Many know J. R. R. Tolkien as the writer of “The Lord of the Rings”. Do all know that he did not begin, nor stop with this novel? Many don’t bother to wander that maybe there is more of the Middle-Earth they learned to love so much just waiting to be discovered. “The Lord of the Rings” was written in 17 years. Tolkien polished his story relentlessly so it would fit his grand design. What is even more remarkable is that the action of the novel takes place at the end of the Third Age of Middle-Earth history. By the way – ages in Tolkien’s writing are periods of time defined by major events such as cataclysms or great shifts of political power. So, how about the Ages that come before? What about those that come after? These would be very good questions to ask. And Tolkien answers. He answers with the totality of all of his life’s work. He gives you “The Silmarillion”. It is a collection of stories that were published after his death in 1977 by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Tolkien, the elder, began writing the stories that would later become “The Silmarillion” back in 1914. He intended them to become an English mythology that would explain the origins of English history and culture. As a scholar of mythopoeic literature he wanted to give his people something that he thought they, as a nation, were deprived of. Although “The Silmarillion” was rejected by publishers over and over again, Tolkien never gave up. As relentlessly as he cared for every detail in his works, so too, he wrote to editors and publishers seeking those that would take “The Silmarillion” out into the world. Encouraged by the success of “The Hobbit” he tried once more, but it was not yet his time. After this last attempt he returned to puffing his pipe and polishing the philosophy and the theology of Middle-Earth to the very end of his life. Several years after Tolkien’s passing, his son, Christopher, edited and compiled the narrative that is now known as “The Silmarillion”. Finnaly in the fall of 1977 the greatest work of J. R. R. Tolkien was published.

“The Silmarillion” is compiled of five parts:

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4. Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age – or “The Lord of the Rings”.
After the end of the Third Age comes the Fourth Age or the Age of Man, where the Middle-Earth gradually becomes more and more like our Earth, but Tolkien never wrote down more than an obscure definition of the Ages to come. Instead, he left us with “The Silmarillion”. A grand adventure spanning over thousands of years “The Silmarillion” accounts for the fall of the Melkor, the First Enemy, the downfall of Numenor, the greatest kingdom of Men, the retreat of the Elves and the Valar from the everyday lives of men.

I have given you, dear reader, a glimpse of what Tolkien worked on, his entire life. Short and clouded as it may have been, still you might have caught the idea or should I say the reason why I write about this man. What he has accomplished surpasses many of his peers, not to mention followers. Single handedly this man has created a mythological background, languages, cultures, histories that encompass as much as some of our own, real world traditions. One man, in ~60 years has done something that nations work on for centuries. And we have the opportunity to see it, read it for ourselves. Isn’t that amazing? With this in mind, I invite you to journey through the First and Second Ages of Middle-Earth in the next series of articles. I will talk about each of the legends separately and the themes that join them thus forming the underlying base of values and beliefs upon which Middle-Earth is built.

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Symbols – codes of meaning, used by people in their daily lives, or by authors in their writings. Tolkien’s works are also full of various symbols. Some are simple, just like those we use in our everyday lives. Some are a bit more complex. The two of the most prominent symbols, both, appear in “The Lord of the Rings” as poems. The first one goes like this:
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

“Renewed shall be blade that was broken” – a line describing something all too familiar for a fan of fantasy. A sword. Swords have always been symbols of strength, will, power, honor and sometimes even hope. Equally a weapon and an instrument to protect those one cares about and provide for them a sword is one of the most well-known symbols of our world. So it’s not surprising that it made his way into fantasy writing. But the poem speaks of no ordinary sword. This sword is Narsil, The Red and White Flame, re-forged into Andruil, The Flame of the West, the sword that when broken by Sauron still managed to cut the Ring of the Dark Lord’s finger and destroy his power for a long time. When he returned it was this same sword that called the Men of the West to battle against the darkness of the East one last time. The legends of this sword are deeply rooted in the history of the Middle-Earth.
Another very important symbol is incorporated into the name of Tolkien’s famous novel – “The Lord of the Rings”. The symbol of a ring in Tolkien’s work and its importance was revealed during the council of Elrond, where the encryption on the One Ring was read aloud:

