The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by English philologist and University of Oxford professorJ. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit(1937), but eventually developed into a much larger work. Sony VAIO PCG-3B1M Battery
It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II.[1] It is the third best-selling novel ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.[2]
The title of the novel refers to the story's main antagonist, the Dark Lord Sauron,[note 1] Sony VAIO PCG-3C1T Battery
who had in an earlier agecreated the One Ring to rule the other Rings of Power as the ultimate weapon in his campaign to conquer and rule all ofMiddle-earth. From quiet beginnings in the Shire, a Hobbit land not unlike the English countryside, the story ranges across north-west Middle-earth, Sony VAIO PCG-3D1M Battery
following the course of the War of the Ring through the eyes of its characters, notably the hobbits Frodo Baggins, Samwise "Sam" Gamgee, Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck and Peregrin "Pippin" Took, but also the hobbits' chief allies and travelling companions: Aragorn, a Human Ranger; Boromir, a man from Gondor; Sony VAIO PCG-3G2M Battery
Gimli, a Dwarfwarrior; Legolas, an Elven prince; and Gandalf, a Wizard.
The work was initially intended by Tolkien to be one volume of a two-volume set, with the other being The Silmarillion, but this idea was dismissed by his publisher.[4][5] It was decided for economic reasons to publish The Lord of the Ringsas three volumes over the course of a year from 21 July 1954 to October 1955, Sony VAIO PCG-5R1M Battery
thus creating the now familiar Lord of the Rings trilogy.[4][6] The three volumes were entitled The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Structurally, the novel is divided internally into six books, two per volume, with several appendices of background material included at the end of the third volume. Sony VAIO PCG-7141M Battery
The Lord of the Rings has since been reprinted numerous times and translated into many languages.
Tolkien's work has been the subject of extensive analysis of its themes and origins. Although a major work in itself, the story was only the last movement of a larger epic Tolkien had worked on since 1917, in a process he described asmythopoeia.[7] Sony VAIO PCG-7143M Battery
Influences on this earlier work, and on the story of The Lord of the Rings, include philology, mythology, religion and the author's distaste for the effects of industrialization, as well as earlier fantasy works and Tolkien's experiences in World War I.[1] The Lord of the Rings in its turn is considered to have had a great effect on modern fantasy; Sony VAIO PCG-7151M Battery
the impact of Tolkien's works is such that the use of the words "Tolkienian" and "Tolkienesque" has been recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary.[8]
The enduring popularity of The Lord of the Rings has led to numerous references in popular culture, the founding of many societies by fans of Tolkien's works,[9] Sony VAIO PCG-7154M Battery
and the publication of many books about Tolkien and his works. The Lord of the Rings has inspired, and continues to inspire, artwork, music, films and television, video games, and subsequent literature. Award-winning adaptations of The Lord of the Rings have been made for radio, theatre, and film. Sony VAIO PCG-7162M Battery
Long before the events of the novel, the Dark Lord Sauron forges the One Ring to dominate the other Rings of Power and corrupt those who wear them: the leaders of Men, Elves and Dwarves. He is defeated in battle, and Isildur cuts the One Ring from Sauron's finger, claiming it as an heirloom for his line. Sony VAIO PCG-7181M Battery
Isildur is later ambushed and killed by Orcs in the Gladden fields, and the Ring is lost in the River Anduin. Over two thousand years later, the Ring is found by a river-dwelling hobbit calledDéagol. His relative[11] Sméagol immediately falls under the Ring's spell and strangles Deagol to acquire it, and is banished for his crime. Sony VAIO PCG-41112M Battery
Sméagol hides under the Misty Mountains, where the Ring extends his lifespan and transforms him over the course of hundreds of years into a twisted, corrupted creature calledGollum. He loses the Ring and, as recounted in The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins finds it. Sony VAIO PCG-7153M Battery
Meanwhile, Sauron remanifests in a new physical form and reoccupies his old realm of Mordor. Gollum sets out in search of the Ring, but is captured by Sauron, who learns from him that Bilbo Baggins now has it. Gollum is set loose and Sauron, who needs the Ring to regain his full power, sends forth his powerful servants, the Nazgûl, to seize it. Sony VAIO PCG-71312M Battery
The novel begins in the Shire, with the hobbit Frodo Baggins inheriting the Ring from Bilbo, his cousin[note 2] and guardian. Both are unaware of its origin, butGandalf the Grey, a wizard and old friend of Bilbo, suspects the Ring's identity. When he becomes certain, he advises Frodo to take it away from the Shire. Sony VAIO PCG-7144M Battery
Frodo leaves, accompanied by his gardener and friend, Samwise ("Sam") Gamgee, and two cousins, Meriadoc ("Merry") Brandybuck and Peregrin ("Pippin") Took. They nearly encounter the Nazgûl while still in the Shire, but shake off pursuit by cutting through the Old Forest, where they are aided by the enigmatic Tom Bombadil, Sony VAIO PCG-7191L Battery
who alone is unaffected by the Ring's corrupting influence. After leaving the forest, they stop in the town of Bree where they meet Aragorn, Isildur's heir. Though initially distrusted, he joins them as guide and protector. They flee from Bree after narrowly escaping another assault, Sony VAIO PCG-3C1M Battery
but the Nazgûl follow and attack them on the hill of Weathertop, wounding Frodo with a Morgul blade. Aragorn leads the hobbits toward the Elven refuge of Rivendell, while Frodo gradually succumbs to the wound. The Ringwraiths nearly overtake Frodo at the Ford of Bruinen, Sony VAIO PCG-3F1M Battery
but flood waters summoned by Elrond, master of Rivendell, rise up and overwhelm them.
Frodo recovers in Rivendell under the care of Elrond. The Council of Elrond reveals much significant history about Sauron and the Ring, as well as the news that Sauron has corrupted Gandalf's fellow wizard, Saruman. Sony VAIO PCG-3H1M Battery
The Council decides that the best course of action is to destroy the Ring, which can only be done by returning it to the flames of Mount Doom in Mordor, where it was forged. Frodo volunteers to take on the daunting task, and a "Fellowship of the Ring" is formed to aid him: Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, and the man Boromir, son of the Ruling Steward Denethor of the realm ofGondor. Sony VAIO PCG-3J1M Battery
After a failed attempt to cross the Misty Mountains via the pass below Caradhras, the company are forced to try a more perilous path through the Mines of Moria. There, they are attacked by Orcs and the Watcher in the Water. They also learn the fate of Balin and his company of dwarves. Sony VAIO PCG-8141M Battery
Gandalf casts an ancient Balroginto a chasm, but is himself dragged in. The others escape and take refuge in the Elven forest of Lothlórien, where they are counseled by the Lady Galadriel andCeleborn.
With boats and gifts from Galadriel, the company then travel down the River Anduin to the hill of Amon Hen. Sony VAIO PCG-8161M Battery
Boromir succumbs to the lure of the Ring and attempts to take it. Frodo flees to continue the quest alone, though Sam guesses his intent and comes along. Meanwhile, Orcs sent by Saruman kill Boromir and kidnap Merry and Pippin.
After agonizing over which pair of hobbits to follow, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas pursue the Orcs bearing Merry and Pippin to Saruman. Sony VAIO PCG-3C2M Battery
In the kingdom of Rohan, the Orcs are slain by the Rohirrim. Merry and Pippin escape into Fangorn Forest, where they are befriended by Treebeard, the oldest of the tree-like Ents. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas track the hobbits to Fangorn, and encounter Gandalf, resurrected as the significantly more powerful "Gandalf the White" after giving his life to destroy the Balrog. Sony VAIO PCG-5N2M Battery
After Gandalf assures them that Merry and Pippin are safe, they go to free Théoden, King of Rohan, from the influence of Saruman's henchman Gríma Wormtongue, and to aid the Rohirrim in a stand against Saruman's now unleashed armies. Théoden leads an army to the ancient fortress ofHelm's Deep along with Aragorn, Sony VAIO PCG-5P1M Battery
Legolas, and Gimli, while Gandalf rides off to gather more of the Rohirrim. Helm's Deep is besieged by Saruman's forces, but Gandalf and reinforcements arrive just in time to rout the enemy.
