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A few more questions to dive even further. What is the difference between the Nazgul and the other wraiths of Middle-Earth? What is the difference in powers/abilities between the Nazgul and the other wraiths? What is the relation to Sauron and or Morgoth (if there is evidence for this at all)...

You're correct I clearly haven't read the Hobbit in awhile and unfortunately let PJ's film get stuck in my head. Regardless of that however the "rolling and grinding" can still have a spiritual effect. The Nazgul are not invulnerable to physical means of harm however I would argue. True they...

I know I'm responding a bit late to this conversation, but o well. To me personally it really doesn't matter if the boulders are spiritual or physical. I do believe the boulders are a part of Gandalf's magic one way or the other (if they are spiritual I think it would fit with his capabilities...

Another factor to consider in thinking about this is the use of the Rings of Power. Gollum, Bilbo and Frodo never use the One Ring to use it's power (other than to make themselves invisible, which is more about the ring effecting them and them using it than the other way around). Presumably...

I believe he would have been susceptible to the same effect but in different ways. Much in the same way that Sauron himself was susceptible as a Maiar, not to mention many of the other who followed Melkor in his rebellion. I think it would be an interesting study to see the differences in...

If we're talking defiance, Elbereth and Luthien are two of the greatest beings in history to defy the great evil that entered Arda. Elbereth kindling the stars that Morgoth could never hope to reach, and Luthien defying him before his very throne and causing him to lose a Silmaril. In this...

As far as motivation goes on behalf of the Valar, one could argue even if they knew exactly where the Ring was they may not have wanted to reveal that information to the Istari. Remember the Istari were sent to Middle-Earth to assist and give hope to the peoples there. If they found the Ring...

In a recent class Corey pointed out that at the end of the discussion on what they should do after Ferny and the Southern's mischief, Merry made the comment, "There is one crumb of comfort,' said Merry, 'and more than a crumb, I hope: we can have breakfast while we wait - and sit down to it."...

Looking forward (like 20 years for this class) I think we can gain some wisdom for this question from the chapter The Voice of Saruman. In the chapter Saruman has been trapped by the ents in Orthanc and later Gandalf comes along to deal with him. After Gandalf breaks Saruman's spell over the...

While we don't have specific evidence in LotR, we do have evidence elsewhere of swords with sentience and therefore this could be a possibility (Gurthang and Turin). While I personally can't go along 100% with this interpretation it is fun to think about.

Perhaps this is some of the motivation as to why he tells the tale of Beren and Luthien to the hobbits on Weathertop. His sadness draws from this story particularly even more so due to the circumstances he finds himself in and, though we don't know it yet his connection with Arwen, it seems a...

His first and what we could probably call his "true name" is Aragorn before he is called Estel. As the heir of Isildur his given name is Aragorn from his parents (heirs to the throne). To me it would seem that this is his "king" name and therefore the verses that go with that name that are...

Last week amysrevenge had a post about Bree being a return to normalcy after the last three chapters seeming more like an adventure into Faerie and Enchantment. This got me thinking more about these chapters and other instances of the company traveling into Faerie (such as when the hobbits go...

To go along with our discussion as well that we had in the previous episode, perhaps this plays into the questions we had about why Bree has never fallen (again taking that their own tales about themselves are true)?

Upon this reread I have been wondering often to myself "who wrote this part?" From what we know about the contents of this book we know as "The Lord of the Rings" or more properly as Frodo pens at the end of the Return of the King "The Downfall of the Lord of the Rings and the Return of the...

I don't have any fully formed thoughts on this, but here is a question that may lead to further discussion. Is there a difference in the significance in East and West because there is something fundamentally different about the Elves? We know the Silmarillion is from a Elvish point of view and...

Upon our readings of the Wight's song and the surrounding passages I noticed a somewhat focus on hands during the events in the Barrow. It first took my notice during our discussion of the Wight's song when he says "Cold be hand and heart and bone," but there is also the explicit mention of...

I posed this question last week during the live session and I keep thinking about it. Frodo's last dream/vision in the house of Bombadil takes place at the beginning of chapter 8. Why does it take place here instead of at the end of chapter 7? It seems to me that on its face value, the...

In the discussion on Tom talking to the hobbits and taking them through the history of Ea and how he was first and witnessed much, I found it fascinating that Tom ends up falling asleep. I always found this striking and wondered why this happens and it wasn't until listening to the discussion...

Another reason to believe that this is Gandalf is in the description of the wind. As stated from the dream passage "There was a noise like a strong wind blowing, and on it was Bourne the sound of hoofs, galloping, galloping, galloping from the East." From later descriptions of Shadowfax...