Our two towers: Winning the war on terrorism means confronting Western versions of Saruman

http://www.worldmag.com/subscriber/displayarticle.cfm?id=10203 ^ | Gene Edward Veith

[discostu]

My only quible with this is that it really isn't that clear which two towers are being refered to in the title. In the book there are actually 5 towers (3 held by the bad guys, 2 by the good guys) and you can make a pretty compelling argument for any combination. I've always leaned towards Orthanc and Mordor myself but it's not that cut and dry, my second favorite interpretation are the tower at Helms Deep and Minas Tirith, the sites of the two big refusal to yield battles (one fought in this book, the other prepared for in this book and fought in the next). Then there's also the Witch King's tower (moved to the third movie) which the ring passes close by which couples nicely with either Orthanc (both towers were once owned by the good guys and built for defense) or Mordor, plus a few other combos of the five.

But for purposes of this essay Suaron's and Sauroman's homes work best, and from that assumption it's otherwise spot on.

[Unam Sanctam]

Good article, but I must point out a nit: "Griga Wormtongue" should be "Grima Wormtongue".

[Redcloak]

He's certainly as large as a múmak.

[marty60]

Its sources are things long before in mind, or in some cases already written, and little or nothing in it was modified by the war that began in 1939 or its sequels."

Evil is evil. Nothing changes it's mo.It is the same yesterday today and tomorrow, if you understand his thought process in this way. It doesn't matter what name you use, Hitler,OBL,etcetc, they all are spawn from the same burning hole of Satan.

[cake_crumb]

"No way. Moore is too fat, lazy, and (my impression) and chicken to be an Uruk-hai.

Hmmm...good point. Wormtongue. He's a perfect Wormtongue

[SuziQ]

Those who are willing to kill others and themselves to make an abstract political statement share a mindset with those who see nothing wrong with aborting children, euthanizing sick people, and using human embryos for medical experiments.

So true, because neither group believes that human life has an intrinsic worth.

[SuziQ]

I think I hear some noises coming from the forest of "flyover America" now.

The Huorns from the Plains. ;o)

[x]

Sauron? Saruman? Gandalf the Gay was on our side, right?

[NewRomeTacitus]

Ah, you've read that compilation of super-dense pre-LOTR stories in "The Book of Lost Tales"? The jewels found in there were almost worth the mental pain trying to understand it (I'm only a sub-genius).

Despite Tolkien's objections I can't help but see how his subconscious folded events from his time into his conscious effort to weave his lands' folklore into a new mythos. By that light I think this article's author was quite in the right by applying the mythos to modern political reality. The seemingly endless battle between good and evil remains a constant while only the characters change. Stay good!

[Disambiguator]

My only quible with this is that it really isn't that clear which two towers are being refered to in the title.

The Two Towers in the title of the book do refer to Orthanc, where Saruman resides at Isengard, and to Barad-dur in Mordor where Sauron is, so your leaning is correct. The title refers to the the alliance between Saruman and Sauron.

[Miles the Slasher]

"But be that as it may, the similarity between Michael Moore and a Balrog is unmistakable!"

I would never thought it possible, but this is one instance where a Balrog is owed an apology.

[drjimmy]

You make fun of this, and then comment in another post about the implications of the relationship between Sam and Frodo? Just what is it that YOU are reading into that relationship?
That was exactly my point. Lots of folks have read something into the relationship between Sam and Frodo based on modern concepts of what it must mean if two men have love for one another. That's why I groan when I read these pieces by people who cherry-pick from these works to project upon Tolkien (or Shakespeare, etc.) their own beliefs.

[SuziQ]

Actually I haven't read the Lost Tales, though I bought the book for our daughter a couple of years ago. I just know that Tolkien's theme of good vs evil is universal. It fit the times in which he wrote it and it fits now because there is always evil moving in the world, and God willing, there will always be good people fighting against it.

[Alkhin]

*looking abashed*

Point taken. Sorry for the sarcasm!

I spend way too much time on the computer...

God bless...

[Frank L]

Just call me Quickbeam.

[NewRomeTacitus]

The first Ent to call for war against Suraman,

or you could be the guy who writes articles for TheOneRing.net.

That site should reprint this article.

[BushMeister]

The Two Towers in the title of the book do refer to Orthanc, where Saruman resides at Isengard, and to Barad-dur in Mordor where Sauron is, so your leaning is correct. The title refers to the the alliance between Saruman and Sauron.

No, that's incorrect. Tolkien intended the "Two Towers" referred to in the title of the book to be Orthanc and the Tower of Cirith Ungol, which "dominate the action" of Book III and Book IV. Tolkien also mused that the "Two Towers" might be seen to be Minas Tirith and Barad-Dur, though this was not his intention.

Peter Jackson in the film clearly intended the "Two Towers" to be those two you have mentioned.

[Frank L]

"The first Ent to call for war against Suraman,

or you could be the guy who writes articles for TheOneRing.net. "

Close on the first. I like that guy because he is so "hasty." A trait my wife says I have (though I always wait for her to finish speaking before answering).

[schu]

Bump for later

[SauronOfMordor]

Intellectuals have a special fondness for autocrats of all kinds, whether they be old-style kings, or new-style dictators.

Keep in mind that the main talent of the intellectual is his ability to be persuasive when he wants to. It's much easier to flatter one wealthy and powerful person into becoming your patron, than it is to keep several million people entertained. It is also an ego boost. By his closeness to the powerful person, the intellectual can delude himself into thinking that he is powerful too. (Much as Saruman thought he could deal with Sauron as a close-to-equal, or Wormtongue thinking his service to Saruman would have resulted in Wormtongue's being awarded with his desires once victory was achieved)

The intellectual is useful to the autocrat, who uses him to manipulate the emotions of the population. The intellectual's sense of self-importance results in him never realizing that he is just a tool to the autocrat, to be used and dispensed with.