Meanwhile, the Ents, roused from their customarily peaceful ways by Merry and Pippin, Sony VAIO PCG-5S1M Battery
attack Saruman's stronghold of Isengard, trapping the wizard in the tower of Orthanc. Gandalf, Théoden and the others arrive and confront Saruman. When Saruman rejects Gandalf's offer of redemption, Gandalf strips him of his rank and most of his powers. Sony VAIO PCG-9Z1M Battery
Pippin is drawn to look into a palantír, a seeing-stone that Saruman had used to communicate with Sauron; this leads Sauron to think that Pippin is the Ring-bearer and that Saruman has captured him. For Pippin's protection, Gandalf takes him along to Minas Tirith in Gondor. Sony VAIO PCG-7171M Battery
Frodo and Sam capture Gollum, who had been following them since Moria, and force him to guide them to Mordor. Finding Mordor's Black Gate impassable, they travel instead to a secret pass. Torn between his loyalty to Frodo and his desire for the Ring, Gollum eventually betrays Frodo by leading him to the great spider Shelob in the tunnels of Cirith Ungol. Sony VAIO PCG-7186M Battery
Frodo is felled by Shelob's bite, but Sam fights her off. Sam takes the Ring and leaves Frodo, believing him to be dead. When Orcs find Frodo, Sam overhears them say that Frodo is in fact only unconscious. Sam determines to rescue him from Cirith Ungol.
Sauron unleashes a military assault upon Gondor. Sony VAIO PCG-81112M Battery
Gandalf arrives with Pippin at the city of Minas Tirith to alert Denethor of the impending attack. The city isbesieged, and Denethor, under the influence of Sauron through another palantír, despairs and commits suicide, nearly taking his remaining son Faramir with him. Sony VAIO PCG-31311M Battery
With time running out, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli take the Paths of the Dead, where Aragorn raises an undead army of oath-breakers bound by an ancient curse. The ghostly army help them to defeat the Corsairs of Umbar invading southern Gondor. The forces now freed from the south and Rohan's cavalry break the siege of Minas Tirith. Sony VAIO PCG-8152M Battery
Sam rescues Frodo from the tower of Cirith Ungol, and they cross Mordor. Meanwhile, in order to distract Sauron, Aragorn leads the remaining Gondorian and Rohirrim soldiers in a march on the Black Gate of Mordor. In the climactic battle, the vastly outnumbered alliance of Gondor and Rohan fight desperately against Sauron's armies. Sony VAIO PCG-31111M Battery
At the edge of the Cracks of Doom, Frodo is unable to resist the Ring any longer, and claims it for himself. Gollum suddenly reappears, struggles with Frodo and bites off his finger, Ring and all. Celebrating wildly, Gollum falls into the fire, taking the Ring with him. With the destruction of the One Ring, Sony VAIO PCG-61111M Battery
Sauron perishes along with the Nazgûl, and his armies are thrown into confusion.
With the end of the War of the Ring, Aragorn is crowned Elessar, King of Arnor and Gondor, and marries his longtime love, Arwen, daughter of Elrond.
Saruman escapes from Isengard and enslaves the Shire. Sony VAIO PCG-51112M Battery
The four hobbits, upon returning home, raise a rebellion and overthrow him. Gríma turns on Saruman and kills him, and is in turn killed by hobbit archers. The War of the Ring thus comes to its true end on Frodo's very doorstep. Merry and Pippin are acclaimed heroes, and Sam marries Rosie Cotton, and uses his gifts from Galadriel to restore the Shire. Sony VAIO PCG-51211M Battery
Frodo, however, remains wounded in body and spirit after his difficult journey bearing the weight of the One Ring. Some years later, accompanied by Bilbo and Gandalf, he sails from the Grey Havens west over the Sea to theUndying Lands to find peace. After Rosie's death, Sam gives his daughter the Red Book of Westmarch, Sony VAIO PCG-51212M Battery
containing the story and adventures of Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry. Sam is then said to have himself crossed west over the Sea, the last of the Ring-bearers.
Background
The Lord of the Rings started as a sequel to J. R. R. Tolkien's earlier work, The Hobbit, published in 1937. Sony VAIO PCG-41111M Battery
The popularity of The Hobbit had led George Allen & Unwin, the publishers, to request a sequel. Tolkien warned them that he wrote quite slowly, and responded with several stories he had already developed. Having rejected his contemporary drafts for The Silmarillion, putting on hold Roverandom, and accepting Farmer Giles of Ham, Sony VAIO PCG-41111V Battery
Allen & Unwin thought more stories about hobbits would be popular.[13] So at the age of 45, Tolkien began writing the story that would become The Lord of the Rings. The story would not be finished until 12 years later, in 1949, and would not be fully published until 1955, when Tolkien was 63 years old. Sony VAIO PCG-61412V Battery
Persuaded by his publishers, he started "a new Hobbit" in December 1937.[12] After several false starts, the story of the One Ring emerged. The idea for the first chapter ("A Long-Expected Party") arrived fully formed, although the reasons behind Bilbo's disappearance, Sony VAIO PCG-71112M Battery
the significance of the Ring, and the title The Lord of the Rings did not arrive until the spring of 1938.[12] Originally, he planned to write a story in which Bilbo had used up all his treasure and was looking for another adventure to gain more; however, he remembered the Ring and its powers and decided to write about that instead. Sony VAIO PCG-81111V Battery
Writing was slow, due to Tolkien having a full-time academic position, and needing to earn further money as a university examiner.[14] Tolkien abandoned The Lord of the Rings during most of 1943 and only re-started it in April 1944,as a serial for his son Christopher Tolkien, who was sent chapters as they were written while he was serving in South Africa with the Royal Air Force. Sony VAIO PCG-81111V Battery
Tolkien made another concerted effort in 1946, and showed the manuscript to his publishers in 1947.[12] The story was effectively finished the next year, but Tolkien did not complete the revision of earlier parts of the work until 1949.[12]The original manuscripts, which total 9,250 pages, now reside in the J.R.R. Tolkien Collection at Marquette University. Sony VAIO PCG-81212M Battery
The Lord of the Rings developed as a personal exploration by Tolkien of his interests in philology, religion (particularlyRoman Catholicism[17]), fairy tales, Norse and general Germanic mythology, and also Celtic,Slavic,Persian,[24] Greek,[25] and Finnish mythology. Sony VAIO PCG-81212V Battery
Tolkien acknowledged, and external critics have verified, the influences ofGeorge MacDonald and William Morris[27] and the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf.[28] The question of a direct influence of Wagner'sThe Ring Cycle on Tolkien's work is often debated by critics.
