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In these times of trouble, I find myself gravitating back to Peter Jackson’s extended version of The Fellowship of the Ring. Drinking in the beauty of the costumes, craftmanship, bigatures, acting, landscape, music, and story; how all of it comes together.
I find myself sneaking peeks at the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, even though I’m busy with othr things, even though I’m in the middle of a lot of other books. I find myself looking for certain scenes. Frodo, Pippin, and Sam meeting elves while finding themselves pursued by Black Riders in the Shire. Frodo wondering if he should take any of his friends with him on his journey, only to run against Sam’s stubborn loyalty and determination not to leave him. Sam and Farmer Maggoty standing between Frodo and a mysterious rider, who turns out to be Merry Brandybuck on a pony. Frodo coming to the house at Crickhollow where the conspiracy of his friends is revealed. The confrontation of Old Man Willow in the Old Forest. The hobbits getting lost and trapped in the Barrow-Downs.
I find myself wondering if maybe Belladona Took and her sisters might have visited the Old Forest, met Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. Maybe Belladona found the gold which helped her husband to build Bag End in one of the barrows.
I found the Barrow-Downs fascinating. How different is a wraith from a wight in Middle-Earth? One seems to be much mor powerful. Both are bound to the corporeal world by treasure. The things that bind beings that are untangible, making them more tangible is something I’m exploring in my own worlds. Just how much did Tolkien influence me? He’s one of the great literary loves of my life. I’ve struggled not to copy him. To break out of the box confining me to high fantasy, yet I love many of the contents of that box.
It’s only too easy to let Tolkien’s world comfort me when my own reality is terrifying. To know it took him fourteen years to create his masterpiece. To be reminded that masterpieces take time. To realize I haven’t abandoned the ambition to create masterpieces of my own, even if it takes my entire life to do so.
Wish me luck. I’m going to need it! :)
I find myself sneaking peeks at the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, even though I’m busy with othr things, even though I’m in the middle of a lot of other books. I find myself looking for certain scenes. Frodo, Pippin, and Sam meeting elves while finding themselves pursued by Black Riders in the Shire. Frodo wondering if he should take any of his friends with him on his journey, only to run against Sam’s stubborn loyalty and determination not to leave him. Sam and Farmer Maggoty standing between Frodo and a mysterious rider, who turns out to be Merry Brandybuck on a pony. Frodo coming to the house at Crickhollow where the conspiracy of his friends is revealed. The confrontation of Old Man Willow in the Old Forest. The hobbits getting lost and trapped in the Barrow-Downs.
I find myself wondering if maybe Belladona Took and her sisters might have visited the Old Forest, met Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. Maybe Belladona found the gold which helped her husband to build Bag End in one of the barrows.
I found the Barrow-Downs fascinating. How different is a wraith from a wight in Middle-Earth? One seems to be much mor powerful. Both are bound to the corporeal world by treasure. The things that bind beings that are untangible, making them more tangible is something I’m exploring in my own worlds. Just how much did Tolkien influence me? He’s one of the great literary loves of my life. I’ve struggled not to copy him. To break out of the box confining me to high fantasy, yet I love many of the contents of that box.
It’s only too easy to let Tolkien’s world comfort me when my own reality is terrifying. To know it took him fourteen years to create his masterpiece. To be reminded that masterpieces take time. To realize I haven’t abandoned the ambition to create masterpieces of my own, even if it takes my entire life to do so.
Wish me luck. I’m going to need it! :)
