The Ivy Bush …  · Web view19/12/2015  · Quenya. Minë Corma turië të ilyë, Minë Corma hirië të, Minë Corma hostië të ilyë are mordossë nutië të. Black Speech. Ash

The Ivy

BushA Tolkien Magazine

March 2014

In This Issue

Benita PrinsI. Salogel

Put No Trust in Shifting VisionsLord of the Idols

Editor: Benita PrinsRegular Contributors: I. Salogel, Benita Prins, Bridget MacMillan, Rachel Greenleaf, Almárëa Cundu, Kathryn Finca, Daisy Perian, Rose SerindeAnd thanks to everyone else who contributed something for this month’s issue!

Contribute!Write articles or stories, make up games (these should be possible to do on a computer

screen), find a Tolkienian language tidbit, tell us a Did You Know about the movies or books, or anything else! Deadline for the April issue is March 25; submit to

[email protected].

Language CornerEnglish

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

SindarinEr-chorf a thorthad hain bain, Er-chorf a chired hain,Er-chorf a thoged hain bain a din fuin an nuded hain.

QuenyaMinë Corma turië të ilyë, Minë Corma hirië të,

Minë Corma hostië të ilyë are mordossë nutië të.

Black SpeechAsh nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,

Ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

That was Poetry!The One Ring

By Daisy Perian

A piece of round metalThat shines bright and gold.

A thing of great beautyAnd charm to behold.A small and plain thingThat is weighty to feel

Yet once put on the fingerDoth nothing reveal.

It calls to the darknessAnd beckons its Lord

And tempts well the wearerTo its will and accord.Encompasses nothing

A bottomless void.The One Ring of SauronThat must be destroyed.

Put No Trust in Shifting VisionsBy Benita Prins

In Middle-earth, there are various ways of seeing things far away both in distance and in time - the palantíri and Galadriel's Mirror, to name two. But whilst all this may suggest to some that Tolkien was promoting such activity, which resembles fortunetelling and other such occult activities, in fact it is quite the opposite. J.R.R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings sets an excellent example in the field of magic for other fantasy writers.

Before I begin my discussion of the palantíri, it would probably be helpful to know exactly what they are. Palantír means 'that-which-sees-far-away' and were used by the Kings of Men - Isildur and Elendil, for example - to keep in contact with the rest of their kingdoms. Originally there were seven, scattered through various locations in Middle-earth. The ones still existing in Middle-earth at the time of LOTR were those of Minas Tirith, Minas Ithil, and Orthanc. Sauron captured the second when he took hold of Minas Ithil in the Second Age, and thus use of the other palantíri was even more dangerous than it ever was.

The use of a palantír is fraught with danger for those who do not have a right to use them; during the War of the Ring the only person who had this right was Aragorn. When Denethor used the Stone of Minas Tirith, he sees the Black Fleet approaching, and as the palantír does not show everything but only some, he doesn’t realize that Aragorn by that point has actually taken over the fleet. But this alone should not have driven him to suicide: it is clear later on that he has in fact seen Frodo, captured by Sauron. Tolkien does not explicitly say so, but later on Denethor says to Pippin,

“Comfort me not with wizards!....The fool’s hope has failed. The Enemy has found it, and now his power waxes...”1

Denethor is oblivious to the fact that Sam, thinking Frodo to be dead, took the Ring from Frodo in Cirith Ungol, and therefore although Sauron may hold the Ring-bearer prisoner he does not have the Ring. That not everything is visible in the Seeing Stones and therefore appearances can be dangerously deceiving, should be taken as a warning against trying to see the future.

Galadriel’s Mirror is the other main form of vision in The Lord of the Rings. However, Galadriel herself explains the dangers of the Mirror to Frodo and Sam.

“[The Mirror] shows things that were, and things that are, and things that may yet be. But which it is that he sees, even the wisest cannot tell…. The Mirror shows many things, and not all have

yet come to pass. Some never come to be, unless those that behold the visions turn aside from their path to prevent them. The Mirror is dangerous as a guide of deeds.” (emphasis mine)2

Divination is a tool of Satan and does not show the entire truth, and therefore it’s dangerous to use fortunetelling as a guide for your deeds. Who knows what Emperor Frederick II may have done if he had not been told that he would die under roses! “Perilous

1 Tolkien, J.R.R. The Return of the King (London: Unwin-Hyman, 1955), 97.2Ibid., The Fellowship of the Ring, 377-8.

to us all are the devices of an art deeper than we possess ourselves,”3 says Tolkien in The Two Towers.