Tolkien included neither any explicit religion nor cult in his work. Sony VAIO PCG-51111M Battery
Rather the themes, moral philosophy, and cosmology of the Lord of the Rings reflect his Catholic worldview. In one of his letters Tolkien states, "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. Sony VAIO VPCS13X9E/B battery
That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like 'religion', to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism."[17]
Some locations and characters were inspired by Tolkien's childhood in Birmingham, Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B battery
where he first lived near Sarehole Mill, and later near Edgbaston Reservoir.[29] There are also hints of the Black Country, which is within easy reach of north west Edgbaston. This shows in such names as "Underhill", and the description of Saruman's industrialization of Isengard and The Shire. Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B battery
It has also been suggested that The Shire and its surroundings were based on the countryside around Stonyhurst Collegein Lancashire where Tolkien frequently stayed during the 1940s.The work was influenced by the effects of his military service during World War I, to the point that Frodo has been "diagnosed" as suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Sony VAIO VPCF13M8E/B battery
or "shell-shock," which was first diagnosed at the Battle of the Somme, at which Tolkien served.[31]
Publication history
A dispute with his publisher, George Allen & Unwin, led to the book being offered to Collins in 1950. Sony VAIO VPCF13Z0E/B battery
Tolkien intended The Silmarillion (itself largely unrevised at this point) to be published along with The Lord of the Rings, but A&U were unwilling to do this. After Milton Waldman, his contact at Collins, expressed the belief that The Lord of the Rings itself "urgently wanted cutting", Tolkien eventually demanded that they publish the book in 1952. Sony VAIO VPCM13M1E/L battery
Collins did not; and so Tolkien wrote to Allen and Unwin, saying, "I would gladly consider the publication of any part of the stuff."[12]
For publication, the book was divided into three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring (Books I, The Ring Sets Out, and II, The Ring Goes South), Sony VAIO VPCM13M1E/W battery
The Two Towers(Books III, The Treason of Isengard, and IV, The Ring Goes East), and The Return of the King (Books V, The War of the Ring, and VI, The End of the Third Age, plus six appendices). This was due largely to post-war paper shortages, as well as being a way to keep down the price of the book. Sony VAIO VPCF22M1E battery
Delays in producing appendices, maps and especially indices led to the volumes being published later than originally hoped — on 21 July 1954, on 11 November 1954 and on 20 October 1955 respectively in the United Kingdom, and slightly later in the United States. The Return of the King was especially delayed. Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E/H battery
Tolkien, moreover, did not especially like the title The Return of the King, believing it gave away too much of the storyline. He had originally suggested The War of the Ring, which was dismissed by his publishers.[33]
The books were published under a profit-sharing arrangement, Sony VAIO VPCF13M0E/B battery
whereby Tolkien would not receive an advance or royalties until the books had broken even, after which he would take a large share of the profits.[34] It has ultimately become the third best-selling novel ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.[2]Only A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and Sony VAIO VPCYB2M1E battery
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry have sold more copies worldwide (over 200 million each) while the fourth best-selling novel is Tolkien's The Hobbit.[35][36][37]
Editions and revisions
In the early 1960s Donald A. Wollheim, science fiction editor of the paperback publisher Ace Books, Sony VAIO VPCYB3V1E battery
claimed that The Lord of the Rings was not protected in the United States under American copyright law because Houghton Mifflin, the U.S. hardcover publisher, had neglected to copyright the work in the United States.Ace Books then proceeded to publish an edition, unauthorized by Tolkien and without paying royalties to him. Sony VAIO VPCY11M1E battery
Tolkien took issue with this and quickly notified his fans of this objection.[40] Grass-roots pressure from these fans became so great that Ace Books withdrew their edition and made a nominal payment to Tolkien.Authorized editions followed from Ballantine Books and Houghton Mifflin to tremendous commercial success. Sony VAIO VPCS12L9E/B battery
By the mid-1960s the novel had become a cultural phenomenon. Tolkien undertook various textual revisions to produce a version of the book that would be published with his consent and establish an unquestioned US copyright. This text became the Second Edition of The Lord of the Rings, published in 1965. Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E/B battery
Houghton Mifflin editions after 1994 consolidate variant revisions by Tolkien, and corrections supervised by Christopher Tolkien, which resulted, after some initial glitches, in a computer-based unified text.[43]
Posthumous publication of drafts
From 1988 to 1992 Christopher Tolkien published the surviving drafts of The Lord of The Rings, Sony VAIO VPCYB3V1E/R Battery
chronicling and illuminating with commentary the stages of the text's development, in volumes 6–9 of his History of Middle-earth series. The four volumes carry the titles The Return of the Shadow, The Treason of Isengard,The War of the Ring, and Sauron Defeated. Sony VAIO VPCF23P1E Battery
The novel has been translated, with various degrees of success, into at least 38 other languages.[44] Tolkien, an expert in philology, examined many of these translations, and made comments on each that reflect both the translation process and his work. As he was unhappy with some choices made by early translators, Sony VAIO VPCF23N1E Battery
such as the Swedish translation by Åke Ohlmarks,[45] Tolkien wrote a "Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings" (1967). Because The Lord of the Rings purports to be a translation of the fictitious Red Book of Westmarch, with the English language representing the Westron of the "original", Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/L Battery
Tolkien suggested that translators attempt to capture the interplay between English and the invented nomenclature of the English work, and gave several examples along with general guidance.
Reception
The Lord of the Rings has received mixed reviews since its inception, Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/G battery
ranging from terrible to excellent, though recent reviews in various media have been, on the whole, highly positive and Tolkien's literary achievement is slowly being acknowledged as a significant one. On its initial review the Sunday Telegraph felt it was "among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century." Sony VAIO VPCF24M1E battery
The Sunday Times seemed to echo these sentiments when in its review it was stated that "the English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who are going to read them."[46] TheNew York Herald Tribune also seemed to have an idea of how popular the books would become,Sony VAIO VPC CW2MFX/PU Battery
writing in its review that they were "destined to outlast our time."[47] W. H. Auden, an admirer of Tolkien's writings, regarded The Lord of the Rings as a "masterpiece", further stating that in some cases it outdid the achievement of John Milton's Paradise Lost.[48]
New York Times reviewer Judith Shulevitz criticized the "pedantry" of Tolkien's literary style, Sony VAIO VPC S11V9E/B Battery
saying that he "formulated a high-minded belief in the importance of his mission as a literary preservationist, which turns out to be death to literature itself."[49] Critic Richard Jenkyns, writing in The New Republic, criticized the work for a lack of psychological depth. Both the characters and the work itself are, according to Jenkyns, Sony VAIO VPCB119GJ/B Battery
"anemic, and lacking in fibre."[50] Even within Tolkien's literary group, The Inklings, reviews were mixed. Hugo Dyson complained loudly at its readings, and Christopher Tolkien records Dyson as "lying on the couch, and lolling and shouting and saying, 'Oh God, not another Elf!'"Sony VAIO VPCB11AGJ Battery
However, another Inkling, C. S. Lewis, had very different feelings, writing, "here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron. Here is a book which will break your heart." Despite these reviews and its lack of paperback printing until the 1960s, The Lord of the Rings initially sold well in hardback. Sony VAIO VPCB11AVJ Battery
In 1957, The Lord of the Rings was awarded the International Fantasy Award. Despite its numerous detractors, the publication of the Ace Books and Ballantinepaperbacks helped The Lord of the Rings become immensely popular in the United States in the 1960s. The book has remained so ever since, Sony VAIO VPCB11V9E Battery
ranking as one of the most popular works of fiction of the twentieth century, judged by both sales and reader surveys.[53] In the 2003 "Big Read" survey conducted in Britain by the BBC, The Lord of the Rings was found to be the "Nation's best-loved book." In similar 2004 polls both Germany[54] and Australia[55] Sony VAIO VPCB11X9E Battery
also found The Lord of the Rings to be their favourite book. In a 1999 poll of Amazon.com customers, The Lord of the Rings was judged to be their favourite "book of the century."[56] The Lord of the Rings was awarded the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award in 2009. Sony VAIO VPCCW18FJ/P Battery
Ethan Gilsdorf, writing for The Boston Globe, commented that while there are movements within academia to approach The Lord of the Rings as a serious literary work, the 2001–2003 film trilogy has contributed to a dumbing down of the reception of the novel by the forces of mass-commercialization.[57] Sony VAIO VPCCW18FJ/R Battery
Although The Lord of the Rings was published in the 1950s, Tolkien insisted that the One Ring was not an allegory for the Atomic Bomb,[58] nor were his works a strict allegory of any kind, but were open to interpretation as the reader saw fit.
