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| Scholarly Pursuits by Antane | 34 Review(s) |
|---|---|
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 9/7/2021 |
| Signum University :-P | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 9/7/2021 |
| A nice look at this topic, and very apropos for today’s world. As you say, each of these decisions of pity was so very important. He entire world shifts without even one of them. Something for us to remember in our own times, certainly. I saw in the last update (which I haven’t yet had a chance to read) that you were studying at Sigmun University! I literally just heard of it last week — I am very intrigued. Has it been (or was it) a good experience? Author Reply: Hi and thanks for your comments! Signum was definitely a good experience. I recommend it. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| sue | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 6/29/2020 |
| I have so very many questions that need scholarly exploration: LOTR Culture Questions: Why has the material culture not advanced in thousands of years? Many of the warriors - esp Rohirim - have horns (and LOTS of leather), but there is not a SINGLE mentioned cow in ME. How is it that half elves can reproduce? Cross species matings -when they work - have offspring that are 'sports' ie - sterile. Why do elves not practice animal husbandry? How is the population fed? Settled civilization depends on agriculture. Where does their silk come from. Linen? Cotton? Why do the Rohirrim not herd sheep or cattle? Why are there no antelopes on the plains? Why don't elves have dogs? Hunting hounds? Falconry? Why hasn't anyone discovered papermaking. With all the parchment they use, who has the sheep& goats? If they have glass (glazed windows) why not optics? If the elves have such great healers, why is their medicine so primitive? Where do they get the tallow and beeswax for all the candles? Who grows the grapes and barley for all the alcoholic drinks. And what about mead - that takes a lot of honey. And by the way, tastes more like champaign not sweet For all the burning of orc's bodies, where do they get the fuel? It takes a lot of wood and several days to cremate ONE human body...and high heat. Experimental archaeology at Hadrian's Wall cremated a pig - Roman fashion - and it took nearly 2 days and hundreds of pounds of wood. When stories speak of a "few" elves who have not yet passed to Valinor, why are there almost always servants , cooks, chamber maids still around to take care of the nobles? What triggers elves to stop aging… they DO start out as infants and children but at some point it would become difficult to tell how old an elf is. When Elrond or Aragorn make a salve - what carriers are they using. Usual is fat (lard, oil etc) and wax - usually beeswax. Do orcs have congenital hip dysplasia so that the move with such a shuffling gait? Some repeats here...I make notes as I think of them Questions on ME Economics Where does the silk come from...fibers...yarns...weaving...brocade? Where are the sheep...processors...spinners...weavers? Flax...same as above...although more likely to be a cottage industry How advanced is the technology? Spinning wheels? Obviously jacquard=type looms for brocades. There must have been some very odd cloth woven during and just after the Ring-War years. All or most of the sheep were probably killed/eaten. Flax crops were over trodden, retting ponds polluted. Silk trade from more sub-tropical countries was certainly interrupted. So weavers must have been using up the yarns on hand. Ramifications of immortality: Its all well and good if you are noble, like most of the characters, but how does an elf find him/herself as the one who cleans the privies in Rivendell? Eww. (One writer solved this handily by positing that elvish alimentary systems were very efficient and so they pelleted - like deer, rabbits, llamas.) Or any of the myriad other servile jobs. Is there a cash economy? Completely feudal trickle-down. Are there elvish paupers? Is there a middle class? Why, in the thousands of years, over 3 ages, has there not been an industrial revolution? I can see hundreds of years or even two thousand. If elvish society is so static - where are architects, engineers, etc educated. There seems to be a 'parlor school' for young noble elves. How is everyone else educated. Are they mostly illiterate. Why are there no universities? Or even trade schools...oh yeah, apprenticeship system. They knew about gunpowder - fireworks, bomb under Helm's deep why not guns? They knew enough complex chemistry for ale, beer and wine; steel and glass, though, escapes them. Gold, silver and mithril are sought after enough to be mined yet not in circulation as cash Fashions never change If ME uses oil lamps - where do they get the oil...is there whaling? It seems as if only the Hobbits have a complex agrarian society based on barter and small cash. So where do they get that cash? Why do wildfaring hunters only hunt rabbits and sometimes deer? There are a lot of other small game to be had and eaten. Thanks for reading and maybe addressing some of my questions. Author Reply: Hi, sorry, can't answer your answers - hobbits were my love but perhaps those who love elves and men as their speciality could at least speculate - look for those who write about them as their focus and maybe you'll get some ideas - though Middle-earth does have many mysteries. Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 15 on 6/20/2020 |
