-
Welcome to The Tolkien Forum! Connect with fellow Tolkien enthusiasts and join a community that is over two decades old, and still going strong. We look forward to meeting you. Register
Which are the Two Towers?
- Thread starter Greymantle
- Start date
-
- Tags
- the two towers
Úlairi
Crying in the Wilderness
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2002
- Messages
- 1,947
Cirith Ungol and Orthanc!!! There are no other options! How many times do I have to stress this?
In a letter dated Jan. 1954 Tolkien stated Orthanc and Cirith Ungol ...
... however Tolkien's own final drawing for the book cover of The Two Towers shows Orthanc and Minas Morgul
"JRRT Artist & Illustrator" states that in Jan. 1954 Tolkien was asked to suggest a dust jacket design ... he replied late in February that he was "without both time and inspiration", but "before another month had passed" he produced "notions" for FotR and TTT. As said however, Tolkien's "final rendering" (quoting "JRRT A&I") shows Orthanc and Minas Morgul (there are now copies of TTT with this cover).
For interest alone, the "blurb" in my FotR has Orthanc and Minas Morgul -- which agrees, in any event, with JRRTs cover not the Letter.
Just a little more info to this. Cheers
... however Tolkien's own final drawing for the book cover of The Two Towers shows Orthanc and Minas Morgul
"JRRT Artist & Illustrator" states that in Jan. 1954 Tolkien was asked to suggest a dust jacket design ... he replied late in February that he was "without both time and inspiration", but "before another month had passed" he produced "notions" for FotR and TTT. As said however, Tolkien's "final rendering" (quoting "JRRT A&I") shows Orthanc and Minas Morgul (there are now copies of TTT with this cover).
For interest alone, the "blurb" in my FotR has Orthanc and Minas Morgul -- which agrees, in any event, with JRRTs cover not the Letter.
Just a little more info to this. Cheers
Last edited:
Theoden
Ruler of Rohan
- Joined
- May 18, 2002
- Messages
- 349
I think it is Minas Tirith and Baradur... but that is only my thought on it. I haven't really study up on the subject much
-me
-me
Minas Tirith and Barad-dûr seemingly appear in one of Tolkien's sketches.
Mount Doom appears center of the sketch. The idea "quickly developed" into a "more carefully balanced and less cluttered design", newly featuring the towers of Minas Morgul and Orthanc.
We can see Tolkien never had any doubts about the title in any case
Ithrynluin
seeker of solace
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2002
- Messages
- 4,602
It's Orthanc and Cirith Ungol people!!!
Orthanc is pretty obvious, as the action revolves solely around it in book 3. There is some confusion about the second tower on account of both Minas Morgul and Cirith Ungol being mentioned (and much more than that of course). But the story ends with Cirith Ungol and all our hopes are turned towards it.
(Hmm,I guess we could allow for the possibility of Orthanc and Minas Morgul )
Orthanc is pretty obvious, as the action revolves solely around it in book 3. There is some confusion about the second tower on account of both Minas Morgul and Cirith Ungol being mentioned (and much more than that of course). But the story ends with Cirith Ungol and all our hopes are turned towards it.
(Hmm,I guess we could allow for the possibility of Orthanc and Minas Morgul
)the two towers
the "two towers" has two chapters . The first one talks about the search of meriadoc and peregrin , and the fight against orthanc .
The second one talks about the quest of Frodo and Sam in Mordor .
So i think the two towers are barad dur and orthanc , Instead barad dur never is visited by the hobbitts (anyway , the titles of tolkien are confusing , who would think that the "return of the king" will reffer to the return of Aragorn as the king of Gondor??)
the "two towers" has two chapters . The first one talks about the search of meriadoc and peregrin , and the fight against orthanc .
The second one talks about the quest of Frodo and Sam in Mordor .
So i think the two towers are barad dur and orthanc , Instead barad dur never is visited by the hobbitts (anyway , the titles of tolkien are confusing , who would think that the "return of the king" will reffer to the return of Aragorn as the king of Gondor??)
