I think my favorite animal in the trilogy was the fox that ran across the escaping hobbits in the shire. The fox thought that something very queer was going on, but never found out what it was :)

@davidsaville5239

11 күн бұрын

Yes, something very queer was happening. 3 Hobbits were sleeping outside !!!

"Gnome" was an early name for the Elves that would eventually be called the Noldor. The word is based on the Greek word "gnosis" referring to knowledge.

@berts558

11 ай бұрын

Thanks for explaining the Noldor gnome connection, it's very interesting that initially Barron wasn't a man

@gmansard641

11 ай бұрын

"Gnomes" appear in JRRT's early versions of the Silmarillion, which are in Book of Lost Tales.

@emmitstewart1921

11 ай бұрын

If Beren had originally been a Noldor and Luthien a Sindar, it would explain how they could easily fall in love, why her father opposed their marriage, and why he set a bride price that would probably get Beren killed. It would be comparable to a miller's son falling in love with a king's daughter.

@gmansard641

11 ай бұрын

@@emmitstewart1921 The final version was worse. Luthien, born of a Sindar and a Maia, marrying a mortal man, whom Thingol "did not even take into his service."

@karlsweeney2328

4 ай бұрын

Dude, we were there

I believe Huan's designation of "wolfhound" means he's a breed like the Irish Wolfhound, a dog bred to combat wolves, making werewolves a very natural enemy for him. Depictions of Huan as simply a wolf-like dog have become a pet peeve of mine because it's such a missed opportunity! Irish wolfhounds are cool (and huge!) and the professor would likely have been familiar with them specifically, being a breed with strong British pastoral ties.

Just realized "Tevildo" is an anagram for "Evil Dot" The Eye of Sauron is similarly bright and red, and reflective of a cat's eye. Tolkien predicted lasers long before they were invented, and the cat's eternal struggle to hunt the red dot of evil.

@kathleenhensley5951

Жыл бұрын

Oh, my ... the evil red dot of evil!

Bill the pony is the true hero of middle earth

"Bill the pony and Shadofax were just really good horses." Sometimes thats enough!

@davidsaville5239

11 күн бұрын

There is no mention of any other notable horses in Tolkien's world such as King Theoden's horse or the horse of the Elves that bears Frodo to safety from the Black Riders!!

My dad always wanted a puppy so when he finally got one he named it Huan. It's a great Pyrenees and will therefore be very big...

I have two black kittens, and i do not see them as purveyors of evil. But they are objectively purveyors of chaos. This is precisely why i love them so much.

One of my favorite little things in the lotr is the fox that comes across frodo, Sam, and pippin while still in the shire. I feel like it shows a brief window onto Tolkiens humor.

Cats are mentioned twice in LOTR. Aragorn mentions Queen Beruthiel and her cats as they pass through Moria. The second reference takes place in Shelob's Lair where Tolkien mentions that Sauron regarded Shelob as his 'cat'.

@dsmdgold

6 ай бұрын

There is also an indirect reference in "The Black Gate Opens" when the Captains of the West come before the gate a demand that the Dark Lord come forth. "he (Sauron) had a mind first to play these mice cruelly before he struck to kill." I've thought that casting Sauron in the role of a cat playing with mice as a sort of private Easter egg Tolkien inserted referencing Sauron's connection to Tevildo.

@bsa45acp

6 ай бұрын

@@dsmdgold Good observation, definitely an indirect cat reference.

@melenatorr

5 ай бұрын

@@bsa45acp As a cat person, with two feline sisters currently living with me, I am sad that Tolkien apparently had negative views about these animals.

@bootstrapbill98

4 ай бұрын

which book is that "shelob is cat" mention in? I don't remember that in the two towers, I assume it was in the legendarium or silmarilion?

@bsa45acp

4 ай бұрын

It was in LOTR, at the end of the Two Towers, page 333 in my copy, bottom paragraph. "And sometimes as a man may cast a dainty to his cat (his cat he calls her, but she owns him not) Sauron would send her prisoners that he had nor better use for: he would have them driven to her hole, and report brought back to him of the play she made." I hope that answers your question.@@bootstrapbill98

The reason "they didn't just fly in on the eagles" is that the only reason they could get there is that sauron underestimated them. If eagles had been involved, he would have dealt with them.

