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October 13, 2003
Whin, Beruthiel and Legolas
I am re-reading The Lord of the Rings in anticipation of the third film. Tolkien's language never ceases to move me. What is more, I must have read the book twenty times and am always surprised by new detail. The Company of the Ring is passing through the land once known as Hollin when Tolkiens' eye for landscape presents the reader with a plant I had not heard of: whin. It is an attractive type of gorse... who knew?
A passing reference to Queen Beruthiel also piqued my interest.
" 'Do not be afraid!' said Aragorn. There was a pause longer than usual, and Gandalf and Gimli were whispering together; ... 'Do not be afraid! I have been with him on many a journey, if never on one so dark; ... He is surer of finding the way home in a blind night than the cats of Queen Beruthiel.' "
One mystery remains... why would the western gate to Khazad-dûm refer to the place pejoratively as the black pit, "Moria". Internet speculation raises the possibility of waymeat.
Posted by Ghost of a flea at October 13, 2003 06:43 AM
Comments
I've been working my way through "The Inklings" by Humphrey Carpenter. Next I'll probably re-read Carpenter's biography of JRRT and Wilson biography of C.S. Lewis.
I just recently bought a copy of C.S. Lewis's "Space" Trilogy to read again (first time since high school).
And, based on the stuff about Charles Williams in the "Inklings" book, I've ordered one of his books to try.
And of course, there's a pile of George MacDonald's winging their way here...
Maybe next year I'll tackled JRRT's trilogy again. Right now I'm having fun looking at his colleagues and influences!
Posted by: Fred Kiesche at October 16, 2003 08:26 PM
I am thinking to re-read some C.S. Lewis once I am done with the Lord of the Rings again. I have not read the other Inklings and should definitely add that on my list of things to do!
Posted by: Nicholas Packwood at October 16, 2003 09:34 PM
Well, if you can find Carpenter's "The Inklings", that's probably a good place to start to get a sense of what they were all like.
Williams sounds pretty strange from Carpenter's description of him and his writings--hence my ordering of one of his books. If even half of what Carpenter says about him, I'd like to see who the folks writing a lot of Christian non-fiction these days (and talk in glowing terms about JRRT, CSL and CW) reconcile some of Williams's wackier aspects--the occult, etc.
Hmmm...maybe unemployment will turn out to be good for something! I'm reading "serious" stuff and playing in fantasy RPG's again!
Posted by: Fred Kiesche at October 18, 2003 04:51 PM