Verily my compassion overcometh my wrath. Who are YOUR famous five? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Hammerhand · 08-12-2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finduilas

I'm confused. This sounds sarcastic, but it goes totally by me. (If anyone would like to explain it, I'd be much obliged.)

As for my five...

Fingon
Faramir
Frodo
Sam
Yavanna(Do Valar count?)

It's been a while since I read the Silm. so there might be more in there that I like as much or more then the LotR characters I mentioned.

Everyone counts dude.

I do believe the reference davem made was to Enid Blyton's "The Famous Five", it was abit before my time but it does ring a bell

MatthewM · 08-12-2007, 09:38 PM

My favourite five...

as if you can't tell from my posts...

Boromir

and the rest...

Faramir
Pippin
Merry
Eomer

Legate of Amon Lanc · 08-18-2007, 09:04 AM

As it was said here, it is hard to choose only a few characters. But five is quite a large number, so perhaps I'll be able to pick those I like the most.

In alphabetical order. I like them all the same.

Galadriel
Saruman
Tuor
Uglúk
Ulmo

What a nice company, isn't it?

Mithalwen · 08-18-2007, 09:31 AM

Idril Overlooked but surely the most admirable of Tolkien's heroines. Brave, beautiful, resourceful and forward thinking, she manages to marry her mortal beau without upsetting Daddy and thanks to her at least some of the Gondolindrim survive. Tolkiens deifies the brunettes but his blondes are so much more interesting - and have more fun. I love Eowyn and Galadriel too but I must choose only 5...)

Faramir Mr Wonderful

Just perfect

Finrod Greater love hath no elf..... his death was unbearable

Elrond His history encompasses so much of the history and sorrow of the elves and at great personal cost he sees out his role in Middle Earth.

Merry Always my favourite hobbit and with his love of ale, pipeweed and scholarly inclinations he reminds me a bit of the Prof..

Thinlómien · 08-19-2007, 07:09 AM

Maedhros - Though he's a hero and an admirable person, he has his flaws and that's what I like a lot. Characters that are too good annoy me. Maedhros is wise, brave, a good leader and thoughtful. And I don't know why, but proud and short-tempered characters - if they're not too proud or too short-tempered - always intrigue me. I like Maedhros's personality and I love it how he's the balancing force so often, trying to cool down his little brothers and negotiate with the other Noldo leaders. Furthermore, the scenes of burning of the ships of Alqualondë and Fingon rescuing Maedhros are both among my favourites in the Silmarillion.

Galadriel - She's gorgeous. Wise and powerful and more than a match to the males of her time. Not some whining, passive beauty who at most gives advice to her father/brother/husband, like so many of Tolkien's women. Galadriel is a strong-willed and intelligent woman who does things herself and is capable of many things. She's proud but not pompous and she can observe and stay in the background if she chooses to. And, of course, there's that very cool mirror of hers...

Théoden - I love his gentleness. Though he has lived through horrible times, he has lost so many close to him and he is rresponsible of the future of his people, he has not become harsh nor lost his good heart. Théoden is a wise and valiant man and his sense of humour just rocks. I guess he's the kind of person who everybody would love to have as their grandfather, or if one lived in Rohan, as their king.

Gandalf - I think he hasn't been appreciated enough lately. Mostly we see him only as "the big wizard". It pains me sometimes. He's a great personality! I absolutely love his sense of humour and his sharp tongue. He's wise and compassionate, but to balance things he's quite short-tempered. He's an awesome guy, eh?

Boromir - He's one of those achingly human characters in the books. Of course it is wrong of him to try to take the ring from Frodo. But you can see his reasons for it and understand him. Something in his personality and charisma greatly impresses me. He's one of those people of whom you could say "he's a great man". He's noble and brave and he has that fault of short-temper that seems to intrigue me. And his death is just something so heroic and beautiful.

