The two types of LotR fans - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Makar · 03-03-2005, 02:42 PM

For me it started with the story. It took me a long time to realize the massive scope of the world, which will never be rivaled again by any author, I think. My final conclusion about Tolkien, however, is that I love most the word. The language of Tolkien (not necessarily the languages, which are themselves a work of unfathomable genius) is what really gets me. Word order, use of words, descriptions, etc.

Celebuial · 03-04-2005, 03:03 AM

Nice point Makar. I totally agree. That makes me a lover of the World and the Word. There are so many different ways to enjoy Tolkien that we could probabily talk about trying to classify fans for years. People probabily have. I think that it doesn't really matter if you love the Story, the World, the Word, or the Languages; we all love Tolkien, or part of what he created and I don't think we need to group ourselves any more than that. I'm happy just being a plain old Tolkien fan (if such a thing exists), even if it is interesting talking about the different ways that everybody loves and interprets Tolkien.

03-29-2005, 10:15 PM

When I started out, I loved the story, but, as time went on, I began to wonder about the world, and my wondering lead me to research. Now, I can't say that I am a lover of the world or of the story more. I am equally both. I love everything about LOTR, the characters, the place, the languages, the weaponry. I don't fit completley into either category. I am both.

Amrod the Hunter · 04-04-2005, 12:56 PM

Actualy,the story and the world go together.You can't enjoy the story if you don't love the world where it happens,and vice versa.
There are many who love LOTR just because of the movies,but I think there are not many of them there,altough there are some....
I love LOTR because of the magic Tolkien created by mixing a great storx,excelent characters,and the great world where it all happens.
BTW:I also think that the characters play an impornant role in loving this book because they're so good.

04-06-2005, 05:57 PM

I have to say that I fit more in the world category. At first I was all about the story, but then I satrted to read the Sil and The Unfinished Tales and after re-reading every book(alot of times), learining the history and a bit of Sindarin, I started to be more world type. I can tell my mom's story type, though. She read the books and all and loved them but if I ask her some history of ME questions she goes all confused about the ages and stuff. To her(unlike me)it,s more about the characters than the events.

eowyntje · 04-12-2005, 03:38 AM

Very very hard to decide, I think I'm 60% story, 40% world.
I started the Sil, took notes and made timelines to remmember everything, but never finished it because I was to busy with school. I love the story on how middle earth came to exist, but I lost interest when I came to all the different elf-races. Most lord of the rings fans disagree with me, but I don't find elves that interesting. Its the stories of other races that interest me, humans, drawfs, hobbits, elves often seem so... perfect.

You forgot one type of lotr of the rings fans: the hate-the-story, hate-the-world, movie-with-cute-actors-lovers.

Celebuial · 04-13-2005, 02:18 AM

Quote:

elves often seem so... perfect.

I'm afraid I have to disagree: If Elve's were perfect then they wouldn't have statred to kill each other over the silmarils. They can still be corrupted and used by evil.

Quote:

You forgot one type of lotr of the rings fans: the hate-the-story, hate-the-world, movie-with-cute-actors-lovers.

Well, good point, but can you really class them as LotR fans? If they only like the movie for the cute actors surely we shouldn't call them LotR fans?

deal_with_it · 04-05-2006, 07:25 AM

I love the entire Middle Earth world and have dreamed of travelling in it and seeing it for real. I have played the role playing games and taken the descriptions of places in those games as a sort of supplement to the world of Tolkein even though the places are never described in the books.

Silmarillion has always been a tough read for me. I've never gotten into it, but everything else Middle Earth I love.

Taralphiel · 04-05-2006, 06:18 PM

I have a feeling my post will be more a record of my indecisiveness than anything! :P

When I read the first post I though 'Ha! I'm a (newly returned) roleplayer. I must be more of a world fan!' So 60-40.

I began to read all of the posts discussing reasons for why people are more world or story fans (or both), and it began to make me wonder. I love Tokien's writing. I love his creation of a unique, delicate, and extremely detailed culture of an entire planet. I love his characters interation, and their cultural beliefs mixing in with one another. I can't really say that I don't love the stories in LOTR. So I change to 50-50.

But the world, the scenery (both built up in my mind, and on the screen in the movies) is wonderful, and the history beyond that of The Lord of the Rings is what has kept me a fan so long. So now, smoke begins to come out of my ears.....

I think in the end I state myself as a Tolkien fan - through and through. Every part of his writing, and the wonderful way his mind wove a world of its own. That world, and every story in it, will always have me in wonder.

Am I just dodging the question? *giggles*

Goldberry101 · 05-02-2006, 06:46 PM

There isn't really one or the other...world or story fans I mean. The silmarillion, while a history, is also a collection of stories. It is all told in story form. If I had to make a distinction, I would say that there is those who love the story of the characters, and those who love the story of all of middle earth, or if you want to call it something more historcaly accurate, like Arda :-)

03-03-2005, 02:42 PM	#1
Makar Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Oklahom Posts: 44	The world and the word For me it started with the story. It took me a long time to realize the massive scope of the world, which will never be rivaled again by any author, I think. My final conclusion about Tolkien, however, is that I love most the word. The language of Tolkien (not necessarily the languages, which are themselves a work of unfathomable genius) is what really gets me. Word order, use of words, descriptions, etc.