I felt like the Hobbit movies did a disservice to Beorn's character. He's supposed to have a regal bearing.

@edwarddore7617

3 ай бұрын

They were a disservice in general.

The discussion about the Eagles and why they didn't fly them to Mordor (aside from the Eagles being sentient beings and not a taxi service) has of course been had to death; but I'd just like to say one thing about it. As we know, the Nazgul were mounted on the fell-beasts when they returned to Mordor after Frodo's narrow escape at the Ford of Bruinen, so, by the time the Fellowship left Rivendell, they presumably had their gross pterosaurs going on. Additionally, Sauron resides at the top of Barad-dur, which is tall. Speaking of tallness, a single error in carrying the Ring-bearer would result in his falling a very tall distance (deadly to him as a short person), through air (which is famously poor at concealing things). In other words: the "take the Eagles to Mordor" plan is, in a little more detail, the "bring the Ring up to Sauron's eyeline and keep it there for many weeks while the newly-airborne Nazgul zero in on it" plan. To me, as an alternative to what they went with, this sounds Bad Actually.

@adammickelson7398

11 ай бұрын

Riding the eagles to Mordor would make for a very short and boring story. One wouldn't be very popular.

@sterlingherrera1792

11 ай бұрын

Yes. I always felt that people acting like the eagles are a plot hole are being silly. Sauron is essentially a godlike being, so why would you make it obvious what you are doing? You have to trick him and be sneaky.

@dsmdgold

6 ай бұрын

To add to the overdone discussion, Tolkien spends an entire paragraph describing the very well maintained rode between the Cracks of Doom and Baradur. The Eagles are spotted flying in, once Sauron figures out where they are headed, he hurries over there himself and meets them as they land. Things go badly.

@Svensk7119

5 ай бұрын

Well said!

@cally77777

4 ай бұрын

I dunno, with a bit of good timing the Eagles could get there pretty quick, without fear of interception from the Flying Nazgul. For example, when they were all engaged at Minas Tirith. Also when the plan was made, this particular device of the Dark Lord was unknown, so it should have been considered at the least. Sauron's power to perceive things afar off, especially as he had a palantir, meant he could at least in theory spot the Eagles coming. However he didn't see the hobbits coming, despite quite a lot of info that they were somewhere in the vicinity, and that they were carrying, and even using the Ring (Sam used it in Cirith Ungol, right on the borders of Mordor). So it looks like he could've been caught off guard. Would not make a good story, of course.

The horses ridden by the Nazgul serve as a tragic counterpoint to the "good" horses of Middle-Earth, and underscore the point that horses are a reflection of their caretakers. (e.g., again, Bill the Pony flourished under Sam's care once he was free of Bill Ferny.)

@drs-xj3pb

4 ай бұрын

Also reflecting their caretakers are Tom Bombadil's Fatty Lumpkin and Theoden's Snowmane.

@micklumsden3956

28 күн бұрын

I like your casting of horses, not having owners but “caretakers“. It reminds me of the story where the little boy with the dog. He’s asked about his dog’s name. He replies “we do not know his name, but we called him Fido“.

I'd give Tevildo a heated blanket and cat snacks and he'd be rehabilitated in no time

My personal fave is Roac the Raven. I know he was kind of a small part, but I've always loved corvids in general and kinda wished Tolkien had maybe leaned a little more into the Odin-inspiration for Gandalf more and gave him some raven friends to counter Saruman's crows.

Included in _The Adventures of Tom Bombadil_ is "Cat" which is a traditional Shire poem possibly revised a bit by Sam Gamgee.

