Favorite Tolkien-esque line - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Elianna · 02-05-2005, 06:27 PM

It is doubtful that any of us would have read all of such a tome as Lord of the Rings if it weren't written by such a genius as our beloved Professor Tolkien. What's your favorite line that only Tolkien could have thought up?

My favorites are "...or in high cold towers asking questions of the stars." "It's the deep breath before the pludge." (Anyone else would have said the trite "It's the calm beforethe storm, but not Tolkien. And in over fifty years no one's copied it, they all still say calm before the storm.) and "Ithilien, the garden of Gondor, kept still a disheveled dryad loveliness."

AbercrombieOfRohan · 02-06-2005, 10:44 AM

Just about everyone of the quotes that pop up at the top of the forum. "Swagger it swagger it my little cock-o-whoop," and "There's only one dragon in Bywater and that's Green." But also all of the songs, especially Galadriel's Namarie. So beatiful.

radagastly · 02-28-2005, 11:26 PM

I've always been fond of Tolkien's spin on adages and proverbs .

"All's well as ends Better!" "It's an ill wind as blows nobody no good." "It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish." and many more.

He always seems to put such a clever spin on these little phrases we've all heard all our lives.

Evisse the Blue · 03-01-2005, 06:47 AM

There are many...I especially like Tolkien's 'epic- like' poems written for great events like when the Rohirrim set off for Gondor or the lament for the battle of Pellenor. I think that's a characteristic of Tolkien to use short very descriptive sentences to awaken strong feelings.

One bit that comes to mind that is very Tolkien-esque in that speaks of hope and accepting your fate is what Aragorn says to Arwen in the appendix A:
"In sorrow we must go but not in despair. For we are not bound forever to the circles of the world and beyond them is more than memory."
There you go: a short clear line that expresses elegantly what takes others years to come to terms with and understand, if they ever do.

alatar · 03-01-2005, 10:27 AM

I just love coming into the office on Monday mornings, pausing, looking around while I squint my eyes and turn head side to side then saying, "I have no memory of this place..." in my best Gandalfian voice.

Tuor of Gondolin · 03-01-2005, 02:06 PM

Obviously, there are many, including the prose poetry
of the charge of the Rohirrim at the Pelennor Fields, but perhaps most striking, and universal in "applicability" is one that PJ and friends did not botch:

Quote:

Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment.

Alda · 03-02-2005, 06:43 PM

One of my favorite lines is found in the "Return of The King," the "Homeward Bound" chapter where Gandalf is parting ways with the Hobbits.

Quote:

But if you would know, I am turning aside soon. I am going to have a long talk with Bombadil: such a talk as I have not had in all my time. He is a moss-gatherer, and I have been a stone doomed to rolling. But my rolling days are ending, and now we shall have much to say to one another.

02-05-2005, 06:27 PM	#1
Elianna Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Ad finem itineris Posts: 384	Favorite Tolkien-esque line It is doubtful that any of us would have read all of such a tome as Lord of the Rings if it weren't written by such a genius as our beloved Professor Tolkien. What's your favorite line that only Tolkien could have thought up? My favorites are "...or in high cold towers asking questions of the stars." "It's the deep breath before the pludge." (Anyone else would have said the trite "It's the calm beforethe storm, but not Tolkien. And in over fifty years no one's copied it, they all still say calm before the storm.) and "Ithilien, the garden of Gondor, kept still a disheveled dryad loveliness." __________________ Enyale cuilenya, ú-enyale mandenya.

02-28-2005, 11:26 PM	#3
radagastly Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Washington, D. C., USA Posts: 299	I've always been fond of Tolkien's spin on adages and proverbs . "All's well as ends Better!" "It's an ill wind as blows nobody no good." "It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish." and many more. He always seems to put such a clever spin on these little phrases we've all heard all our lives. __________________ But all the while I sit and think of times there were before, I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.

03-01-2005, 06:47 AM	#4
Evisse the Blue Brightness of a Blade Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: wherever I may roam Posts: 2,685	There are many...I especially like Tolkien's 'epic- like' poems written for great events like when the Rohirrim set off for Gondor or the lament for the battle of Pellenor. I think that's a characteristic of Tolkien to use short very descriptive sentences to awaken strong feelings. One bit that comes to mind that is very Tolkien-esque in that speaks of hope and accepting your fate is what Aragorn says to Arwen in the appendix A: "In sorrow we must go but not in despair. For we are not bound forever to the circles of the world and beyond them is more than memory." There you go: a short clear line that expresses elegantly what takes others years to come to terms with and understand, if they ever do. __________________ And no one was ill, and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.

02-06-2005, 10:44 AM	#2
AbercrombieOfRohan Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 311	Just about everyone of the quotes that pop up at the top of the forum. "Swagger it swagger it my little cock-o-whoop," and "There's only one dragon in Bywater and that's Green." But also all of the songs, especially Galadriel's Namarie. So beatiful.

03-01-2005, 10:27 AM	#5
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	I just love coming into the office on Monday mornings, pausing, looking around while I squint my eyes and turn head side to side then saying, "I have no memory of this place..." in my best Gandalfian voice.