Refers to J.R.R Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien) - an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
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What does Theoden's quote in The Two Towers 'oft evil will shall evil mar' mean? [migrated]
The formulation of this phrase seems odd and I can't pick the full meaning out of it. He says it after Wormtongue has thrown the Palantir out of Orthanc, which seems to be a great example of evil ...
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1answer
133 views
Quenya for “hold” as in “to hold a belief”
Does anyone know if there is any word in Quenya that is well suited for translating “hold” as in “to hold a belief?”
The context if “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost:
...
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Are there any female characters in the Hobbit?
I believe Bilbo's mother, Belladonna Took, is mentioned briefly in the beginning, but are there any female characters who actually appear in the novel, rather than being merely referenced?
Even ...
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2answers
291 views
What is the Elvish Diet?
It seems that a lot of emphasis is given to both the Hobbits and the Dwarves in regards to their diet, but I don't recall much being said about the Elves. (It has been about 15 years since I read LOTR ...
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3answers
261 views
Why aren't there any recognizable elf children in Middle-Earth?
Why aren't there any recognizable Elf children in Middle-Earth?
I don't remember reading about younglings, only adults. Hobbit children, goblin imps and human children are all represented in the LOTR ...
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Are any of the original elves that awoke at Cuiviénen named?
This came up because a friend told me he thought Glorfindel was an "original elf". As far as I know, the earliest mention of Glorfindel is at the Fall Of Gondolin, which is a far cry from Cuiviénen. ...
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1answer
131 views
The Valar and their power to create
In The Silmarillion it is said that only Eru possesses the Flame Immperishable, and thus only he can create life. For example, when Aulë tries to create the dwarves, these result in a kind of ...
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264 views
How can an old dead tree suddenly spring to life and cast its petals on Aragorn's coronation?
There's a dead, gnarly old tree in the courtyard outside of Denethor's 'throne room' on the top level of Minas Tirith. Gandalf told Pippin that it's called the White Tree of Gondor. We see it several ...
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122 views
How big were Hobbit children?
We know that Hobbits were 3 to 3.5 feet tall, Bandobras Took almost 4. But how big were hobbit children (relative to their age, of course)?
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How can Aragorn fight with a broken sword?
In the book, Aragorn has Anduril in his scabbard, but it is broken, as he shows
Sam. How could he defend himself in the wild? Is there any reference from LOTR or HoME?
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Did Faramir see Boromir's actual body, or have a vision?
In The Two Towers, when Frodo and Sam meet Faramir, he tells them something that happened a few days earlier:
'I sat at night by the waters of Anduin, in the grey dark under the young pale moon,
...
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1answer
138 views
Reading order of Tolkien's middle-earth books [duplicate]
I have these books written by J.R.R. Tolkien:
The Silmarillion
The Hobbit
All three LOTRs
Which reading order is the best to get the complete story?
The one I wrote up above, or?
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172 views
Do Tolkien's elves have pointy ears?
I think we all imagine elves with pointy ears – but do they really have pointy ears? (canonical references please)
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1answer
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Is there any mention of the lands east of Mordor?
Sauron seems to have huge armies east of Mordor, the Blue Wizards went there and didn't come back, and early maps of Arda when it was still flat show rough landmarks, but not much, and everything ...
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3answers
140 views
Did Ilúvatar anticipate Melkor?
Did Ilúvatar know that Melkor would 'turn bad'? Was it part of his vast design? Tolkien often hints that also Morgoth's evil is part of the grand plan, and that he does the will of Ilúvatar in the ...
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1answer
118 views
Looking for canon Quenya and Sindarin dictionary
Are there any canonical English <-> Elvish dictionaries, that means with no added material? Some Grammar would also be useful.
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1answer
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What do we know about the Black Speech of Mordor?
We know the Ring Verse (Ash Nazg . . .), and single words like 'Ghâsh' (Fire). Do we know any more about canonical Black Speech?
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Is the “^” significant in the word Nazgûl?