One thing I love about the biblical symbolism behind animals is that even those that are usually portrayed as bad (such as wolves & snakes) are reconciled with the rest of the animals (& people) at the coming of the Savior. Isaiah 11:6 is one of my favorites: “the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb.” 🥰

@Jess_of_the_Shire

Жыл бұрын

Thats beautiful! I also considered putting in a bit about the story of Saint Francis and the wolf in Gubbio, but it would have been an excessive tangent I think. Still super neat how even "evil" animals within the context of the Bible can be turned good with enough love and care.

@mikearchibald744

Жыл бұрын

I don't think they are literally talkng about animals. Thats one reason why there's a revival of pagan religions because animals simply are not part of the narrative for the big five religions, they are just useful symbols. Something I've always hated about them. Even humanists kind of say 'who cares'.

@markalleneaton

Жыл бұрын

Also the use of the bronze serpent on the pole (where we get the modern medical symbol) in Numbers 21:8-9 - a representation of the people's source of suffering transformed into their instrument of healing. : )

@sebastianevangelista4921

7 ай бұрын

@@Jess_of_the_Shire This nicely goes over why wolves get a worse reputation than they deserve: kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZqGhkq2ykdLcmLw.htmlsi=PcK8ADhm9pt3tJ8y

@micklumsden3956

28 күн бұрын

I just love Saint Francis! And so few people seem to know the story of Saint Francis and the wolf. I’m thinking that it’s likely that as a Catholic, Tolkien would have been very familiar with Saint Francis. These two certainly would seem to have a similar view of nature and the environment. And of course Saint Francis developed this when it was complete the unfashionable to hold such views.

I am surprised the intelligent fox from Fellowship of the Ring didn't get a mention. I am always left puzzled by that fox, who comes across Frodo, Sam and Merry headed for Buckland and sleeping the woods. The fox thinks to itself, "Hobbits! Well, what's next? I have heard of strange doings in this land, but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors under a tree. Three of them! There's something might queer behind this." It suggests all of his animals could have a full and articulate internal monologue. And then, separately, there are also the "were-worms" in the Last Desert in the East of East that are mentioned by Bilbo...always wondered what they were.

@MountainFisher

11 ай бұрын

Were worms were a type of dragon I believe since they are called worm sometimes in the Legendarium. At least that is what I assumed them to be first time I read it.

@Pandaemoni

11 ай бұрын

@@MountainFisher There is nothing in the Legendarium that describes were-worms. "Were" is an Old English term meaning "man," and certainly recalls "werewolf," though in Tolkien's world a werewolf was an abnormally large and intelligent wolf (not a man who could transform into a wolf as in other literature or folklore) although Sauron could famously take the form of a werewolf in the early ages of the world. "Worm" can mean dragon in Old English and in Tolkien's parlance, though it could mean a number of things in Old English, including (commonly) snakes or any reptile generally, earthworms and other modern-day worms, or (less likely to be what Toilkien intended for a childrens' story) things like maggots, unwholesome insects, or things that can causes disease. Were-worms might be dragons, though Tolkien also had dragons of man-like intelligence and doesn't refer to those dragons as "were-worms." That dragons are not elsewhere referred to by that term makes me think were-worms were probably snakes of manlike intelligence, but we will never know.

@MountainFisher

11 ай бұрын

@@Pandaemoni I'm just giving my first impression.

@emmitstewart1921

11 ай бұрын

@@MountainFisher Worm was a medieval synonym for dragon, as Tolkien uses it in his story, Farmer Giles Of Ham.

@bootstrapbill98

4 ай бұрын

​@Pandaemoni aye agreed, it's entirely possible that the locals around where the were-worms lived used that name, hence Bilbo referencing them as such as they may be a particular species/subtype of dragon/drake/wyrm, distinct enough for bilbo to think of were-worms and dragons as sufficiently different beasts as to warrant different names (or just calls them what he was told they were called when he presumably asked? idk that's all conjecture but tolkein did LOVE giving multiple names to things depending on who was speaking)

Gnomes was a term that Tolkien used in his early writings to refer to the inhabitants of Faerie. Sometimes meant Elves, sometimes Dwarves, but usually the former. He created a language he called Gnomish. Later he quit using the term, and switched to the ones we're familiar with today..