A few critics have found what they consider to be racial elements in the story, Sony VAIO VPCCW18FJ/W Battery
generally based upon their views of how Tolkien's imagery depicts good and evil, characters' race (e.g. Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit, Southron, Númenórean, Orc); and that the character's race is seen as determining their behaviour. Counter-arguments note that race-focused critiques often omit relevant textual evidence to the contrary, Sony VAIO VPCCW19FJ/W Battery
cite imagery from adaptations rather than the work itself;[67] ignore the absence of evidence of racist attitudes or events in the author's personal life[64][67][68] and claim that the perception of racism is itself a marginal view.[68]
Critics have also seen social class rather than race as being the determinant factor for the portrayal of good and evil. Sony VAIO VPCCW1AFJ Battery
Commentators such as science fictionauthor David Brin have interpreted the work to hold unquestioning devotion to a traditional elitist social structure.[69] In his essay "Epic Pooh", science fiction and fantasy author Michael Moorcock critiques the world-view displayed by the book as deeply conservative, Sony VAIO VPCCW1AHJ Battery
in both the 'paternalism' of the narrative voice and the power-structures in the narrative.[70] Tom Shippey cites the origin of this portrayal of evil as a reflection of the prejudices of European middle-classes during the inter-war years towards the industrial working class.[71] Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E Battery
The book has been read as fitting the model of Joseph Campbell's "monomyth".
The Lord of the Rings has been adapted for film, radio and stage.
The book has been adapted for radio four times. In 1955 and 1956, the BBC broadcast The Lord of the Rings, a 12-part radio adaptation of the story. Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/B Battery
In the 1960s radio station WBAI produced a short radio adaptation. A 1979 dramatization of The Lord of the Rings was broadcast in the United States and subsequently issued on tape and CD. In 1981, the BBC broadcast The Lord of the Rings, a new dramatization in 26 half-hour instalments. Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/L Battery
This dramatization of The Lord of the Ringshas subsequently been made available on both tape and CD both by the BBC and other publishers. For this purpose it is generally edited into 13 one hour episodes.
Two film adaptations of the book as a whole have been made. Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/P Battery
The first was J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1978), by animator Ralph Bakshi, the first part of what was originally intended to be a two-part adaptation of the story; it covers The Fellowship of the Ring and part of The Two Towers. When Bakshi's investors shied away of financing the second film that would complete the story, Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/R Battery
the remainder of the story was covered in an animated television special byRankin-Bass. Stylistically, the two segments are very different. The second and far more critically and commercially successful adaptation was Peter Jackson's live action The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Sony VAIO VPCCW1S1E/W Battery
produced by New Line Cinema and released in three installments as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). All three parts received nearly universal acclaim and were each nominated for and won multiple Academy Awards, Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/B Battery
including consecutive Best Picture nominations. The final instalment of this trilogy was the second film to break the one-billion-dollar barrier and won a total of 11 Oscars (something only two other films in history, Ben-Hur and Titanic, have accomplished), including "Best Picture", "Best Director", "Best Adapted Screenplay" and "Best Original Score".Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/L Battery
The Hunt for Gollum, a fan film based on elements of the appendices to The Lord of the Rings, was released on the internet in May 2009 and has been covered in major media.[73]
In 1990, Recorded Books published an audio version of The Lord of the Rings,[74] with British actor Rob Inglis –Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/R Battery
who had previously starred in one-man stage productions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings – reading. A large-scale musical theatre adaptation, The Lord of the Rings was first staged in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2006 and opened in London in May 2007. Sony VAIO VPCCW21FX/W Battery
Influences on the fantasy genre
The enormous popularity of Tolkien's epic saga greatly expanded the demand for fantasy fiction. Largely thanks to The Lord of the Rings, the genre flowered throughout the 1960s, and enjoys popularity to the present day. Sony VAIO VPCCW26EC Battery
The opus has spawned many imitators, such as The Sword of Shannara, which Lin Carter called "the single most cold-blooded, complete rip-off of another book that I have ever read".The work also had an influence upon such science fiction authors as Frank Herbert and Arthur C. Clarke[76] and filmmakers such as George Lucas. Sony VAIO VPCCW26FX/B Battery
Dungeons & Dragons, which popularized the role-playing game (RPG) genre in the 1970s, features many races found in The Lord of the Rings, most notably halflings(another term for hobbits), elves, dwarves, half-elves, orcs, and dragons. However, Gary Gygax, lead designer of the game, Sony VAIO VPCCW28EC Battery
maintained that he was influenced very little by The Lord of the Rings, stating that he included these elements as a marketing move to draw on the popularity the work enjoyed at the time he was developing the game.Because D&D has influenced many popular role-playing video games through Dragon Warrior, Sony VAIO VPCCW28FJ/P Battery
the influence of The Lord of the Ringsextends to many of them as well, with titles such as EverQuest, the Warcraft series, and the Elder Scrolls series of games[81] as well as, quite naturally, video games set in Middle-earth itself.Research also suggests that some consumers of fantasy games derive their motivation from trying to create an epic fantasy narrative which is influenced by the Lord of the Rings. Sony VAIO VPCCW28FJ/R Battery
In 1965, songwriter Donald Swann, who was best known for his collaboration with Michael Flanders as Flanders & Swann, set six poems from The Lord of the Ringsand one from The Adventures of Tom Bombadil ("Errantry") to music. When Swann met with Tolkien to play the songs for his approval, Sony VAIO VPCCW28FJ/W Battery
Tolkien suggested for "Namárië" (Galadriel's lament) a setting reminiscent of plain chant, which Swann accepted.The songs were published in 1967 as The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle,and a recording of the songs performed by singer William Elvin with Swann on piano was issued that same year by Caedmon Records as Poems and Songs of Middle Earth. Sony VAIO VPCCW29FJ/W Battery
In 1988, Dutch composer and trombonist Johan de Meij completed his Symphony No. 1 "The Lord of the Rings", which encompassed 5 movements, titled "Gandalf", "Lothlórien", "Gollum", "Journey in the Dark", and "Hobbits". In 1989 the symphony was awarded the Sudler Composition Award, awarded biennially for best wind band composition. Sony VAIO VPCCW2AFJ Battery
The Danish Tolkien Ensemble have released a number of albums that feature the complete poems and songs of The Lord of the Rings set to music, with some featuring recitation by Christopher Lee.Rock bands of the 1970s were musically and lyrically inspired by the fantasy embracing counter-culture of the time; Sony VAIO VPCCW2AHJ Battery
British 70s rock band Led Zeppelin recorded several songs that contain explicit references to The Lord of the Rings ("Ramble On", "The Battle of Evermore", "Over the Hills and Far Away", and "Misty Mountain Hop"). In 1970, the Swedish musician Bo Hansson released an instrumental concept album based on the book entitled Sagan om ringen Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E Battery
(translated as "The Saga of the Ring", which was the title of the Swedish translation of The Lord of the Rings at the time).[86] The album was subsequently released internationally as Music Inspired by Lord of the Rings in 1972.[86] The songs "Rivendell" and "The Necromancer" by the progressive rock band Rush were inspired by Tolkien. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/B Battery
AndStyx also paid homage to Tolkien on their "Pieces of Eight" album with the song "Lords of the Ring," while Black Sabbath's song, "The Wizard", which appeared on their debut album, was influenced by Tolkien's hero, Gandalf. The heavy metal band Cirith Ungol took their name from a fictional place in Middle-earth of thesame name. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/L Battery
Progressive rock group Camel paid homage to the text in their lengthy composition "Nimrodel/The Procession/The White Rider", and Progressive rock band Barclay James Harvest was inspired by the character Galadriel to write a song by that name, and used "Bombadil", Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/P Battery
the name of another character, as a pseudonym under which their 1972 single "Breathless"/"When the City Sleeps" was released; there are other references scattered through the BJH oeuvre.Later, from the 1980s to the present day, many Heavy metal acts have been influenced by Tolkien. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/R Battery
Blind Guardian has written many songs relating to Middle-earth, including the full concept album Nightfall in Middle Earth. Almost all of Summoning's songs and the entire discography of Battlelore are Tolkien-themed.Gorgoroth and Amon Amarth take their names from an area of Mordor, and Burzum take their name from the Black Speech of Mordor. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S1E/W Battery
The Finnish metal band Nightwishand the Norwegian metal band Tristania have also incorporated many Tolkien references into their music. In 2001, the Hungarian metal band Cross Borns released ametal opera with the title Kalandozás Középföldén (Adventure in Middle Earth) based on the story of Lord of the Rings. Sony VAIO VPCCW2S5C CN1 Battery
Due to legal reasons, they couldn't use the original title.