03-04-2005, 03:03 AM	#2
Celebuial Wight Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff during term time/Leicester in the holl's Posts: 129	Nice point Makar. I totally agree. That makes me a lover of the World and the Word. There are so many different ways to enjoy Tolkien that we could probabily talk about trying to classify fans for years. People probabily have. I think that it doesn't really matter if you love the Story, the World, the Word, or the Languages; we all love Tolkien, or part of what he created and I don't think we need to group ourselves any more than that. I'm happy just being a plain old Tolkien fan (if such a thing exists), even if it is interesting talking about the different ways that everybody loves and interprets Tolkien. __________________ Ú cilith ‘war. Ú men ‘war. Boe min mebi. Boe min bango.

04-12-2005, 03:38 AM	#6
eowyntje Animated Skeleton Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 47	Very very hard to decide, I think I'm 60% story, 40% world. I started the Sil, took notes and made timelines to remmember everything, but never finished it because I was to busy with school. I love the story on how middle earth came to exist, but I lost interest when I came to all the different elf-races. Most lord of the rings fans disagree with me, but I don't find elves that interesting. Its the stories of other races that interest me, humans, drawfs, hobbits, elves often seem so... perfect. You forgot one type of lotr of the rings fans: the hate-the-story, hate-the-world, movie-with-cute-actors-lovers. __________________ No matter what they think or what they do, No matter what they feel Or what they see in you, You're gonna get there, Whatever they say, And nobody's going to stand, in the way

04-05-2006, 07:25 AM	#8
deal_with_it Animated Skeleton Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 42	Both ways I love the entire Middle Earth world and have dreamed of travelling in it and seeing it for real. I have played the role playing games and taken the descriptions of places in those games as a sort of supplement to the world of Tolkein even though the places are never described in the books. Silmarillion has always been a tough read for me. I've never gotten into it, but everything else Middle Earth I love.

03-29-2005, 10:15 PM	#3
~Lady Of The Wood~ Guest Posts: n/a	When I started out, I loved the story, but, as time went on, I began to wonder about the world, and my wondering lead me to research. Now, I can't say that I am a lover of the world or of the story more. I am equally both. I love everything about LOTR, the characters, the place, the languages, the weaponry. I don't fit completley into either category. I am both.

04-04-2005, 12:56 PM	#4
Amrod the Hunter Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dol Amroth Posts: 54	Actualy,the story and the world go together.You can't enjoy the story if you don't love the world where it happens,and vice versa. There are many who love LOTR just because of the movies,but I think there are not many of them there,altough there are some.... I love LOTR because of the magic Tolkien created by mixing a great storx,excelent characters,and the great world where it all happens. BTW:I also think that the characters play an impornant role in loving this book because they're so good.

04-06-2005, 05:57 PM	#5
Linwe Guest Posts: n/a	I have to say that I fit more in the world category. At first I was all about the story, but then I satrted to read the Sil and The Unfinished Tales and after re-reading every book(alot of times), learining the history and a bit of Sindarin, I started to be more world type. I can tell my mom's story type, though. She read the books and all and loved them but if I ask her some history of ME questions she goes all confused about the ages and stuff. To her(unlike me)it,s more about the characters than the events.

04-05-2006, 06:18 PM	#9
Taralphiel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Swan Wood Posts: 649	I have a feeling my post will be more a record of my indecisiveness than anything! :P When I read the first post I though 'Ha! I'm a (newly returned) roleplayer. I must be more of a world fan!' So 60-40. I began to read all of the posts discussing reasons for why people are more world or story fans (or both), and it began to make me wonder. I love Tokien's writing. I love his creation of a unique, delicate, and extremely detailed culture of an entire planet. I love his characters interation, and their cultural beliefs mixing in with one another. I can't really say that I don't love the stories in LOTR. So I change to 50-50. But the world, the scenery (both built up in my mind, and on the screen in the movies) is wonderful, and the history beyond that of The Lord of the Rings is what has kept me a fan so long. So now, smoke begins to come out of my ears..... I think in the end I state myself as a Tolkien fan - through and through. Every part of his writing, and the wonderful way his mind wove a world of its own. That world, and every story in it, will always have me in wonder. Am I just dodging the question? giggles

05-02-2006, 06:46 PM	#10
Goldberry101 Pile O'Bones Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 20	There isn't really one or the other...world or story fans I mean. The silmarillion, while a history, is also a collection of stories. It is all told in story form. If I had to make a distinction, I would say that there is those who love the story of the characters, and those who love the story of all of middle earth, or if you want to call it something more historcaly accurate, like Arda :-)