Holbytlass]

Originally Posted by Essex

and even the APPENDICIES! the tale of the years, and the ongoing events of the fellowship - when aragorn was laid to rest, and it was said that the "beds of Meriadoc and Pergrin were set beside the bed of the great king" gets me welling up every time I read it.

And when Frodo leaves because of his own grief and pain but he thinks by leaving, Sam will not be torn. And Sam has his life with Rosie and all the family but sails on to Frodo at the end and we don't know what he finds. (I'm sorry, I'm crying now as I type). I don't really want to know, but is Frodo still alive ? Bilbo probably has long passed but Frodo wasn't that much older, but well, one never knows.

And did Legolas and Gimli reach there in their boat? Have they all met up?And how sad for Gandalf (I think) and Legolas being immortal seeing Gimli, Frodo and Sam's death.

[Folwren]

Originially posted by Holbytlass
And when Frodo leaves because of his own grief and pain but he thinks by leaving, Sam will not be torn. And Sam has his life with Rosie and all the family but sails on to Frodo at the end and we don't know what he finds. (I'm sorry, I'm crying now as I type). I don't really want to know, but is Frodo still alive ? Bilbo probably has long passed but Frodo wasn't that much older, but well, one never knows.

That is so sad!! I never thought about that being possible. I honestly think that Frodo was still alive and that Tolkien wouldn't have sent Sam across if there as no hope to be able to live with Frodo for at least a little while.

And I'm sorry to appear ignorant, but which is Gandalf's immortal line?

[empress_han]

The grey havens for me too and also when Frodo takes the task on himself.
I also get really choked when poor old Bill gets packed off (I'm a bit emotional!)
Also Gollum's few seconds of hobbitness again like Thinlómien said. (In Cirith Ungol) Actually I agree with all of Thinlómien's comments!
much love
Han X

[yavanna II]

Well... I've never admitted this before, partly because I think no sane person would cry because of a book [see how mistaken I am]...

I cried when I first read Aldarion and Erendis in UT... I mean, Erendis loved Aldarion, but why was he soooooo numb? And then Aldarion, as he was named King of Numenor, said he had no wife but had a daughter... oooohhhhhh.... a lot of tears fell from me eyes.

Good thing there was no one who saw me cry, I was weeping like mad!!!!

[Elrowen Tinúviel]

I don't usually cry for either books or movies, but with Tolkien it is an exception...

I always cry when Boromir dies... and the Lament that follows, and when Gandalf falls.
I can't help but cry when Éomer thinks Éowyn to be dead.
When Faramir rides to Osgiliath and (in the movie) Pippin sings his song... the combination of the two... oh man........
At the end of Return of the King, at the Grey Havens... it's the passing of not only Frodo, Gandalf and Bilbo, but of the Elves as well.... and Elrond will ne'er see his daughter again... that breaks my heart.

In the movies, I cried at Aragorn's rousing speech at the Black Gate... don't know why, but that type of thing has always moved me... kind of like hearing the Star Spangled Banner blaring really loud. (yeah I'm American!)
Also when Gandalf calls Shadowfax and he comes onscreen for the first time... and the charge of the Rohirrim. (not from sorrow do those tears glisten in my eyes)

Certain parts of the Silmarillion also brought tears to my eyes.... namely when Glorfindel falls fighting the Balrog (Alas! 'Tis Glorfindel and the Balrog), when Finrod Felagund gave his life to save Beren's, when Huan died, and when Beren passed into the Halls of Mandos.

-Elrowen Tinúviel

[brim]

I cried when it was over. I enjoyed reading the books so much. How could something so good end? what a baby I am. I also cried when Faramir left to war.

[Glirdan]

I cried (both when reading the books and watching the movies) when Théoden and Boromir died, at the Grey Havens (seems almost everyine did there) and when Gandalf fell with the Balrog. I alway liked Gandalf the most out of all of them.

[Groin Redbeard]

I never shed a tear seeing the movies, or reading the books, but I've gotten some pretty big lumps in my throat.
The Grey Havens gets me choaked up everytime I see it. Another part that got me choked up in the movies was when Gimli realized that his cousin Balin was dead(so sad).

[Gwathagor]

I never cry, but the Charge of the Rohirrim always sends chills up my spine. Just thinking about it makes me want to go kill Englishmen with a large sword. Tolkien was a genius. All those parts where we catch brief glimpses of Aragorn's kingliness and power also tend to make my eyes watery.