Enya wrote an instrumental piece called "Lothlórien" in 1991, and composed two songs for the film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring—"May It Be" (sung in English and Quenya) and "Aníron" (sung in Sindarin). Sony VAIO VPCF112FX/B Battery
Impact on popular culture
The Lord of the Rings has had a profound and wide-ranging impact on popular culture, beginning with its publication in the 1950s, but especially throughout the 1960s and 1970s, during which time young people embraced it as a countercultural saga. Sony VAIO VPCF115FG/B Battery
"Frodo Lives!" and "Gandalf for President" were two phrases popular among American Tolkien fans during this time.[88]
In one scene of the 1993 film, Six Degrees of Separation, Paul (Will Smith) mocks The Lord of the Rings books in front of Ian McKellen's character. Sony VAIO VPCF116FGBI Battery
Less than a decade after this film was made, Ian McKellen would play the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
Parodies like the Harvard Lampoon's Bored of the Rings, the VeggieTales episode "Lord of the Beans", Sony VAIO VPCF117FJ/W Battery
the South Park episode "The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers", the Futurama film "Bender's Game", The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius episode "Lights! Camera! Danger!", The Big Bang Theoryepisode "The Precious Fragmentation", and the American Dad! episode "The Return of the Bling" are testimony to the work's continual presence in popular culture. Sony VAIO VPCF117HG/BI Battery
In 1969 Tolkien sold the merchandising rights to The Lord of The Rings (and The Hobbit) to United Artists under an agreement stipulating a lump sum payment of £10,000[89] plus a 7.5% royalty after costs,[90] payable to Allen & Unwin and the author.[91] In 1976 (three years after the author's death) United Artists sold the rights to Saul Zaentz Company, Sony VAIO VPCF118FJ/W Battery
who trade as Tolkien Enterprises. Since then all "authorized" merchandise has been signed-off by Tolkien Enterprises, although the intellectual property rights of the specific likenesses of characters and other imagery from various adaptations is generally held by the adaptors.[92] Sony VAIO VPCF119FC Battery
Outside any commercial exploitation from adaptations, from the late 1960s onwards there has been an increasing variety of original licensed merchandise, from posters and calendars created by illustrators such as Pauline Baynes and the Brothers Hildebrandt, to figurines and miniatures to computer, video, tabletop and role-playing games. Sony VAIO VPCF119FC/BI Battery
Recent examples include the Spiel des Jahres award winning (for best use of literature in a game) board game The Lord of the Rings by Reiner Knizia and the Golden Joystick award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmarby Turbine, Inc.. Sony VAIO VPCF119FJ/BI Battery
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a 2001 epic[2][3] fantasy film[4] directed by Peter Jacksonbased on the first volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955). It was followed by The Two Towers(2002) and The Return of the King (2003), based on the second and third volumes of The Lord of the Rings. Sony VAIO VPCF11AFJ Battery
Set in Middle-earth, the story tells of the Dark Lord Sauron, who is seeking the One Ring. The Ring has found its way to the young hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood). The fate of Middle-earth hangs in the balance as Frodo and eight companions who form the Fellowship of the Ring begin their journey to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor, Sony VAIO VPCF11AGJ Battery
the only place where the Ring can be destroyed.
Released on 10 December 2001, the film was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike, especially as many of the latter judged it to be the most sufficiently faithful adaptation of the original story out of Jackson's film trilogy. Sony VAIO VPCF11AHJ Battery
It was a major box office success, earning over $870 million worldwide, and the second highest-grossing film of 2001 in the U.S. and worldwide (behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone) which made it the 5th highest-grossing film ever at the time.
Today it is the 26th highest-grossing worldwide film of all time. Sony VAIO VPCF11JFX/B Battery
It won four Academy Awards and five BAFTAs, including Best Film and Best Director BAFTA awards. The Special Extended Edition was released to DVD on November 12, 2002 and toBlu-ray on June 28, 2011. In 2007, The Fellowship of the Ring was voted number 50 on the American Film Institute's list of 100 greatest American films. Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E Battery
The AFI also voted it the second greatest fantasy film of all time during their AFI's 10 Top 10 special.In the Second Age, the Dark Lord Sauron attempts to conquer Middle-Earth using his One Ring. In battle against theElves and Men, Prince Isildur cuts the Ring from Sauron's hand, destroying his physical form and vanquishing his army. Sony VAIO VPCF11M1E/H Battery
However, Sauron's "life force" is bound to the Ring, allowing him to survive while the Ring remains. Isildur, corrupted by the Ring's power, refuses to destroy it. When Isildur is killed by Orcs, the Ring is lost in a river for 2,500 years. The Ring is found by Gollum, who possesses it for centuries until it is found by the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Sony VAIO VPCF11MFX/B Battery
Sixty years later, Bilbo leaves the Ring to his nephew, Frodo Baggins. Upon learning that the Ring belonged to Sauron, the Wizard Gandalf the Grey warns Frodo that Sauron's forces will come for him. Gandalf catches Frodo's gardenerSamwise Gamgee eavesdropping underneath a window and sends him with Frodo to leave the Shire. Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E Battery
Gandalf rides to Isengardto meet with the head of his order, Saruman the White, who reveals that Sauron's servants, the Nazgûl, have been sent to capture the Ring. Saruman reveals himself to be in service to Sauron, and imprisons Gandalf atop his tower. Saruman commands Sauron's Orcs to construct weapons of war and produce a new breed of Orc fighters: the Uruk-hai. Sony VAIO VPCF11S1E/B Battery
While traveling to Bree, Frodo and Sam are joined by Merry and Pippin, and are nearly captured by the Nazgûl. At theInn of the Prancing Pony, Frodo meets the mysterious ranger Aragorn, who hides them from their pursuers and agrees to lead them to Rivendell. During the journey they are attacked by the Nazgûl. Sony VAIO VPCF11Z1E Battery
Aragorn fights off the creatures, but Frodo is wounded by their morgul blade, which will turn him into a wraith. While chased by the Nazgûl, Frodo is saved by theElf Arwen who uses her magic to summon a surge of water that sweeps away the pursuing Nazgûl. Arwen takes Frodo to Rivendell where he is healed by her father, Elrond. Sony VAIO VPCF11Z1E/BI Battery
Gandalf escapes Saruman's tower with the aid of Gwaihir the eagleand travels to Rivendell. Elrond calls a council of the races still loyal to Middle-earth to decide what should be done with the Ring. It is revealed that the Ring can only be destroyed by throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom, where it was forged. Sony VAIO VPCF11ZHJ Battery
Frodo volunteers to take the Ring, accompanied by Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, and Aragorn. They are joined by the Elf Legolas, the Dwarf Gimli, and Boromir, man of Gondor, to form the Fellowship of the Ring.The Fellowship set out but are hindered by Saruman's magic. Sony VAIO VPCF127HGBI Battery
They travel through the dwarf Mines of Moria. Inside, they find that Orcs have overrun the mines and slain the Dwarves; they also realize that Gollum is following them, determined to reclaim the Ring. The Fellowship is attacked by Orcs and a Balrog, an ancient demon of fire and shadow. Sony VAIO VPCF137HG/BI Battery
Gandalf confronts the Balrog, allowing the others to escape, but both Gandalf and the Balrog fall into an abyss. Mourning Gandalf's death, the group flees to Lothlórien, where they are sheltered by its rulers, the Elves Galadrieland Celeborn. That night, Galadriel informs Frodo that it is his destiny to destroy the Ring. Sony VAIO VPCS111FM/S Battery
The Fellowship continue their journey. Meanwhile, Saruman assembles a force of Uruk-hai to hunt the Fellowship.