But why just five? I would have loved to include at least Beorn, Balin, Merry, Melian, Finrod, Beleg, Morwen, Húrin, Ulmo, Bard and Haleth as well, but....

smeagollives · 08-19-2007, 11:59 AM

1. Smeagol (Smeagol lives and precious is with him)
2. Samwise (the best friend, one could wish for)
3. Bilbo (i liked him since my father red the hobbit to me when i was 6, liked him better in "the hobbit", than in lotr)
4. Saruman (i do not know why, but i like him)
5. The Gaffer (reminds me of our neighbour)

Lolidir · 08-19-2007, 08:42 PM

Frodo - as he portrays human nature...no matter how far we go and how hard we try, often enough we fall so many times

Sam - for being the friend that we should all strive to be

Elrond - as said before his story encompasses so much of the History of ME.

Smeagol - as he shows that no matter how despised and how much we hate someone...we cannot count out that they may yet have a role to play.

Aragorn - it was something i read in another book, its the ones that dont look for leadership or power that often are the Greatest leaders

Lindale · 11-22-2007, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Boromir - He's one of those achingly human characters in the books. Of course it is wrong of him to try to take the ring from Frodo. But you can see his reasons for it and understand him. Something in his personality and charisma greatly impresses me. He's one of those people of whom you could say "he's a great man". He's noble and brave and he has that fault of short-temper that seems to intrigue me. And his death is just something so heroic and beautiful.

The ultimate personification of human nature (the good and the evil) are in him! His breaking the oath to protecting Frodo is just a matter of evaluation--which is more important to him, the Elven advice or his daddy's city? For him, before he fully understood things, or rather when lapses occurred, the Elves and especially Elrond and the bloke Aragorn do not realize the threats of Mordor and the stuff he perceived the boost that the Ring can give. Ah well. Can we really blame him for this? The thing that got me though was that he had to die. Maybe because Tolkien wanted the guys with the stain of "evil" in their hearts to die? look at Feanor, Gollum, Turin, all those tragic heroes.

2. Feanor

The most talented and greatest of the Noldor, but... pride and temper is his downfall. I sympathize with that. Great minds, some blokes at school say, are often misunderstood. True for Feanor. And you see that he's no typical 'good boy'--on the contrary, he's the guy that will go to all ends to get what he wants.

3. Luthien

Love conquers all for this girl, even to the point of challenging Hell. Ah well. She fell in love. Sometimes that really happens. (and the fact that she and her lover were able to do what the forces of the Noldor and the Sindar could not do.)

4. Eowyn

Unlike Arwen who sat at home doing her embroidery or whatever she did to finish the banner, Eowyn chose to ride to death when she got rejected by the man she thought she loved. Despair, and pride. I love characters with pride. But at some point after the end, I got a little wacked because she chose the gentle guy. At first I thought she was going to be a Valkyrie or something.

5. Turin???

But not that much. He's like Oedipus, damned if he does this, damned if he doesn't. Poor bloke. But you got to admit that some of the stuff were his fault. Maybe not the death of Beleg, but the fall of Nargothrond. (And you gotta admit to o that Orodreth was stupid to listen to a mere mortal against the advices of a god's messengers.) Nienor was certainly not his fault, but... hah. He mistook the instinctive love for a sister for a wifely devotion!

Poor Hurin! Watching his kids getting more and more wretched, what could he have felt?

McCaber · 11-24-2007, 05:49 PM

In no particular order...

Ecthelion
Tuor
Earendil
Fingon
Maedhros

08-12-2007, 09:38 PM	#2
MatthewM Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New York Posts: 628	My favourite five... as if you can't tell from my posts... Boromir and the rest... Faramir Pippin Merry Eomer __________________ "Loud and clear it sounds in the valleys of the hills...and then let all the foes of Gondor flee!" -Boromir, The Fellowship of the Ring

08-18-2007, 09:04 AM	#3
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Somebody has to break the line As it was said here, it is hard to choose only a few characters. But five is quite a large number, so perhaps I'll be able to pick those I like the most. In alphabetical order. I like them all the same. Galadriel Saruman Tuor Uglúk Ulmo What a nice company, isn't it? __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories

