Of Amazons and Hobbits
Jul. 24th, 2022 05:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fbhjr5 1/2 years ago my wife and I went to the Hobbiton set they used for the Lord of the Rings movies and the Hobbit movies.
When we came to the famous spot where Bag End was, I noticed very quickly that there were windows to the right side of the entrance.
This would have put them on the right side of the hallway, something specifically contradicted in the book:
"The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river."
Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Hobbit: 75th Anniversary Edition (p. 1). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.
I asked our tour guide about this.
"Have you read The Silmarillion?"she responded.
"Well, yes, but Bag End doesn’t show up in that at all. It’s mostly first age with a bit of second age thrown in. Bag End is at the tail end of the third age."
"Go stand over there with the Silmarillion people," she said, pointing to a small group of people at the edge of the tour.
"I’m just asking about windows. I’ve have a copy of the book on my iPhone, I can show you the passage!"
"Go!" she said, pointing again to the group. "Silmarillion people don’t get to ask questions until the end."
I wandered over to The Silmarillion people.
"What they get you for?" one asked.
"Shouldn’t be windows on the right side of the main door," I replied.
"He’s right," another said. "It’s clear in the book."
The tour proceeded. Several times I got up near the front again and was returned to The Silmarillion people.
I bring this up as the last trailer for the new Amazon show "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" came out recently.
I have thoughts and feelings about it. But, I no longer have Silmarillion to stand with.
So, I don’t know what would happen.
I can’t reread the books or watch the movies or people die.
And, as much as I like the story, I don’t want that to happen. Again.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-25 12:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-25 09:14 am (UTC)