Although this sort of thing may be permissible in some fantasy where it is not acceptable on earth, it is still necessary to be very careful with the concept, because regardless of the author’s intent, people are easily influenced by books they read. Use of the palantíri and the Mirror of Galadriel is very clearly dangerous from the text of LOTR, and the last thing the Professor was encouraging is use of fortunetelling methods.

How Well Do You Know LOTR?

1. Where was the Elf Galdor from?2. Three of the Dwarves from The Hobbit went to Moria: which three were they?3. Who were Elrond’s parents?4. In the poem which Boromir recites to the Council, which words fits into the blanks?

“For _____ ____ shall awaken,/And the Halfling forth shall stand.”5. Where did the Nazgûl dwell?6. At what time of day did Aragorn catch Gollum?7. After Gollum escaped from imprisonment in Mirkwood, which way did he go?8. How many Ringwraiths followed Gandalf when he fled Weathertop after their

battle?9. What is the Elvish name for Tom Bombadil?10. What bell rang while everyone sat in thought before Frodo declared he would take

the Ring to Mordor?

Answers can be found in The Fellowship of the Ring, chapter “The Council of Elrond”

Hobbit Fun

Cryptogram: March 25 in Middle-earth

3 Ibid., The Two Towers, 203.

Short StoriesDisturber of Peace Returns! – The Shire Telegraph

By Nancy Brown

Gandalf the Grey has been seen in Hobbiton, Hobbit has gone missing.

Gandalf the Grey, a wizard who is well-known in these parts for causing trouble wherever he goes, has been seen wandering the Shire again for the first time since the Old Took died. He was last seen bothering a Mr Bilbo Baggins at his residence on the Hill in Hobbiton yesterday morning, who has not been seen since we spoke to him later that same afternoon. We have aid a visit to his home but received no answer.

The wizard is said to be responsible for the disappearings of many Hobbits. There have been numerous cases of quiet lads and lasses going off into the blue for mad adventures after hearing the remarkable tales which seem to follow him wherever he goes in an extraordinary fashion. He is often spotted with fireworks, especially when there is a party involved, which has given him the name “the Disturber of Peace”. It was the Old Took himself, Thain Gerontius, who encouraged these firework displays.

Gandalf is first said to have visited the Shire during the Long Winter nearly two hundred of years ago where he supposedly helped to save the lives of many Hobbits, but despite his good deeds he has since become a bit of a nuisance around these parts. A dreadful famine followed the Long Winter and his visits have eventually become something of concern, especially for parents who do not wish to see their children disappear and perhaps never be seen again.

We spoke to Bilbo Baggins later that afternoon when he visited the shops. Mr Baggins is a very wealthy and respectable Hobbit whose mother is Belladonna Took, and is therefore part of the Took Clan, who are very well known for their strange behaviour, having had more disappearances than any other family in these parts. A source has told us that as a child, Mr Baggins attended several parties to listen to Gandalf’s mad stories about Dragons, Goblins and princesses but we were assured that he had grown up to become a more sensible and unadventurous hobbit like his father. The Tooks may be well-known for having adventures but a Baggins is not. Bilbo told us he had no intention of disappearing. He said, “Well I could not believe it. There I was minding my own business when this wizard calling himself Gandalf showed up on the door step trying to get me to go on one of his terrible adventures. So I told him right away “no”. I said no hobbit around here will be having any adventures, thank you very much! It is ridiculous to even suggest a Baggins would run off on some silly adventure”.

But Mr Baggins has not been seen or heard from since. Early this morning we received several unconfirmed reports of Dwarves sitting in the Green Dragon as though they were waiting for someone. We have spoken to one witness who claims he later saw Mr Baggins

join them as though he was a friend, with an outfit fit for walking and a well packed bag. The group are thought to have since left the Shire.

It appears that Gandalf’s latest visit has caused even more trouble and strange sightings than they normally do but if you see him or Bilbo return or have any other strange happenings to add to this story then please let us know.

*Note: story taken with permission from TheOneRing.net

Did You Know?Tolkien could speak about 10 different languages including English, Greek, Hebrew, Latin,

Old Norse, Old English, and Icelandic – not to mention the fact that he could also speak all of his created languages which gave him another 10 or so to add to the list!

