Is it just me or does everyone feel sad at the beginning of Lord of the Rings (book)?
 

I mean, the characters are so innocent, and do not know the perils that await them. It's just so sad!

I didn't get sad until today. I was watching the extended version, and I saw the part where the elves are leaving for the Grey Havens. After reading your comment, I realise how sad it is, because Frodo and Sam do not realise how their own journey will end, and who else will suffer. *sniffle*

Before today:
I hadn't seen Fotr for a while, but had had a giant dose of TTT-itis. I was watching the Council of Elrond a few times, and I kept on jumping around in a giggly state at the fact that they were so clean and golden. It amused me that they were going to turn into such scruffy beggars. Especially Aragorn, who looks like a golden prince at the council and turns up at Helms Deep looking like Brego's latest chew toy (which he was, come to think of it).

The beginning of the book?! Hmm, never heard of that one. I always got sad at the end.

No, I don't really feel sad, but I know what you're saying. I don't know how to describe the emotion, but it's definitely some kind of feeling.

I agree. I think that in rereading the books, all the emotion comes at the beginning as well as the end. In the beginning, some kind of sad anticipation? of what will happen to the poor characters, but at least we know that everything will turn out all right! [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img]

I agree. But I understand what you are saying. I feel happy in the beginning actually. You are sitting there in your bed knowing that a whole adventure awaits you.... its happy. But that’s my opinion agree disagree everyone is different in there own special way [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img].

I think I can find a name for the emotion that Luinalatawen was talking about. For me, I feel a sense of foreboding, especially towards Sam, when he jumps for joy (no wait he cries) at coming with Frodo. I sort of think, You have no idea what you're getting yourself into boy.

Well, it seems happy to me. I mean, they're having the "Long Expected Party"! Plus, their innocence, atleast to me, makes it 'lighter', if you know what I mean. I think it's sad when Boromir dies. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] Poor guy, he kinda comes of as useless, but he's the coolest dude. Not like stinkin Aragorn. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I never felt sad at the start, i felt happy coz i would have just started reading the book!!!I did however, feel sad at the end of the book coz it was all over and i cried!!! [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

I get sad when they are in Moria and Gimli rips his beard out because his kin are dead. That is really sad. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

[img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] don't you get a feeling of an overwhelming sense of foreboding just because everything is so happy and carefree?The innocence of the hobbits' lifestyle and the tranquility of where they live - you're left with a feeling of something you can't quite put your finger on - sadness or just unease because you're just waiting for something to come along and spoil it all?

I feel very happy in the begining of the FotR. To me it's so jovial and carefree, that it's relaxing almost to read about the quaintness of the Shire. But after Bilbo leaves for Rivendell, yes I do feel an evil foreboding. I think I start to feel a little mournful that the hobbits have been living in this tranquility for hundreds of years and because they don't expect a change to come; thye will take it harder than any of the other races of people because of their safe seclusion (Thanks to the Rangers of course). [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] I do know what you mean though.

Interesting Topic [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ~Yavanna

p.s. Hullo Aulë! Isle of You
[img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ April 27, 2003: Message edited by: Yavanna Kementari ]

I also found it carefree at the begging, and the end of FOTR just surpriesed me so much...I guess I was just trying to "digest" it all. It's true though when I saw the "elves" thing w/ Frodo and Sam in FOTR extended I was sad...esspecially when Sam sau, "I don't know why...It makes me sad."

::sniff::

Well anyways...I was really sad at the end of the whole book because all though it was all "yay lets party for like two months, Sauron is dead!" ^-^...at the very end it was bitter sweet and I was like going to cry... It was beautifully ended...it wouldn't have had the same effect had JRRT ended it another way...

@ the begging! @ the begging!! I am sooo ashamed at my self! I mean at the begining.... For give me.

I did not feel sadness at the beginning of the books the first time I read it. I think I did feel a little bit more sadness the second time in the earlier parts of FOTR, but it was mainly during the Council of Elrond (when Frodo decides to take the ring) and when they are in the House of Tom Bombadil (when Frodo has the dream of the Grey Havens), but not during the Long Expected Party

Though I know what you are talking about

I haven't reread any of the books, because I'm still not done with RotK. But I do know what the feeling would be. I would feel happy, as mentioned before, because there's a whole long story, an adventure, this feeling of warmth and comfort... You curl up with your book and you feel it all. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

But at the same time, when I feel all that I'd probably take a half a second to let my mind wander around the basic events in LotR. And I would eventually let my mind wander to the point where it realizes that there's an ending to the story, it's not like the Neverending Story. Then I would feel sad, realizing that my heros' biggest, most amazing adventures would be all over at one point. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

[ May 07, 2003: Message edited by: kittiewhirl1677 ]

That always makes me sad. I'm not really sure why, but it does. A bit off topic, but, Maya- the Neverending Story, by Michael Ende does have an ending, (and a good ending it is), so that example doesn't work [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
Finishing books almost always makes me sad, but in LotR there was much more than just finishing it, there were so many parts that made me really sad, but it was in a good way, because I like it when books make me sad.

~Menelien

I always get upset at the end. I love the story so much that i hate to read about the fellowship never being together again. The last things you read about in the appendix is of the deaths of Aragorn and merry and pippin being laid to rest nxt to him. And the gimli and Legolas going over the sea. Nothing this speacial will eer happen again in any age of ME.
I usually start reading the book again so that i don't become too deperessed [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]