@qitiandaw2890

Жыл бұрын

I believe Gnomes is just the original name Tolkien had for the Elven tribe of the Ñoldor/Ngoldor. Both deriving their name more from the Greek word for wisdom/knowledge of ‘gnōmē’ which characterized the skill and arts of the Ñoldor. We even see the morphology of the ñ/ng in words like ‘Morgul’ meaning: ‘black (mor) sorcery (gul). Sorcery/magic derived from knowledge or skill. Just like how Ñolofinwë is called the Gnomish King in The Lays of Beleriand. He even had Bëor give Findaráto the Mannish name Nóm to further hone in on the Gnome in his work being the Ñoldor.

You can't talk about Tolkien's animals now without talking about #JUSTICEFORGARM

@Jess_of_the_Shire

Жыл бұрын

My god. I can't beleive I made this mistake. Expect my formal apology video tomorrow.

@benji285

4 ай бұрын

"Help! help! help!" 🐶

22:00 Tolkien saw the faith of horses in WW1. Those soldiers all went through hell but a neat fact is cavalry who lost their horse got leave of abcense. They understood the bond between man and horse in those days in a way we've forgotten today.

You forgot the Oliphants,,,, "Grey as mouse, big as a house..." Spiders may be more used. plot-wise, but Tolkien never dedicated a whole poem to them!

@JCej

4 ай бұрын

Yes he did! The one Bilbo sings to the spiders in Mirkwood to taunt them!

I have just watched a video that includes the line “Tolkien was a horse girl at heart.” This is a thing that has just happened.😂

I think Shelob's mother is the most interesting mystery in middle earth lore.

"If battles didn't start promptly, berserkers would start fistfights with trees" If this raid isn't going to start on time, I'm gonna go play MineCraft.

Ah, Huan. Middle Earth's goodest boy.

The short tale of The Cats of Queen Beruthiel is solid proof that Tolkien agreed with cat lovers. That there are two types of people never to be trusted. People who don't like cats, and people cats don't like! 😂😂

@nemesis4852

11 ай бұрын

Absolutely

I thought that interesting how at the VERY beginning of LOTR Tolkien has a fox thinking in human terms. But no animal really does that again. So Tolkien seems to be implying they do possess language, but unlike 'the old days' they don't bother communicating with humans. I always wonder WHAT kind of 'wisdom' Galdalf somehow passed on to Bill. Shadowfax doesn't seem that interested in a conversation, but he gets a free trip to Valinor for basically taking Galdalf on two trips. Its also interesting that Shelob never talks, despite Ungoliant having been able to, and obviously if gollum 'made a deal' with her, then she could at least understand language. Its interesting that the WORDS Frodo says when the nine riders attack are said to have hurt them more than the sword, but when Frodo and then Sam talk in old elvish, the text reads like its the light and the words have no effect. What that MEANS, I don't know, I just thought it interesting. He even says "she had heard elves say those words long ago and it didn't daunt her". The most cinematic part of the text is when sam is 'possessed' and speaks a language he doesn't know, but that doesn't affect Shelob. But then when 'he's just sam' again he basically yells 'come taste it again' and she goes crawling away. Again, I'm sure that means something in literary criticism, I don't know what it is, but its interesting.

@gmansard641

Жыл бұрын

When Sam calls on Varda (Elbereth) in the language he doesn't understand she replies by causing the Phial to blaze more intensely, helping Sam to defeat Shelob. The last surviving light of the Trees that Ungoliant killed, it's almost as if the Trees themselves fought Ungoliant's descendant.

@akostarkanyi825

11 ай бұрын

@@gmansard641 A great idea!

@emmitstewart1921

11 ай бұрын

@@gmansard641 It is actually the light if the sylmaryl bound to Earandils brow. It is not the last light of the two trees, since the sun is the flower of one tree and the moon is the fruit of the other. Shelob fears that light because it is a form of the light that eternally burned her mother and may have killed her in the end.