Would You Rather?1. ...be stepped on by a troll OR an Oliphaunt?2. ...die fighting OR watch your best friend die fighting?3. ...visit Hobbiton OR Fangorn Forest if you were in Middle-earth?4. ...be pranked by Pippin OR prank Pippin?5. ...fight a Balrog OR resist the One Ring?6. ...have hair like Galadriel OR Arwen?7. ...eat a meal at The Prancing Pony OR The Green Dragon?8. ...make chainmail OR swords for a living?9. ...read The Silmarillion OR The Children of Húrin?10. ...teach Gollum to sing in tune OR to eat properly?

Something to Think About

If The Lord of the Rings had not been made into a movie, would there still be the same number of fans as there are now?

Lord of the Idolsby I. Salogel

Okay, so this title is a little weird-sounding. The Lord of the Rings and “idols” don’t really fit together—or do they? If you think about it, LOTR is actually quite heavy on showing how easy it is to create idols, how wrong idolatry can be, and also how it can affect people like us. Even though the characters in Tolkien’s world are fictional, they do—excuse me for sounding like a textbook—teach valuable life lessons through their actions and journeys. In this article we’ll be looking at a few different ways that idols are portrayed in Tolkien’s books.

The most obvious example which most people come up with when they think about Lord of the Rings and idols is Gollum and the Ring. Gollum idolized the Ring. It was his everything, his life, his Precious. He would do anything to keep the Ring safe. He even swore by the Ring.

‘Sméagol,’ said Gollum suddenly and clearly, opening his eyes wide and staring at Frodo with a strange light. ‘Sméagol will swear on the Precious…’

‘No! Not on it,’ said Frodo, looking down at him with stern pity. ‘All you wish is to see it and touch it, if you can, though you know it will drive you mad. Not on it. Swear by it, if you will.’4

Frodo realizes how the Ring has become like a god to Gollum, and how dangerous even a glimpse of it could be to the creature. Tolkien also uses visual symbolism with this relationship between Gollum and the Ring. If we look at Gollum, we find a twisted, wretched, whining thing with a schizophrenic and pitiful character: the result of what the Ring did to him. Mind you, the Ring does not only embody an idol for this to happen. It also acts as an addiction, not to mention that it’s a force of pure evil. Gollum’s state of health reflects what a life of sin can do to a person. With this in mind, the Ring also has very interesting symbolism. Tolkien chose a ring as his embodiment of evil: a ring, a never-ending circle. Also, though it makes a circle, there is nothing in the middle but emptiness. Even when the Ring is being worn, it renders the wearer invisible. This is, I believe, a very interesting and thought-provoking way of looking at evil.

The next example of an idol-worshiper in The Lord of the Rings comes in the form of Denethor, Steward of Gondor. He had two idols. The first, as you have most likely guessed, is power. One of his greatest fears is that a descendant of the kings of old will come to reclaim the throne of Gondor.

‘Yet the Lord of Gondor is not to be made the tool of other men’s purposes, however worthy. And to him there is no purpose higher in the world as it now stands than the good of Gondor’ and the rule of Gondor, my lord, is mine and no other man’s, unless the king should come again…

Do I not know thee, Mithrandir? Thy hope is to rule in my stead, to stand behind every throne, north,

4 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers (London: HarperCollins, 2001), 605.

south or west… With the left hand thou wouldst use me for a little while as a shield against Mordor, and with the right bring up this Ranger of the North to supplant me.5

Denethor attempts to make every possible claim to kingship himself, even unto looking into a palantír, a thing which was only for those that had the strength and the right to do so. Aragorn had both the strength and the right – but Denethor had only a pretend right, and barely enough strength to remain sane as long as he did. Power, however, was not the only idol that the Lord of Gondor possessed. He made an idol out of his own son, Boromir. In the eyes of his father, Boromir was perfect and could do no wrong. This was not only unhealthy for Boromir, but it also poisoned the way that Denethor saw his other son, Faramir, for Faramir could never meet Boromir’s potential. Boromir did not live up to his father’s high expectations – he was not immortal, and he so died. Something inside of Denethor snapped then, for what he worshiped was gone, and he could not live with his broken life. In the end, he went insane and committed suicide.

