Second-guessing and Misunderstanding Tolkien

[Ugluk]

Interesting new eye-roll icon. Can't make out what it's wearing 🤔

I think it is meant to be a wizard's hat

 

[Radaghast]

Since this thread has veered off topic anyway, here's one I'm posting just because:

John Ronald. Was Ronald Reagan named after Tolkien?

Heck, maybe this should just be the silly questions thread.

 

[The Void]

I always wondered how Hobbits, supposedly being kin to Men (Humans) had got pointy ears?

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Does it say in the books they had pointy ears or was that a PJ invention?

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Tolkien's drawing of Bilbo.

Heck, maybe this should just be the silly questions thread.

There are many such threads. 😉
Hey -- maybe we should have a Silly Questions forum! 😁

 

[Radaghast]

Also

View attachment 16417
Tolkien's drawing of Bilbo.

Also, in a letter he described their ears as "only slightly pointed and ‘elvish’"

There are many such threads. 😉
Hey -- maybe we should have a Silly Questions forum! 😁

I propose a Ministry of Silly Questions, to go along with the Ministry of Silly Walks.

(I just realized the legs can rotate either way)

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

John Ronald. Was Ronald Reagan named after Tolkien?

No, but I think this guy was.

 

[ZehnWaters]

Interesting new eye-roll icon. Can't make out what it's wearing 🤔

A wizard's hat.

No, but I think this guy was.
View attachment 16418

I suppose it's better that they ask than remain in ignorance.

 

[Radaghast]

Aarrrgh! Read the books!

How Is Melkor more powerful than Sauron? And where was Melkor when Sauron was taking over middle earth?

I hope these eye rolls are directed at the questions and not at me 😬😄

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

They are indeed.

 

[Radaghast]

Besides the bad questions, there are also bafflingly bad answers:

Question:

"What was Sauron reaching for after he smashed Narsil in pieces and had his hand (with Ring of Power) exposed and at risk?"

Answer:

That was from the movie, not the book. Tolkien’s writings were always more vague about how Isildur could possibly have gotten the Ring off of Sauron’s finger, but he somehow did. (That was always a big hole in Tolkien’s stories, so I didn’t think Peter Jackson’s attempt to make it more believable a bad thing… although it raised still more questions.)

Just... how? How can anyone who has read the book come to this conclusion? The text is not vague on this. It clearly says, in more than one place, that Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron's hand after he is "overthrown" Gil-galad and Elendil.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

The "Big hole" is in the respondent's memory-- understandable, given the massive story; I have some myself, and often have to look things up. I have a feeling repeated viewing of the movies mess up quite a few memories too -- especially for people who saw them before reading. As a matter of fact, there's a discussion on the subject going on here right now:

Post in thread 'What do you remember about your first reading of the LOTR?' https://thetolkien.forum/threads/wh...r-first-reading-of-the-lotr.30262/post-566243

That said, I would personally hesitate to answer questions confidently until I'd looked up references -- something that a lot of Quorans and Redditors apparently feel unnecessary. 😀

 

[Radaghast]

That said, I would personally hesitate to answer questions confidently until I'd looked up references -- something that a lot of Quorans and Redditors apparently feel unnecessary. 😀

Especially when someone points out the error, which I did. His answer suggested he still thinks it's Isildur who is "somehow able to wrestle Sauron down to the ground and pin him to the dirt, long enough to actually cut the ring off his finger!"

😐

That was in all caps with many more exclamation points, incidentally 😕

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I think you're fighting a losing battle there, but . . .

 

[Radaghast]

Another answer contains this picture:

I don't recall Sauron ever killing Spider-Man 😝

I think you're fighting a losing battle there, but . . .
View attachment 16445

What is the DEAL with people getting Tolkien wrong?

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Too much Roundtine?

 

[ZehnWaters]

Another answer contains this picture:

I don't recall Sauron ever killing Spider-Man 😝

You don't?

 

[Radaghast]

Nope, not even Marvel's own Sauron 😝

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Too much Roundtine?

That's gold, SES! Gold!

 

[Ugluk]

Especially when someone points out the error, which I did. His answer suggested he still thinks it's Isildur who is "somehow able to wrestle Sauron down to the ground and pin him to the dirt, long enough to actually cut the ring off his finger!"

😐

That was in all caps with many more exclamation points, incidentally 😕

Oh dear...


I have always understood the text as implying that Gilgalad and Elendil had, through their sacrifice, weakened Sauron to the point where Isildur could cut the ring off with the hilt of Narsil