| In the end, pity and mercy save Middle-earth. It is pity that comes from the wisdom of the heart that transcends logic and reason. ...he learned instead at the feet of Nienna. And that made all the difference. What a beautiful essay! Author Reply: Le hannon! I liked that ending myself. ;) It was fun to research and write. Glad you liked so much, my dear! Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| shirebound | Reviewed Chapter: 14 on 12/6/2018 |
| I enjoyed reading this, and appreciate having these comparisons and insights in one place. Nicely done. Author Reply: Thank you, my dear! Glad you enjoyed. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 4/1/2018 |
| You know, I have never really thought to draw the parallels between Faramir and Sam as you have done here, but it makes perfect sense. Is also funny -- as Sam has always been my favorite Hobbit, Faramir has always been my favorite non-Hobbit. There's just something about them ... There were so many things that grabbed me throughout the course of this article that I pretty much gave up on trying to remember each one specifically. Suffice it to say, Faramir's outlook and actions are inspiring and inspired. As you show, there is much in his character for which each of us would do well to strive. I very much enjoyed it -- thx for writing! I've also been reading the beginning of your 'Moments of Grace ...' book. There are a few things in the first couple of chapters (among others, the tension between Bilbo's Tookish side and Baggins side, and how to draw them into balance) that very much speak to a situation I am currently discerning in my own life -- 'where to next?', in short. I very much appreciate the insights. Thanks so much for your work on these! Author Reply: A belated but heartfelt thank you for all your kind comments here! I am glad you are enjoying my book. :) I am hard at work on another focusing on Frodo and Bilbo's journey, due out on their birthday this year. Faramir is my favorite man as well, a gentle man and a gentleman, a hobbit in a man's skin. Eowyn is the luckiest lass in all Middle-earth. Namarie, God bless and hugs, Antane :) | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 9/8/2016 |
| I have always loved Sam so much. It is wonderful to me how this simple soul is showcased as a hero -- in some ways 'the' hero. At least, he and Frodo were 'the' hero together. Truly an example of God working through out weaknesses. Very nice, thanks for writing! Author Reply: Thanks terribly. :) Frodoandsam rock. I already knew that, but it was great to increase my appreciation for this great hero writing this and the separate one about Frodo. Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/6/2016 |
| Freedom is the ability to turn away from what we want in order to do that which we know we should. I do love the line in the ROTK movie between Theoden and his men -- 'Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor.' 'No we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless.' So much inspiration throughout this wonderful story... Thanks for writing! Author Reply: Thanks for reviewing! :) Yes indeed, this whole story is soaked in inspiration. :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| PSW | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 9/5/2016 |
| I'm so glad to be back to this! I had intended to read more last year, but I've been in a bit of a rut and have only just started reading anything w any substance to it again... ;-) There was so much in here that caught my eye, but a couple of things really stood out: 1) having to make the choice to say yes again and again, not just once. So true for all of us. And 2) Aragorn's comment that there are some things it's better to begin than refuse, even if the end is dark. I think this really wraps into Sam's comment later that Frodo knows what he must do, he's just working up the courage. This is really something to keep in mind, and most of the time a very hard thing... Thanks so much for writing, I very much enjoyed. Hopefully I'll get to the next one a lot sooner. :-P I bought your book as well, and am looking forward to reading it as well! Author Reply: Thank *you* so much for enjoying! Glad you did - and even happier that you bought my book! Le hannon and hobbity hugs :) Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |
| Larner | Reviewed Chapter: 13 on 6/11/2016 |
| Oh, I love this, Antane. You know how much I honor Tom! Author Reply: Glad you enjoyed it, my dear Larner! Namarie, God bless, Antane :) | |