DGoeij
Pan Narran
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2001
- Messages
- 933
More precise, TTT is made up of two books, as written by professor Tolkien himself. One concering the events in Rohan and one concerning Sam and Frodo. Later on, publishers made a trilogy out of the story, that was originally six books. If you take the two books into account, Orthanc and Cirith Ungol are the dominating structures in those books, and most likely the Two Towers from the title. But with all these towers around, a different view isn't that odd.
However, personally I take the letter by the author himself as the most important source.
However, personally I take the letter by the author himself as the most important source.
DGoeij
Pan Narran
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2001
- Messages
- 933
Quit it! I had made up my mind, you know!
I know what to do! I'll draw two new towers on the all the maps of ME I have and announce them the Two Towers.
Ok. calming down again. Thanks for the side note Cian. You're always capable to come up with new and important info aren't you?
Judging from what I have read in his various letters and in the UT, professor Tolkien had a lot of doubts about his own work now and then, anxious as he was to make it as real and clear as possible.
Personally I like the idea of Orthanc and Cirith Ungol better, because there events that really matter take place in TTT, but who am I to be sure of it?
I know what to do! I'll draw two new towers on the all the maps of ME I have and announce them the Two Towers.
Ok. calming down again. Thanks for the side note Cian. You're always capable to come up with new and important info aren't you?
Judging from what I have read in his various letters and in the UT, professor Tolkien had a lot of doubts about his own work now and then, anxious as he was to make it as real and clear as possible.
Personally I like the idea of Orthanc and Cirith Ungol better, because there events that really matter take place in TTT, but who am I to be sure of it?
HelplessModAddi
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2002
- Messages
- 95
pohuist
Ignorant Loremaster
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2002
- Messages
- 392
More precise, the story was originally ONE book made into a trilogy by the publisher convinced that the one book will never sell. The second book of thus made trilogy is called TTT. It has 2 Parts, each having a few Chapters.
The Towers of the Teeth are only mentioned once or twice in TTT and of the 7 towers in the story are the least important to it.
LOL DGoeij!
I just noted that a couple folks are posting (elsewhere) that the "blurb" in a Del Ray edition (only one of the posters mentioned Del Ray so far) has Orthanc and Barad-dûr rather!
That should add to the fun, no matter what the story is with that (?) -- that full story still unknown to me as of now. Cheers
I just noted that a couple folks are posting (elsewhere) that the "blurb" in a Del Ray edition (only one of the posters mentioned Del Ray so far) has Orthanc and Barad-dûr rather!
That should add to the fun, no matter what the story is with that (?) -- that full story still unknown to me as of now. Cheers
Last edited:
"*grinning* It happens. Even you cannot know it all."
:grins too: and I certainly don't!
And as to the Del Ray edition specifically, it looks like I'm not going to glean anymore "over there" either ~ the person that initially posted that info has seemingly "gone away" in silence ... and my wife won't let me buy any more LOTR editions (for a while) to check it out
edit: another person who also had posted an edition with blurb Orthanc and Barad-dûr has now explained that he goofed! maybe I shoulda never mentioned it ~ LoL!
Oh well it's a blurb. Someone added that maybe it was "PJ inspired" but who knows. Cheers
:grins too: and I certainly don't!
And as to the Del Ray edition specifically, it looks like I'm not going to glean anymore "over there" either ~ the person that initially posted that info has seemingly "gone away" in silence ... and my wife won't let me buy any more LOTR editions (for a while) to check it out
edit: another person who also had posted an edition with blurb Orthanc and Barad-dûr has now explained that he goofed! maybe I shoulda never mentioned it ~ LoL!
Oh well it's a blurb. Someone added that maybe it was "PJ inspired" but who knows. Cheers
Last edited:
One of them is Orthanc. The other could be Minis Tirith or Minas Morgul.
LadyGaladriel
Lady Of The Golden Wood
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2002
- Messages
- 310
In my book Tolkien Clearly states that the Two towers is of that name because its mainly about MINAS MORGUL AND ORTHANIC
Share this page
Similar threads
Today's events
Similar threads
-
-
-
My English project about lotr: the question of the 👁️Eye of Sauron
- Started by AElberethGilthoniel
- Replies: 11
-
Spoilers My Little Pony G4 and Tolkien: A Comparison
- Started by KnightFluttershy
- Replies: 0
-