@gmansard641

11 ай бұрын

@@emmitstewart1921 I didn't think of that, Anar and Isil, carrying the last fruits of Laurelin and Telperion. I think JRRT referred the the Silmarils as containing the "last unsullied light" of the Trees. Perhaps I should think of it in those terms.

Great video! Just found your channel last week. What a tremendous amount of work and wisdom you put into these. I was bummed the fox in Shortcut to Mushrooms didn't get a mention. I love that there's just this sentient fox "passing by on business of his own" who wonders briefly about hobbits acting strangely. It's one of my favorite scenes in Fellowship, if for no other reason than it implies there are other stories, just as strange and meaningful to their participants as ours are to us, going on around us all the time.

every time you mention your rats, it makes me smile, i had a pair of rats, and they're honestly the most wonderful wee beasties and surprisingly cuddly once they get to know you

@drs-xj3pb

4 ай бұрын

See the rat playmate in Little Women, the only literary rat pet I'm aware of. Willard excluded.

@bootstrapbill98

4 ай бұрын

@drs-xj3pb definitely check out fancy rats (the common name for the breed/species of rat used as pets, which is different to wild/sewer rats, which are much bigger), they're remarkably intelligent and often seem/behave more like tiny dogs or cats than they do other rodents, and they're so fluffy 😁

What! Not a word for the ravens of Erebor, for these brilliant and loyal messengers... shame on you for having forgotten them! Justice for Roäc, son of Carc. 22:16 Bill wasn't healed by Rivendell's magic (although it might have helped a little) but simply by Sam's good care. 24:33 I assume you mean "the Great Trees of Valinor".

Lovely stream! Hooray for painful puns! The Ravens of Erebor were also quite important as messengers in the Hobbit, but kind of took a backseat to the thrushes

I was waiting for the fox that has dialogue in fellowship of the ring. My favourite animal in LOTR 😂

You missed the fox in the Shire! A fleeting reference admittedly, but an intriguing one in a small way... :)

13:30, technically Tolkien's werewolves were wolves with manish or man-like intelligence. Were- Man, Wolf-wolf. Thus werewolf = manish wolf

I always thought it was super interesting how Melkors evil influences and his marring of Arda changed all the animals in ways you wouldn't expect to be considered evil. Like, growing horns and antlers and having dominance disputes rather than living peacefully. Makes you wonder if this is why the Oliphaunts were so willing to be ridden and sent to war, since they were so HUGE and had four gigantic tusks.

@mikearchibald744

Жыл бұрын

Even horses were, because thats what domestication does. I think thats why Tolkien makes a point of giving SOME domesticated animals 'language' to set them apart from the 'dumb' animals. Either way, 'evil' is very much a part of middle earth, so the idea that animals would just be one or the other seems unfair.

@sourisvoleur4854

Жыл бұрын

My eldest daughter hates stories about anthropomorphic animals, and she hit that fox and stopped reading. No matter how much we tried to explain it was not a talking animals story and that fox is sui generis. She wasn't impressed. As far as I know, she's never read the book. 😓😓😓

I picture Morgoth petting his giant cat, and ordering his troops around.

@edwarddore7617

3 ай бұрын

Like the Godfather?

The thrush is a bird that is found in Celtic lore. The fae folks would take the form of thrushes and ravens frequently. There was even a story of a fae prince who married a human woman and he could turn from thrush to man.

Great stuff - neat learning a bit more about the creatures of Middle-earth. Always loved how Tolkien wove nature and particular creatures into his storytelling. I like how it's present in all of the Free People's background and lore from the horses of Rohan to the ravens in The Hobbit and swans and such in the designs of boats and like amongst the humans and elves. It certainly showcases just how much stock Tolkien put in nature and being in tune with it rather than against it. Always been fascinated by Beorn in particular and it was neat that you linked him to Bombadil - I never would have thought that that mystery element built into his character. I would love to see more done about Beorn. I added a bunch about the Beornings into my One Ring RPG campaigns because I loved them so much haha

@Jess_of_the_Shire

Жыл бұрын

It is fascinating how he integrates the animals into cultural motifs! It enriches the world in such a beautiful way. Beorn is definitely going to come back up when I do a full video on Tom Bombadil. I had never made that connection myself until I read the journal entry that I linked in the description, but it's certainly a fascinating comparison. Thanks for watching, and for the continual support! It really means the world

@BecauseOfDragons

Жыл бұрын

@@Jess_of_the_Shire No problem, love watching every week - always fascinating learning more about Tolkien and from different perspectives!

