It’s time for the ultimate book-turned-movie post: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R. R. Tolkien!!
These exciting, enchanting stories are some of the most well-known in the literature world. We’re going to be looking at them through the movie, because the movie follows the story line closely and gives a really good picture of what’s going on.
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is
-Gandalf
given to us.”
The first book in the trilogy is called the Fellowship of the Ring. It begins in the Shire, where the hobbits live. Hobbits are small, home-oriented people who generally don’t leave the Shire.
There’s one hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who HAS left the Shire before. While away from the Shire and on an adventure, Bilbo came across a Ring.
This Ring is one of 20 that were distributed to all the races. There were only nineteen at first, but an elf named Sauron secretly forged another ring, the One Ring, which had dominance over all the Rings.
What happens to the other nineteen rings?
The dwarves used theirs to build mines. The humans were corrupted by theirs and became Ringwraiths, terrifying half-alive shadows riding on their demon horses. The elves were able to keep their Rings without becoming demons or miners.
He wore this Ring in battle, but when he was killed, it was thrown into the hands of men. Eventually it was lost.
Bilbo found the One Ring again, and brings it back to the Shire, where it stays with him until he grows very old.
From One Hobbit to Another
Bilbo takes care of his orphaned nephew, Frodo. Frodo is a strong, intelligent boy who knows nothing of the Rings.
But when Gandalf, an old wizard, comes to the Shire to explain that Sauron is rising again and he seeks the One Ring, Frodo is tasked with taking it to Rivendale. Rivendale, where the elves live, will be safer.
He and his friends, Sam, Pippin and Merry, set out to Rivendale, pursued by the Ringwraiths. Several times they are almost killed by the demon men on horseback.
At one point, in a dangerous town, the hobbits meet the Ranger Strider. He protects them from the Ringwraiths and goes to Rivendale with them.
The True Adventure Begins
At Rivendale, nine individuals join together to protect the Ring and deliver it into the forges of Mordor, where the deadly power of it will be destroyed and Sauron’s rise thwarted. They are called the Fellowship of the Ring.
The members of this fellowship are: Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin. Their friend, the Ranger Strider, aka Aragorn. Legolas, an elf, Boromir, a man, Gimli, a dwarf, and Gandalf, a wizard.
Over the next few weeks, this Fellowship travels towards Mordor. Gandalf is lost during a heated battle inside a mountain, and Boromir is killed by orcs. At that point, the rest are forced to split up–Sam and Frodo continue towards Mordor to fulfill the purpose of their trek. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas hunt the orcs that kidnapped Pippin and Merry.
I won’t spoil the ending, but just know that these movies are intensely enjoyable and definitely worth your time!!
I gotta admit, I didn’t think I would enjoy these movies as much as I do. As well as being meaningful and somewhat dark at times, they are funny and exciting.
I’m impressed at J. R. R. Tolkien’s commitment to the books. The language of the elves he developed himself, and the whole world of LOTR is complicated and realistically thought out.
The characters are individually amazing, yet even more so when working together and seen side by side.
And, looking at it as a movie, the effects and stunts are WILD!!
I don’t know how they managed to make it look like the Fellowship were on the side of a mountain with blocks of ice and snow being hurtled at them, or how they choreographed the fighting. And, frankly, I don’t want to know.
That’s part of the magic of these movies. They feel so believable, and so real. You are side by side with all the characters, fighting their battles, laughing with them, feeling their pain.
I hope you found this post enjoyable and helpful!!! Happy reading or, in this case, watching!!!
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