“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

A ring, as a symbol, has been present in human life for as long as man can remember. It represents eternity, the ever-changing cycle of life. It is also a symbol of power – wise men, priests, bishops, kings and emperors all wore rings to symbolize their influence and strength. The One Ring is no different – it is eternal and grants its master an extremely long lifespan. Upon making it Sauron poured all his malice into it, giving it, and himself, so much more power. Thus, the One Ring, is actually as classical as a ring symbol can be!
These two symbols, the sword and the ring, are in opposition since the very beginning of “The Lord of the Rings”. The ring, in Tolkien’s works, symbolizing greed for power, abuse of it and the sword – the return of the king. In other words, the sword brings order, stability, prosperity, strength, but most importantly – hope. For only a true man, destined for the sword would wield it. Same as only Sauron could use the One Ring to its full potential. So the Ring is made for one singular purpose – to destroy all that the Sword represents.
As we know it (SPOILERS), no actual clash of Sword and Ring occurs in the story. But the tension these two symbols generate ignite some very interesting inner conflicts. One of them is Aragorn’s fear of “falling for the ring”. His ancestor, the wielder of Narsil, Isildur, had a chance to destroy the One Ring, but decided to keep it, thus allowing Sauron to come back to power. Aragorn is tempted by the same desire. This temptation becomes his ultimate test if he ever wants to ascend to the title of king.
Another interesting, yet not so much developed conflict centers around the fears of Sauron. Sauron, being a tool more than a character in “The Lord of the Rings” is a main antagonist, but that is really all we know about him. That he is out there, that he is mean, that he must be stopped. And one more thing – he is very, very scared of the Narsil and the man who will bear it. Old wounds do tend to remind of themselves, and Sauron’s wounds are no exception. He remembers very well the cursed sword that destroyed his empire, with a single slash, when it was at its highest! He is very afraid that that will happen again. Because even though he is so powerful and has lived for thousands of years, some of those without a body, he is still so very afraid of death.

A ring for Power. A sword for Hope. The two not always carry these same meanings, even in the works of Tolkien. But for the “Lord of the Rings” they came together, against each other, to spark one of the greatest tales of adventure know to fantasy literature. Now it’s time for each reader to find their own meaning of these or other symbols that Tolkien has hidden in his works. “Fly you fools!”

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“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

“The road goes ever on and on” said Bilbo to Gandalf. “Now far ahead the road has gone” sang Frodo to himself while wandering about the Shire. These words delicately describe the fragile wanting of every hobbit to explore, experience and discover. Yet, that wish remains contained. Mostly, by the greenhouse like conditions of the Shire. Only a handful dared to step further than any hobbit before and… a little bit further.
How could such a world, were the small and courageous triumph over the big and greedy, not inspire entire generations? The evil powers of Tolkien’s world desire power above all other things. They seek to destroy and enslave all other things to get it. And the faith of the world is put into the hands of a couple of hobbits, no taller than a human child. Why? Because they were afraid. Because they were not strong enough. Because they had no powers, no great weapons. Because they dared to take that one little step further. Their journey was long. Their road went far. So far, down from the door where it began…
The Fellowship of the Ring breaks apart at Amon Hen, where they stopped to rest, before completing one and beginning the second, even more perilous part of their journey.. The terrible power of the Ring corrupts one of its members, and the rest are attacked by orcs. From here on Frodo and Sam continue on alone. Two hobbits on a suicide mission in to the heart of Mordor. Two hobbits against a million of orcs. Poor orcs…
But before that they have to pass the ever tricky mountains of Emyn Muil. Long story short – they make it! Straight into the Dead Marshes. Not a lovely place. Not because it’s dead, mostly because it’s marsh-land. Tiresome, dangerous and treacherous to cross. But it serves its purpose and safely leads the brave hobbits to the Black Gates. Here, however, they change their minds and decide to enter Mordor through a “back door”, so to speak. Here I will stop, so not to spoil any more important details, for possible future readers.
As you can guess, it’s not a Sunday afternoon kind of a hike, these two hobbits set out for. They knew that from the day they decided to take it. But did they fully understand it? I doubt it. That is why their determination amazes readers all over the world so much. As most heroes of epic stories they experience one dangerous situation after the other. They lose everything along the way. At one point they even lose hope. Only to regain it with their very last breath of strength.
I only chose this little part, this one line of the entire plot, to share with you one of the most important lessons Tolkien is trying to teach us. “I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay, small acts of kindness and love. – Gandalf “.

Ordinary courage. Simple people. Greatness in a sunset over the sea, not in the glimmering of a thousand swords. To the people of Middle-Earth this lesson associates with the bravery of hobbits. With that first step Bilbo Baggins took, that was followed by Froddo, out into the world, following the call of an adventure burning deep inside their hearts.

Listen to your heart. Where is it calling you to?

“Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens”

There is something in every book, every story, that makes captives of our hearts and conquers our minds. It gives life to most boring descriptions and plot twists. It makes us feel part of the world we are reading about. Characters!
Isn’t it all about them? Could we have a book full of marvelous descriptions and not a single person? Well, yes we could – they’re called encyclopedias. Now tell me, how many of you read encyclopedias for fun…? I thought so.
Tolkien’s characters are vibrant personalities with rich backstories. They are full of life, passion, courage, greed, power, envy, lust. I would like to introduce you to some of the characters of the “The Lord of the Rings”.
Oh, and if you care – SPOILERS!!! There, you have been thoroughly warned.

The first part of Tolkien’s trilogy is named “The Fellowship of the Ring”. There is a reason why. One of the most important events of this book is the gathering of the Council of Elrond to appoint nine people, representing the free races of Middle-Earth, to destroy the One Ring. They will come to be known as – The Fellowship of the Ring. Coincidence? I think not!

Here they are:

Aragorn – son of Arathorn, also known as Elessar, was the 16th Chieftain of the Dunedain of the North; he was later crowned King of Arnor and Gondor, the First High King of the Reunited Kingdom. He was a great warrior, possessed great knowledge of the lands of Middle-Earth, and helped the cause of the Fellowship greatly.
Gandalf – the Grey, later known as Gandalf the White, and by many other names, was a wizard sent to Middle-Earth with a single task – to combat the threat of Sauron. By his initiative the Fellowship was formed and the final campaign of the War of the Ring began.
Legolas – was an elf, son of the Elf-king Thranduil of Mirkwood. He was his fathers most trusted messenger and a master bowman. With his keen eyesight, sensitive hearing and excellent bowmanship Legolas was a valuable resource to the Fellowship.
Boromir – was a valiant warrior known in Gondor for his greatness, having already achieved great merit in Gondor prior to the Council of Elrond.
Samwise Gamgee – also known as Sam, was a hobbit of the Shire. He was Frodo’s gardener and best friend. Sam proved himself to be a most dependable and loyal companion of the entire Fellowship, and played a necessary role in protecting Frodo and destroying the One Ring.
Frodo Baggins – son of Drogo Baggins, was, also, hobbit of the Shire. He was and is most renowned for his leading role in the Quest of the Ring in which he bore the One Ring to Mount Doom where it was ultimately destroyed.
Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry) – was, guess what – a hobbit! Also, one of Frodo’s cousins and closest friends. He loved boats and ponies and had a great interest in the maps of Middle-Earth.
Peregrin Took (Pippin) – as you can guess, was a hobbit of the Shire. In addition to that, he was one of the Frodo’s youngest but closest friends.
Gimli – son of Gloin, was a well-respected dwarf warrior in Middle-Earth. He was the only one of the dwarves to readily fight alongside elves in the War of the Ring.
So now you know what kind of people live in Middle-Earth. You may now form an idea of your own about what kind of place it is. Before you go remember this – big or small, rich or not so much, all members of the Fellowship had their part to play in Tolkien’s story. Not all of them survived, not all showed courage in the face of danger. In my opinion, that is exactly what makes their story so alive. Not all can keep their faith when the road darkens.

Tomas Aleknavičius

A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities

Many of us read. We read newspapers, textbooks, “Facebook” messages. Subtitles of our favorite shows and so on. But the biggest, most important meeting with reading is when we pick up a book. A book…? You might be surprised. Many of you may be bookworms like me, and have already read dozens of books. But not all of us are like that. Even I was not really fond of long reading sessions when I was younger. But one book inspired me, one book took me by the heart and dragged me across its yellow pages. Actually, it still holds me strong! The book is “The Lord of the Rings”.

Elf looks pretty much like this

This book was written by an Oxford University professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, and it made him famous. Alongside its prequel “The Hobbit” it introduces the turbulent life of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth and throws the reader straight into the “War of the Ring”. Don’t worry, I will not spoil your reading by revealing any important details.
However, I will make an educated guess, and say that some of you have heard of this book. Maybe, you’ve even seen the movies! Actually it has influenced literature, film, music, theater, and many other aspects of our daily lives so much, that we don’t even notice it! Anyone that has played a role playing game or video game, knows what an elf looks like, right?

What if I told you that before Tolkien all elves looked like this?

This is only one of the many ways Tolkien has changed the way we view the world around us. He has taught countless people about friendship, loyalty, honor, courage, the gifts of life and death. Bit by bit, if you allow me, I would like to show more of his work, share with you more of his vision, so we, together, could learn to see the world as a bit more magical place.

Tomas Aleknavičius