I noticed how Nazgûl always has a "^" over the u. Does that mean anything about how I pronounce the word? Or is it just decoration?
Or, in other words:
What does the "^" mean in Tolkien's Languages?
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1answer
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What happened to Frodo's sword?
In 'A Knife in the Dark', Frodo slashes at the Black Rider.
Later in the Book, it is said that no weapons can harm the Nazgûl and survive. Why didn't Frodo's blade melt? He still has it afterwards, as ...
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What are the original titles of books I-VI of the Lord of the Rings?
I read that Tolkien didn't want to make the Lord of the Rings three books, and that the only
"natural divisions are the 'books' I-VI (which originally had titles)"
What are those titles?
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2answers
472 views
What became of the other 19 Rings of Power after the One Ring was destroyed?
After the destruction of Sauron's One Ring, what happened to the other 19 rings of power (3 Elven, 7 Dwarven, 9 Men)? Did they become powerless, remain cursed, become cleansed, disintegrate, or ...
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1answer
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How big were various armies in the War of the Ring?
I'd like to know (roughly) how big various armies in the war of the Ring were, and if possible how they were made up.
That includes for example
Saruman's Forces
Gondor's Soldiors
The Rohirrim
The ...
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2answers
217 views
Looking for canonical descriptions of Orthanc
I'm trying to make a model of Orthanc, but am having trouble deciding what it looks like. I'd love to have some material, including Tolkien's pictures and sketches.
Please write from what chapter any ...
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2answers
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Why did they take a Palantir with them when they left for the west?
The Palantíri were made by the Ñoldor in Eldamar, possibly by Fëanor himself in Aman during the Elder Days in the Time of the Trees, and then given by the Elves to the Númenóreans, who kept them as ...
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335 views
Why does Cirdan give Narya to Gandalf instead of Saruman?
In the Lord of the Rings I recall some mention of when Cirdan gives Narya to Gandalf when the Istari arrive in Middle Earth. I think it is in the appendices but I cannot recall exactly, but I remember ...
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581 views
In the third age, which of these beings is more powerful? [closed]
I want to make a comparison here between some of the most powerful beings in Middle-Earth during the Third Age.
I know Sauron was the most powerful of all even when he lost the ring, but one of the ...
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1answer
156 views
Did the Valar fight in the War of Wrath?
I just finished reading The Silmarillion (prior to this, I'd read The Hobbit once and The Lord of the Rings a couple of times), but something bothered me about the ending: did the Valar themselves ...
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1answer
123 views
Dagor Dagorath (sources?)
Does anyone know where can I find the references to the Dagor Dagorath, the last battle at the end of the world in Tolkien's legendarium?
I remember something in the Book of Lost Tales, at the end of ...
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1answer
348 views
Do male elves have long or short hair?
I've noticed that almost every fan drawing of elves (as well as their portrayals in the movies) show them with long hair, both the men and the women. But did Tolkien ever write anything that proved ...
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Why was the Balrog unconcerned with the fate of Middle Earth?
In an answer to the recent question Why was Gandalf Afraid of the Balrog of Morgoth?, it was stated that
A Balrog is a terror of the First Age. And something that was a threat in the First Age ...
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1answer
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Were battles in Lord of the Rings inspired by any historical events?
I wonder, has Tolkien ever mentioned if the great battles in The Lord of the Rings (Helm's Deep, Pelennor Fields) were inspired by any particular historical events, or has he ever stated otherwise?
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Why not drink from the source spring of the Silverlode?
When leaving the Dimrill Dale (after their escape from Moria), the Fellowship comes across the spring which is the source of the Silverlode. Gimli says:
"Here is the spring from which the ...
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1answer
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How do we know Aragorn's birthday?
On the question How could Aragorn be 87 years old while he looks relatively young? there is the following comment :
One tiny bit of trivia: at that point in the books, he's actually 88 years old. ...
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Did Tolkien acknowledge that Silmarillion is harder to read than LOTR?