08-18-2007, 09:31 AM	#4
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	Only five is hard but..... Idril Overlooked but surely the most admirable of Tolkien's heroines. Brave, beautiful, resourceful and forward thinking, she manages to marry her mortal beau without upsetting Daddy and thanks to her at least some of the Gondolindrim survive. Tolkiens deifies the brunettes but his blondes are so much more interesting - and have more fun. I love Eowyn and Galadriel too but I must choose only 5...) Faramir Mr Wonderful Just perfect Finrod Greater love hath no elf..... his death was unbearable Elrond His history encompasses so much of the history and sorrow of the elves and at great personal cost he sees out his role in Middle Earth. Merry Always my favourite hobbit and with his love of ale, pipeweed and scholarly inclinations he reminds me a bit of the Prof.. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

08-19-2007, 07:09 AM	#5
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Here they come, but in no particular order... Maedhros - Though he's a hero and an admirable person, he has his flaws and that's what I like a lot. Characters that are too good annoy me. Maedhros is wise, brave, a good leader and thoughtful. And I don't know why, but proud and short-tempered characters - if they're not too proud or too short-tempered - always intrigue me. I like Maedhros's personality and I love it how he's the balancing force so often, trying to cool down his little brothers and negotiate with the other Noldo leaders. Furthermore, the scenes of burning of the ships of Alqualondë and Fingon rescuing Maedhros are both among my favourites in the Silmarillion. Galadriel - She's gorgeous. Wise and powerful and more than a match to the males of her time. Not some whining, passive beauty who at most gives advice to her father/brother/husband, like so many of Tolkien's women. Galadriel is a strong-willed and intelligent woman who does things herself and is capable of many things. She's proud but not pompous and she can observe and stay in the background if she chooses to. And, of course, there's that very cool mirror of hers... Théoden - I love his gentleness. Though he has lived through horrible times, he has lost so many close to him and he is rresponsible of the future of his people, he has not become harsh nor lost his good heart. Théoden is a wise and valiant man and his sense of humour just rocks. I guess he's the kind of person who everybody would love to have as their grandfather, or if one lived in Rohan, as their king. Gandalf - I think he hasn't been appreciated enough lately. Mostly we see him only as "the big wizard". It pains me sometimes. He's a great personality! I absolutely love his sense of humour and his sharp tongue. He's wise and compassionate, but to balance things he's quite short-tempered. He's an awesome guy, eh? Boromir - He's one of those achingly human characters in the books. Of course it is wrong of him to try to take the ring from Frodo. But you can see his reasons for it and understand him. Something in his personality and charisma greatly impresses me. He's one of those people of whom you could say "he's a great man". He's noble and brave and he has that fault of short-temper that seems to intrigue me. And his death is just something so heroic and beautiful. But why just five? I would have loved to include at least Beorn, Balin, Merry, Melian, Finrod, Beleg, Morwen, Húrin, Ulmo, Bard and Haleth as well, but.... __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris Last edited by Thinlómien; 06-11-2008 at 11:32 AM.

08-19-2007, 08:42 PM	#7
Lolidir Wight Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Roaming the plains of Middle Earth Posts: 103	Frodo - as he portrays human nature...no matter how far we go and how hard we try, often enough we fall so many times Sam - for being the friend that we should all strive to be Elrond - as said before his story encompasses so much of the History of ME. Smeagol - as he shows that no matter how despised and how much we hate someone...we cannot count out that they may yet have a role to play. Aragorn - it was something i read in another book, its the ones that dont look for leadership or power that often are the Greatest leaders __________________ "Its a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to"

08-19-2007, 11:59 AM	#6
smeagollives Animated Skeleton Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 41	1. Smeagol (Smeagol lives and precious is with him) 2. Samwise (the best friend, one could wish for) 3. Bilbo (i liked him since my father red the hobbit to me when i was 6, liked him better in "the hobbit", than in lotr) 4. Saruman (i do not know why, but i like him) 5. The Gaffer (reminds me of our neighbour)

11-24-2007, 05:49 PM	#9
McCaber Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Skyrim, again. Posts: 820	In no particular order... Ecthelion Tuor Earendil Fingon Maedhros