After arriving at Parth Galen, Boromir gives in to the Ring's corruption and tries to take it from Frodo, believing that it is the only way to save his realm. Sony VAIO VPCS115EC Battery
Frodo manages to escape by wearing the Ring and becoming invisible. Boromir realizes what he has done, and attempts to find Frodo, who decides to continue his journey alone, heeding Galadriel's warning that the Ring will eventually corrupt the other members of the Fellowship.Sony VAIO VPCS115FG Battery
The Uruk-hai arrive and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli attempt to hold them off while Frodo escapes. Merry and Pippin lead the Orcs away from Frodo and are nearly killed. Boromir tries to save them, but in the process is shot fatally by the Uruk-Hai leader, Lurtz. The Uruk-Hai capture Merry and Pippin. Sony VAIO VPCS117GG Battery
Aragorn slays Lurtz and tends to a dying Boromir, and promises him that the world of men will not fall. Boromir dies with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas by his side.
Sam finds Frodo, who reluctantly lets Sam join him. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli set out to rescue Merry and Pippin. Sony VAIO VPCS117GGB Battery
As Frodo and Sam gaze out at the land before them, they grieve over the others. Frodo says that he is glad that Sam is with him and the two Hobbits set off towards Mordor.
Before filming began on 11 October 1999, the principal actors trained for six weeks in sword fighting (with Bob Anderson), riding and boating. Sony VAIO VPCS118EC Battery
Jackson hoped such activities would allow the cast to bond so chemistry would be evident on screen as well as getting them used to life in Wellington.[5] They were also trained to pronounce Tolkien's verses properly.[6] After the shoot, the nine cast members playing the Fellowship got a tattoo, Sony VAIO VPCS119FJ/B Battery
the Elvish symbol for the number nine, with the exception of John Rhys-Davies, whose stunt double got the tattoo instead.[7] The film is noted for having an ensemble cast,[8] and some of the cast and their respective characters include: Sony VAIO VPCS119GC Battery
Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins: A hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. He is accompanied on his quest by his best friend and fellow hobbit, Samwise Gamgee. Elijah Wood was the first actor to be cast on 7 July 1999.[9] Wood was a fan of the book, and he sent in an audition dressed as Frodo, reading lines from the novel.[10] Sony VAIO VPCS11AFJ Battery
Wood was selected from 150 actors who auditioned.[11]
Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey: An Istari wizard and mentor to Frodo, who helps him decide what to do with the Ring. He becomes the leader of the Fellowship after it is decided to take the Ring to Mount Doom and destroy it. Sony VAIO VPCS11AGJ Battery
Sean Connery was approached for the role, but did not understand the plot,while Patrick Stewart turned it down, as he disliked the script.[12] Before being cast, McKellen had to sort his schedule with 20th Century Fox as there was a two-month overlap with X-Men. He enjoyed playing Gandalf the Grey more than his transformed state in the next two films, Sony VAIO VPCS11AHJ Battery
and based his accent on Tolkien. Unlike his on-screen character, McKellen did not spend much time with the actors playing the Hobbits, instead working with their scale doubles.[5]
Sean Astin as Samwise "Sam" Gamgee: A Hobbit gardener and Frodo's best friend. Sony VAIO VPCS11AVJ Battery
When caught eavesdropping, Sam is made to become Frodo's companion and from then on becomes very loyal. Astin, who had recently become a father, bonded with the 18-year-old Wood in a protective manner, which mirrored Sam's relationship with Frodo.Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn: Sony VAIO VPCS11J7E/B Battery
Dubbed Strider, he is a Dúnedain ranger and the heir to the throne of Gondor. He travels with the Fellowship on their journey toMordor. He is unsure of whether to become King following the failure of his ancestor, Isildur, to destroy the Ring. Nicolas Cage turned down the role because of "family obligations",Sony VAIO VPCS11M1E/W Battery
while Vin Diesel, a fan of the book, auditioned for Aragorn. Stuart Townsend was cast in the role, before being replaced during filming when Jackson realised he was too young.[10] Russell Crowe was considered as a replacement, but he turned it down after taking what he thought to be a similar role in Gladiator. Sony VAIO VPCS11V9E Battery
Producer Mark Ordesky saw Mortensen in a play. Mortensen's son, a fan of the book, convinced him to take the role. Mortensen read the book on the plane, received a crash course lesson in fencing from Bob Anderson and began filming the scenes on Weathertop.[ Sony VAIO VPCS11V9E/B Battery
Mortensen became a hit with the crew by patching up his costume[15] and carrying his "hero" sword around with him offscreen.Sean Bean as Boromir: A prince of the Stewards of Gondor, he journeys with the Fellowship towards Mordor, although he is tempted by the power of the Ring. Sony VAIO VPCS11X9E/B Battery
Bruce Willis, a fan of the book, expressed interest in the role, while Liam Neeson was sent the script, but passed.[10]
Orlando Bloom as Legolas: Prince of the Elves' Woodland Realm and a skilled archer who accompanies the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor. Sony VAIO VPCS123FGB Battery
Bloom initially auditioned for Faramir, who appears in the second film, a role which went to David Wenham.Billy Boyd as Peregrin "Pippin" Took: A Hobbit who travels with the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor, along with his best friend Merry. He is a prankster, often being a nuisance for Gandalf. Sony VAIO VPCS125EC Battery
Together with Meriadoc Brandybuck (see below), he serves as a comic relief.
Dominic Monaghan as Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck: A Hobbit and a friend (and distant cousin) of Frodo. He helps him find a raft-ferry to escape the Nazgûl, and later travels with the Fellowship on their journey to Mordor, along with his best friend Pippin. Sony VAIO VPCS128EC Battery
Monaghan was cast as Merry after auditioning for Frodo. Together with Pippin (see above), he serves as a comic relief.John Rhys-Davies as Gimli: A Dwarf who accompanies the Fellowship to Mordor after they set out from Rivendell. He initially hates Elves, but changes his attitude in the course of the story, particularly after meeting Lady Galadriel. Sony VAIO VPCS129GC Battery
Billy Connolly was considered for the part of Gimli.[10] Rhys-Davies wore heavy prosthetics to play Gimli, which limited his vision, and eventually he developed eczema around his eyes.[5]
Christopher Lee as Saruman the White: The fallen head of the Istari Order, who succumbed to Sauron's will via his use of the palantír. Sony VAIO VPCS12C7E/B Battery
After capturing Gandalf, he creates an army of Uruk-hai to find and capture the Ring from the Fellowship. Lee is a major fan of the book, and reads it once a year. He has also met J. R. R. Tolkien.[14] He originally auditioned for Gandalf, but was judged too old.[10]
Sala Baker as Sauron: The titular character of the story, who created the One Ring to conquer Middle-earth. Sony VAIO VPCS12L9E/B Battery
He lost the Ring to Isildur, and now seeks it in order to initiate his reign over Middle-earth. He cannot yet take physical form, and is spiritually incarnate as an Eye.
