Posted on 03/15/2002 6:54:33 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
Repost – Highlights from chapters 1-5 copied from the original forum to the new one. To reference the full version, click here: Original Green Dragon Inn Within the first five chapters... disregard the reply numbers... they wont work.
Thank you ecurbh, for copying and editing our old thread so that the highlights could be moved here! Highlights of the first five chapters from the old thread are pasted into the first 5 replies here. For those of you who are just joining you… as of this post we are beginning Chapter 6.
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Welcome to The Green Dragon Inn
Approaching The Green Dragon Inn
Hobbiton, in The Shire
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.
- JRR Tolkien
Politics also goes ever on and on.
This is a place for FReeper Tolkien fans to come and take a break from the impure reality of conservative activism and relax a little with a great story. We (the other co-conspirators and I) would like to study together the writings of Tolkien, beginning together, and discussing as we go through The Lord of the Rings together.
This is a chapter discussion, roughly one chapter per week, with the discussion mostly centered on the books, though of course the movie will be contrasted and compared, and perhaps used to illustrate another interpretation of the story.
Every week, someone from the group (maybe me) will ping The Green Dragon List to the new Chapter, but we will continue this one thread until it becomes too cumbersome…. Let me know if you would like to be on - or off - this list. I will for now serve as the Thain of the list.
If you are joining late, jump right in, but please stick to the chapter currently being discussed.
Some have loved this story a long time, and some are newly discovering it. If you fit either category, we invite you to join in, but we would like this thread to stay mostly focused on the chapter at hand and keep moving, but at a pace everyone can keep up with… No jumping ahead, and no lagging behind! If you have other news to report or wish to discuss something Tolkien in more general terms… May we recommend the equally homey Hobbit Hole where my co-conspirators and I frequently have plenty of good talk.
One other request…. This thread will get long. In recognition that images slow down the thread for many, let’s keep the posting of images to a minimum on this thread. If there is a great illustration you wish to share, let’s try to use links instead of images wherever possible.
So lets read, listen and become inspired by the many aspects of The Lord of the Rings that touch us deeply and reconnect us to the values we aspire to. Many great discussions have already been had, and I hope that this thread will produce even more. Many FReepers have wonderful things to say about LoTR, whether the fantasy reconnects them with their faith, with their relationships with friends and family, or simply illustrates the splendor of great acts of heroism and sacrifice in the constant battle of virtue versus corruption.
Though it is a work of fiction, we believe the inspiration to be gained can only help us in our larger political goals: to appreciate and defend our freedom, our culture and our political ideals. May the fellowship and insight gained from this discussion help us to work through the issues that are the basis for our many shared ideals.
Besides, we Tolkien fans* need something to keep us busy during the next two years of waiting for the next two films. If you do not enjoy this story, then please simply leave us be.
*Also known as Geeky Hobbity Weirdos, obsessive fanatics, you name it, we have heard it and we see these names as compliments. In other words: don’t act like a troll, or we will distract you with our endless babble until the morning sun turns you to stone.
Fellowship of the Ring
Topic: Moria
Pertinent Chapters - Book II
Chapter IV – A Journey in the Dark
Chapter V – The Bridge of Kazad-Dûm
Hullo Friends! – In this section the fellowship, defeated by Caradhras, decides to take the route under the Misty Mountains through the long dark of Moria. Only Gimli looks forward to the journey with any eagerness:
`This is the great realm and city of the Dwarrowdelf. And of old it was not darksome, but full of light and splendour, as is still remembered in our songs.' [Gimli sings a song of Moria in it's glory days which I have not repeated here, but is in the chapter]`I like that! ' said Sam. `I should like to learn it. In Moria, in Khazad-dûm! But it makes the darkness seem heavier, thinking of all those lamps. Are there piles of jewels and gold lying about here still? '
Gimli was silent. Having sung his song he would say no more.
`Piles of jewels? ' said Gandalf. `No. The Orcs have often plundered Moria; there is nothing left in the upper halls. And since the dwarves fled, no one dares to seek the shafts and treasuries down in the deep places: they are drowned in water--or in a shadow of fear.'
`Then what do the dwarves want to come back for? ' asked Sam.