Another example of a human idol occurs in the relationship between Éowyn and Aragorn. It began as a simple admiration and respect for Aragorn in the eyes of the Shieldmaiden of Rohan. But as she learned more about him, Éowyn’s admiration turned to adoration, her respect to worship. She believes that he is different and that he will not turn her back to the duties of a woman which she deplores greatly. In essence, she sees him as a powerful and desirable force which will give her what she wishes. Aragorn realizes this idolizing beginning to happen, and dissuades Éowyn before he rides out to the Paths of the Dead. Éowyn reacts desperately, for she cannot accept easily that Aragorn does not want her, believing that he should want her as much as she desires him. But when Aragorn gently reprimands her with “Nay, lady,” and rides off,

…(she) stood still as a figure carven in stone, her hands clenched at her sides…6

for she realizes that “he cannot give her what she seeks”, to quote Peter Jackson’s movie. Éowyn’s first notion is the same as Denethor, to despair and look for death. But unlike Denethor, Éowyn’s fate is not to be decided so easily, and she recovers from her depression and finds joy again.

Evidently, Lord of the Rings and idols are indeed related. There are many idols in the books. Gollum’s idol, the Ring, is probably the most prominent example, and we see that by clinging to his idol until the very last, he dies with it. Denethor does the same as Gollum, he clings to his idols as his only hope – but when they inevitably fail he has nothing to fall back on and goes insane. Éowyn is in danger of following the same path as the others, but she eventually realizes her folly and overcomes it (with quite a bit of help). Idols are everywhere, they are anything that we become so attached to that we can’t let go of them without being forced to. Tolkien illustrates clearly that when we place all our dependence on things, or persons – whether we are not too serious or extreme – there are consequences.

5 ibid., The Return of the King, 741, 835.6 Ibid., 768

Did You Notice?In Bag End, there are two paintings above the fireplace. They are supposed to be images of Bilbo’s mother and father, Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took, but their faces were based

off Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh!

What If……the Hobbits had missed Aragorn in Bree?

…the Company had not been allowed to pass through Lórien?…Boromir had taken the Ring from Frodo?

Did You Know?The credits song for The Desolation of Smaug (“I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran) was written,

composed and recorded in less than two days!

Cast and Crew Birthdays in MarchMarch 18: Brad Dourif (Gríma Wormtongue) turns 64March 20: Lawrence Makoare (Lurtz, Witch King, Gothmog, Bolg) turns 46March 25: Lee Pace (Thranduil) turns 35Just for fun: Aragorn’s birthday is on March 1st!

JOKES!

Q. Since Peter Jackson is a New Zealander, what does that make the LOTR movies?A. Kiwi fruit!

Q. What did the Elf call his friend who lived by the sea?A. Water-mellon! (Mellon = friend in Elvish)

Q. Why does Bilbo drive a Prius?A. Because he’s trying to defeat smog! (Smaug)

The Hobbit: An Information CornerWhere you can read the latest and most exciting news on everything Hobbit. (But please be aware that spoilers are included.)

-Saturn Nominations: The Desolation of Smaug didn’t do so well for nominations at the Oscars… but the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films has just released the nominations list for their annual Saturn Awards. TH:DoS surprisingly has a total of 8 nominations: best fantasy film, best supporting actress, best director, best writing, best production design, best music (finally!!!), best makeup, and best special and visual effects.

-DVD & Blu-ray: Wondering when The Desolation of Smaug will be out on DVD? Wonder no longer!!! The DVD release dates are out. It looks like we’ll be able to get our hands on the theatrical cut of the film on April 8 th (and possibly a couple days earlier as an iTunes download.) There are several different versions including a deluxe collector’s edition featuring 5 discs, special packaging, and two Dwarf statue bookends. No news as yet on when the Extended Edition is expected to make its debut, but likely sometime in October/November.

-Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon: Weta Workshop is coming out with a book on the design and process of putting the great dragon Smaug on the big screen. Some concept art has also been released, including pictures of Smaug with four legs, the classical Nordic dragon look, as opposed to his Wyvern appearance in the film (two legs and wings with claws on the end). I think that I might like this look better!

-Tolkien art: Some person with talent and a love of music has managed to carve a flute (yes apparently you can do that!) so that each key represents a different stage of Bilbo’s adventures in The Hobbit! Another person with talent has illuminated and copied out a third of Tolkien’s poem, the Lay of the Children of Húrin. The work is done beautifully, even though the artist had never tried anything of the sort before in his life.

-Arthur Rankin’s Death: Arthur Rankin Junior, creator of the 1977 Hobbit and 1980 Return of the King passed away on February 1st. His accomplishment of being the first to successfully bring Tolkien’s work to screen brought many people’s attention to the books, including a young man named Peter Jackson… If Rankin had never made Middle-earth films, it is likely that Jackson wouldn’t have either!