Personally, I found Silmarillion to be very difficult to read (I admit to having never been able to finish it) compared to LOTR books. I know plenty of people who share that opinion (even native ...
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Is there any documented connection between “/Hey Diddle Diddle” rhyme and LOTR poem?
Nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle" and the poem recited by Frodo at the Inn in Bree (before meeting Strider) share the "cow jumped over the Moon" idea. I think they also both had a fiddle as well, as a ...
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Height of the Orcs of Gundabad
I had always thought all Orcs to have quite the same posture, but when watching The Hobbit movie and the Orcs of Gundabad are mentioned (together with the Pale Orc), I noticed that they are larger ...
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What happens to orcs in sunlight?
It's well know that Orcs, Golbins, Uruk-hai and most of Sauron's forces don't tolerate light, especially sunlight very well, and certain types of trolls turn to stone when sunlight falls upon them.
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What would happen if a Barrow-Wight had taken the One Ring and why didn't they?
When the Hobbits are take by the Barrow-Wights, they are all held in a barrow and are unconscious for a time and both they and the Ring are at the mercy of the Barrow-Wights. This event is clearly ...
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In the Silmarillion, what was Morgoth's “dark design” against Luthien?
In the chapter "Of Beren and Luthien", we're told that, when Morgoth discovered Luthien in Angband, he
"conceived in his thought an evil lust, and a design more dark than
any that had yet come ...
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3answers
407 views
Range of invisibility of the One Ring
In The Hobbit, the One Ring turned Bilbo invisible (more or less completely) along with his clothing, armour, etc. However, one passage in chapter 8 suggests that this power did not extend to his ...
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1answer
614 views
What happens to an elf in Lord of the Rings who dies twice?
An Elf who dies (whether they are in Valinor or Middle-Earth) goes to the halls of Mandos. After a certain time (to be determined by Mandos, its different for each case) they are returned to life in ...
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545 views
Difference between UK and US versions of Lord of the Rings
Are there any noticeable differences in the English vocabulary between the UK and US editions of J.R.R. Tolkien's works, specifically The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit?
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143 views
Any good Tolkien derivative work concerning the future of Middle Earth? [closed]
I quite enjoy reading good Tolkien fanfiction (as rare as it is), but I still wasn't able to find anything about what happened in Middle Earth after the War of the Ring and Sauron's fall. There are ...
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357 views
Was Wormtongue's betrayal due to his his desire for Éowyn or due to the Voice of Saruman?
Wormtongue was a traitor, and yet in the Lord of the Rings it is suggested that this was not always so. Furthermore, it is known that he desires Éowyn. When Gandalf says,
"How long is it since ...
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4answers
718 views
Is it possible that Middle-earth was overpopulated?
This might be a silly question, but I've been thinking on it for a day or two. Can you provide me some help?
Since the Elves alone can live for more than 3000 years, is it possible that Middle-earth ...
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What was Azog's role in canon?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie, Azog features in many places whereas I do not recollect him being mentioned in the book apart from the fact that he was the one who killed Thror, Thorin's ...
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What are Gandalf's powers?
Gandalf is a wizard. He is also the Tolkien equivalent of a mortal angel (if I understand what the Maiar are correctly.) What are his powers though? Specifically what magics does he use in The Hobbit ...
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In Rivendell, did Saruman try to use his “Voice” on Elrond, Galadriel and Gandalf?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), when the company arrive to Rivendell, Gandalf is asked to attend a surprise reunion with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman the White. Saruman then opposes ...
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1answer
610 views
Was Saruman's secret plan settled when he meet Gandalf in Rivendell?
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), when the company arrive to Rivendell, Gandalf is asked to attend a surprise reunion with Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman the White. Saruman then opposes ...
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Did the exil Noldor return to Valinor or are they restricted to Eressea after their rebellion?
I often read that the Noldor can go only to Tol Eressea but not to Valinor, is there any proof for it?