Hugo Weaving as Elrond: The Elven master and Lord of Rivendell, who leads the Council of Elrond which ultimately decides to destroy the One Ring. Sony VAIO VPCS12V9E/B Battery
He lost faith in the strength of Men after witnessing Isildur's failure 3,000 years before. David Bowie expressed interest in the role, but Jackson stated, "To have a famous, beloved character and a famous star colliding is slightly uncomfortable."Marton Csokas as Celeborn: An Elf and the co-ruler of Lothlórien along with his wife Galadriel. Sony VAIO VPCY115FGS Battery
Cate Blanchett as Galadriel: An Elf and the co-ruler of Lothlórien along with her husband Celeborn. She shows Frodo a possible outcome of events in hermirror and gives him the Light of Eärendil. Tilda Swinton was also a possibility to the role, but she turned it down, since she was going to play a similar role as Jadis, Sony VAIO VPCY115FX/BI Battery
the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Liv Tyler as Arwen: An elf, Arwen escorts Frodo to Rivendell after he is stabbed by the Witch-king. She is the daughter of Elrond, and Aragorn's lover to whom she gives the Evenstar necklace. Sony VAIO VPCY115FXBI Battery
The filmmakers approached Tyler after seeing her performance in Plunkett & Macleane, and New Line Cinema leaped at the opportunity of having one Hollywood star in the film. Actress Helena Bonham Carter had expressed interest in the role.Tyler came to shoot on short occasions, and bonded most with Bloom. Sony VAIO VPCY118EC Battery
She was one of the last actors to be cast, on 25 August 1999.[16]
Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins: Frodo's uncle who gives him the Ring after he decides to retire to Rivendell. At Rivendell, he gives Frodo a mithril mail-shirt and his own sword, Sting, which can detect the presence of nearby orcs by emitting a bluish glow. Sony VAIO VPCY118GX/BI Battery
Holm previously played Frodo in a 1981 radio adaption ofThe Lord of the Rings, and was cast as Bilbo after Jackson remembered his performance.[10] Sylvester McCoy was contacted about playing the role, and was kept in place as a potential Bilbo for six months before Jackson went with Holm.[17] Sony VAIO VPCY119FJ/S Battery
Lawrence Makoare as Lurtz: The commander of Saruman's orc forces who leads the hunt for the Fellowship as they head to Mordor.Craig Parker as Haldir: Leader of The Galadhrim warriors guarding the border of Lothlórien.Mark Ferguson as Gil-galad: An Elven-King and last ruler of Noldor who fought in the War of the Last Alliance. Sony VAIO VPCY11AFJ Battery
Peter McKenzie as Elendil: High King of Arnor and Gondor who fought in The War Of The Last Alliance and father of Isildur. Killed by Sauron.
Harry Sinclair as Isildur: Son of Elendil and ancestor of Aragorn who fought in The War Of The Last Alliance. Sony VAIO VPCY11AGJ Battery
He got ambushed by Mordor Orcs when The One Ring is passed onto him after he cut off Sauron's hand with his father's sword, Narsil during the war.
Comparison with the source material
Jackson, Walsh and Boyens made numerous changes to the story, for purposes of pacing and character development. Sony VAIO VPCY11AHJ Battery
Jackson said his main desire was to make a film focused primarily on Frodo and the Ring, the "backbone" of the story.[18] The prologue condenses Tolkien's backstory, in which The Last Alliance's seven year siege of the Barad-dûr is a single battle, where Sauron is shown to explode, though Tolkien only said his spirit flees.[19] Sony VAIO VPCY11AVJ Battery
Events at the beginning of the film are condensed or omitted altogether. In the book the time between Gandalf leaving the Ring to Frodo and returning to reveal its inscription, which is 17 years, is compressed for timing reasons.[20] Frodo also spends a few months preparing to move to Buckland, on the eastern border of the shire. Sony VAIO VPCY11M1E/S Battery
This move is omitted and combined with him setting out for Rivendell. Also compressed is the time between Frodo and Sam leaving Bag End and their meeting Merry and Pippin. Characters such asTom Bombadil are left out to simplify the plot and increase the threat of the Ringwraiths. Sony VAIO VPCY11S1E Battery
Such sequences are left out to make time to introduce Saruman, who in the book doesn't appear until a flashback told at the Council of Elrond. Saruman's role is enhanced: he is to blame for the blizzard on Caradhras, a role taken from Sauron and/or Caradhras itself in the book. Gandalf's capture by Saruman is also expanded with a fight sequence. Sony VAIO VPCY11V9E/S Battery
The role of Barliman Butterbur at the Prancing Pony is largely removed for time and dramatic flow.The events at Weathertop were also altered. The location of the fight against the Ringwraiths was changed to the ruins on top of the hill rather than a campsite at its base. Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/BI Battery
When Frodo was stabbed in the book, the party spent two weeks travelling to Rivendell, but in the film this is shortened to less than a week, with Frodo's condition worsening at a commensurately greater rate. Arwen was given a greater role in the film, accompanying Frodo all the way to Rivendell, Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/G Battery
while in the book Frodo faced the Ringwraiths alone at the Ford of Bruinen. The character of Glorfindel was omitted entirely and his scenes were also given to Arwen. She was tacitly credited with the river rising against the Ringwraiths, which was the work of her father Elrond with aid from Gandalf in the book. Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/L Battery
A significant new addition is Aragorn's self-doubt, which causes him to hesitate to claim the kingship of Gondor. This element is not present in the book, where Aragorn intends to claim the throne at an appropriate time. In the book Narsil is reforged immediately when he joins the Fellowship, Sony VAIO VPCY218EC/P Battery
but this event is held over until Return of the King in film to symbolically coincide with his acceptance of his title. These elements were added because Peter Jackson believed that each character should be forced to grow or change over the course of the story.
Elrond's character gained an adversarial edge; Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/L Battery
he expresses doubts in the strength of Men to resist Sauron's evil after Isildur's failure to destroy the ring as depicted in the prologue. Jackson also shortens the Council of Elrond by spreading its exposition into earlier parts of the film. Elrond's counsellor, Erestor—who suggested the Ring be given to Tom Bombadil—was completely absent from this scene. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/P Battery
Gimli's father, Glóin, was also deemed unnecessary.
The tone of the Moria sequence was altered. Although in the book the Fellowship only realises the Dwarves are all dead once they reach Balin's tomb, the filmmakers chose to use foreshadowing devices instead. Sony VAIO VPCY21S1E/SI Battery
Gandalf says to Gimli he would prefer not to enter Moria, and Saruman is shown to be aware of Gandalf's reticence, and also reveals an illustration of the Balrog in one of his books. The corpses of the dwarves are instantly shown as the Fellowship enter Moria.In terms of dramatic structure, the book simply ends; Sony VAIO VGN-SR390NAH Battery
there is no climax, because Tolkien wrote the "trilogy" as a single story published in three volumes. Jackson's version incorporates the first chapter of '"The Two Towers" and makes its events, told in real time instead of flashback, simultaneous with the Breaking of the Fellowship. Sony VAIO VGN-SR41M/P Battery
This finale is played as a climactic battle, into which he introduces the Uruk-hai referred to as Lurtz in the script. In the book, Boromir is unable to tell Aragorn which hobbits were kidnapped by the orcs before he dies. From there, Aragorn deduces Frodo's intentions when he notices that a boat is missing and Sam's pack is gone. Sony VAIO VGN-SR41M/S Battery
In the film, Aragorn and Frodo have a scene together in which Frodo's intentions are explicitly stated.Jackson began working with Christian Rivers to storyboard the trilogy in August 1997, as well as getting Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop to begin creating his interpretation of Middle-earth. Sony VAIO VGN-SR49VN/H Battery
Jackson told them to make Middle-earth as plausible and believable as possible, to think of Middle-earth in a historical manner.In November, Alan Lee and John Howe became the primary conceptual designers for the film trilogy, having had previous experience as illustrators for the book and various other tie-ins. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51B/P Battery
Lee worked for the Art Department creating places such as Rivendell, Isengard, Moria and Lothlórien, giving art nouveau and geometryinfluences to the Elves and Dwarves respectively. Though Howe contributed with Bag End and the Argonath, he focused working on armour having studied it all his life. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51B/S Battery
Weta and the Art Department continued to design, with Grant Major turning the Art Department's designs into architecture, and Dan Hennah scouting locations.[23] On 1 April 1999, Ngila Dickson joined the crew as costume designer. She and 40 seamstresses would create 19,000 costumes, Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF Battery
40 per version for the actor and their doubles, ageing and wearing them out for impression of age.The Fellowship of the Ring makes extensive use of digital, practical and make-up special effects throughout. One noticeable illusion that appears in almost every scene involves setting a proper scale so that the characters are all the correct height. Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF/P Battery
Elijah Wood, who plays Frodo, is 5 ft 6in (1.68 m) tall in real life, but the character of Frodo Baggins is barely four feet in height. Many different tricks were used to depict the hobbits (and Gimli the Dwarf) as being of diminutive stature. (In a happy coincidence, John-Rhys Davies — who played Gimli —Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF/S Battery
is as tall compared to the Hobbit actors as his character needed to be compared to theirs, so he did not need to be filmed separately as a third variation of height, and is quite taller than Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas.) Large and small scale doubles were used in certain scenes, Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MF/W Battery
while entire duplicates of certain sets (including Bag End in Hobbiton) were built at two different scales, so that the characters would appear to be the appropriate size. At one point in the film, Frodo runs along a corridor in Bag End, followed by Gandalf. Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen were filmed in separate versions of the same corridor, Sony VAIO VGN-SR51MR Battery
built at two different scales, and a fast camera pan conceals the edit between the two. Forced perspective was also employed, so that it would look as though the short Hobbits were interacting with taller Men and Elves. Even the simple use of kneeling down, to the filmmakers' surprise, turned out to be an effective method in creating the illusion. Sony VAIO VGN-SR59VG Battery
For the battle between the Last Alliance and the forces of Sauron that begins the film, an elaborate CGI animation system, called MASSIVE, was developed byStephen Regelous; it allowed thousands of individual animated "characters" in the program to act independently. This helped give the illusion of realism to the battle sequences. Sony VAIO VGN-SR59VG/H Battery
The "Making of" Lord of the Rings DVD reports some interesting initial problems: in the first execution of a battle between groups of characters, the wrong groups attacked each other. In another early demo, some of the warriors at the edge of the field could be seen running away.Sony VAIO VGN-SR70B/S Battery
They were initially moving in the wrong direction, and had been programmed to keep running until they encountered an enemy.