Toklien's wolf stories, a yarn of armed robbery. I'll see myself out.

Saruman using ravens as spies is very odin of him

Carcharoth sound like the sort of guy you want to keep at arm's lenght.

The gnome popping up every few minutes is killing me

Did Tolkien invent the ROUS' (rodents of unusual size)?😂

@Jess_of_the_Shire

Жыл бұрын

Now that is an EXCELLENT point.... much to consider

@drs-xj3pb

4 ай бұрын

I believe Morgenstern came before Tolkien, though not before stew.

Shadowfax was also the only horse to not flee in terror from the Witch king, very brave. So neither Tolkien nor Steven King is a fan of spiders, I can relate.

Also, as a "horse girl" at heart, I have always wondered if Tolkien had a special love for horses.

@kathleenhensley5951

Жыл бұрын

I read that he actually cared for horses during the first world war at the front but I never verified that...

@cocobunitacobuni8738

Жыл бұрын

Chat GPT knew: Furthermore, Tolkien himself kept horses and would often go on horseback rides in the English countryside. His personal experiences and appreciation for these creatures certainly influenced the way he depicted horses in his writings, emphasizing their grace, loyalty, and the strong connections they form with their riders. From what I know, Tolkien created the Rohirrim as a romantacised Anglo Saxon horse culture. "What if the Anglo-Saxons used cavalry more?"

@gmansard641

Жыл бұрын

@@cocobunitacobuni8738 With Saxon cavalry the Battle of Hastings would have been very different.

@cocobunitacobuni8738

Жыл бұрын

@@gmansard641 I'm a noob in English history so had to go read up on it. yes it would have been very different. Why didn't England use horses?

@gmansard641

Жыл бұрын

@@cocobunitacobuni8738 No idea, you'd need a medieval history expert on that one. But on the Continent there was an established equestrian tradition going back to the rise of the Carolingians in the 8th century. My guess is that the Normans adopted it when they settled in France.

Another appearance of the Eagles of Manwe was as an omen of the Downfall of Numenor. In its last days, 'a great cloud shaped as it were an eagle' appeared to blot out the sun, and bearing lightning beneath its wings, caused men to cry out in fear 'The Eagles of the Lords of the West!'.

Tolkien as a horse girl is a joyful thought I will never let go. And it was nice to see a cameo of your rat! ❤

You're currently my favorite youtuber, loving this content!

Would have been nice to mention the Ravens of Ravenhill in The Hobbit. Friendly to the Dwarves, Roac son of Carc could translate the Thrush's message for Thorin & Co.

This is such a great subject, thank you for making an entire video about it 👌🏾😄

Oliphants!

Plot twist - super mice are R.O.U.S.s and the Princess Bride lives within Tolkein's universe.

@edwarddore7617

3 ай бұрын

Unconcievable!

Good stuff! Fun and enlightening!

It is a rare thing for me to binge watch a single channels video's. I love you for your work my knowledge of tolkien and the ideologies of his works has increased, significantly challenging my preconceptions and ideologies deepening my love for fantasy. I admire and respect you which is not something I can say about most people I know personally and look forward to more.

Can we get a LoTR adaptation where Sauron's a cat please? I didn't know I needed that in my life until now!

@edwarddore7617

3 ай бұрын

He already had the eye for it.

@sebastianevangelista4921

3 ай бұрын

@@edwarddore7617 EEEHHH

Another wonderful video. Tempo is pleasant, presentation almost whimsical and information presented in a well thought out manner (segues can be stretched when your viewers are both interested and appreciative of your efforts) and your humility really helped. Your degree serves you well. Thank you. Please continue.