'For mithril,' answered Gandalf. `The wealth of Moria was not in gold and jewels, the toys of the Dwarves; nor in iron, their servant. Such things they found here, it is true, especially iron; but they did not need to delve for them: all things that they desired they could obtain in traffic. For here alone in the world was found Moria-silver, or true-silver as some have called it: mithril is the Elvish name. The Dwarves have a name which they do not tell. Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground, and even the Orcs dare not delve here for it. The lodes lead away north towards Caradhras, and down to darkness. The Dwarves tell no tale; but even as mithril was the foundation of their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that from which they fled, Durin's Bane…
So Hullo! – Good Morning! A lot happens in Moria… Lets discuss, theorize and get to the really important issues!
Do Balrogs have wings?
Here is a small map that shows where we are:
Also check out Penny's Movie Pictures for a lot of great movie pics from Moria.
And here is a The whole map of Middle-Earth So we don't get lost!
Index to thread… click link to find the start of each prior chapter discussion:
(First Five chapters are re-posts of highlights from the old forum)
Prologue and Chapter One – A Long-Expected Party
Chapter Two - The Shadow of the Past
Chapter Three – Three is Company … And also here – double post! ugh!
Chapter Four – A Shortcut to Mushrooms
Chapter Five – A Conspiracy Unmasked
End of re-posts
Chapter Six – The Old Forest
Chapter Seven – In The House of Tom Bombadil
Chapter Eight – Fog on the Barrow-Downs
Chapter Nine – At the Sign of the Prancing Pony
New "section" format:
Bree (chapters 9-11)
Journey from Bree to the Ford (chapters 11-12)
Rivendell (Book 2 - chapters 1-3)
The Ring goes South (chapters 3-4)
Moria - Current (chapters 4-5)Sections still to come:
Lothlorien (chapters 6-8)
The Breaking of the Fellowship (chapters 9-10)
At the gate, they release their beast of burden Bill.
`…in any case we cannot take the poor beast into the Mines,' said Gandalf. `The road under the mountains is a dark road, and there are places narrow and steep which he cannot tread, even if we can.'`Poor old Bill! ' said Frodo. `I had not thought of that. And poor Sam! I wonder what he will say? '
`I am sorry,' said Gandalf. `Poor Bill has been a useful companion and it goes to my heart to turn him adrift now. I would have travelled lighter and brought no animal, least of all this one that Sam is fond of, if I had had my way. I feared all along that we should be obliged to take this road…'
… He laid his hand on the pony's head, and spoke in a low voice. `Go with words of guard and guiding on you,' he said. `You are a wise beast, and have learned much in Rivendell. Make your ways to places where you can find grass, and so come in time to Elrond's house, or wherever you wish to go.
`There, Sam! He will have quite as much chance of escaping wolves and getting home as we have.'
I don't remember... Do we ever hear if Bill returns to Rivendell or anywhere else safely? - Can I just assume he does?
Tuor
That wasn't to the Wargs, if you're asking about the Elvish he was speaking (Sindarian). He was casting a spell...a spell of fire that ignited the trees.
Tuor
On a different note, who are the orcs in Moria aligned with. Are they a free roving band that found a convenient hole to crawl into and just avoid the balrog? Are they part of Sauruman's army or do they report to the big guy? I don't remember a mention of an emblem of any type on these orcs. Does any word of the Fellowship coming through Moria reach either Sauruman or Sauron? I don't remember.
This was always a hard place for me to imagine also. So vast and dark... Jackson came pretty close to my vision though, how about you?
Think: Gothic version of Cheyenne Mountain.
On a more serious note, if Moria was a trade center for the dwarves why is the path to the west so narrow and hard to negotiate. I can understand a few tight spots like the bridge that Gandalf falls from, but it seems the whole place is difficult to get through. Also, I always pictured the gates on the west as being bigger, but maybe that was just me.
Yes, we do. Bill finally makes his way back to Bree and is cared for at the Prancing Pony until the Hobbits' return.
"I’ve something that belongs to you. If you recollect Bill Ferny and the horsethieving: his pony as you bought, well, it’s here. Come back all of itself, it did. But where it had been to you know better than me. It was as shaggy as an old dog and as lean as a clothes-rail, but it was alive. Nob’s looked after it.""What! My Bill?" cried Sam. "Well, I was born lucky, whatever my gaffer may say. There’s another wish come true! Where is he?" Sam would not go to bed until he had visited Bill in his stable.
I love a guy that gives me spoilers when I can't look things up!
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