The digital creatures were important due to Jackson's requirement of biological plausibility. Sony VAIO VGN-SR72B/P Battery
Their surface was scanned from large maquettes before numerous digital details of their skeletons and muscles were added. In the case of the Balrog, Gary Horsfield created a system that copied recorded imagery of fire.
The musical score for the Lord of the Rings films was composed by Howard Shore. Sony VAIO VGN-SR72B/S Battery
It was performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, The London Voices, and featured several vocal soloists. Two original songs, "Aníron", and the end title theme "May It Be", were composed and sung byEnya, who allowed her label, Reprise Records, to release the soundtrack to this and its two sequels. Sony VAIO VGN-SR73JB/S Battery
In addition to this, Shore composed "In Dreams", which was sung by Edward Ross of the London Oratory School Schola.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released on 19 December 2001 in 3,359 cinemas where it grossed $47.2 million on its opening weekend. Sony VAIO VGN-SR74FB/S Battery
It went on to make $314.7 million in North America and $555.9 million in the rest of the world for a worldwide total of $870.7 million.[26]The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring received mostly positive reviews from major film critics and was one of the best reviewed films of 2001, receiving 92% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Sony VAIO VGN-SR90FS Battery
Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars and wrote, "Peter Jackson ... has made a work for, and of, our times. It will be embraced, I suspect, by many Tolkien fans and take on aspects of a cult. It is a candidate for many Oscars. It is an awesome production in its daring and breadth, and there are small touches that are just right".Sony VAIO VGN-SR90NS Battery
USA Today also gave the film three out of four stars and wrote, "this movie version of a beloved book should please devotees as well as the uninitiated".[29] In his review for The New York Times, Elvis Mitchell wrote, "The playful spookiness of Mr. Jackson's direction provides a lively, light touch, Sony VAIO VGN-SR90S Battery
a gesture that doesn't normally come to mind when Tolkien's name is mentioned".[30]Entertainment Weekly magazine gave the film an "A" rating and Lisa Schwarzbaum wrote, "The cast take to their roles with becoming modesty, certainly, but Jackson also makes it easy for them: Sony VAIO VGN-SR90US Battery
His Fellowship flows, never lingering for the sake of admiring its own beauty ... Every detail of which engrossed me. I may have never turned a page of Tolkien, but I know enchantment when I see it".[31]
In her review for The Washington Post, Rita Kempley praised the cast, Sony VAIO VGN-SR91NS Battery
in particular, "Mortensen, as Strider, is a revelation, not to mention downright gorgeous. And McKellen, carrying the burden of thousands of years' worth of the fight against evil, is positively Merlinesque".[32] Time magazine's Richard Corliss praised Jackson's work: "His movie achieves what the best fairy tales do: Sony VAIO VGN-SR91PS Battery
the creation of an alternate world, plausible and persuasive, where the young — and not only the young — can lose themselves. And perhaps, in identifying with the little Hobbit that could, find their better selves".[33] In his review for The Village Voice, J. Hoberman wrote, "Peter Jackson's adaptation is certainly successful on its own terms".Sony VAIO VGN-SR91S Battery
Rolling Stone magazine's Peter Travers wrote, "It's emotion that makes Fellowship stick hard in the memory ... Jackson deserves to revel in his success. He's made a three-hour film that leaves you wanting more".[35]However, in his review for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw wrote, Sony VAIO VGN-SR91US Battery
"there is a strange paucity of plot complication, an absence of anything unfolding, all the more disconcerting because of the clotted and indigestible mythic back story that we have to wade through before anything happens at all.
In 2002, the film won four Academy Awards out of thirteen nominations. Sony VAIO VGN-SR92NS Battery
The winning categories were for Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, and Best Original Score. Despite its praise by fans, the other nominated categories of Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ian McKellen), Best Art Direction, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Sony VAIO VGN-SR92PS Battery
Best Original Song (Enya, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan for "May It Be"), Best Picture, Best Sound (Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick,Gethin Creagh and Hammond Peek), Costume Design and Best Adapted Screenplay were not won.As of June 2010, it is the 19th highest-grossing film worldwide, with takings of US$870,761,744 from worldwide theatrical box office receipts.[1] Sony VAIO VGN-SR92S Battery
The film won the 2002 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. It also won Empire readers' Best Film award, as well as five BAFTAs, including Best Film, theDavid Lean Award for Direction, the Audience Award (voted for by the public), Best Special Effects, and Best Make-up. Sony VAIO VGN-SR92US Battery
The film was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight between Gandalf and Saruman.
In June 2008, AFI revealed its "Ten top Ten"—the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres—after polling over 1,500 people from the creative community. Sony VAIO VGN-SR93DS Battery
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was acknowledged as the second best film in the fantasy genre.
Theatrical and Extended release
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was released on VHS and DVD on 6 August 2002. Sony VAIO VGN-SR93JS Battery
A few months later, on 12 November 2002, an Extended Edition was released on VHS and DVD, with 30 minutes of new material, added special effects and music, plus 20 minutes of fan-club credits. The DVD set included four commentaries and over three hours of supplementary material. Sony VAIO VGN-SR93PS Battery
On 29 August 2006, a Limited Edition of The Fellowship of the Ring was released on DVD. The set included both the Theatrical and Extended editions of the film on a double-sided disc along with all-new bonus material. Sony VAIO VGN-SR93YS Battery
The theatrical Blu-ray version of The Lord of the Rings was released in the United States on April 6, 2010. There were two separate sets: one with digital copies and one without.[40] The individual Blu-ray disc of The Fellowship of the Ring was released on September 14, 2010 with the same special features as the complete trilogy release, Sony VAIO VGN-SR94FS Battery
except there was no digital copy.The Extended Editions for Blu-ray were released in the U.S. on June 28, 2011. Sony VAIO VGN-SR94GS Battery,Sony VAIO VGN-SR94HS Battery,Sony VAIO VGN-SR94VS Battery
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