The realtionship of CS Luis and Tulkin is like Freaaiser and Niles in Fraiser.

❤ "In Christianity, the Thrush is seen as a symbol of hope and resurrection. The story of Easter is often associated with the Thrush because of its connection to rebirth and new beginnings. Christians also see the Thrush as a symbol of purity and innocence. In some Christian artwork, the Thrush is depicted as a white bird, representing the innocent soul of a child.The thrush bird symbolism is also associated with music and song. In many cultures, they are connected to the creative arts. If you hear a thrush singing, it is a sign that the muse is close by and inspiration is on the way. If you are feeling creatively blocked, listening to the song Thrush can help to open you up to new ideas and possibilities." from spiritanimalsandsymbolism

Nice Video! I've never gotten into Tolkien, but I've always been interested. Thank you for making a video that's easy to watch and learn a bit.

@Jess_of_the_Shire

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for watching! I'm glad I could help you get a little further into Middle Earth!

Carcharoth was raised by Morgoth, not Sauron and there are other dogs, Beorn's and Farmer Maggot's (sorry for being a bighead) Great video, again! I was actually not aware of the cat-business.

Cat by J. R. R. Tolkien The fat cat on the mat may seem to dream of nice mice that suffice for him, or cream; but he free, maybe, walks in thought unbowed, proud, where loud roared and fought his kin, lean and slim, or deep in den in the East feasted on beasts and tender men. The giant lion with iron claw in paw, and huge ruthless tooth in gory jaw; the pard dark-starred, fleet upon feet, that oft soft from aloft leaps upon his meat where woods loom in gloom -- far now they be, fierce and free, and tamed is he; but fat cat on the mat kept as a pet he does not forget.

12:55 I saw so many movies like that, that was great!

wonderful video informative and so entertaining

You have a very relaxing voice, you should do readings of books or short stories

I've heard it jokingly said that excellence of Bill the Pony was Tolkien's apolpgy for having so many ponies eaten by goblins and dragons in "The Hobbit". I enjoyed the video very much, and since it was an "almost" complete guide I will forgive the exclusion of the importance of Swans, the Fox and the queer ways of Badgers.

the constant gnome laughter when he's mentioned really got to me.. LOL

"shabby horse energy" 🤣🤣

I think the most important cat in Tolkien is the cat who played a 5 string fiddle.

Fauns are rather benevolent compared to the more sadistic satyrs, so Tumnus as a faun is totally appropriate.

I have that same artwork of an eagle fighting a dragon, and I can't believe I never realized it could be Thorondor thrashing Ancalagon. It's been my phone's wallpaper since August.

“Her hatred of cats only drew them closer” Yeah that checks out

@cally77777

4 ай бұрын

There's the black cat in Edgar Allen Poe's tale, which fawns on the protagonist, even though he hates it, and eventually kills it. It then appears to take revenge from beyond the grave. Maybe Tolkien was thinking of that cat as well.

As someone who loves animals , I really enjoyed this video. It did make me realize that Tolkien didn't actually mention animals much that I can recall, other than the specific plot points you mentioned. Perhaps he leaves it to the reader to assume the standard fauna in the world. I think he does mention "forest creatures" when Bilbo and company are making their way through Murkwood. I think wargs would have been a nice inclusion in the dogs/wolves section, but I don't know how much lore there is to find about them.

At 21:05, the role of the Eagles as messengers of God is seen in the Eagle that brings the news of the defeat of Sauron to Minas Tirith in language straight out of the Psalms of David.

thank you for your videos, as a wannabe tolkien historian these are amazingly well made

18:04 Thorondor was bigger than an Airbus 320 or a Boeing 737.

Your Deus Ex Machina aside was less irrelevant than you might think.

You forgot the fox that asks himself where the hobbits are going.

Look up “Love of the three Oranges” it’s an opera. along with the puss and boots opera (19th century) Tolkien must’ve been keen on opera as it was at its height in popularity at the time. And there are several plot points you mention with animals which are 1:1. Especially the cat story

are you aware of the KZread channel called men of the West? I believe that is the channel that has a video about what would’ve happened if Bill the Pony had ended up with the ring.

