[Thinlómien]

Now when I think about this I feel that LotR doesn't have a happy ending. It's bitter-sweet and more bitter than sweet. It's so so sad that the elves leave it's like the whole magic of the world just disappeared.

The quote from Lórien (which I can't quote because I don't have the book in English) always makes me so sad of the elves' departure. It's about Frodo, how he sees Galadriel as the people of later ages. I think that's the first place the reader really understands that eventually the elves must pass. And with the passing of the elves I think that the reader is also reminded that everything has to pass. That makes it so beautiful, and bitter, like life itself.

And I always start to cry when Gandalf says his famous words about crying. That really moves me, but I can't tell why.

On the other hand, from the viewpoint of literature, LotR would be probably be classified as a book with happy or semi-happy ending, if such classifications would exist.

And, it's not a happy ending for the reader either because when the book is shut you know it's over. It doesn't continue. But of course, you can always start all over...