According to modern scholars, Tolkien probably had NO arachnophobia (even though he didn't like them all that much) and he allegedly put the spiders into The Hobbit to affect his son Michael (who had), and then later in The Lord of the Rings to have an expy for Ungolianth. But still, it's funny that even his first outline for Earendil's story contains a giant spider as a fiend. 😅

Tolkien does write about more dogs in FotR, with farmer Maggot’s puppers.

While not part of the Middle Earth universe, you would enjoy Farmer Giles of Ham. Where the titular character has a dog and a dragon that are both fun characters that feature prominently throughout the novella.

@taddy_mason4197

Жыл бұрын

It is a fun quick read.

@Jess_of_the_Shire

Жыл бұрын

I love Farmer Giles of Ham! It's such a fun romp, and the animal/beast characters are just enchanting. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!

Theatre nerd! why am I not surprised I spent three years in technical theatre in Grant MacEwan in Canada too, so it's not a shock that I like you, 😊

Luthien is still looking good since last I saw her.

Now I like him even more.

Love the puns

Huh. I would never have thought that Tolkien would like Chaucer :o

I always felt that Ungoliant and Shelob were also a way for Tolkien to draw a distinction between a kind of “naturally-occurring evil” versus a politically-motivated or socially-motivated evil as, say, Sauron is. Ungoliant and Shelob do not care anything about the petty squabbling between men and others. They simply see anyone and everyone as a meal. The sort of antisocial element of the two spiders makes them more frightening than the main villains were, at least to me.

@JCej

4 ай бұрын

I'd say Old Man Willow is very similar to Shelob and Ungoliant. I don't know if he was trying to actually eat the hobbits during the Old Forest sequence in Fellowship, but it sure seemed like he was!

Somehow it had never occurred to me that there were no cats in Middle Earth

Reading through the hobbit I noticed they went through a lot of ponies lol

Two other points. Don't forget about the ravens of Raven Hill in the Hobbit. And tho' it's maybe the most obscure character of all in the Fellowship, my fave is the fox in the woods who comes up on the hobbits and wonders to itself why they're out and abroad from Hobbiton.

It was Morgoth who raised Carcaroth, not Sauron.

I am in the camp that berserkers were not a particularly Norse idea, rather they are among the last documented versions of Indo-European tradition. The reason we know more about Norse berserkers rather than their counterparts is because there was much written about the Norse while they were still a very tribal pagan people, while other Indo-Europeans adopted near eastern civilisational and/or religious norms at the same time their society started documenting itself/was being documented by others. I would argue Arcadian werewolves were the same, and it wasn't so much a punishment rather that is more or less the intended result Also negative spider myths definitely exist, though more in the south and east where venomous spiders predominate. Most importantly I think you touched on something often overlooked with the Tolkien horse girl comment. Many of the noble pursuits of old have been denigrated as the hobbies of weirdos. Wargaming is the hobby of sweaty overweight men, equestrianism is the hobby of weird horse girls, etc.

BCE? Aw, man. 180 feet are 60 yards. Half a US football field, plus ten yards. I don't think Shellob was the last of Ungoliant's descendants, since there were still spiders in Mirkwood. She perhaps was the last of her great descendants... you just kissed a rodent! C. S. Lewis more than made up for the lack of rats in El Profé's works. I hadn't noticed how few cats there were in Middle-earth, oh, Jess o' S. Thanks! Your commentary on horses made me realize... Robert Jordan combined Bill and Shadowfax into Bela!

20:41 and also in the hobbit the eagles refuse to go any where near men ( big people)

I think you have an original take on breaking down Lord of the Rings I like your style

I feel like they said somewhere the point of not going on with armies or eagles or the like was the need for stealth...... There were only so many eagles..... Sauron was supposed to have lots of spies. Hobbits slipped under everyone radar.

13:00 I've watched a lot of your videos the past few days, but that seals it. It's a very good thing that I don't know you in real life because I'm almost certain that I would fall hopelessly in love with you.